Tank Mates

12/29/2023

This is a late post for this 35 gallon freshwater tank. We picked this one up several weeks ago. This tank had not been maintained in some time but all the fish were still in good health.

The ammonia and nitrate levels were high but over the course of several weeks and water changes later, all the parameters are within normal, safe ranges.

The owner has since added more fish to this tank and everything has been going smoothly for the past several weeks.

12/29/2023

Update on the 120 gallon saltwater tank. The tank has been fully cycled for several weeks now and there are 5 or so fish as well as a handfull of snails and crabs. We did the first full service last week in preparation for Christmas. Water test, water change, algae scrub, and adding a few extra treatment products. Everything went very well and the tank was looking brand new after we finished.

11/28/2023

Update on the 55 gallon freshwater tank. The owners asked to have their new stand assembled today and for the entire setup to be moved to another room on the second floor of their house.

We started by assembling the new stand and moved it to thier desired location, we then removed all the external equipment from the tank, removed 1/3rd of the water, transferred the remaining 2/3rds water into buckets along with the fish, removed the substrate and hauled everything upstairs for reassembly. We also added a wallpaper as per the owners request and finished by doing a quick water test to make sure everything was ok from the move and with the exception of the nitrates being a touch high still, everything looked great.

11/19/2023

This is another we began servicing this week. A 55 gallon freshwater tank. The current owners were given this tank by someone who was moving and could no longer take care of it.

The first water test was very scary; ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and ph were all in the danger zone.

On Thursday we started by removing, cleaning and reinstalling the external equipment. We tried to clean the decor but it was to far gone and could not be salvaged. The current owners will be adding more decor soon. We did a partial water change of the water that was already there, scraped off all the algae and buffed the inside glass to remove any remnants, filled the tank to about 3/4 full and added the necessary treatment products to bring the parameters back to a safe level.

Today we did another water change, gravel vacuum and filled the tank the rest of the way. The water test was much better today but still slightly off. We added more treatment products and installed two new lids and lights.

In the comments you will see the tank as it was when we finished today.

11/18/2023

We picked up another tank to service a few days ago and went today for the first cleaning. This is a saltwater 75 gallon bow front.

The initial water test showed elevated ammonia, nitrate and salinity. Even with water parameters that were slightly off from normal, all the fish and their giant hermit crab seemed perfectly healthy.

We started by removing, cleaning and reinstalling all the external equipment (filters, heater and lids). We then spent about two hours scraping algae and buffing the inside glass to remove any remnants. With a large net, we skimmed the water to remove any floating algae left from the scraping. Lastly we did a partial water change, refilled the tank and added the necessary treatment products to bring the water parameters back to a safe level.

We spent about 3 1/2 hours on this tank today.

In the comments you will see a picture of the tank immediately after we finished.

11/11/2023

Update on the 120 gallon saltwater tank.

Everything has been running smoothly for about 3 1/2 weeks now. The water parameters show that the tank is about halfway through the cycling process. The water is clear and we can see some algae beginning to grow which means that the tank is healthy and hopefully soon will be ready to add fish.

10/23/2023

This is the filtration system of a 120 gallon saltwater tank owned by our first client.

He purchased this tank preowned. The tank was already drilled and fit for plumbing and all the components were there but it was in pieces upon pickup.

We spent about 5 hours disassembling and cleaning all the components, refit and resealed the chambers in the sump, tested everything for functionality, reassembled and set all the components in place, added new filter media and filled the sump and the tank with water. With the exception of a few minor drips here and there that were easily fixed, everything worked perfectly.

This is still a work in progress.

On our next visit, we will clean up the wiring, set up the auto top off system and add all the necessary products to begin the cycling process.

More pictures to come…

10/12/2023

Services include:

-In home or over the phone consultation

Free

-Tank set up

Includes: Unboxing, assembly and testing of equipment and/or tank stand. Placement in the desired location, filling the tank with water and an initial dose of treatment products

$30 per hour (1 hour minimum)

-Routine Tank Maintenance

Includes: water test, water change, gravel vacuum, filter clean, algae scrub, and treatment products as needed

$2.50 per gallon (10 to 30 gallons)

$2.25 per gallon (40 to 75 gallons)

$2.00 per gallon (90 gallons and up)

Prices are on a monthly basis and can be split into weekly, bi-weekly or one time monthly payments depending on how frequently we need to visit in order to achieve and maintain stability in the tank.

Depending on your tanks condition, a full, up front payment may be required to bring the tank back to a serviceable level.

An additional mileage fee will be applied for locations further than a 30 mile radius from Shreveport, LA.

We accept cash, PayPal, Venmo and Zelle payments.

Please do not hesitate to send us a message with any questions you may have.

10/12/2023

Hello, welcome to Tank Mates!

Are you interested in keeping aquatic pets but don't want the hassle of constantly testing, water changing, or figuring out what products to use? If so, you have come to the right place.

At Tank Mates it is our job to handle all the routine maintenance, allowing you to sit back and enjoy your aquatic pets worry free. We have spent countless hours researching the needs of freshwater, brackish and saltwater aquatic pets so you don’t have to.

Our goal is to ensure your aquatic pets live happy, healthy lives for many years to come. To get started, please feel free to send us a message or email anytime! Thank you!

Send a message to learn more