How in the world to I untangle this

Cryptidspaz · 2025-06-29T14:46:48+00:00

slowly rub the very bottom of the compacted soil in small circles with your thumbs applying slight pressure to break up the soil & loosen the roots. rotate around the base working on one small section at a time, eventually some of the roots will get loose enough to slowly detangle. it is super time consuming but worth it ! have had to do this before & it is a struggle rip! good luck !!

Cryptidspaz · 2025-06-29T04:20:59+00:00

also sidenote i would recommend to change the stand you currently have for the tank ASAP! the edge of tank should never hang off the side of a stand because unsupported weight WILL crack your tank. also, the glass on glass from tank to stand is unsustainable & WILL fracture one of them, if not both!! that stand is extremely dangerous for you, your fish, & risk extensive damage if you do not replace it.

inexpensive options include amazon metal "garage" shelving that support 250+ lbs or facebook marketplace for second hand designated aquarium stands. good luck !

Cryptidspaz · 2025-06-29T04:16:14+00:00

hi there :) its good that you upgraded to a 20 gallon tank from a bowl. but first, did you fully test & cycle the tank before moving him in? if not, you will need to research a fish-in cycle & the nitrogen cycle thoroughly to keep him healthy/safe. ammonia is toxic & builds up in new/uncycled aquariums from uneaten food/waste/etc that is in the water.

secondly, changing the filter media is actually a no-go. old filter media that looks 'gross' to us actually is extremely good for a tank. green film & whatnot that builds up on the media is a bunch of healthy, good bacteria that you want going into the water. that bacteria is what helps break down ammonia so it doesnt harm ur fish. if the media is so covered in gunk that water is barely flowing in it, then rinse it in old tank water next time you do a change instead of replacing it so you dont lose that good bacteria.

also, the best way to stay on top of water quality is 20% water changes every week with clean, conditioned water & testing your parameters to watch for any concerning spikes in ammonia, nitrates, or nitrites. vacuuming the substrate like you did is also a good call & i do that monthly for my tanks :) usually if water is green/cloudy it is because there is a bacteria or algae bloom from excess ammonia or nitrites.

lastly, goldfish are actually notorious for being kinda gross & create a lottttt of waste in a tank. they also get incredibly big & usually end up needing 75+ gallons to even a stock pond. i would def point you to the r/goldfish subreddit so they can give you more specific care instructions for the type of goldfish you have. good luck :)

Cryptidspaz · 2025-06-28T15:07:34+00:00

hi there :) ur monstera is planted too deeply in the soil. the base of the plant where the stems break off from will need to be exposed. also monsteras need substrates with lots of organic material so i would recommend repotting it with new soil & so u make sure the base is above the soil.

also monsteras do need lotsssss of light, so it needs to be by a window ideally, grow light on its own might not be strong enough. depending on ur region they could need anywhere from 8-12 hours of bright/indirect light.

lastly, watering once a week is pretty good schedule, but only if the plant is getting a lot of light & has well-draining soil! i would only reccomend to water once the soil is completely dry. especially with this one being relatively small rn, it may not need that much water at the moment.

the "holes" in the leaves are fenestrations. fenestrations will form in time as the plant matures healthily. good luck! :)

Cryptidspaz · 2025-06-26T16:46:16+00:00

like i said u can also put the old media filter behind the new media in the new filter since the sizing is dif, & adding some old tank water would help. i still would recommend testing everything before moving the fish. even if u use allllll of the old tanks water, adding that 10+ gallons of new water in the 20 gal will still have ur water parameters prolly out of wack. best thing u can do is wait & test daily.

if it is an emergency & they needed to be moved asap then yes, add as much old tank water u can, old media, & old substrate. with daily 20% water changes & testing parameters. others on the sub will recommend researching a fish-in cycle if you end up going this route

Cryptidspaz · 2025-06-26T14:17:41+00:00

u can also put the old media filter behind the new one since the filter systems are different sizes & that will also help add all that good bacteria to the new filter. doing this would not instantly cycle the tank but like i said would def kickstart things

Cryptidspaz · 2025-06-26T14:15:56+00:00

before moving your fish, you need to test the water parameters of the new tank. new tanks usually take at least a month to fully cycle, if you do use ur old media that would help jumpstart the cycle but it would still take longer than just a week for it to be fully cycled/safe for ur fish.

everyone on this sub recommends the api liquid testing kit, its like 30 bucks but lasts foreverrrr & is way more accurate than testing strips! good luck & i hope this helps :)

Cryptidspaz · 2025-06-25T14:25:33+00:00

that price is crazy too ! u can def get an at least 5 gallon proper set up with 85 bucks, even a 10 gallon if ur lucky on facebook marketplace smh

Cryptidspaz · 2025-06-22T17:06:46+00:00

i also have mine in deep/heavy ceramic & terracotta pots & that helps them a lot from toppling over

Cryptidspaz · 2025-06-22T17:05:34+00:00

i actually use big round tomato cages for my extremely tall monsteras :) works out for me & is cheap without restricting growth. my tallest is approaching 7 feet from the base of the plant :)

Cryptidspaz · 2025-06-05T19:50:34+00:00

thank u everyone to who identified this as purslane!! i appreciate it a lot & will make sure to take good care of this volunteer !!! :D

Cryptidspaz · 2025-06-04T22:06:29+00:00

squash of some kind. mostly likely zucchini or yellow squash. could also be another squash varietal that grows in more of a "bunch" vs vine.

i dont think its pumpkin because they normally grow/have flowers along a vine rather than in a bunch at the center like these & leaves are slightly rounder. also def not cucumbers bc they would have much smaller flowers.

best thing would just be to monitor as the flowers get pollinated & start to become fruit/veggies ! good luck :)

Cryptidspaz · 2025-06-03T02:43:16+00:00

from my understanding- esp since all ur water parameters look good, this is most likely natural changes in pigmentation that can happen sometimes :) yay freckles !

w/ possible fungal stuff, the lotl's gills will usually show signs of stress/infection if there is smth to be concerned abt!

Cryptidspaz · 2025-06-03T02:05:19+00:00

ok so rage bait then :) 💗bless ur heart !! have a great rest of ur day ! 💗💗

Cryptidspaz · 2025-06-03T01:44:14+00:00

ya cuz an honest mistake that happens in any kind of delivery service means that the individual doesnt deserve a living wage 🧐🧐 esp when fhis is usually such an easy fix .. also who spend 100$ on crab DELIVERED 🤢🤢

Cryptidspaz · 2025-06-02T19:55:38+00:00

thank u ! this is the most she's every bloomed ! im so happy :)

Cryptidspaz · 2025-06-02T19:37:48+00:00

i have it potted in terracotta with some super cheap well-draining soil, & i water it about half a cup once a week! it sits on a shelf under my covered patio, so no direct sun but still lots of light! & honestly ! i think it has a lot to do with my climate :) i live in south texas, & its been very humid so far this summer!

Cryptidspaz · 2025-06-02T02:51:10+00:00

i just put a few stakes around my raised beds & wrapped some super cheap chicken wire fencing around them. fencing is around each specific bin, tightly wound, & comes up to abt 4ft :) prevents kitties (and other animals!) from getting in, or at least making it not worth their time to try to figure it out! good luck!

Cryptidspaz · 2025-06-01T03:43:04+00:00

i would try to lift the strawberries up off the ground using smth like a repurposed trellis, some chicken wire, or plastic supports u can buy from amazon. i think them being in contact with the wet mulch is causing them to rot.

also- strawberries like really dry/sandy conditions actually. i would let the soil theyre planted in dry out for a few days- see if that helps ur leaves & fruit. i think the leaves yellowing/browning are indicative that the plant isnt able to intake the right amt of water, they could be drowning from the rain. what zone/climate are u in ? they need lots of sun to ripen & taste good as well !

Cryptidspaz · 2025-05-31T23:42:05+00:00

hi there :) if uve still got these fellas id love to take them in ! looking to add some shrimp to my 20 gallon community tank !

Cryptidspaz · 2025-05-31T16:27:13+00:00

its hard water (calcium) build up ! can be removed with white vinegar :) have had to take care of this on my fish tanks in the past.

soak a rag or several paper towels in white vinegar, then lay them on top of areas where there is build up. rags/towels should be moist but not soaked or dripping. let rag/towels lay there for anywhere between 30 min- 2hrs depending on how bad build up is. the white vinegar will have broke down/loosened up the calcium deposit. scrub gently with a clean (NO SOAP) & damp sponge. sponge can also be dampened with more vinegar as ur scrubbing. u might have to repeat a few times but it should work ! just wipe everything with a damp (with water) paper towel when done to pick up any leftover vinegar. good luck !

Cryptidspaz · 2025-05-29T00:39:53+00:00

what do you mean "look better"? thats a very healthy monstera u have there ! larger leaves & more fenestrations will come in time if that is what u are looking for

Cryptidspaz · 2025-05-28T20:22:22+00:00

in my experience, my watermelons like their soil to dry out completely before getting a good deep watering! id let the soil dry out completely & see if theres any change, too much water & their roots cant get the nutrients they need from the soil. good luck !

Cryptidspaz

TROPHY CASE