Basically, a skippy is an external filter that functions as BOTH a biological and mechanical filter. See the link below for details. I assembled my own, inexpensively I might add, with the guidance of everyone here. As I mentioned, my puddle is roughly twice the size of yours (actually it's three preforms strung together). Accordingly, my skippy is small. And small it may be, but it reduced my regular pond maintenance immeasurably! The short version is that I started with a lotus pot I got on clearance. Added the grate from Lowe's & a few short pieces of pvc pipe & fittings. Picked up some scrubbies at the dollar store along with some batting. Every year I sprig the top with cuttings from plants I already have which renders the skippy invisible...once the plants take off, it looks like a lucious container garden nestled next the pond and no one is the wiser:) My skippy is the simplest of the simple, no doubt, but it works! And it frees up space IN the pond plus cuts maintenace time beyond belief. Check out the link and if you're interested in my step-by-step details, I'll be happy to provide them. I don't have a lot to offer here in the big scheme of things but this is one lesson I learned well *chuckle* ~digger

tip from Dr. E Use api test kit if you want but you really don't need it with what I'm doing... i usually do this to injured fish or sick fish: 1) get a new container (10 gallon) 2) put water in there 3) add fungi clear and ick clear (See bottle for directions) 4) let water age for 1 day then your new container will be a fresh new clean container. 5) fish your betta from the tank with a aquarium fish net and put him in the new tank. (add penicillin and aloe vera droplets to heal its wounds or bio coat with a drop of penicillin) if the rot or fungi reach its spine, then ur betta will soon die... DO NOT BUY CHEAP FISH, they are usually covered with dangerous disease and contaminants. 6) tear down your old tank, because even if you change water or add other to the old one, white residues will stay and it will come to kill your fishes again... 7) clean your substrate, your tank, and rinse your plants throughly... put it in a glass container and if you see white mucus or white objects, rinse it somemore. 8) change your filter, add new water, add declor out, let it filter. Personally I like the name eclipse and sleak design, although the arcylic glass is a cultivator/incubator for most diseases. slime and other contaminants easily attach itself to it. Stick with glass, since they aren't easily scratched. Go with aquaclear filtration system it is much better and cleaning debris and capturing fungi floats (the lil flaky mucus balls debris) usually caused by additives If you add them in your old tank you will definitely see those lil white balls. eclipse is that water flow on filter, not highly proficient when caring for your fish.

I had some fish that had some kind of fungus that grew in it mouth. I think it had the name cotton in it. I had not added any new fish but had stressed them when I moved the tank (10 gal.) a few weeks before. They didn't survive it. Here is a link that might be useful: this may be it.

I know this post is kind of old but I just became a member too. I don't have any of the plants you mentioned (and it's too cold here to send plants now) but would you be interested in handmade candles? I make candles in a variety of shapes (votives, pillars, stars etc) and scents. If you are interested, let me know and I can email you with a list of the scents and molds that I have and we can work something out. Jenell