Gretal

Hi Heather. Not sure if we have a Carters, but didn't think of Benchmark. After I'd tried Placemakers and Mitre10, I guess figured they wouldn't either. Must give them a go, though I'm starting to feel abit silly asking for it lol

Hehe, he said (after much whinging from me!) that he will get it done this week :lol: I suppose there isn't really a rush for it, I just want it done I still need to get more gravel and stuff for the tank, and the stand will have to be painted etc. Meantime I'm browsing Trademe for more tanks My poor neglected goldfish have a small ugly tank in the hallway, and I definately think they deserve better :lol:

Thanks minchton. I probably will end up going out of town, as Wet Pets is the cheapest place for gravel and I need more of that. Plus I want to look at the fish Won't be for a week or so as I'm still waiting for my tank stand to be built :evil:

I was *going* to make my own tank stand. Did up my plans for it. Worked out what wood I was using for which bit etc. Then my pertner came along and took over He got chatting with two builder friends and has totally changed my plans, and I'm worried now that it won't hold the tank Plus, he is taking ages to do it and I want it done NOW

Thanks Caryl. I do have a couple of pieces of 2.5cm thick stuff that might just be big enough. If all else fails, I'll go out of town and get some at Bunnings.

Ooooh, never thought of that sort of thing. I may have to go and have a look! Thanks

I know this topic has been done to death, as I've just done a search on it. Spent the afternoon ringing round trying to find somewhere local that had any! Mitre 10 said they can order it in but it isn't worth it to them! Plastic Box (formerley Payless Plastics) said they had none. Placemakers said they could order some in for me, but freight for 2 sheets would be $30! I did get some from work, that came out of a freezer box, but it is quite thin, and also I'd need 2 pieces side by side to fit under the tank. Is it safe to use 2 pieces, or would the point where they met become a point of stress to the tank? Also, thickness? The stuff I have under my octagonal is an ex Chrisco freezer box and quite thick lol Probably an inch or two thick? Does it need to be this thick? I may have to go out of town yet and try the nearest Bunnings as it looks like quite a few people have got it from there.

Thanks everyone! Well, I will definately get a couple of angels for the octagonal tank. I'd read that you either had to have 1 on its own or more than 3 as they pick on each other, but from what you guys say it sounds like it depends entirely on personality! Won't be for awhile yet, as I'm still mucking about with tanks and stands, and will need to put my other tropicals somewhere when I get the stand made for the big tank. (And the only spare tank atm is the octagonal) My poor goldfish will have to stay in their small tank in the hallway for now............ unless I can convince my partner we need another tank

More questions for you experts! I currently have 3 tanks. Tank A = 600 x 300 x 300 (roughly) Tank B = Octagonal 650tall x 450 x 450 (roughly) Tank C = 800 x 600 x 400 (long tallish rectangle) Tank A has 4 goldfish in Tank B is currently empty as I'm redesigning the stand Tank C has 7 Neons, 3 Black Neons, 2 Glowlight Neons, 1 Peppered Catfish, and 5 Platties. What I'm wondering is this: I would love at some stage to have atleast one Angelfish, but I've read that they aren't good community fish. So, do I use the Octagonal for Angelfish? In which case how many and what else can go in with it/them? Or, do I use the big tank for the angelfish, and put the others back into the Octagonal? In which case how many and what else can go in with it/them? Or, if 1 angelfish would be okay on its own with what I already have, do I leave them in the big tank, move the goldfish to the Octagonal and have the small tank for a quarantine tank? If I don't get any angelfish, what other biggish pretty fish can I get that would either be okay in with the neons etc? Or am I pretty mimited to what could go in with them? Um, thats it for now I think

I'vejust lost my fourth one. I didn't take much notice of the condition of the first 2 that died. Figured it was something I had done wrong. I bought 4 more a couple of days ago, (2 of each sex), and yesterday found one floating dead. Last night I found the second one struggling between trying to swim and being swept round the tank by the current. His (her?) tail was almost non existent. Just a few raggy pieces left. All four fish that died (the original 2 and these latest two), were the same sex. Not sure which lol, but they are the one's with the flashier tails so presume male? I did wonder if perhaps something else was eating their tails. (although I only know for sure that the last one had no tail) But when I had the first 2 die, I only had a few neons and a CAE in the tank, and the CAE died first! I think I won't bother buying anymore guppies. Hopefully the 2 that are left will be okay. Remains to be seen. The funny thing is, I also ended up with a guppy fry for nothing as it got caught with the others, and its still alive! lol

Are all male and female fish (regardless of type) the same to sex? In other words do they all look the same lol. I forget the technical words for what the male has :oops: It's really hard trying to see if they do or don't have anything when they are racing about the tank. Reason I'm asking is, 1 of my black neons seems to always be off on it's own behind the "junk" at the back of the tank. It does come out for food, or just now and then to play. I don't know if it's always the same one or they take turns lmao I have 4 of them in the tank and they all look the same to me! I also have 2 neons, who tend to pair up together, and yesterday one seemed to be chasing the other about, so I'm not sure if it's aggression or not. I *will* get more when I can get to the lfs next. (and now I know they're not going to all die on me!)

Well, not exactly "new". I sold one of my goldfish tanks, with 6 fish, thinking I could use the money from that to buy more tropicals etc. My partner happened to mention to the landlord that I was looking to buy a bigger tank eventually, and he said "I've got one in the shed". So he hauled out this dust covered monstrosity, and it is now mine It measures 800mm long, 600-ish mm high and and 400mm front to back. So nearly twice the size of the goldfish one I sold today. It only seems to be 5ish mm glass. Is that okay? It has 3 bracing things across the top. I assume he has made it himself at some stage as he works for a glass place. Yay! Am very excited. I'd already decided that I want to get some Angels to put in my hexagonal, which means I'd need another tank to put my neons in (so they don't get eaten), and I've still got my smaller cold water tank with 4 goldfish in. My partner informed me today that I needed to buy something big and colourful because the neons are boring and it just looks like an empty tank :lol: They are currently in the hexagonal, which is 60-ish L. I tried explaining that I was building up my community slowly and our lfs didn't have much of a choice anyway. I also don't think he realises the price of fish! So will have to get stuck in and clean the new tank (any suggestions for getting off the grime, other than plain old water and elbow grease?) I also have to buy a couple of new heaters, air pump, more gravel, etc etc to set it up. I may also put a few real plants in the big tank, and perhaps a big chunk of driftwood if I can find the right sort of piece. So it's a wee while away from being ready for any fishes yet.

The death toll is now 2, and 1 MIA. One guppy was dead this morning, and I can't find the other guppy anywhere. I'm crossing my fingers that my neons are okay. Maybe I should just go back to goldfish :oops:

Yes, the filter has been running the whole time. I only have fake plants in it though. As far as the GAE goes, I think it might be dead It's on the bottom and hasn't really moved for quite awhile. The rest of the fish seem fine. I feel like the complete novice I am now :oops:

I also have a bag of tonic salt that came with my octagonal tank. I have no idea what to use it for. The lady who sold it to me was very vague lol Would be nice to know what it is used for..........

The tank is an octagonal, approx 60 L? It has been set up for quite awhile. (a month or so?) I had my goldfish in it for about 2 weeks, and then had it empty (of fish) for about another two. So is that long enough for it to cycle properly? Also, about the golden algae eater, it doesn't appear to be aggressive toward the others at the moment. Mind you, they are off doing their own thing so perhaps it can't get close enough lol The two guppies tend to hang out together (any way of telling what sex they are as they are so small and look identical!) The neons all tend to shoot round the tank in a bunch.

Couldn't hold out any longer. I bought 2 neons (wanted 6 but they only had 2), 4 black neons, 2 guppies and a golden algae eater so far. All are only tiny, and zipping about the tank. Fingers crossed they are all nice and healthy! May have a look in a week or two at adding something else for abit more colour.

I've noticed that since I put the heater and new air pump in my octagonal tank, the water level has gone down over the past week or so. Is this normal? Also, even with the water level not as high as I'd like, the air pump spits water up through the hole in the top of the tank and it leaves drips on the light and makes the inside of the hood go mouldy. I'm guessing I should put a piece of glass over the hole?

Nice tank! I have an octagonal about half that size. *runs to measure it* It's about 650mm tall And a PITA to do anything with lol. Trying to fill it up with gravel, plants etc was a mission as my arms were barely long enough to reach the bottom. I did have my goldfish in it but have decided to put some tropicals in. Nothing in it as yet, but I have a heater on one of the back panels and some sort of internal filter. Hopefully that works!

Woohoo it worked! I'm not so blonde after all :lol: And now for the rubber bungy things:

Bubble walls are hard to take photo's of! Even though it looks like it should in real life, in the photos it just looks like scratched glass lol Okay, trying this for the first time so please be patient

I don't have a photo at the moment but I'll go take a photo soon It's a 2 outlet pump, and I have one of these on another tank of similar size and its fine. But this tank it makes a racket. I did have to cut the bubble wall stick thing shorter than it was originally, because it was too long to go straight across a pane of my octagonal tank (and also because my partner interfered and cracked it lol, so I had to cut the cracked piece off) I might try buying another bubble wall and seeing if that helps. I did try putting another hose on one of the outlets to try to cut down pressure but it sounded the same. At the moment I have 2 pieces of hose connected to the outlets, then a connector to make them into one hose which is attached to the bubble wall. I tried using my very weak one outlet pump, but that didnt have enough power to work the bubble wall. (well, only half of it had bubbles and they were pretty pathetic.) I've used the knob on the side of the pump to turn the power right down, but it doesnt help at all. There were two black rubber ......um..... 'things' lol in with the pump but I have no idea what they are or what they are for. I'll try to get a photo of everything and see if I can show you.

I put a bubble wall in my octagonal tank, but think the air thingy is too strong for it, as it seems quite loud lol. Or maybe I just bought a noisy one? Tho I also have the same sort on one of my under gravel filters and it isnt as loud?

Thanks for the ideas. I spent $80-odd at the pet shop today Had to get another air pump, one of those bendable air curtain things, a couple of finches and a heater. Got home and the heater was cracked on the bottom so have to take it back tomorrow. Didn't have much time to have a decent look at the fish, but might talk my partner into travelling over to Palmi tomorrow and looking at Wet Pets.

These will make you experienced people laugh, but never mind 1/ How do I read the stick on thermometer on my tank? There's always 2 or 3 numbers "lit up". (at the moment there is 6!) One is quite dark bluey green, and then they sort of change, through to a browny colour. I did have goldfish in it so it didn't really matter, but am going to get a heater and change to tropicals in that tank. 2/ Regarding changing to tropicals, any ideas on what sort of fish to put in it? I'm wanting colourful one's that get on okay with each other. Would like some neon tetra's for a start, but what else? Tank is one of those dreaded octagonal one's It is 40cm longx 40cm wide by 65cm high. (think I got that right. According to a website I checked, I can keep 26cm of fish in it. Does that sound right? 3/ I think my two goldfish tanks may be overstocked. They are the following: Tank 1 = 60cm long x 30cm wide x 37cm high. Tank 2 = 45cm long x 30cm wide x 30cm high. Tank 1 has 2 5cm goldfish and 5 2cm goldfish. Has under gravel filter (which I've only just learnt you shouldn't use with goldfish, but my gravel is quite deep so should be okay? Tank 2 has 2 5cm goldfish and 3 2cm goldfish. Also has under gravel filter. They all seem pretty healthy. I will admit I don't test the water I think maybe I should just buy another tank........... or two