Zev

Hey Phoenix, the HBAS are wanting to engage in some inter-club activities with Central Fishkeepers. We were thinking about something along the lines of a Quiz challenge at one of your Sunday meetings, we can make up a trophy and compete for it on a biannual basis, one comp in Palmy, one in Napier with the possibility of a sleepover at The National Aquarium one weekend. You guys up for it? Please discuss this at your meeting and get back to me, ta.

At the moment we are looking at off the shelf complete setups. I will discuss this further with the powers that be and see what we can do in regard to other sizes and gear combinations, it may be that we could run one competition with multiple classes for entry.

Just remember that this may be open to any off the shelf tank under 40l, regardless of brand.

There is one for FNZAS POTM, and it can be handled through this.

This could be run through the this site along the lines of POTM, and it will have to run by the powers that be first, though. So don't get too ahead of yourselves just yet in setting anything up. Thanks.

I think they should be bog standard, out of the box. You can add a heater only. If you happen to have a tank that has two lamps, then so be it. It is more of a challenge to see what can be achieved with an off the shelf tank as inspiration to others with limited space or budget. You should be able to aquascape it with whatever you like in regards to rocks, driftwood, substrate, tacky ornaments and the like. My only no-no would be fake plants. Another consideration is with the likes of the Aquastart that has UGF, which are not conducive to putting any growing medium in a tank, should you be allowed to not install this and just use a sponge filter instead?

Perhaps they are, maybe you need to find them some female friends? My Dageti males were the same - ask the NZKA members who went to the Killie show in Napier - not a good look for a display of four males!

It don't look particularly old, fat or slow to me! Seem to recall a familiar photo from a while back from one of Caryl's posts...

Nothing like a nocturnal predatory fish vacuuming up sleeping morsels!

Yup, I agree. What do you folks think is a good timeframe for establishing a tank for those who are starting from scratch?

I have a Sera kit that goes yellow with the first drops, and you keep adding the drops and swirling the vial and counting them as Suphew says, until it goes blue.

Also, look at the size of the beak! Phoenix may loose a few fingers if he tries!

So are you going to hassle some suppliers for us, then Phoenix?

It would be better to see what can be done with a stock standard off the shelf tank - rather than get into too many mods!

Gee Phoenix, are you that enthusiastic about an aquascape comp that you have to post twice? I thought it may be a good way to give other people ideas about how you can set up a smaller off the shelf tank, I also have a couple of AquaStart 320s. We could look at off the shelf tanks up to 40l - that would include the likes of the Jebo r338 and the Hailea FA300. No mods to the lighting.

Hmmm, we may have to have a AR380 tank competition - I have one that I have to break down because it has developed a leak, so will have to replant it after I fix it. I think there are a few members on this forum who have them, who is up for a challenge?

Reevesta has to count them all first before the chocky fish is awarded.

Oh come on, Reevesta, you started this, so you are responsible for doing the counting . I will sponsor the winner one chocolate fish - sent by standard 50c post with no guarantees that it will not be a squashed or melted fish by the time the winner gets it after it has been through the mail sorting machine and franking machine.

Stagger the tube layout if you do not want dark patches, don't just put them all in the middle or down one end.

Neat... Better than the mankey black and white 2d ones we have.

The colour would depend on what lighting is on the tank? I will go in and get the ladder and take another pic if I have time - just to see if it has a mouth.

They split and replicate very fast, sting other inhabitants into submission, take over the tank....

Black! There is a way to stick a thin plastic backing on with vegetable oil, but I will have to look it up for you.

No, I'm not as silly as you look, Phoenix...

As Suphew says, you will probably need a good needle valve, just a regulator will be too coarse when trying to tune the system. I initially bought a cheap one attached to a regulator, but ended up getting a Tunze regulator and needle valve that gives good control.