markvs

guppy fry, is that like white bait fritters? :happy1:

I remember hunting/killing a number of those when just a careless young boy in the sixties out at little huia on the north side of the manukau harbor. what is their range in nz? :digH:

Try local renderer. Canterbury meat products, or I think there is another one, whose name escapes me. You will have to make sure that they are aware of the end use, as they may be touchy about allowing outsiders in?

Not to worry, if you are an evolutionist, as something new will come along soon to replace it... probably

I have been thinking that a stainless steel acceptable replacement could be purchased from a good bearing dealership. 2.5mm sounds like it should be a standard size and they often cut to length these days. The advantage isthat it should be quite cheap also.

Used to be a lot in the various ponds at the domain, but I don't know legalities of sourcing them from there.

Kariotahi is fairly bereft of driftwood, as the tides keep moving thewood up or down the coast. If you are in the area, then a better bet is either of the gaps up the peninsula. Cochranes gap is probably the best, but access is over private land, so permission will have to be obtained. Hamiltons gap is larger, with road access, but not that profitable from memory I have not been there in a few years. Another option is the river mouth after a storm, as much can be washed downriver. Do Not under any circumstances go for a swim there especially from the north side as in 16 years living in the area I have only heard of 1 successful swim! :fshi:

Sounds like the sealing face of the solenoid has failed or has something under it. If you have the confidence, strip it and check. If the seal face has a crack, line or dimple on it, then the seal usually rubber has failed. You may, or may not be able to get a replacement from the solenoid's agent. Good luck...

I have no information on the culling of chickens, except to say that when ours works was next to a quarantine facility hatching imported eggs, that when they had to destroy a 'bad' batch, there was a nasty smell come from their chimney... I am not insinuating they were burnt alive, I am just saying I dont know the method of death.

As far as rapidity of death of fish put through mulcher/prehog machines, I would not be too concerned about a lingering death. I work for a company that makes "professional" mulchers (known in the trade as hoggers) and anything live fed into the machines smaller than a full grown chook would, in my estimation at the very least be unconcious after the first "strike" and gone through the machine in less than 30 seconds, that is , all gone, in small, thumb sized pieces. These machines are never, in my experience fed with live animals, of any type. There was a case (according to the lore of these machines [truth unverified] of a person accidently going through one of our machines I believe the remains were hosed out. the only thing that I have heard that will stop these machines is either steel, like 10mm plate, or a large bulls head. Have fun, and don't slip in!

I would think that you would have to check what type the litter is. Some used to be diatomaceous earth , which I would think unsuitable. Others are sort of synthetic I think, so of no nutritive value, but , as I say check what you are getting, even if you have to email the manufacturer to check for deodorants etc which may affect usefullness? :cr6:

I would have thought that would be the easiest way to sex them, you can see their bits? :digH: Mind you , you would have to be careful of the claws? :rotf: As for in a tank, well, what sort of green crawly thing did you have in mind?? hopefully not a beautiful classic machine? :nilly: Sorry, I could not resist the temptation to misread your question, and have a little fun with it. :sml1:

I am not sure if the zinc will be toxic to your fish. Remember that it is a sacrificial protector of the steel wire below, and as such will dissolve into the water reasonably easily. Possibly copper wire may be better, with the same drawbacks. I would suggest either stainless wire, or aluminium if you can access them. If necessary try a scrap dealer or a welder if you know one? I hope this is some help.

I only keep the ones that are alive, myself, the others tend to get smelly after a while.... :slfg: :digH:

I have problems with that algae too. My main solution at this time is to use an old comb for 2 reasons 1 I only have valls in tank,with guppies 2 I dont have enough hair to need it myself :slfg: I was told here that my tank does not get enough light to grow plants, but as the valls and algae grow I am hap :yaw2: py...

If you are in a city I would expect a lot of pollution :sml1:

As far as i know they don't sell overseas, The drinks and biscuits are much better than they used to be, everyone now has access to the choccy ones, unlike in the days when i first started giving. Apparently they do not like you beating the 4 minute donation. :sage: I gave last night and it was 4;45 minutes. I have been giving for over 20 years as and when i could. I worry that I could be mistaken for a naughty person with all the holes in my elbow :gigl:

It may be possible that you can get cheaper part from places like supercheap, although they may not be identical, if the shape and size are correct, then trim off excess and fit. However I do realise that may not work. my old car had to have an original hose at $60 odd dollars, as opposed to the close but not perfect $15 super cheap. Hopefully you will be able to get it done ok. :sage:

Rocks were cleaned with scrubbing brush only used for fish purposes from new, no detergents, bleaches etc. The rocks were from the karangahake gorge (that's the one on the way to Tauranga from Auckland) from the main channel of the river. I have put it down to the fact that as previously the river was used in gold mining, some toxin may still have been on the rock, perhaps released by the scrubbing done to clean it for use. The toxin suspected would be arsenic. I did not, however test the water on myself.... I found it strange that as the new rock was the only change made in the tank and that simply added to the existing hardscape, so the the substrate was not even disturbed. Hopefully my analysis will hold up to the people who do know better than I (i am not being sacastic, jsut asking if I have made an analytical error here) :smln:

many moons ago I got some rock from a clean lively river, even had trout, so I am told. however, after cleaning and soaking, these rocks, overnight killed all the africans i had. About $200+ down the tube, so, as a suggestion, put temporarily in sacrificial tank. :dead%fish

boring really, I make crook not really different from the truth oops, from my name i meant to say :oops:

Saw it , nice to see you Donna, have been following the stories of the survivors that you post, this is really good news, an awesome outcome. :bounce:

As I remember it cost less than $10 per bag at my local garden cenmtre, but that was about a year ago.

I remember seeing a tv program where they used to use compost to grow pineapples in England in the snows of winter. The bad news, lots of labour turning it over, and vast amounts of raw materials required. They used horse manure and all other goodies. y question is what on earth are you going to do with all the compost?

we had a couple of papillon crosses, 1) the female she was small, so that even when fully grown she could stand on your head hence the nickname parrot. She was fearless attempting to round up cattle the first time she met them. She was not fixed,and possibly because of this she attempted to escape all the time. She would sleep on the bed with us . 2) Her husband? He was stoopid he being also unfixed peed on the furniture he was a good guard dog, barking at all comers. Although nominally my dog, he would almost totally ignore me. General points, although the dogs were only here about 18 months (before the now ex wife left with them), I liked them, busy active, They were fast, keeping up with the black lab we have. They were bred originally I believe as bed warmers so they like both company, and warmth. I went to school with a guy who had a dacshy good dog, will readily be a guard for you as will the paps. They will mainly focus on the one master, but will accept others , but not as close. \ The mix of the two should be a good healthy dog, I wish you well, let us all know how it turns out...