Wok

chemist Alan

Consumer Magazine put the Woods Dehumidifier as one of the better performing ones. You used to be able to buy them at the Warehouse at a much lower price than the Mitsubishi's. I however have had a mitsubishi dehumidifier for the past 4 years and have had no problem with them... ... Got one for my father as well and that dried out his place in a couple of months... the house is much warmer now without all that moisture in the house. Go get a Woods dehumidifier if you can find one.

Hmmm :-? Here I was thinking that I could convert my 'freshie' tank into a small marine tank with a couple of clowns and a anenome with the addition of a cheap skimmer, test kits and a few other bits and pieces, just so that I can try my hand at a marine lifestyle.... .... guess that is out of the picture now :-? I thought I was onto something with the reply I got from Pies and Kevan. Oh well hopefully I will meet up with Pies when I get down to Wellington and see his setup first hand and then pick his brain for a small marine. Guess i will shut up now and see what happens in the other posts

how about 2 Clowns and a couple of shrimps?

Control... good suggestion what about starting with 2 clowns and a anenome... I think most people would be interested in getting this going than just fish. As you can see above for someone that is going from 'freshie' to marine it is possible with the addition of a skimmer and a couple test kits etc. For me it is a realistic opportunity to get my feet wet without shelling out a lot of dosh... or should I say it is the start of a serious addiction :lol: As with the equipment petplanet had a good suggestion as a start. what needed to be added was the skimmer and there you have it (most 'freshies' would need that equipment to get started in tropicals anyway) A new 3ft tank from Gregg at Tanks2u would be able to do a 3ft tank for $80 (estimating here, but he is cheap and good) best of all he will make to order. Just my opinion.

ahhhh Playing Hard to get. Can never figure out women :roll:

What if is shallow? 4 tubes then? (other freshies may have to go without :roll: )

check with Dick Smith Electronics. they sell them.

Thanks Pies so for a 'freshie' to get into marines is possible with minimal cost then. all I really need is a skimmer of some type. (for now). Where would the live rock be placed if I don't have a sump? in the main tank? test kits I would agree with you as getting the water just right is VERY important Sump... yes will be done once I decided that yes I will want a more permanent setup with a better proportioned tank. but as I have proposed already with regards to having an existing 'freshie' tank. Bio load will be low because of only having 2 clowns and maybe a shrimp or 2 (Thats it.... anymore and then will have to look at a more proper setup with sumps, skimmers, etc....) pumps.. would a power head and the outflow from a cannister filter do the job? :-? Water changes... Natural seawater or Artificial? :-? Costs... more than 'freshies'... expected that from reading all other posts Lighting.. will a double tube light hood be sufficient with 2 dayglow tubes? If you guys think that this would work for 2 clowns and an anenome, and sand (basics) then I think we have pretty much worked out a system that a Newbie can do with minimal cost if they are moving from 'freshie' to marine. (ie... what Pet Planet has suggested as an initial setup) Like you have all said anything more then you will need to shell out the thousands but for somebody like me... it will get me started and who knows what I would have in a couple of years I started with cold water fishes first to see if I could keep them alive and breed and then moved onto Tropicals which is a bit more expensive but exciting, with different challenges and I guess the ultimate move would be to have a very nice tropical reef setup. (Pies tank comes to mind ) Thanks Wok

Hi Guys... I have been reading this post with great interest. and have picked up a lot from all of you. Chimera has nicely summarised what is important so far... however it still hasn't answered fully what misnoma first asked about. I too would like to set up a small 'marine' tank at some stage in the future (wife and finances permitting :roll: ) I know that it is cruel to see 2 clowns and a anenome in a small tank like they do in the lfs... but do you guys reckon that they would do a lot better with more room and similar setup without the skimmers, sump and stuff? I mean they are difficult to breed at the best of times... Pies has shown that in his write ups about his tank... So don't you think that it would be possible to house 2 clowns and a anenome in a 3t tank using existing freshwater equipment (canister filter, fluros, tank) and the addition of sand, saltwater, extra hard corals if need be? be sufficient to keep the clowns happy for a few years at least? I mean if they get good at keeping the clowns for a few years then the bug will hit and then spend the thousands on a proper setup With the knowledge that all you marine guys have there has to be a good way to put together a small marine to get people interested and then learn by a 'Hands On' approach instead of reading all the theory and then putting it in place. (I know I pick up things much faster if I have the thing up and running and then ask for assistance as i go along... (trying to ask the right questions ahead of time) It will be like caring for your first child... everyone will tell you what is best for the baby but in the end you will ultimately decide what YOU think is best..... I believe it is the same with fish... everyone does not have the intent of killing fish straight away, and untill they succeed with something small(ish) first they may never get to the stage of a full blown tank like Pies or some of you other guys have (I have only seen pies tank so far :oops: ) Sorry about the babling but I just had to let it out. Cheers Wok

There is only so much Mystic can do to living Tissue. :roll: After that its dead meat :lol:

False alarm ... well sort of... she is only flirting a little bit now... Not full on as before. So I guess I have a longer wait

Mystic would look quite funny in there. :roll: Would she fit? :lol:

Ok... I have a pair of Kribs and the female is flirting with the male by bending her body 90 degrees and then shimmering..... .... when will the eggs come? Is there anything special I need to do? They seem to have found a home at one end of my 4ft tank (Thank God) in a old broken pot. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks Wok

I flea bombed my place last month and just covered my tanks with Newspaper so that they overlapped the sides of the tank. Had no problems at all.... All Fish are stil ALIVE Wok

So who are you taking Alan? or is a secret so the misses don't find out

Impressive. I would go for the 404 instead of the 403 as a filter 2 x 300 watt heaters 4ft long double tube lights if you want bubbles then a biggish air pump with either air stone or curtain. The rest is preety much in your court in what you can afford and what you like. have fun though

That is good to hear Alan babies should be on the way soon then.

I know that Alan. it is best to keep different fish in different bags when shipping fish. Extra care needs to be done when shipping agressive fish, especially if they don't like each other as well. Are you sure it wasn't an alien larvae that burst out of the tummy

Really Alan someone took down 2 cichlids in the same container and 1 died? :roll: Are you sure it wasn't infected with an alien spawn? They have a tendancy of bursting out of the tummy when they grow.

Welcome Mythrax. come on in the water is fine. just be careful of the salties

Well done Stu

Not if you have it deep enough. a shallow pond would be a problem but If it were deeper it may be ok.

not quite sure how cold it gets down there but I winter my fancy goldfish outside with no problems at all. Then again I am in Auckland

Birstlenose and Guppys will be ok together. With regards to drift / bog wood it would be advantageous to place them in a bucket of water first before putting it in the tank. Bristlenose eat the wood to get the fibre in their diet.