Jennifer

Yeah, I only soak mine for a short time too. Keep in mind though, bleach can get sucked into the diffuser so make sure it is empty of fluid before you put it into the tank (or it will dump pure chlorine into the tank). Also, it the frit is blocked from hard water deposits, you may need to soak it in acid (e.g. vinegar or something stronger if you have access to that sort of thing).

I went away for a week (had someone fertilising for me and CO2 was automatic) and came back to BB on lots of the wood. I increased CO2 injection, increased the ferts and it all completely disappeared within 10 days. Flourish excel will kill it too, but it won't solve the problem. Might pay to monitor your lighting levels too - if they are on a long time, it will increase the plant's demand for CO2 and nutrients. Easier to control the lighting than dump loads more ferts in there.

Aww, thanks Adrienne. They look great. I am so happy to be able to share them with you guys - and so happy they made it out when they did! Here's the dad: Both: And mum and dad (look closely and you will see babies).

They have a limited lifespan. Some also need to be kept in a pH 7 buffer (although for practical purposes, clean water is fine). You can sometimes recharge the glass tip by soaking it in an acid buffer. Depends on the probe though. For most probes, letting them dry out is not good. I have an AquaOne probe as well and it does not need to be kept in water.

I'd say go for it. The Tamron 90 is one of the best macros you can get. Not quite as sharp as a Canon 100, but very close and better than a Sigma 105.

I know of four females in the country. Losing this one will be a great loss indeed.

If you know your kH, it is easy to adjust the CO2 levels to optimal levels without a drop checker if you have a pH probe (well, that's what I do anyway). Once you have the target range, you set it and forget it, just like a drop checker. IMO, an investment in a pH probe will be more useful than an investment in a drop checker because you can use it for all sorts of things.

It may be a case of hybrid vigor. Animals that are closely related, like dogs, can interbreed and one of two main things will happen - they will either take on the weakest traits of each of their parents and be unfit for survival (outbreeding depression) or they can take on the strongest traits of their parents and be 'stronger' than a pure bred (hybid vigor) - they can also be somewhere in between. When an animal is line bred to other closely related individuals, it can also result in inbreeding depression where the purebred is not as 'strong' as a mixed breed. This phenomena is relatively common in dogs whereas it is less common in horses. I am not sure how common it is in fishes.

Don't you want something contrast-y against the shimmery Geos? 8)

Yeah my CPDs are on my desk so I can spy on them all day. I like watching the males do their little dance.

I see them around regularly. Usually they are young when you buy them so you don't really get to see how amazing they are when they develop.

+3 to lemons...but I already said that once so maybe it doesn't count again. :oops: PS: Si, that was my desktop wallpaper for the longest time...maybe that's why I am so obsessed with them.... :roll:

I agree, I have CPDs as well but they aren't nearly so outgoing as the Tinwini. The CPDs are more around the bottom of the tank, in and out of plants and hiding a lot whereas the Tinwini are at the middle and always where the action is. Depends on what you want for the tank.

Won't you be done with exams by then?? Hey, is anyone going to this: http://www.bandtogetherforcanterbury.co.nz/ I am thinking it will be super fun. :bounce:

The Tinwini are completely and utterly peaceful. No problem at all with them. They even ignore the fry. They really are lovely fish.

Haha!! I knew you would be tempted with all that plant real estate in there. 8) Sux about the tannins. I had a huge amount in my 6 footer when I added that huge piece of wood. I loaded the filter up with carbon just to keep it under control but the carbon only lasted for a couple of weeks before it stopped absorbing any more colour. Of course now I add ferts so I don't want the carbon in there. Now 4 months later t takes about 6 days before the water starts to take on a stained appearance but luckily it is only a day or so before the next water change is due.

Hmmm, what shall I put on my pizza? I am thinking shredded roast pork, rocket and feta cheese. Can't wait to make a little fry tank too. 8)

Hatchets don't school very well unless you have a big group and then they look fantastic. In smaller numbers they tend to pick on each other but they still are very cool. If you are looking for a smaller fish, I would recommend dwarf Tinwini danios. They shoal very well and the males colour up with red fins. I find them much more dynamic than many tetras that are more timid in their schooling behaviour. Unlike many tetras and rasboras Tinwini danios are always at the front of the tank. They are also very active and hardy.

9 tanks running 11 empty out in the yard waiting for the replacement stands My limit is 20. If I go over that my good husbandry levels begin to slip. :roll:

Indeed. No offence taken. We can all laugh about it (after we have changed our knickers). :lol: We have structural damage here too. Cracks on the outside now as well as the inside but fortunately a door that wouldn't close after the big one has now shifted so it closes. Lots of loud aftershocks today though...

The epicentre was a couple of kms away from my house and very shallow so it was really loud and violent shake here. My tanks lost a lot of water so carpet flooded again. One tank, the half-full temporary refugee tank, slipped almost off its stand so I had to rush out to siphon the water out and shift it back on the stand (and got a minor electrical shock in the process but then the fuse tripped. ). Some things fell off the shelves and wardrobe doors came off but nothing broken. Fresh liquefaction in the neighborhood. I can't believe that was only a 5.0.

It shouldn't be a problem at all. Most fish enjoy living in tannin-rich water. That said, I have had to rescue a batch of fish that started gasping at the surface when I put in a new piece of wood from the LFS (even though it was soaked) but I think that is a bit unusual. Just keep an eye on the fish to make sure they still look happy.

Whoa! Someone is well spoilt!

Pop a couple of those on there and you'll be sweet. Low noise, low humidity, oodles of media, low risk of flooding and easy to clean. Sounds like a winner.