amtiskaw

This is where I found the story http://io9.com/these-fish-are-evidence-that-humans-arent-the-only-evi-725082349

It's a red lined torpedo barb. Doesn't look like dropsy to me, maybe a worm or some other parasite? Just guessing... Try and cure it, you can't buy them in NZ any more!

I stumbled across an interesting bit of research last night. Turns out when there's an active predator, schooling fish will attack their own kind to make them a more attractive target to the predator. Every fish for themselves! :nilly: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/ar ... 7213002601

I pulled out a large bit of driftwood when rescaping once. I checked it for fish, but still, an hour later a DC Loach dropped out of a hole in the wood. It was OK though, and is still going strong two years later. The ungrateful little so-and-so spiked me when I rescued it :evil:

I know you're not gay or single, and neither am I, but will you marry me? :slfg: You've gotta be the most committed fish keeper in NZ I reckon!

Ruapehu produces mostly andesite, which is safe for aquariums (as are most igneous rocks) so you should be sweet :digH: http://www.aquaden.com/phpBB2/articles2 ... inaquarium

The ending is cool - shows how small changes can have big consequences to a finely balanced system. Thanks for posting the link

You dose your tank with ferts, trace elements and CO2, so light becomes the limiting factor. 50% water changes once a week. Plants out-compete algae for nutrients, so you get minimal/no algae. I don't understand that last bit, but it does work. Plants grow at a fantastic rate, but if things get out of whack you can get algae outbreaks very quickly. It can be tricky to find a dosing regime that keeps your tank in balance (no algae, healthy fish and plants). but once you do it's as simple as dosing macros one day, micros the next, and fill up the CO2 bottle when it runs out :dnc1: http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/foru ... guide.html http://www.barrreport.com/forumdisplay. ... tive-Index

What do you think of Delta? I've only had one listen so far...

Nice build :dnc1:

You might want to look into the estimative index method. It's a fairly straight forward method for running a hi-tech tank with CO2. CO2 is like a turbo on a car. It'll make things faster but if you don't tune your engine to use it, and maintain it properly, you can blow the motor :-?

I used to play Shogun back in the day, but haven't kept up with the series. Have you played the Westeros: Total War mod? Sounds interesting.

Just finished watching Dexter and Top Gear. Looks like Dexter is revving up for a good final season James May is a whiny old git sometimes :roll:

Any Archer fans here? Viewer discretion is advised :sml1: edit : more PG rated YT clip now

I think you're right, Alan - I did a bit of googling, and it would appear the bacteria in the starter products are a type of nitrifying bacteria, but not the type that establishes a cycle long-term. So they help with water quality initially, but I don't know if they accelerate establishing a "proper" culture of nitrifying bacteria :dunno:

You can make a hands free kit with duct tape, too

I think there's good and bad Brit comedy. Mrs Brown's Boys seems like infantile "old" Brit humour, and isn't my cup of tea. Then there's the stuff I like - Black Books, The Office, Extras, QI. A lot of Monty Python is still funny cos it wasn't too political or topical - just absurdist mentalness. Wasn't the Office (Brit version) the first recent comedy that had no laugh track or studio audience? Can anyone think of something earlier? Most of the comedy shows I like have no laugh track or studio audience - Arrested Development, Extras, The Office, Episodes, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Community. I still like the Big Bang Theory though :smln:

I finished episode ten last night. It's still hilarious So many quick-fire gags - I keep rewinding and giggling :rolfl:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exchangea ... ile_format

What about a cheap little gas camping stove? A bit manual, but as long as you are about you could keep heating up pans of tank water every so often. I might figure out how much power my filters and heater use Every once and a while we have old server rack mount UPSs available for next to nothing - 3000 KVA. I wonder how long that would run an aquarium for?

My favorite author just died. He was 2/3 way through writing a book about a man dying of cancer, when he was diagnosed with gall bladder cancer :fshi: http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2013/jun/15/iain-banks-the-final-interview I'm trying to finish his second to last book, but I just feel sad when I look at it now, and haven't been able to pick it up since he first announced " I am officially very poorly", as he put it with his usual grace and dark humor Gandolfini was a bit of a shock, too. He was awesome as Tony Soprano - one of the best characters TV has ever seen IMO. Hmm, I need a happier avatar...

No worries

I noticed Word of Water in Hamilton had a Sera solenoid still available when I was there the other day. It think their 70% off closing down sale is still running - might be worth giving them a call? They had a Sera Co2 monitor/controller, too. Very tempting...

Blood worms aren't good as a staple food - they're not that nutritious. They are more of a treat :spop: How much ripple do you have on the surface? Try increasing it, but keep an eye on your nitrate/nitrate/ammonia. If it's an organic film, it could raise N/N/A as it decomposes in the water column.