Caryl

If you are doing a thorough clean of the substrate you will probably end up doing 50% anyway by the time you have finished siphoning It doesn't really matter since your filter is already cycled (and that is where the majority of the good bacteria are) and new fish are being added straight away (I assume).

OK, if I have read your post correctly, you have a 2ft cold water you want to convert to tropicals? I would do a thorough substrate vacuum (just to clean it up as goldfish are messy) then add the heater. No need for a complete water change. When I set up my African tank I cycled it using goldfish then threw them out in the pond and added the heater to the tank. Once it was up to temperature the Africans went in. Leave the algae for the BN. If it doesn't like your particular algae, you will have to clean it off but, if you're lucky, the BN will do it for you.

Ah but now we know we have to get through security gates, past guards, and take something to distract the guard dogs Anyone know where the master switch is for the floodlights? :lol:

In the past, members have recommended; Selleys Fosroc Siliaflex RTV Dow Corning 732

I would do what Aquilam_11 suggests. Make sure you buy the newer model elsewhere though

My Jebo 819 copes well on my 280L. I would run two of them on anything bigger though.

The one bringing in the heatpads is a commercial importer. We almost pulled his thread when he started it but then figured he knew what he was doing and would not get himself into trouble. It is very easy for people to say "Yeah I want one and will send the money!" but then don't. Or come up with excuses and say they will pay later. The one organising the bulk deal can be left holding the bag, so to speak. Once goods do arrive, some will claim they are not what they thought, or something else. All sorts of things can go wrong when you try and bring stuff in yourself (although it is great when all goes well too!) and there can be more expenses you did not expect at the start. The final cost can be the same, if not dearer, that if you bought the item in NZ. Exchange rates can vary (and take into account the right rate when working out the cost) Bear in mind other countries, as mentioned, run on different voltages (or whatever the word is :roll: ) or have different shaped plugs to ours. It can be hard to make a warranty claim or get your money back if the item breaks, or does not perform as expected. On the other hand, my husband imports a lot of Ham radio gear from overseas at a fraction of the cost of buying it here (and it arrives faster too! :-? and has had no problems so far

A bristlenose would have great trouble coping in a tank at a school as there is no heating overnight and I have never been in a well insulated class room! As said, they can cope with semi tropical but they are not cold water fish.

Also Sam, the rules state; No posts are to be made with the intention of forming a bulk purchase or import by invite to meet a minimum order quantity . The FNZAS website is not to be used in any way for any individual or business to prospect customers or form a buying group. We have had major problems in the past, at least one leading to a lawsuit, hence the rule :roll:

Yes, note my black mop was a lot thicker than the demonstration green one If you use poly to float it at the top you don't need anything to use to pull it out as you lift it by the poly which is always on the surface.

Depending on the temperature of the tank, bristlenose will cope with cooler temperatures. I used to have one in a goldfish tank inside and it went well. If you have a well insulated home it should be fine.

To get both sides to bunch together, tie another knot around all at the top, just below the original knot Tease out the individual strands of wool Here is one I prepared earlier :lol:

Cut through the strands at the opposite end to the knot It will look like this.

I have been playing. Note I had to use green gardening twine as I currently do not have any wool Pretend it is acrylic wool ok? 8) First, wrap the wool around a book. Size depends on how long you want your mop to be (and how deep the tank) Then tie a knot at one end

The only time you have over-filtered your tank is when the fish are having trouble swimming against the current

Thanks for adding that Zev, I forgot I have a bit of poly holding mine up. You will also have to do a bit of squishing and holding down of the wool for a few minutes at first to get it waterlogged enough so the strands stay underwater

Still relatively new compared to how many years people have been putting fish in aquaria

I would choose a few corydoras and a bristlenose, Ancistrus. Corys like to be in a group.

I would hope they would read things and decide to improve their service! Of course, they have to recognise their service is poor in the first place :roll: There is a big difference between a good salesperson and a pushy one.

Wrap the wool multiple times around a book. Thread a separate bit of wool through one end and tie in a knot to hold all the threads together in a bunch. Cut through the threads at the other end and you have a mop. Tease out the individual strands of ply to make it bushier.

Sorry, that doesn't make sense to me phoenix44. Could you put it another way? :-?

We would prefer members to tell us the places they get good service from, so others will know the good shops. Saying bad things "because none of the staff would frequent this forum" is not very nice and they have no way to defend themselves. Remember the rules re posts intending to create a reaction, show disrespect or personal attacks.

Wattle and pine are both well known triggers for allergies :-?

You can use goldfish food for tropicals. It will not harm them.

What sort of error? Are they too large? You can email them to me if you want and I will put them up for you.