Caryl

You have to watch some will alter the pH - like limestone for instance. Do the vinegar test. Put the rock in a small container and pour a little vinegar on it. If it fizzes, don't put it in the tank, unless you want a high pH for Africans.

My tanks are set about 22 - 24C

No not acrylic Tankman. I don't like acrylic as it marks too easily. I am getting TM to make me a tank and stand. He probably thinks I have forgotten about it but I am still working out size and what to put in it. Think I will get rid of the Malawis and get knifefish. Don't know anything about them so will have to research and see what can go with them too.

If a fish is still eating well and behaving normally I prefer to leave them alone.

I too would be checking around the outside of the tank.

Magenta that would be like me saying I was 1km away from the chocolate factory - difficult to avoid. Hang on a minute, I do live within 1km of a chocolate factory!!

Mainly, as said, to smooth out those minor imperfections in the base of the stand and also to keep the heat in. Also a help in countries like ours where we have earthquakes. The poly absorbs a little of the shock (we like to think so anyway).

I really hate people suggesting you throw meds in a tank without knowing what the problem is. :evil: You do not treat humans that way, nor should you do it to fish.

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You'd better take a big poly box with you

It should be but if you start to have problems, you are usually asked what your pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels are. If you are lucky enough to have a lfs that can do the tests for you, it is unnecessary to buy your own.

How did you change the water and how much did you change? Do you mean bubbles sticking to the sides of the glass and on the leaves?

It is flat rock, available (if you can't pick it up off the side of the road like some of us can ) from landscaping places etc. Inert, so it doesn't alter the tank pH and good for fish to lay eggs on. Good also for stacking when making caves etc.

I hope some of the support is local! :lol:

I'm not sure if there is a recommended thickness. My 4ft tanks have 2.5cm. I would have 4cm on a 6ft I think. I will be interested to find out what those who have that size tank use under theirs as I am getting one built soon.

I assume you mean the lump is large enough to show on both sides of the body, and it is the one lump? I know golfdish can get carp pox, which is like the wart virus in humans. This forms white lumps on the fish. Looks ugly but is harmless. Don't know if other fish can get this. In the tetra's case, I would wonder about it having had a foreign body stuck in the scales, which has got infected, or maybe a cancerous type tumour. Fish do get these and they are incurable. Doesn't spread to other fish either.

Jude ought to know, she has recently battled an outbreak. The fish will look like you sprinkled salt on them. What fish do you have in there? Do you not do regular water changes? If you do, and you should be, do it the same way you usually do. I siphon water out then add new from a bucket I pour in with the water flowing onto my hand so it doesn't disturb the substrate.

Any of you visited this site? The Geothermaol Aquaculture Research Foundation. Stuff on freshwater, marine, algae, calculators, propagation, aquarium pests, the list goes on. There are thousands of DIY projects with detailed instructions... http://www.garf.org/index.html Those building their own stands... http://www.garf.org/tank/BuildStand.asp Load in your tank size (in inches) and hit submit then Hey Presto! it gives you detailed building instructions. BE WARNED!! You can spend hours looking through this site.

I have seen quite a few fighters who tend to rest on stuff like that all the time. Must be hard work swimming with those long dangling fins! :-?

How to tell they are OK? - They are alive and swimming. They will be fine. Just keep an eye on them for the next few days in case they have a mild outbreak of whitespot. Slow temperature drops like that don't trouble to most fish, it is sudden temperature changes that cause the problem. What will cause more concern is the filtration, especially if you are overstocked. Some of the bacteria will have died during the power cut. You might want to perform a water change to be extra safe. Do not be tempted to try and raise the temperature faster. It will slowly get back to the correct temp soon enough and with less stress on the fish.

Good save! :bounce:

Why replace the Eheims? If they work then stick with them. Add a Jebo too if you want. Always pays to keep the others running in the tanks as extra filtration anyway, plus useful if you suddenly need to set up a hospital tank or something. Everyone says Eheims are excellent filters (the only one I have had experience with is the wet/dry and I wouldn't recommend it but I gather all the others are good) so keep them and add the other.

I love my Jebo's too

Marlborough would also try and support it.

We had a 4ft crack along the base in a quake. Water everywhere!