Caryl

The polystyrene will not allow for any give the mdf may have. It only helps smooth out minute lumps and bumps. As for the stand, it would depend on how strong the steel is. If I am reading it right, I think you need a lot more than one centre brace on the stand. Mdf is that chip stuff isn't it with a smooth top? Be careful of water as it will get under the top layer and the chip bit in the middle will swell.

See, I said someone would disagree with me :lol: I must also add I do not keep bettas myself so those who do would be better to advise you

I wouldn't put him in with kribs and tetras. Some gouramis may also find his fins too tempting. Mind you, I always think they should be in a species only tank and not in a community but others will disagree.

Yes I meant the poly goes inside but I also know some people keep it outside as well. Some people paint their own backing (if they are artistic) then laminate it. You can alo make a diorama I think they call it. A sheet of card bent to a slight curve behind the tank with articles (rocks, pot plants etc) arranged artistically in it for a 3D effect. Of course you have to have the space behind the tank to do that.

May the FNZAS editor have a copy too please Tim?

There's lots of ways to do it besides buying commercial backing. 1. coloured sellophane wrap looks good 2. paint the outside of the glass itself 3. laminated card 4. shape polystyrene with hot wire and silicone gravel to it to look like cliff

That brown algae is common in a new tank and should go away as the tank fully cycles and settles down.

Sent you an email fishboi

Warren we cycled a canister filter on our tank then took it down to ChCh to our son to set up his tank. The filter would have been off for 6 hours minimum but we set it up, plugged it in and stocked the tank immediately. To date (almost 3 weeks) all is well and they have had no deaths in the new tank so I think a lot of the bacteria survived.

As many would know I am always pruning the red rotala as it grows like crazy. No CO2 in there either.

We built it ourselves and, at the time, it was a lot cheaper than buying a heaterstat. It just heats that one tank. The tank at the other end of the house also sits on a heat pad. Both are 4ft x 2ft. The smaller tanks all have heaterstats. A heatpad covers the whole base of the tank and heats evenly. No unsightly heaterstat in the tank and big fish can't break it if it is not in the tank. Being underneath the tank, with polystyrene under them, heat rises so more efficient. Grant likes to build such things as a change from fixing computers He has his electrician's ticket so knows what he is doing as well.

I should point out that my faulty equipment was not a standard heaterstat immersed in the tank but a heat pad under the tank with only the thermostat in the water.

but will its partner object to it "having a bit on the side"? :lol:

Not me. As said the heater and thermostat have been running fine for over 10 years. Grant has just replaced the thermostat. Luckily I had a spare as they are hard to get these days.

If this is a freshwater tank I would just leave it. Cover the tank with blankets, a duvet or pack it in polystyrene to keep the heat. Unless your house is really cold the tank temp won't alter too much. If you have a fire, keep it going and heat the whole room. The tank temp will match 6 hours won't bother them too much. Do not feed them the day before or during the cut. Do a partial water change after.

Well, I have now found 4 of the 5 rhom barbs a large B/N and 3 hoplos. I have only seen 2 of them since I bought 3 then seemed to have lost one. have only seen 2 but tonight saw all 3 On a sadder note, all my gorgeous male odessas have gone but I have 4 females left. The sole red-eye tetra (a refugee from someone else's tank) is looking a lot perkier and the gouramis are more active and no longer hanging around the surface. I might have to strip the tank though as I am still missing 1 angel and some B/Ns Here is a pic I took earlier this evening, just after the massive water change...

Thanks for the offer of new stock Faran. I will wait and see what's left and keep searching for bodies. The angel was a reasonable size but when it is front on, it is very hard to see! I have a separate tank of 19 golden barbs billaney which I might put outside this summer. Did so last summer and they didn't do nuffin! Once I check what barbs are left (it suddenly occurred to me among the dead are actually my odessas as they look similar to rosys when dead) I will think about what to replace them with. Thanks Tsarmina, will bear that in mind.

You may all have read about my problems when the African tank filter was accidentally unplugged while we were away, well... Went away for the weekend. Came home, fed fish and moticed 1 dead male rosy barb. Didn't seem to have been dead long, still whole, full colours, eyes still intact etc. Couldn't see anything wrong with him but removed him from the tank then went to bed. Today I was very busy and didn't go near the tank until I sat down for a quick lunch before heading to an appointment. Glanced over to the lounge community tank and thought " Funny, why are all those fish at the surface?" Go and check. Uh oh, dead bodies everywhere! Hmm, rest at surface, gasping - lack of oxygen. Why? Check water temperature - it is 34C. Oops. Obviously faulty thermostat on heatpad (which has been running over 10 years without a problem until now). :evil: Unplugged heatpad. Hauled out dead bodies - 2 giant danios, 11 rosy barbs, 1 angel, 1 bristlenose and 1 Chinese algae eater. All the gouramis look happy enough :roll: Then I added an airstone to increase oxygen levels and did a 50% water change to bring the temp down to 27C. Now, I know you are supposed to alter temperatures slowly but in this case it was necessary. Besides, my Africans get big temp fluctuations when I clean out their tank and they love it. Hard to tell what is left as they are all hiding after I rummaged round the heavily planted tank looking for more trapped dead bodies. The rosys were hit hardest as they prefer cooler temps anyway. Sorry Jude, not sure if there are enough left to breed this summer. Will watch over the rest of the day and wait until the survivors venture out to see who is left. Poor fish did not deserve to die like this.

Not all cat doors need magnetic collars 8)

Some people will do anything to save a bit of money magenta

Aquarium Dude, you need to go to Critter Kingdom and ask for TM then bargain direct by the sounds of it It certainly pays to shop around and also check internet deals. We are actually looking at getting a filter in from Australia as it looks like even after freight is added it is still a lot cheaper for the one we want.

Ah but does he also fit through the cat flap? :lol:

Not necessarily. Harlequins are shoaling fish and happier in a group. They might be trying to dominate each other.

I have Jebo 819's on both of mine.

Hi and a late welcome from me too.