Caryl

I had a lucky break yesterday. Was sitting at the computer and heard a faint buzzing noise behind me. Turned around and saw sparks coming from the multi-outlet the filters, heater and thermostat are plugged into. It then started to smell a bit. The small AquaClear I had hanging on the end of the tank as a spare had developed a small leak. The water had run down the cord, which was OK as it was looped, but more was dripping slowly off the base of the filter where the motor attaches to the plastic, straight onto the plugs! Normally the outlet isn't so close to the tank, for that very reason, but it had been bumped closer when a nearby box had been moved. If I hadn't been home I hate to think what would have happened! We unplugged it, dried it out and replugged everything back in - minus the leaking AquaClear. The multi-outlet is now well away from the tank. At the moment it is still on the floor but I will get Grant to attach it to the wall so if the tank leaks - heaven forbid! - the plugs will not get wet. Let this be a timely reminder to you all to check your plugs are not where they can get wet as water and electricity don't mix!

As a further point of interest - I ended up soaking all the filter parts in a strong bleach solution to get rid of the stink. The tank was finally reassembled, rinsed extremely well of course, and put back on the tank. Today I actually did a water change and cleaned the filter. Took over half an hour to get the stupid thing pumping again! I don't think I will ever buy a Fluval again, they work very well but are a hassle to restart - even with the little primer pump. I notice it is a lot noisier than the Eheim. Just a quiet hum, but you can definitely hear it. The Eheim wet/dry makes no noise at all except for an occasional squeak it has developed recently. I think it is the piece of polystyrene stuff in the side canister that squeaks as it slides up, or down, the canister. I have to keep looking at it to make sure it is still going it is so quiet and it is sitting on the floor about 2 meters away!

Yes. Under the Consumer Act you should be able to get it replaced under warranty. Just remember to be polite when you contact the place you got it from . It is not their fault and sometimes things like this happen.

I have not heard of them being a problem. Ones bred outside are bigger and often more colourful (possibly hardier too). Barbs and guppies are good to try outside yourself in summer. I have always meant to give rosy barbs a go. Perhaps next summer...

Are you asking about the actual species of fish, the fact they were bred outdoors, or fish from that particular supplier?

I forgot to ask!! Sorry about that but I had one of those days

I only asked about the glasses in case it was possible others could see the vibrations but you couldn't because your eyesight wasn't as good as you thought it was. It is interesting the male does it but not the female. I will try and remember to ask the discus keepers at our meeting tonight if they have observed the phenomenon.

Have you checked out their web site? http://nzka.killi.net/

Aha! Now I have viewed the profile I know who you are!!

Welcome to the fishroom Y. Hope we'll see you at our club meeting tomorrow night

Ahh but shimmying the body is part of the courtship goldie. Andrew said he could feel the vibrations but not see them. I doubt the discus is mistaking his hand for another discus. Do you wear glasses Andrew?

If he has kept the charcoal filter going while medicating it won't work as the charcoal neutralises the medication. Why is the poor fish getting ich all the time? (apart from the hot and hunid weather :lol: )

The green is an algae bloom and might be connected with your water supply. Are you on a municipal supply, well water or rainwater? You may not be doing anything wrong. Can you give me the dimensions of the tank? I am useless at figuring out tank size by volume. I know 35US gal is about 132.5 litres but would prefer to know the tank size. What sort of fish are they?

There are at least 2 Blenheim members here and I am currently president of the Marlborough aquarium club. You are welcome to attend a meeting. 2 of our members are currently breeding guppies. Our next meeting is this Wednesday, 19th March at 5 North St. 7.30pm. If you have any questions feel free to send me a PM here or phone me 5789390

A very common fish in aquariums. http://www.exotictropicals.com/encyclo/ ... ealgae.htm

Don't take this the wrong way Andrew but is it possible you are imagining it? It seems odd to me you seem to be the only one who can feel it. It will be interesting to see if anyone else has experienced this phenomenon. Perhaps he just loves you

The shark would be enough to start with as you slowly added fish and got the cycle going. The cycle will not start with just plants, you have to have some fish as well.

I would run both filters in it.

Brackish water is found in estuaries and river mouths where freshwater mixes with saltwater. It is between the two, not totally fresh but not as salty as marine. Some brackish fish are bumblebee gobies, most of the puffers, scats (Scatophagus argus) and archerfish.

Yes, Sicce make the Shark filters. I always found them good. Find a site that advertises these filters for sale as they should give the power output, or find one in your lfs. Masterpet distribute them in NZ I believe. Here is some info on the PF Shark series which I think is what you may have... PF1 - 150L, 33UK gal, 40USA gal PF2 - 225L, 50UK gal, 60USA gal PF3 - 300L, 66UK gal, 80USA gal PF4 - 400L, 88UK gal, 106USA gal PF5 - 500L, 110UK gal, 132USA gal

Try http://www.africancichlids.net Carla told me about that site last night. I had fun playing with the puzzles Lots of pics there. As for a themed tank, what about an Amazon rainforest stream? You would need soft water for this with a filter to provide good flow but not too much current. Suitable plants would be cabomba, dwarf swords (Echinodorus tenellus) Amazon sword (E. paniculatus), hairgrass (Eleocharis acicularis). Suitable fish: bristlenose catfish (Ancistrus sp), emerald catfish (Brochis splendens), cardinal tetras, silver tipped tetras, rummy nosed tetras, bleeding heart tetras, neons, angels, hatchetfish, whiptail catfish, discus South East Asia River: Plants; red rotala, hairgrass, crypts, vallis and if you vcan find them - water shamrock (Marsilea crenata), Japanese cress (Cardamine lyrata), onion plant (Crinum thaianum) Fish; kuhli loach, rosy barbs, striped barb, spanner barb, 5 banded barb, Siamese fighter, clown loaches, pearl danio, giant danio, red tailed black shark, harlequins, scissortails

A couple of oscars would fit nicely in a 4ft and you would not get any plants to survive with them. Any landscaping you try won't last either :lol: If you go for African cichlids you will get small and large (though not as big as oscars) as many are mouthbrooders.

Do you like one or two large fish or a shoal of smaller ones? Do you like a nicely planted and landscaped tank or a rocky one with no plants? Your answer to those two questions will narrow down your choices

I won't need a good signature. I will have my PA write it for me :lol: For those non NZers... Our Prime Minister gave a painting, signed with her signature, to an auction raising money for a worthy cause. A furore broke out when it was discovered she had not actually painted the picture, her PA or someone had done it, and she had merely signed it when finished.

Goldie and Fatman - you should both start a club in your area then you will be able to visit each other's clubs, have inter-club competitions and joint activities now and then. It may also perk up the existing Canterbury club and you would have 3 to interact! There are certainly enough people in Canterbury to support that many clubs, you just have to attract, and keep, their interest. Marlborough would certainly endeavour to visit too, if invited, as we have no other clubs near us.