the-obstacle

Did you get in touch with RyanJury? His tank is good and he'll take very good care of him/her.

Sounds good. I lost my male agassizi and all the eggs (in 2 separate incidents) so now I'm re-thinking what to do with apistos all together. I've pretty much thinned out the cockatoo tank to just the 2 females and 1 male and a few cardinals for company. I'm guessing if I took the cardinals out they'd start breeding? They've only ever bred for me with more fish in the tank, not less so I'm not really sure what to do.

Most tanks are made from off cuts - depending on the size of course.

I reckon! Maybe it was really a diamond?

the AR380 will be a great first time planted tank. I grew heaps of ambulia and crypts under that light and even had success with a smaller amazon sword. They're great tanks. Enjoy!

http://www.designsbynature.net for all your background needs (they ship to NZ) if you just want to buy one that looks awesome up front. Also - there's a way to make a set of pipes for in/just under the gravel that blows water upwards on different angles which should keep the mess floating above the substrate until it gets sucked into the filter inlet. I'll see if I can find some examples and get back to you...

Mine aren't quite there yet but by the weekend I should have 5 or 6 stems ready to be trimmed and replanted. I'll drop you a line when I've got some excess.

If you're ok replacing the ballasts and mounts you can also get waterproof t5 fittings that sound the same as what you've got. Also - you are right - T8s power ratings are based on length only. T5s come in standard and High Output modes. T5HO would be a great upgrade if you're happy to do it.

I spotted an auction on TM last week for custom tanks made in Wellington. I've also had great service from Bay Plastic Fabrication Ltd in Tauranga who happily ship. Their contact details are at http://www.bayplastic.co.nz/ The key is that the acrylic is not glued together like glass - it's bonded at the cellular level so essentially the tank is one piece of acrylic once it's all stuck together. Looks damn good too (but can scratch easier than glass if you're a bit rough).

Sounds good. I've got some ambulia cuttings I can swap for some cabomba cuttings if that helps?

Another excuse to go to HFF tomorrow...

How do I slow down DIY co2?

haha, that's practically my shopping list too. I'll let you know if I get any cuttings that need re-homing.

Not that I have much that I don't need but what are you after?

Woah! Bare tank! That is quite the change. I've got this happening now - have disconnected the co2 for now, will reconnect and re-fert after a 50% water change on Thursday.

Fingers crossed I get somewhere with both sets then. I'lll go and invest in some meth blue tomorrow morning just in case. Just to be sure - what colour should the eggs be when fertilised? edit: never mind - about 50% of the eggs are brown and the rest are white so I assume the male did half the job. I'm up for a bloodline trade if and when they grow out if you like? I've got 2 males at the moment who are sharing a tank with guppies while the alpha does his thing with the ladies.

Genius!

WOO HOO! I'll put a floating tank in the main tank so they get the same water/temp and an airstone on full blast. I don't have any meth blue unfotunately... I'll take my chances this time. Oh, Ryan - I've got the cockatoo tank down to 1 male and 2 females (including yours) and they're all a whole lot happier. I'm hoping to see her colour up in the next few days/weeks.

It seems one of my 2 remaining agassizi females has spawned with the addition of the new male. I found this out by up-turning the pot she was guarding (I had a suspicion) and viewing the eggs in the light. Have I stuffed them up? I'm considering removing the pot and female and putting them into a plain tank to grow them out. I need to do this before they hatch clearly so I've got a day or 2 left at most. Otherwise I suspect they'll be eaten by the tetra which is usually the ultimate outcome with my cockatoos.

That's the one. It's seriously bright for a fresh water tank but looks great.

I know the feeling... :facepalm:

For standard house lights or aquarium lights? for house lighting go and see these guys http://www.topled.co.nz/ in albany/appolo drive area. They stock the whole lot and are pretty helpful. Also not very far from your place.

I have a light sensing blue LED thing that I bought off trademe. It's a nice effect but mostly for marines. I think I paid $90 or there abouts? It's hella bright but should be for marines, you could tape off some of the LEDs so they don't shine through.

After it's settled down can I hit you up for some cuttings?

Ahh, indian fern. I was going to ask what floating plants to put in there. Today there's a lot less algae and absolutely no pearling from it so the 4 hour lighting helped. The fish were a bit freaked out when I came in at 3pm and it was still dark in their tank though. I currently have about 20 crypts, 10 or so plants of twisted val, 6 plants of ambulia (which have split into multiple stems), 6-10 micro sword bunches, some ludwigia something or other, 3 stargrass stems, the other red and green stem plant that I can't remember, and 1 each of amazonicus, rose, ozelot, roseXozelot, osiris, and uruguayensis swords. There is a heap of space in the substrate now but I'd quite like to keep the same plants but with bigger bunchings perhaps? Maybe I should buy some more twisted val and maybe some dwarf sag? Any recommendations greatly appreciated. So very very true... :tears: :sick: