Pegasus

Come on you guys/girls? You were doing so well, don't stop here. Tell us about your fish, their likes and dislikes, their breeding etc. It's the only way to get others interested.

Hi GoldieNZ, Any news on that angel of yours ?? Sure hope she hasn't passed on. You said she was swollen. Could have been egg bound. They say that a drop of Empsom Salts cures this, but I haven't tried it. Keep us posted Regards Bill (Pegasus)

Good link Caryl, More reading for me :smile: Great site, I never knew they existed, just goes to show. I must be moving in the wrong circles. Regards Bill (Pegasus)

Good one Caryl. Although only the names are there, it at least gives you a good idea of what the actual plants look like. Seem to have read somewhere about $25 for the CD?? Sounds good. Hi Cees, Did you get my message about the ticker (Tick Tock) :smile: Regards Bill.

Choice idea Cees, but somehow I don't think the missus would quite go for it. I'm still working on persuading her to let me get back into the hobby :smile:Perhaps the hole in the ground might be a good idea, then I can hide from her. Regards Bill

Hi everyone, Anyone out there got any decent ideas for a fish house? I’ve 12.5acres, one or two sheds, that at the moment are either full of accumulated junk, or commandeered by the family. Seen some strange places over the years, ones in old aircraft hangers that were heated by a small furnace, others that were semi underground because of council regulations. The guy had dug a pit around four-foot deep and set his tanks up at either side of the pit. The roof was sat on walls about a metre high and the whole thing was hardly visible over his six-foot fence. His tanks, he had about thirty, were heated by gas, with a minute jet burning under each one. The small flame burned against a copper mesh and asbestos plate under each tank. One strange place had about fifteen tanks and the water was heated in a main storage area then pumped from tank to tank. The idea was ingenious, but if he had a prob in one tank it spread to the others in seconds. Don’t fancy that in the least. If you tell me about your fish house, heating, lighting, keeping costs down and such, I might get some fresh ideas. Regards Bill (Pegasus)

Hi everyone, Found this great link that leads to a place called "The Bug Farm" Really interesting reading, so here is the link. http://www.livefoodcultures.com You will come back though, won't you :smile: Regards Bill (Pegasus) _________________ Why waste time, write a post now, support your club. [ This Message was edited by: Pegasus on 2002-03-30 06:48 ]

Found this link in one of the files posted by Cees and obviously someone has spent a great deal of time compiling the information. For quick access I would like to post it here. http://www.1research2webdesign.co.nz/fi ... antimages/ Is there more we can add to this Cees? Bill (Pegasus)

Hi everyone, Recently submitted and article in the Technical/DIY section on All Glass Tanks. Here is a follow up. Please note that words in caps are not shouting, just very important points. Safety is important when handling glass, so take care. This topic is not a new one by any means, and was discussed fully on the Krib website way back in the early nineties, but my successful attempts were 30yrs prior to this. As mentioned in my other article, I take no responsibility for your actions. The tank listed here stood for 4-5 years without problems or leaks. You don’t need to make a tank of glass, almost anything that holds water will do, take wood for example. In an emergency, or for breeding, use a drawer, or any container lined with poly. Just make sure the heater is safe. Back to the topic. As mentioned in another article, some years back I built a tank of 4foot by 4foot by 4foot, completely of wood, not counting the viewing glass of course, which was 36x36. (600x600mm) For the ambitious among you, here’s how I did it. The frame as such was 3x3 (75x75mm) pine, and all joints were half lapped or jointed and glued and screwed with stainless steel screws. NOTE. Avoid boric treated wood and such. My worst subject of all time was woodwork, but I managed, but seek help if you need to, it’s a great deal of water once filled. Your aim is to create a complete box shape ready for the outer cladding, much like the old angle iron framed tanks used to look like, without the glass. For the cladding I used 35mm high density flooring board, but you may want to increase on this size or use marine ply if you’re pretty well off. The front and rear top strips of 3x3 will tend to bend once the water is in, so put these the strongest way around, or use 4x4 if you feel unsure, the frame is never noticed and won’t be seen, trust me. Avoid boards covered in laminates, as these over time can release toxins not good for your fish friends. Note. All references to “Fastening†means screwed and glued. Glue ALL boards when attaching to the frame, and attach by screws only, no nails, and place screws not less than 50mm apart along each of the panels, all the way around. As the panel screws are on the outside, they don’t need to be S/Steel, but must be at least one and a half times longer than the thickness of your boards. Fasten the baseboard first, (the bottom) to your frame making sure it doesn’t protrude beyond the frame at any point. Dress up if reqd. Now fasten the rear board to your frame making sure it is flush with the framing, and again has no overhang. The sides, when attached will overlap the edge of the back edge giving a nice finish, while the front panel when finished (wait for it) will overlap the edges of the two sides. If you have the facilities, or can get it done, you can rebate or mitre the edges for a better appearance. (I didn’t, and mine looked great) The Front. The front, when placed into position, should overlap the two side edges, and be absolutely level with the top of your frame. Now the tricky bit. You need to cut a viewing area into the front panel, (I used a jigsaw) and you may need help here. It can be square, or rectangular with rounded corners if you wish. I made like a picture frame of “L†shaped pieces to fit on the inside to hold the glass in position. These are really cosmetic, as the glass will be bonded to the front panel later, but my advice is to fit them as they help to avoid bowing. These “L†shapes should be rebated to slightly over the thickness of the glass so that when fitted they hold the glass much like a picture frame, but not be that tight that they squeeze all the silicone sealer out when tightened up. (see later) This rebated stock is a standard item at your local h/ware shop. Use 2x2 if you can get it, it won’t be seen. Just to clarify. These pieces go on the INSIDE of the front board, not the outside. The size of the viewing hole you remove from the front board should be smaller than the glass front you will be inserting. I made my hole 3†smaller all round, which gave the glass a good area to sit on and a good area for sealing. You could of course fit the glass BEFORE you assemble the front, but not a good choice in my view. Fitting the front glass. As mentioned in my other article, I’m a bit of a daredevil when it comes to trying things out, and in my case I used ¼†plate glass, but if you’re nervous increase on this. Note. Clean the glass with meths or white spirit before fitting. Any dirt or finger marks could lead to leaks. Place the glass on the inside minus the “L†shaped bits. Position exactly where it will actually go and mark the area, not forgetting to allow the correct margin all way around. Now apply a good amount of silicone sealer to the area of the front panel inside your marks. Go on, shove a bit more on. Now get the help of your mum, or someone, and gently lower the glass into position. Don’t worry about the sealer spreading for the moment, just make sure the glass front is where it should be. Just a note. The Krib site states that the silicone sealer will not adhere to the wood. I don’t want to start a discussion on this subject, but mine sealed and adhered perfectly, as stated, for 4-5 years untouched. NOTE, VERY IMPORTANT. When placing the glass inside, imagine you are glazing a window. Push too hard and all the putty spreads out leaving areas to leak. It’s the same here. You are aiming to create a thickness of sealer around a ¼†thick or more between the glass and the front wooden panel. You’ll see the sealer through the glass and will be able to tell if you have the glass uneven, or it’s not sealed somewhere. Smear any extruded sealer on the inside to form a nice finish. CAREFUL. When smearing in this manner take care of the glass edge which may be sharp. Ideally you can cover this sharp edge with sealer. Leave it for a half hour to skin, then fit your “L†shaped bits and screw them into position. You may want to apply a little sealer to these pieces along the inside of the recess, but it’s not important. Like a cylinder head on a car, screw them evenly, a bit here, a bit there. DONâ€T screw one up all at once, fit them and work around each one bit by bit. Common sense should tell you when all is right, so I won’t pursue the matter, but your care here could mean success or failure. The screw holes you made in the front panel will have to be filled, and once done the front can be clad with self adhesive contact fabric as used for kitchen shelves and such, but in my case I used rippled hardboard which gave a brilliant appearance once varnished. Your own imagination comes in here, tiles, shells, you name it, just make it so good that your mates will gasp with envy. You can also create a picture frame look by fitting ornate picture framing around the viewing area and outside edges. Go for it, splash out a bit. I’m going off the subject, but mine was in my shop. I had two hundred plus tiger barbs in it, nothing else, apart from the old 14†plecostomus and a few cory’s. Customers would come in and stand gasping and spend all day looking at my tank, many leaving hours later and not bought a thing, but this is good business, they always returned spending big. The sight of 200 TB’s schooling in a tank this size with this magnitude of depth is a sight you never forget. I was offered 500 pounds sterling for the tank (1960s) big money then, but I refused. (Now where’s all those bits of wood I had) To continue. Hold on you guys, you can’t leave the inside like that. All flooring has been treated in some form or other, so it has to be sealed, and after spending a fortune trying to find the right stuff I arrived at this. Your country may have different names for different products, so just shop around and you’ll find the right product. I used a product called “Pondsealâ€, and it’s used for sealing the inside of outside concrete fishponds. It’s non toxic, doesn’t grow fungus hairs, which many of my earlier tries did, and it’s available from your aquarium shop or pond dealer, hopefully. Once dried, it forms a hardish skin of rubber like substance over the area it is applied to. I gave mine two coats, leaving two days in between each coat. Make sure the top edges of your boards are fully sealed, this is important. The stuff I used was called “Aqua Blue†and gave a great appearance to the inside of the tank. Ensure EVERY nook and cranny is completely sealed, even the unseen areas around the “L†shaped bits. Problems. Well, not counting the 2cwt of gravel to fill the base, only one really, and that was planting. I had to don my wetsuit, mask, and snorkel to do it. Ha Ha. Seriously, planting was awkward, till I made up a grab arm that gently placed the plants where I needed them. You DEFINITELY need a Plecostomus or something similar. Mine was 14†long and kept the glass and sides sparkling. Never once did I have to clean the glass in five years. Think of the area, and make your fish work. Some for the sides and flat surfaces, rocks and things, others for the plants, more for the gravel and bottom, and others for the top. Paint a living dream of a tank. Heating… WOW… Power bills. I used three 250wat heaters with their own stats, as I learned early in life not to rely on one heater or one thermostat. Also one heater works harder and longer to maintain temp than three, plus if one fails you don’t lose your mates, and you get a better distribution of heat, ie, no cold spots, no white spots, ha ha. Place the heaters as low as possible, but not touching the gravel. Heat rises, and placing heaters high in a tank causes cold spots, no matter how much air you have flowing from your filters and airstones. One of the major causes of white spot is….. Geez… That’s another story. Get you’re A into G Bill, concentrate. The tank was fitted with an U/G filtration system of my own design, and had a 250gal hour circulation system that sprayed the return water over the surface. The fish loved it, and I can’t ever remember losing one. Algae was no prob, my Pleco saw to that, and the interior never deteriorated or harmed the fish in any way. Plants, I can’t remember them all, but it was so dense I had Myriophlum and Cabomba, Aponogetons, Amazons, Vallis, Madagascar Lace, growing over six foot long, in just a short time, and I use to spend more time “Gardening†my tank than anything, as plants grew so fast I could hardly keep up. (Excellent for the shop sales though). Pygmy Chain Swords would shoot the length of the tank in just a few days, along with Vallis and ferns. I awoke one morning to find the surface of the water covered in flowers from the Aponogetons, something I had never seen before. Lighting was two four foot Growlux. Brilliant stuff. Dream about it, Think about it, Make it happen. Well, this old guy has rattled on enough, hope this helps someone, and you can get further info if you need it, just contact the board, or e-mail. Also hope the site doesn’t mind these long articles of mine. Best Regards Pegasus NZ.

Hi Members I visited ‘The Krib’ website recently and looked over the various issues regarding tank manufacture from either glass or wood. Having done both I would like to share my ideas with you. These are my experiences, and your results are fully dependent on your actions and how you approach the project, and I take no responsibility for any disasters. This article will be on All Glass Tanks, and a separate article on Wooden Tanks will be posted elsewhere. Nothing in either article was taken from the above site, but it is interesting reading if you care to visit. I built well over 100 A/G tanks in the beginning some years back ranging from 12x12 to 72x24x24, with no disasters, and NONE of them had top strips as you see today on all the tanks. If you feel adventurous and want to ‘do your own thing’, then read on. First make yourself a gig from a piece of flat board about half inch thick, the size of which must be slightly bigger than the base size of your tank. Nail 1"x1" strips to this base to the exact size you'll need for your base glass. Ensure the strips are absolutely square with your base glass. (No side, upright bits, just the four strips on the base) Find a place where it won't be moved for a day or two before you start work. One important factor in all glass tanks is absolute cleanliness, ie, no finger marks. Clean your glass first with meths, or white spirit. Take note when cutting, or getting the glass cut, that you need the front and rear sheets to overlap the side pieces, so that when assembled the edges of the sides don't show in the front view. Personally I prefer the upper parts to sit on TOP of the base glass, but both methods work here as I tried both, and strength was not effected. If you're getting it cut somewhere, check the measurements before you accept it, they may not accept a return. Obtain a good quality Silicone Sealer, and make sure it is from a reputable brand and used for GLASS, (preferably for aquariums) as many aren't. Building Sealers WON"T WORK, so don’t even think about them. Attach eight bits of packing tape to the base glass so that each piece extends out around 2†(50mm) These strips will hold each of the sheets of glass into position. Place the base glass into your gig and then stand your front and one of the sides into your gig ensuring that they are dead square. Hold together with the sellotape or a good packing tape in several places up each edge at the corners. Use the base tapes to secure each piece as you work from front to back. Now assemble the remaining side and back in the same manner ensuring all is square and well taped to hold into position. A "Chalking Gun" as used by builders is idea to apply the silicone, and you'll need a cartridge of silicone if you intend making more than one tank. Cut a nice angled (45deg) opening on the cartridge about a quarter inch (6-7mm) down the nose. This will give you a nice "Fillet" of silicone as you apply it. It takes a bit of skill to use the cartridge gun, but don't worry, and don't rush it. Start by sealing the bottom first, then the front and sides. Aim for a good clean "fillet" on each seam, and try to get all seams even. Myself personally, I wait around for half an hour until the silicone just starts to skin, then gently wipe my finger up each seam thereby creating a smooth seam. A little warning. Don't try to dress the seams up with a knife, or similar object, as most seams are almost invisible once the tank is filled. The other point is, "Don't Rush the job, and don't be in a hurry to fill it, wait at least three to four days, more if you can. Any sharp exterior edges can be dressed off with an old oilstone or something similar, and again, just take your time and be very careful, the edges are sharp. Glass thickness. (The Krib has a lot of dated technical data on this, so you may like to read it) I didn’t, as in my early experiments it was “try it and see†:smile: I'm a bit of a daredevil, and in the late sixties was one of the pioneers in the UK for starting the all glass tank craze. My shop was filled with old rusty angle iron tanks of all shapes and sizes, so I built around 60 for the main shop, and umpteen more for breeding. I then sold several hundreds to shops and individuals around the country, and only ever had one returned, but that’s another story. For up to 24x24x12 (600x300x300) I used 32oz window glass. For my breeding tanks, tanks that were not on show, I used Greenhouse Glass, (much cheaper) For anything up to 5 foot (1500mm) I used 1/4 plate, with cast glass on the base to save on costs. My final creation was a six by two by two (1800x600x600mm) all in 3/8 plate glass, (Recovered from a shop window that got smashed locally) Your tank should be ready for filling in 3-4 days. For the nervous, you might want to fit top strips and a cross brace as seen on ready made tanks, but as stated, I never did. Diverting slightly, but still on the topic, a very nice display tank for Betta’s can be made by building a tank as above, but then siliconing partitions from front to back so that you could perhaps view six or eight fish at once. If the partitions were fixed leaving a gap at the base, then heat would be allowed to pass through the whole array of sections. An u/g filter would assist with this by making the return have several outlets, one for each section. There are also grilled plastic sheets as used over office light fittings. These sometimes become available and would make ideal partitions. Back to the AGTs. If you visit your glass supplier you'd be surprised just how much glass they throw out, (sneak around the back and have a nosey) ie, bits with a tiny obscure mark on them, which in your case would suit the base etc. Final words. Making your own AGTs is great fun, and after the first couple, (of hundreds) it becomes real easy. Don’t worry, you’ll be an expert after your first try, if you just take your time, and make sure you stand your A/G tank on a firm solid surface with a thin (1/2â€) polystyrene pad on the base. Don't place heavy metal hoods on A/G/Ts as they expand and contract with the temp differences. I also made several 4foot x4foot by 4foot tanks of WOOD and I will write a further article on this subject soon. Best of luck, hope this helps. Contact me if you have doubts, or post a message. Bill (Pegasus NZ.)

Must admit, I was quite worried leaving them for a week, but I returned to an absolutely sparkling clean tank, with no losses, so it can be done. Good one Caryl Bill (Pegasus)

Hi Members, Sorry folks, I seem to only write l o n g letters. I’m probably an old ‘fuddy duddy’ having only been involved with fish keeping/breeding/retail/wholesale/ and supply since I was eighteen, (I’m now 62) Let me, as an ‘amateur’ ichthyologist just run through a ‘non chemical, non additive setup’ that served myself and many other millions in the hobby successfully for several decades long before all these chemicals and additives became popular. Preparation was the key, and for us ‘oldies’ it was a container/s in the back yard that collected clean strained rainwater. This was our source of top ups, our new water supply, and often our source of live food, if the mossie larva or daphnia got into it. We would set the tank up, fit the u/g filter, and then arrange the pre-washed gravel. Next we would fill the tank with our pre-aged water from our rain tub, bring it up to the right temperature, let it stand a few days, normally three to ensure the heat was constant and there were no probs. In those three days we would arrange plants and rocks, then perhaps introduce a guppy or two. The old PH testing strips from the chemist gave us a quick idea of the PH level, and if it was alkaline we would run a bit of peat in the filter bowl for a day or so to bring the level right. Basically that was it, with little or no stress to the fish. Our calculation for fish content was to allow 4sq inches of surface area per inch of fish, but with an air supply this could be increased. Water was never added unless it was exactly the same temperature as the water in the tank, and newcomers were never added until they were quarantined for ten days. Plants were meticulously examined for nasties and rinsed in a mild sterilizing solution before adding to the tank. All mainly common sense. Each tank had it own net and tools, and nothing was ever taken from one to the other. Dipping of fingers or hands from one tank to the other was an absolute sin, and never done. Hands were washed before working on the next tank, and any drips or condensation were wiped away in case it/they dropped from one tank to the next lower one. A single drop of water can transmit a disease from one tank to another so quickly you wouldn’t believe. Water changes, (In my case) were done on a visual basis. If the water has evaporated ½†from its original marked level I would do a 30% water change, never every few days, and never more than perhaps once a month, and always using my aged water in the outside tub/s. A balanced tank will keep itself free from excess toxins, eg, the right water conditions, substrate-plants-filtration-and fish, any of which can cause an unbalance. Water: Too hard, too soft, too alkaline, too acid, all of which can be balanced without chemicals.. Substrate: Too fine, (packs down tight) causing bad circulation, especially with u/g filters, whereas too large a gravel will allow food to reach inaccessible places with dire consequences. Food remains uneaten and quickly fouls the tank. Remedy, go for what’s right, not what looks pretty. Slow deterioration Badly selected rocks and substrates, (lime-based gravel’s, sandstone’s, corals, shells, ornaments,) all of which will change your tank conditions as they slowly leach or dissolve over time. That ornament or substrate may look great, but is it killing your fish? Plants: Too few plants, no hiding places for fragile fish causing fish to be bullied. Again, find out the likes and dislikes of your plants, for instance, most Crypts prefer dimly lit areas, etc. Shallow gravel will not produce good plants. Bank your gravel to the rear of the tank (at least 3â€) and plant accordingly, big deep rooted plants to the rear, small types to the front. As with your garden, they need feeding and something to get their roots into. The wastes from your fish may in most cases be enough food, but a good root structure and light are essentials for all plants. A ‘Plantab’ for aquarium plants slipped under the roots will assist flagging plants. Filtration: NEVER turn your filter or air off for any length of time, especially an undergravel filter. The bacteria buildup will skyrocket causing major probs instantly. Always have some form of air supply running if your tank is in the least bit crowded. Watch for fish lurking near the surface with open mouths, a sure sign of lack of oxygen in the water. (Not the Gouramie’s, Betta’s etc, who/which are surface breathers) For these fish ensure the surface is scum free by dragging a sheet of paper over the surface of the water occasionally. This will completely remove the thin film that sometimes forms on the surface of the water. Check each day. Heat Distribution: Fit your heater as low as possible in your tank and clear of the gravel, and if it is a separate unit from the thermostat place it at the opposite end of the tank. This will prevent cold spots in your tank and provide a constant temperature at all levels. (Heat rises, so if possible fix your heater horizontal rather than vertical position for better heat distribution) Feeding: Feed half as much as you think your fish need, and if its not consumed in under five minutes, you are feeding too much. An established tank will sustain your fish for a week or more without food, so don’t think you need to feed them every time you pass the tank. "Ooh look, they’re all excited at seeing me, they must be hungry…†In goes another feed, the third today. How often have you done or said this. Never feed at night then turn the lights off and leave the fish in darkness, a major problem. The cory’s and koolies won’t mind, but your tank will suffer. Small fish have small mouths, so vary your food type to suit them all. Give them a live food treat now and again, brine shrimp, micro worms, grindal worms, white worms, or even a chopped up earth worm if you have big fish. In time you will know their likes and dislikes. Probs with algae, throw the scraper away an get a couple of small Pleco’s. They’re fun, hardy, and adore algae. Snails… To me they are a damn nuisance, and have no place in a tropical fish tank, but the fish love them if you crunch them up. Impulse buying of fish is fine if you know the fish, and of course is great for the LFS, (Local fish shop) but can cause many upsets and even tears if you don’t read first, so take an hour or so and read all you can before you jump in the deep end. Lastly Fish: Read, read, read, The three rules of keeping fish. Learn every possible thing you can about where your fish comes from, its water conditions, its temperature limitations, the food it eats, the species it can live with, its breeding habits, is it a loner or does it school with others, and in general, its likes and dislikes. Piranha’s and Neons have an adipose fin, and are distant relatives, but they definitely don’t live together, so read and learn all you can BEFORE you add that particular fish to your collection. (No comments on the Piranha’s please) It seems a lot to take in all at once, but all this info is on this site just waiting to be read if you care to read and study it. My philosophy is that “If anyone can teach me something I will listen, should it be a child, or a ninety year old,†so I am learning each time I read these boards. We all lose fish at some time or other, and the reasons can be mystifying, but personally I feel that many of the losses on the boards are caused by either sheer neglect and not making ones self familiar with the fish BEFORE purchase, along with the possibility that many of the fish were actually poisoned due to the intake of chemicals, incorrect or too many water changes and such. We can take a pill for a headache or an ailment, but if we take too many of them it will undoubtedly kill us. This will possibly cause a lot of backfire from the clued up aquarists, but I still feel that if you read up on your fish, get to know its habits and living and water conditions and the neighbours it lives with, then you are well on the way to having a less stressful and very enjoyable hobby. Many newcomers try it once and leave quickly after their first failures. We don’t want this to happen to you, so read the postings, consider your situation and your setup, then, and only then think (very carefully) about your next purchase. Regards Pegasus NZ (Bill)

Great posts Caryl and Fee. I thought my old Pleco was big at 14", but he was a baby by the sound of it. This is great, keep em coming. :smile: Regards Bill

Hi Members, Once more a good one Rob, you seem to have the knack, which leads me to writing the following. I had a friend in the UK, a professor at the local university. He was a bit of a recluse, and you were honoured if you could manage to get into his company, which I was fortunate to do. Because of the TF Shop I had I become known to him, and all the aquarists knew of him (but few had met him face to face) as he was at that time one of the few that had bred neons and cardinals in any quantity. I was invited to his home, along with my wife, and as I said, felt highly honoured. We got talking about breeding, when suddenly he jumped from his seat and yelled at his wife. “Doris… That one there, and that one, get them out…†I almost jumped out of my pants, as Doris rushed to the tank containing dozens upon dozens of cardinals and neons. Ten minutes later she had two fish in a glass jam jar, and proudly presented them to my friend. “You got the wrong b…… male, it was that one I wanted,†he yelled pointing at the tank. Moments later, red faced, she produced the male in question. “Come on Bill, watch this,†he said Into the jam jar he placed a piece of artificial Myiophylum with a small weight on the base. We watched in amusement until suddenly the activity started, and for ten minutes we watched the cardinals spawn. The man’s name was Eli, and he had lectured all over the world on breeding fish. He had been awarded some sort of high award from the queen of England for introducing guppies into some mossie infested area somewhere, I can’t quite remember, but to continue, he showed me graphs of all his fish, each one dedicated to an individual fish. I was staggered to say the least, and I thought ‘why would anyone want so much detail on one fish,’ and he had hundreds. These graphs showed that a fish has a cycle, much like a woman, and that there is a peak period in time that a fish will breed. I thought it was a load of B/S, but then he produced another chart, then showed it to his wife, who then pulled two neons from another tank and placed them into a jar. In went the bit of plant, and in minutes they were spawning. No need to say I was totally impressed. Later he showed me his fish room, a ten by twelve-foot shed filled with tanks of all sizes. There were literally thousands of neons and cardinals swimming happily about, and of course I wanted to know his secret. “It’s all in the water lad, all in the water,†he would laugh. The water straight from the tap in that area had less than 1ppm of hardness, and was very slightly acid. My friend has probably passed on now, as he was quite old at the time, but if you’re watching Eli, I still remember you with great admiration. Regards Bill.

What a great piece Rob... Absolutely fantastic, and just what is needed. I was almost in your fish room as I was reading your article, and admit freely that at times I was slightly jealous of your setup as at the moment I am tankless, but working hard on persuading the missus. Thanks for the input, and I for one hope it inspires others to write in. Thanks a lot Pegasus.

Thanks Cees, I sure do hope you DON'T throw the towel in, the site is great, and I had already read your posting on the domain name and logo comp, along with most of the other postings. Coming from the UK some thirty years ago where the hobby was about the second most popular at the time, I may have overstepped slightly, but I'm sure there are heaps of members out there with good advice that will attract both newbies, and in my case "oldies" back into the hobby. Many thanks. Pegasus

Thought this might be of interest, and hopefully inspire some writers. Hi Members Don't really know if you are looking for home made "all glass tanks" but here goes, the info might help someone else also. I built 100/s of A/G tanks some years back ranging from 12x12 to 72x24x24, with no disasters, and NONE of them had top strips as you see today on all the tanks. First make yourself a gig from a piece of flat board about half inch thick, the size of which must be bigger than the base size of your tank. Nail 1"x1" strips to this base to the exact size you'll need for your base glass. (No side bits, just the four strips on the base) Find a place where it won't be moved for a day or two before you start work. One important factor in all glass tanks is absolute cleanliness, ie, no finger marks. Clean your glass first with meths, or white spirit. Take note when cutting, or getting the glass cut, that you need the front and rear sheets to overlap the side pieces, so that when assembled the edges of the sides don't show in the front view. Personally I prefer the upper parts to sit on TOP of the base glass, but both methods work here. If you're getting it cut somewhere, check the measurements before you accept it, they may not accept a return. Obtain a good quality Silicone Sealer, and make sure it is from a reputable brand and used for GLASS, as many aren't. Building Sealers WON"T WORK. Stand your front and one of the sides into your gig ensuring that they are dead square. Hold together with sellotape in several places. Now assemble the remaining side and back in the same manner ensuring all is square and well taped to hold into position. A "Chalking Gun" as used by builders is idea to apply the silicone, and you'll need a cartridge of silicone if you intend making more than one tank. Cut a nice angled (45deg) opening on the cartridge about a quarter inch down the nose. This will give you a nice "Fillet" of silicone as you apply it. It takes a bit of skill to use the cartridge gun, but don't worry, and don't rush it. Start by sealing the bottom first, then the front and sides. Aim for a good clean "fillet" on each seam, and try to get all seams even. Myself personally, I wait around for half an hour till the silicone just starts to skin, then gently wipe my finger up each seam thereby creating a smooth seam. A little "no no" Don't try to dress the seams up with a knife, or similar object, as most seams are almost invisible once the tank is filled. The other point is, "Don't Rush the job, and don't be in a hurry to fill it, wait at least three days, more if you can. Any sharp exterior edges can be dressed off with an old oilstone or something similar, and again, just take your time. Glass thickness. I'm a bit of a daredevil, and in the late sixties was one of the pioneers in the UK for starting the all glass tank craze. My shop was filled with old rusty angle iron tanks of all shapes and sizes, so I built around 60 for the main shop, and umpteen more for breeding. I then sold several hundreds to shops and individuals around the country, and only ever had one returned, but that’s another story. For up to 24x24x12 I used 32oz window glass. For my breeding tanks, tanks that were not on show, I used Greenhouse Glass, (much cheaper) For anything up to 5foot I used 1/4 plate, with cast glass on the base to save on costs. My final creation was a six foot by 2foot by 2foot, all in 3/8 plate glass, (Recovered from a shop window that got smashed locally) If you visit your glass supplier you'd be surprised just how much glass they throw out, ie, bits with a tiny obscure mark on them, which in your case would suit the base etc. Final words. Make sure you stand your A/G tank on a firm solid surface with a thin (1/2) styrene pad on the base. Don't place heavy metal hoods on A/G/Ts as they expand and contract with the temp differences. I made several 4foot x4foot by 4foot tanks of WOOD, if anyone is interested. Best of luck, hope this helps. Pegasus NZ. [ This Message was edited by: Pegasus on 2002-03-23 19:11 ]

Well, I joined this site about a week back in the hope of finding a responsive group of members that would "post" regularly about their fish. It was not to be it seems. What is wrong people?? You have a good site here, with varying subjects, and yet you don't use it. Some of the "Recent" posts are dated 2001. There are people out there that want to know about your fish, your funny experiences, your happiest and worst moments, your first spawning, your first tank, or even how old your granny is if she keeps fish. I recently posted an article on rearing brine shrimp, and the only response was from Caryl. The same article posted on an offshore site was read by over two hundred members in less than a week. The membership here is small, but in order for a site to remain viable it needs your input. It doesn't matter if you just keep a few guppys, or you keep thousands of fish, you must have "something" to tell us. Come on members, get your fingers working, lets have some posts to read. I would prefer to read some positive responses, not negative ones. :smile: Bill (Pegasus)