Hamstar99

I just use Limestone. Plenty around down here. Dunno about up there though.

I was actually thinking of ditching the conditioner until i saw your ordeal. Same water supply i guess too.

Yeah im the same. Go through a bit of conditioner but its certainly faster. I know some dont use conditioner but id rather be safe than have a dodgy bit of town water kill me fish.

Because pellet fires are auto feeding and the pellets are dry. A whole lot easier to regulate than a fire where you can get the fuel off the side of the road if you like. That adding a log at certain intervals is a strange one. Whats the reasoning behind this? Or is this just because of the low emission fires that cant be fully dampened so you have to add logs to keep them going?

We use petrol to melt out he Poly

Once you have had a nitrite reading and got it down to zero you should be cycled. Once cycling i only test if i do something substantial to the tank to keep an eye on it like extra stocking, filter clean or a major substrate move. So pretty much hardly ever. about 25% water change for me every couple of weeks, but i can stretch this two 3 weeks without noticeable change to nitrate levels. But just need to do what ever to keep your nitrates in check. A nitrate test before and after your water changes will help you work out what you need.

Good work Aquaone

Bunnings have a little kit in their tapware section called "sink tap click ons". A little box with all the bits to be able to hook your hose up to your shower. In my case i just take the shower head off the hose and screw in one piece and plug the hose in. Sure the kit was only $15. Has about 10-15 fittngs, washers etc that you might need.

Could it have been the "shock" of dropping in to your High Ph from what ever the acidic or neutral Ph was at the shop? Sudden fluctuations in Ph arnt good for any fish.

Not sure its much help but just offering a reason why it could be there. Not sure if its a manufacturing problem in your case but have seen in the trade mould on (in) silicones from the practice of applying with dirty tools. I have seen it develop later in bathrooms as well. It seems like it actually grows in the silicone which make it impossible to get out. The lack of mould inhibitors in the silicone could also be a reason.

How old is the silicone job? Silicone can grow mould despite have inhibitors in it if it is applied with a dirty finger or something like that.

Sorry are you going to be using it for hunting?? or just stating that they both can be used for hunting?

I personally would go pure GWP or Pure Lab from working/ hunting stock - not show stock. But it would depend a lot on your situation and how much you plan to hunt him i think. A lab is a bit happier to stay at home, maybe slightly more biddable and a GWP is probably more driven and a good dogman will get far better results from him than a lab. The cross was bought about by people false impressions and poorly bred GWP that they were trying to tone down. There is a quite a bit of good stock of both breeds out there but far more rubbish churned out by puppy factories. A cross is as always a lotery as to what you get from the Dam and Sire. Find a serious breeder that takes into account aggression, health issues and overall breed quality when they are breeding. There should be no aggression issues in either breed but i know there was some in earlier GWP lines also a little bit of epilepsy but i think that is rear now. There is still alot of hip probs in labs due to pour breeding. Good breeders should have this sorted though. Also there is usually waiting lists for the good GWPs. cheers http://www.fishnhunt.co.nz/forum/YaBB.cgi?board=dogs1 Trawl through this lot if you like. Plenty about Lab/ GWP crosses and of course the Pures.

yep still cycling. Keep up your water changes if you have fish in there. Leave the substrate alone though.

That looks like what i call a rock cod or brown spotted rock cod. Seem to catch heaps of them when rock fishing and dont know what your're doing. Shockers for swallowing hooks.

Yes i had this problem. Even halved the sample and skirted half a bottle in to try and prove a point, still no colour change. Took it back and got a new bottle, which worked sweet. The GH test doesnt have as longer life as the KH tests. Mine had expired on the shelf in the pet store. Note the last couple numbers stamped on the bottle. That is the year it was made. You have 3 years after that before it expires.

O yeah. the one that is "currently cycling" :oops:

Cycling with fish or without? What are your nitrite readings? Is it a planted tank? If you have fish you should be changing water daily. The ammonia is normally reading zero and nitrites are off the chart so you could be getting a rogue ammonia readings. If no fish id water change daily to get the nitrites around 2ppm and leave it be. I didnt think carbon did anything other than cleaning the water ie removing organics and medications. Water changes would do the same thing. Someone with more knowledge on carbon may enlighten us on that.

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should be sweet. A general rule for those Aquaone and other average heaters is 100w per 100litres.

Hi Caper. Yes you should have nitrites and it seems strange to me that you havnt had any yet. check this link to see a typical nitrogen cycle graph if you havnt already. http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/cycling.php Could be one of a few thing i guess. 1. faulty test kit. 2. already cycled 3. stalled cycle- temperature too cold, PH too low etc, but this should only slow it down in my opinion and you should still have nitrites. One way to check would be to test for Nitrates if you could get your hands on a test. This will confirm whether or not you are cycled or whether or not you really havnt produced any nitrites. Also tap water should be fine with you dechlorinator. cheers

Then could you remedy the Overflow problem by putting a riser on the "out" flow so that the water didnt drop below the riser level? or is there a reason the out flow pipe is so low?

Could put a riser on one of those existing holes in the bottom to take water from the level that you desire.

Because you have so little ammonia and no nitrites i would be tempted to just leave the water now and just monitor it every couple of days if you like and see if the ammonia rises, this will confirm being cycled or not. I think since you dont have nitrites that your tank is cycled because if you have ammonia you will have nitrites. Either way they are not worrying levels.

You dont really have "high" ammonia, but it is a typical false reading. once you have an nitrate test this will confirm you are cycled if you still have zero Nitrite but a Nitrate reading. re the expiry date; this is for API kits Test Solutions Shelf Life from bottling date Wide Range pH Test Solution 3 years Ammonia Test Solution #1 3 years Ammonia Test Solution #2 3 years High Range pH Indicator Solution (m-Cresol Purple) 3 years Nitrate Test Solution #1 3 years Nitrate Test Solution #2 3 years GH Test Solution 3 years KH Test Solution 4 years Nitrite Test Solution 4 years Fresh Water Ammonia Test Solution (Nessler) 5 years Fresh Water pH Indicator Solution 5 years High Range pH Indicator Solution (Cresol Red) 5 years Salt Level Test Solution #1 5 years Salt Level Test Solution #2 5 years To determine bottling date check the lot # on the reagent bottle. The last 4 digits are the month and year of bottling. Example: 33A1201 would = a bottling date of December 2001. If you have any more questions please contact me. Karin Berke Technical Services Representative Aquarium Pharmaceuticals 800-847-0659