Aquatopia

Do you want to risk the possibility of your tank cracking through a minute piece of grit you cannot see and doesnt affect the level of the tank? ... YES, you dont mind a flood and dead fish? Then dont put the styrofoam under the tank. NO, you want to protect your home and fish? Then put it under. Honestly Shelley, I know you are nervouse about doing it, but we have answered the question repeatedly for you now, and no matter how many "what ifs" you come back with the answer will be the same. A thing to bear in mind, which might make the significance sink in..... Glass is cut by scoring a barely visible line across the surface and applying a MILD amount of pressure, and PING, the glass breaks along the scored line. Imagine then a grain of grit under the tank and the HUGE pressure the weight of water in the tank created. If that happens, what you get? Wet carpet and dead fish. Choice is down to you now. Oh, and on the subject of the Goldfish and Neon - a fish itself doesnt have to be big to eat another. It all has to do with how wide it can open its mouth. In the marine world there is a fish called the dwarf or fuzzy lionfish. It gets no bigger (and somewhat smaller) than most goldfish. However, it can eat fish practically half its size if it wants to !!! Take Sammie back to the store and ask for a credit against other tropical fishwater fish that belong in the tank and are compatible with your other fish (before it eats another one). Good luck. You sound responsible and keen to learn. I know you are going to get really hooked and enjoy your newfound hobby.

I think we are agreed that the LFS has a degree of responsibility to ensure the consumer is aware of the correct conditions to provide a healthy environment for living organisms (in this case anemones) then. Now how about some more nice pics...

The first part of this answer is based on assumption. Which as they said in Priscilla, is the mother of all **** ups. You may get a little old lady who just likes the look of that Commodore SS and DOESNT know. You may get a responsible 17 year old who DOES care. But it still boils down to not making assumptions. The LFS should always assume a person knows little or nothing until they establish otherwise. The second part - well, beginners don't have the luxury of knowing whether the LFS is helping them or not, because by their nature, they lack experience. That is why we MUST be able to rely on advice and responsibility. The LAW? In the main is an ass and in retail is particularly ambiguous. Any retailer who hides behind the law to mask his own responsibility deserves to go bankrupt (IMHO). Whatever the scenario or analogy it still boils down to responsibility. And thats what is referred to as "added value". If LFS's offer added value they will gain the respect and loyalty of their customers. Hell, some of those customers may even think twice about saving $50 on something off the internet if they receive impeccable service and advice in other aspects.

Nah Aaron, i reckon theres nice ones on the allowed list aye. I just dont like the huge ones with big spaces between their tentacles . I reckon they look ugly. Having said that I used not to like the look of some carpet anemones but am warming to them (the more i read about anemones the more they interest me).

I think we are talking degree here arent we? As you say, they SHOULD make people aware of general requirements - and that is all we are really saying too. The LFS should (as a minimum) ensure that the purchaser is aware of the lighting, flow and water parameter requirements of the anemone. In the same way, and to use your analogy, I would consider it a Car Dealer's responsibility to ensure that if selling a V8 to a 17 year old or 85 year old, that they are made aware that it is a powerful vehicle which requires a degree of skill and ability to drive safely. To say that a retailer purely exists to sell is one of the reasons that the "supermarket" style retailers believe it is acceptable to employ youngsters with no training and little enthusiasm - their pure interest being the cash at the end of the week to fund their own hobbies. Im not blaming the employee here either (and Im not saying they are all the same) - its the employers' responsibility. But what i am saying is its the the CONSUMER who suffers if incorrect or no advice is given. And in the case of anemone's and fish, it is the LIVE ANIMAL which suffers too. When live animals are concerned, there HAS to be a greater degree of responsibility. Especially when the experience of the purchaser was unknown. Im sure you would agree with that Aaron ??

Yep that would be good. Cheers.

Cheers Aaron - i really must read that damn manual !

sweeeeeet 8)

Fay what type is it? when you say dinner plate - u mean a big plate not sideplate? blimey ! it looks smaller in the pic. still looks good. mmmmmm whitebait - coated in flour and shallow fried, feed me seymour !

WOW ! Well I have made it. Its hard work but exciting reading getting into a 28 page thread when you have not been following it from the start. But PIES - I gotta say, although this has cost you heaps and loads of work, the effort that you have gone to has paid off. I have been reading this for the past week or so in total, ploughing my way through, and its been well worth it. I look forward to continuing to read on, and possibly even seeing the finished item for real if i get to Welly sometime (if you will allow a pome to cross your steps, lol). Seriously dude. This is magnificent work.

Guys (n gals) - whats the score about getting a 115v rated (US) pump (i know to stick with the Japanese motors) and using a step down transformer? I have seen these on the US ebay for heaps less than the retail. Often good reasons for sale too. Your thoughts? PIES? CHIMERA RnB et al ? Cheers

Caper How did the tank lift for the polystyrene go? Re the neon - every likelyhood the goldfish ate it either whilst it was swimming or when it died. Another reason in my opinion not to go mixing coldwater and tropical species. Can you not be persuaded to find a new home for Goldie?

This wont be that much help, but different makes are better than others and i used to favour Rena. What i do remember is most are under-rated so whatever they say get the next one or two sizes up. Redwood aquatics down here in Chch are doing some MEGA air pumps (silent too almost) for $99. They have 8 outlets attached. I can recall a few years ago they were huge money for that sort of kit. Good luck though.

If its a choice between the angels and the fighter, the Betta Splendens wwins everytime in my book. angels are often ok but sometimes nippy and they do get large with age. I would consider having more of the tetras though - eventually - your tank could take a decent shoal of them. When you keep less than 10 or 12 they tend not to stick together as much. Also I used to keep a minimum of 6 corys of the same species and found they were far more likely to stick together. My Corydoras Julii (still one of my faves) used to go on a group reccy every day just before the lights came on, and then again after lights out. Grrr, wish i had not come on and read the freshwater posts - Im supposed to be concentrating on my marine project but i JUST KNOW i will end up with a freshwater tank too. Sorry ANZ -

Is it just me or do other folks like the more delicate appearing anemones like the bubble tip or malu or magnifica? The ones in that tank just seemed a bit drab (talk about lining yourself up for the firing squad ! ). Now take the one in Fay's tank or Pies' (and no doubt many others) - they really look stunning.

Michael - yep, like i said, some are good and some are bad. I could have gone down the road and bought that powder blue somewhere else too i guess. But that is transferring responsibility entirely to me, and fair goes. Its a bit of a catch 22. I am sure the smaller owner-run stores are much better than the likes of larger "supermarket" retailers. Having said that, sometimes if you get a good staff member who is genuinely interested in their job that makes a big difference too. The times I stood by hearing "Yeh, erm, take the tank home, clean the gravel and fill it in with water, oh and chuck some of this in it too. Then when youve got your filter hooked up and the water is cleared come back and we'll sort some fish for you. If you get it done by 4 you should be alright to stick some in tonight - we are open till 6" spouted out of a supermarket style employees lips !!! Happens a lot less in the smaller places aye.

Better Fay? Its magnificent ! Im not good with anemone identification yet - could prob tell a Het. Magnifica and a bubble tip, but whats that? I would say a malu but not sure. Where has it decided to go in the tank? Whats the lighting above it and what kind of flow has it chosen? How big is it? Stunning example.

Aaron, sorry mate - i cannot agree with you there. Its the shops who are responsible for bringing these things in via the wholesalers. And although the hobbyist should research prior to purchase, a significant responsibility MUST lay with the retailer. I personally feel that far greater interest should be taken on the part of the LFS. Whilst some do, most don't. My LFS guy back home wouldn't even let me buy the things he knew i couldn't keep. Knowing I had only been keeping marines for 3 months, no end of cajoling would get that powder blue out of him, lol. Cantankerous (sp?) old bugger, but he knew his stuff, and I thank him for it. raeh1 - dude, don't get downcast by comments you may not want to hear. Ultimately a lot of the people on here have been in the hobby for years and whilst things may sound a little harsh, it is usually said with not only your best interests, but quite rightly the best interests of the animals we are privileged to look after. We are but their guardians and owe them the best possible environment. Not just best possible, but correct also. Good luck though, and i look forward to seeing some pics of a healthy anemone soon.

Hi, I know the general trend is towards oceans motions stuff, or tunze streams etc, but on a reduced budget, what are the older style wavemakers like? I have seen one for a reasonable price. It is the... Aqua Medic 3+1 channels. Day/Night rythym with optional light sensor, feeding break function Anyone using these?

Chim, cheers - will think on that one. Are the OM forums on the OM website?

Cheers piezola ! Will re-visit the swirls / revolutions options. Just the one on my tank? Hadnt thought about the tube sizes. 1250 is getting a bit big and it reduces the depth of field effect of having 700 in that measurement. But i see what you are saying about the tubes.

Thanks chim - thats exactly what i wanna do. I want it all to look good and be efficient whilst providing the best i can within a reasonable but limited budget. (Dont we all). I guess what Im trying to do is the same as you guys but on a way smaller scale. Ive chosen 1100x700x530 because i didnt want too deep a tank for lighting reasons, but i wanted a bit of depth of field - Im hoping to create a similar effect to Steve Weasts tank - creat a channel which draws your eye away from the sides of the tank.

PIES Thanks for all that - phew ! I see what you mean. When you say sea swirl - these are the electronic boxes that vary retun flow direction?? How do they compare to oceans motions revolutions? On the closed loop? Could i have one pipe providing "reef-flushing" within the live rock and other returns providing main water column flow? Will get to grips with your thread at bedtime.

Daniel. Yeh thanks for that - i thought a non return valve would slow the flow. Are there any figures on how much effect they actually have in terms of percentage flow lost?

Hi Im still in the throws of designing my own custome made tank. Its measurements will be 1100L x 700W x 530D (i get width and depth mixed. im assuming width is back to front and depth is top to bottom and length is left to right !!). I am trying to work out what to do re the weir/s. I have seen some weir boxes where (some where triangular others were square) the first wall had slots in the top AND the bottom. Im assuming the theory is to draw off water from the bottom of the water column as well as skim from the top. This then filled up against a second wall at a slightly lower height and cascaded over into the main drain chamber (some had a hole in the bottom with or without a standpipe, others towards the top). I have heard comments that having the slots at the bottom might lead to clogging, and may often be awkward to keep clear. Other weirs (be they triangular or square) are a single wall that the water flows over and into the drain chamber. Another is just a box surrounding the outlet pipe towards the top of the aquarium. SO, I guess Im asking;- 1) One or Two weir boxes for a tank my size ? 2) Which design is best? OR what are the pros and cons of either ? 3) What about extending the weir construction with a sloping channel extending further along the back of the tank to increase the amount of surface skimming? Too ugly compared to potential benefit? Then the return. I want to do something similar to an article i saw in Marine World where the return(s) was piped under the live rock structure, thus reducing detritus settling as much as possible. (I will hopefully be putting in a closed loop for circulation too). 1) Is it OK to have the return coming in at the bottom of the tank? 2) If i do that should i use a non return valve to prevent possible backsyphoning in case of pump failure? Sorry this post is so long !