Foxjxa Posted May 30, 2011 Report Share Posted May 30, 2011 Te Manawa in Palmerston North has recently opened a new free exhibit, Te Awa, (The River), which follows the Manawatu River and highlights some of our native fauna along the way. Currently we have whistling tree frogs, cave weta and brown mudfish on display and are in the final stages of setting up the 5000L native fish tank which will house various kokopu, bullies, some koura and whatever else we can catch. :happy1: I'm not the best photogropher and there's a big column that makes full tank shots difficult, but here is the tank layout (v1) without water. Apologies for the mess! Big thanks to our native fish consultant, I'll name names later , and for p44 for helping put all the gravel in and making it look pretty - apart from that one rock, maybe. Let's hope he doesn't notice the builders have ruined some of his work... I'll be coming back to add more to this thread as more stuff happens, so questions and comments are always welcome. Also, if you're keen to join 'us', (goodness knows who that will be at this stage!), on a spotlighting trip let me know, the more the merrier! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted May 30, 2011 Report Share Posted May 30, 2011 Yes I have noticed! :an!gry And those 2 stones are driving me crazy! I need to do something about them! Let me in again please? I shall fix! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insect Direct Posted May 30, 2011 Report Share Posted May 30, 2011 Sick tank !drool: Is it acrylic? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myfishybuisness Posted May 30, 2011 Report Share Posted May 30, 2011 Te Manawa in Palmerston North has recently opened a new free exhibit, Te Awa, (The River), which follows the Manawatu River and highlights some of our native fauna along the way. Currently we have whistling tree frogs, cave weta and brown mudfish on display and are in the final stages of setting up the 5000L native fish tank which will house various kokopu, bullies, some koura and whatever else we can catch. :happy1: I'm not the best photogropher and there's a big column that makes full tank shots difficult, but here is the tank layout (v1) without water. Apologies for the mess! Big thanks to our native fish consultant, I'll name names later , and for p44 for helping put all the gravel in and making it look pretty - apart from that one rock, maybe. Let's hope he doesn't notice the builders have ruined some of his work... I'll be coming back to add more to this thread as more stuff happens, so questions and comments are always welcome. Also, if you're keen to join 'us', (goodness knows who that will be at this stage!), on a spotlighting trip let me know, the more the merrier! !drool: !drool: !drool: !drool: !drool: !drool: !drool: !drool: !drool: !drool: just imagine p44 if you were allowed to plant that thing :facepalm: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxjxa Posted May 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2011 Sick tank !drool: Is it acrylic? Yeap, all acrylic. It's strong enough that p44 could crawl around on the supporting braces too, not to mention all the builder guys which have been up there. I'm counting my lucky stars we won't be planting it - I don't think I could handle all the 'advice' I'd get from p44!! Btw p44, you are welcome to come and try to fix whatever you want in the weekend, though by then it'll probably have changed again, including that awful rock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted May 30, 2011 Report Share Posted May 30, 2011 Yes I think I will! Not this weekend cause im in TGA, but after that. I kinda like that tank. I also kinda enjoyed getting my feet wet as a crawled around the tank arranging things. But that rock has to go. Infact it will go. And can we get some sand? And some more wood. Need more wood. Leaf litter is no point - it'll just get blown away and the tank will become too dark - then again, the carbon in the filter will sort that out. I'm counting my lucky stars we won't be planting it - I don't think I could handle all the 'advice' I'd get from p44!! 'Advice' is the right word. I get a little carried away when it comes to plants and planting things :lol: :oops: Very impressive, beautiful, strong tank too. Supported all 6'5'' of me :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nativelover Posted May 30, 2011 Report Share Posted May 30, 2011 looks good so far :spop: :spop: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myfishybuisness Posted May 30, 2011 Report Share Posted May 30, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted May 30, 2011 Report Share Posted May 30, 2011 Hey, looking awesome! That branch will probably float when you fill it (you may have already found out!). Just realised I have a big pile of big stones here, which would be ideal for this tank. Also got that big bit of wood and some other sunk pieces here that you are welcome to. Going fishing tonight for more bullies and banded kokopu, just up at the uni. If anyone is interested in coming please PM me with your phone number, or just turn up and look for the torches in Bledisloe park! Probably gathering at uni at 7-7:30. Don't park in the Bledisloe carpark, that gets locked at night, but come in the uni entrance next to it, take the first left and we will be parked in the first carpark. Easy to find. My car is the white one with kokopu on it Bring gumboots and a torch. Even if your torch is weak as hell it will stop you from tripping over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxjxa Posted May 31, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2011 Had a fun couple of hours with Stella adding more rocks and gravel to the tank - gave it a nice revamp to make up for the messy builders stomping all over it. :lol: I didn't have my camera with me, but on Thursday I'll be posting pictures of the tank layout (v2), filled with water... and hopefully a few fish to boot. I hope the koura like all the caves - they will have plenty to choose from to start with!! Hope everyone who's going out spotlighting tonight has a great time, I'm hoping someone catches a baby eel. <3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueether Posted June 1, 2011 Report Share Posted June 1, 2011 Very impressive, beautiful, strong tank too. Supported all 6'5'' of me :lol:Is that including the hair? Oh and the tank looks wonderful, would love to live closer to see it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted June 1, 2011 Report Share Posted June 1, 2011 Photos from Stoning the Aquarium, Part II Overview Looking down the right 'wing' and the left wing And the lovely Foxjxa herself, for scale! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted June 1, 2011 Report Share Posted June 1, 2011 that is going to be soo cool when up & running. I can amagine it with larger rocks in areas with some sand with small plants replicating lake tanganyika to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted June 1, 2011 Report Share Posted June 1, 2011 The spotlighting trip last night was great. None of you slackers turned up (though I will forgive on account of the short notice). The photos don't show all the fish but are representative. 12 bullies (redfin, Cran's, common, upland) and 5 smelt (one died today, smelt are so tricky!) 5 banded kokopu - these should look great cruising around the tank! Little monster fleet. One very surprised poached trout, who was released. and a basket fungus - how cool is that!! also saw a bunch of perch and troutlets, a couple of eels and the biggest crays I have seen in my life! All in the massey University grounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted June 2, 2011 Report Share Posted June 2, 2011 Well, the first batch of fish went in today! Most exciting :bounce: Foxjxa and Peter putting in the first inhabitant: Lefty the Crayfish ...never has a cray been admired with such enthusiasm After the three koura, next the bullies and kokopu went in Look, FISHES!! The fish were all really active for the next hour, though I expect them to go quiet for the next few days or so while they settle. In no time the bullies will have sorted out their favourite rocks and the tight kokopu school will probably break up a little as they relax. Then in three weeks time the next batch of fish (from the spotlighting above) can go in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steikheigel Posted June 2, 2011 Report Share Posted June 2, 2011 freaking beautiful! i really need to come back to palmy and see how the whole thing turned out - curious to see what ended up in the final product. Wish i could have been there for the instal good work y'all exciting!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxjxa Posted June 4, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 4, 2011 The fish had a food-filled afternoon after Stella, (thanks so much!), came in to treat them all with some freshly caught stream invertebrates. Very interesting to watch and I managed to snap a few pictures as people cleared away. Here's one of the female red-fin bullies sitting in a corner, about a second before she started chowing down on some bugs beside her. Pretty sure I got the identification right, some of the wee guys are very difficult for me to tell apart! A bad photo of "Lefty" the koura fiddling around with the detritus and generally moving all his appendages too fast for me to photograph! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted June 4, 2011 Report Share Posted June 4, 2011 Yes, redfin female (diagonal stripes on the cheeks give it away). There seem to be an awful lot of redfins in there! Will be interesting to see when they settle if the other species are just hiding now or if we overdosed on redfins! Ah well, redfins rock Neat seeing the fish all excited over their bugs. Though I think you were the most excited of all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waterlogged Posted June 4, 2011 Report Share Posted June 4, 2011 just went to see it today, looks awesome and the mud fish aquarium is neat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxjxa Posted June 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2011 Yay, positive feedback! Speaking of the mudfish, I'll be holding public feedings, (where everyone can have a go at hand-feeding), at the mudfish tank every Saturday at 3pm from now on. It's very fun so I encourage you all to come along sometime. ^^ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waterlogged Posted June 5, 2011 Report Share Posted June 5, 2011 me an my eco buddies will be back again as we herd stella is getting more fish for the big tank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthony law Posted June 8, 2011 Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 that awsome !drool: !drool: ..what the dimension of that tank.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BURN Posted June 8, 2011 Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 Acrylic tank. ? If so is it holding in the sides. Not Bowing. 25mm thickness or more?. If its Acrylic it would have to be thicker then 25mm. Which company made that. Up in Auckland ? Looks Good Really Nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waterlogged Posted June 8, 2011 Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 i think it may be closer to 300mm thick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxjxa Posted June 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 I'm afraid I don't know who made the tank or where, but the lovely people from MTI installed it and set up the lovely sump room for us! The acrylic is very thick, definitely closer to 30mm I'd say. I'll have to re-measure it as I've forgotten the exact numbers, but it's ~3.5m along it's longest point, (The part with the most rocks), ~2.5m along the shorter point, (The bit with sand and plants), about a metre wide and maybe just over a metre tall. There's a lot of maybes there. Regardless, I keep getting asked when I'm going to go for a swim in it. :digH: Edit - I'd put 300mm as well :oops: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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