Aquariums?

Diggs

Diggs

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I saw a post that others here may be interested in aquariums.......

I inherited one from my daughter long ago when she moved. It's now a tall 20 gal heavily planted in my kitchen. It has Corys, Otos, Glo Tetras (they just won't die), Neons, Shadow Catfish and a school of Harlequin Rasboras. There's a troupe of Assassin Snails that are the off spring of some that I picked up long ago to clear up a Ramshorn snail infestation I got with some plants. I enjoy the plants almost as much as the fish. The Bonsai of it is good for my mojo in the middle of winter. It's always sunny and tropical in the tank compared to looking out the window (snowing again here BTW). I cook a lot so I like the aquarium in the kitchen. I'm always waiting for something to heat up, cook, boil, cool off, etc. and watching the tropical fish and flora is perfect for me.

It's a small tank but I enjoy. Others?

@add pic -

aqua3.jpg
 
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Diggs said:
I saw a post that others here may be interested in aquariums.......

I inherited one from my daughter long ago when she moved. It's now a tall 20 gal heavily planted in my kitchen. It has Corys, Otos, Glo Tetras (they just won't die), Neons, Shadow Catfish and a school of Harlequin Rasboras. There's a troupe of Assassin Snails that are the off spring of some that I picked up long ago to clear up a Ramshorn snail infestation I got with some plants. I enjoy the plants almost as much as the fish. The Bonsai of it is good for my mojo in the middle of winter. It's always sunny and tropical in the tank compared to looking out the window (snowing again here BTW). I cook a lot so I like the aquarium in the kitchen. I'm always waiting for something to heat up, cook, boil, cool off, etc. and watching the tropical fish and flora is perfect for me.

It's a small tank but I enjoy. Others?
Click to expand...
I would enjoy a pic or 2 :)
 
Diggs said:
I saw a post that others here may be interested in aquariums.......

I inherited one from my daughter long ago when she moved. It's now a tall 20 gal heavily planted in my kitchen. It has Corys, Otos, Glo Tetras (they just won't die), Neons, Shadow Catfish and a school of Harlequin Rasboras. There's a troupe of Assassin Snails that are the off spring of some that I picked up long ago to clear up a Ramshorn snail infestation I got with some plants. I enjoy the plants almost as much as the fish. The Bonsai of it is good for my mojo in the middle of winter. It's always sunny and tropical in the tank compared to looking out the window (snowing again here BTW). I cook a lot so I like the aquarium in the kitchen. I'm always waiting for something to heat up, cook, boil, cool off, etc. and watching the tropical fish and flora is perfect for me.

It's a small tank but I enjoy. Others?

@add pic -

View attachment 9073
Click to expand...
I remember reading over the years that fumes from cooking can be dangerous for our scaly friends.
 
allanc said:
I remember reading over the years that fumes from cooking can be dangerous for our scaly friends.
Click to expand...

Yep - Predominant winds (so-to-speak) are away from the aquarium. Meaning the vents for heating/AC are upstream from the aquarium so it gets fresh air. The range/stove hood vent also pulls fresh air towards the aquarium. Not the best to have it in the kitchen but I'm not a purist and it was never enjoyed anywhere else.
 
Diggs said:
Yep - Predominant winds (so-to-speak) are away from the aquarium. Meaning the vents for heating/AC are upstream from the aquarium so it gets fresh air. The range/stove hood vent also pulls fresh air towards the aquarium. Not the best to have it in the kitchen but I'm not a purist and it was never enjoyed anywhere else.
Click to expand...
I had fresh (or not so fresh) water aquariums for decades.
I even attempted to breed Siamese Fighting Fish a few times during my youth without success, meaning that they mated and then ...?
I always wanted a salt water aquarium but there was too much push-back from my parents first and then my better-half second.
 
This is the only aquarium I've ever had:

PleasantLeadingBoto-size_restricted.gif
 
I had fresh-water planted aquariums for years. I had to break them all down during a couple of moves across the country. Now that I'm rooted again, I'm looking to set up a new one. Probably a planted 20 long with either some dwarf puffers or a couple of peacock gudgeons.
 
I have a pretty large 48" x21 x17 210L tank in the workshop.

started off with a small 40l one and have upgraded to this some 4 years ago now.

it's all fresh water fish. although I don't have any in it at the moment.

I bought some new underwater white led lights, which created so much algae that it basically killed my fish!.

so until such time as i can get my ass in gear and
a) empty said tank
b) clean tank
c) either buy new proper fluorescent tubes or have the fixture repaired.
d) spend a good 45 mins refilling the mammoth thing
e) remove / move the 10t of crap I have in front of the cupboard to gain access to the external filter for tasks a and b above.

it will stay as it is. which is such a shame. I have close to £100 in gift vouchers for my favourite aquarium stockist. to be used.

also having the fish in the tank and lights on all nice looking, it' a great talking point with clients when they come down to the workshop.

also just sitting there watching them with all workshop lights off of an evening is a look relaxing after a stressful day.
 
the workshop is at the end of the garden, some 120ft away.

I have armoured cable buried underneath the garden all the way down the side of the path.

in the tank itself, because it can be so bitter down there of a winter's evening, there's 4 heaters in the tank keeping it at the correct temperature.

checked daily and these can be increased or decreased manually should it be needed.

touch wood and every prayer known to man. only ever had 1 time when the electric went off.

luckily no fish were harmed in this rescue.
 
Nige said:
the workshop is at the end of the garden, some 120ft away.

I have armoured cable buried underneath the garden all the way down the side of the path.

in the tank itself, because it can be so bitter down there of a winter's evening, there's 4 heaters in the tank keeping it at the correct temperature.

checked daily and these can be increased or decreased manually should it be needed.

touch wood and every prayer known to man. only ever had 1 time when the electric went off.

luckily no fish were harmed in this rescue.
Click to expand...
Perhaps a UPS with those gift cards?
 
however saying that, I'll tell you another story about an inept imbecile now known as Kraken by certain forum members..

who decided one bitter winter' morning when it's - choose a number and double it then add 100.

Decides to do a 80% water change. just after spending over £100 ($200) ish on a selection of new fish.

Said Kraken, did aforementioned water change, filled up the tank with the hose pipe as normal.

20 mins later, what’s this I see before my watering eyes,,

Dead fish.
Dead fish
Dead fish.

Out of the 30 new fish I bought literally 2 days previous, 15 of them were now in fish heaven! (Aka the grey receptacle at the end of the workshop!.)

I immediately contacted the fish store, said that 15 of these fish were now dead, what the hells going on?. (Didn’t mention the water change).

Was told where are they now?. Well in the bin.

Can you bring them to us?

Aye, suppose so, but it’ll be the weekend before I can get back to you.
Ok, freeze them, and bring them in. I could only ‘find 8 of them. The rest were all mangled u and I wasn’t going to start trying to get all the pieces..

Same day, the lady who knew me from the awauatics centre gave me a call, and said some of the ones you bought here have died also. That’s weird. (Me thinking oops!).

Turns out that I had basically froze the poor sods!.

The water temp had plummeted from a nice steady 28-29deg c, to -8 or so with the water change, and I hadn’t given the heaters time to heat the water before putting the fish back in the tank.

I certainly learnt my lesson that day..
 
Nige said:
however saying that, I'll tell you another story about an inept imbecile now known as Kraken by certain forum members..

who decided one bitter winter' morning when it's - choose a number and double it then add 100.

Decides to do a 80% water change. just after spending over £100 ($200) ish on a selection of new fish.

Said Kraken, did aforementioned water change, filled up the tank with the hose pipe as normal.

20 mins later, what’s this I see before my watering eyes,,

Dead fish.
Dead fish
Dead fish.

Out of the 30 new fish I bought literally 2 days previous, 15 of them were now in fish heaven! (Aka the grey receptacle at the end of the workshop!.)

I immediately contacted the fish store, said that 15 of these fish were now dead, what the hells going on?. (Didn’t mention the water change).

Was told where are they now?. Well in the bin.

Can you bring them to us?

Aye, suppose so, but it’ll be the weekend before I can get back to you.
Ok, freeze them, and bring them in. I could only ‘find 8 of them. The rest were all mangled u and I wasn’t going to start trying to get all the pieces..

Same day, the lady who knew me from the awauatics centre gave me a call, and said some of the ones you bought here have died also. That’s weird. (Me thinking oops!).

Turns out that I had basically froze the poor sods!.

The water temp had plummeted from a nice steady 28-29deg c, to -8 or so with the water change, and I hadn’t given the heaters time to heat the water before putting the fish back in the tank.

I certainly learnt my lesson that day..
Click to expand...
Yup. That'll do it.
When changing water - I put the fish in a holding 'tank'.
Then I would run the pump for I think at least overnight to filter the water, get rid of bubbles, etc. and of course stabilize the temp.
I am really stretching my memory here.
I cannot seem to to remember all the reasons for running the tank without the fish ... possibly removal of chlorine?

EDIT: I remember my father starting the siphon of the old water out by sucking on a tube.
May he rest in peace.
 
Nige said:
Turns out that I had basically froze the poor sods!..
Click to expand...

Awww - That's how my fish go (when intentional). They take a nap in the freezer but don't seem to wake up.

Wow! 80% is huge. I do 25% per week and I wish I could use the central hot water mixed with cold for my water changes but our hot water has been softened (not sure if "softened" water is a thing in other parts of the world). I use all cold water and heat it up a gallon at a time in the microwave - heh. I used to use the aquarium heater but then water changes took all day. I don't use a holding tank. Trying to catch all 20+ fish just stresses the fish and tears up the tank.

I used to use the mouth and siphon hose but now use a siphon gravel vacuum that is self-priming.
 
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Diggs said:
I saw a post that others here may be interested in aquariums.......

I inherited one from my daughter long ago when she moved. It's now a tall 20 gal heavily planted in my kitchen. It has Corys, Otos, Glo Tetras (they just won't die), Neons, Shadow Catfish and a school of Harlequin Rasboras. There's a troupe of Assassin Snails that are the off spring of some that I picked up long ago to clear up a Ramshorn snail infestation I got with some plants. I enjoy the plants almost as much as the fish. The Bonsai of it is good for my mojo in the middle of winter. It's always sunny and tropical in the tank compared to looking out the window (snowing again here BTW). I cook a lot so I like the aquarium in the kitchen. I'm always waiting for something to heat up, cook, boil, cool off, etc. and watching the tropical fish and flora is perfect for me.

It's a small tank but I enjoy. Others?

@add pic -

View attachment 9073
Click to expand...
In my younger days, one of my girlfriends had an aquarium and would not stay overnight because 'she had to feed her fish'.
Being so resourceful - I bought *her and her fish* an automatic fish flake feeder.
I like gifts where both the recipient and the giver of the gift get benefits ;).
Wait ... does this post belong in the humour section?
 
Nige said:
now known as Kraken by certain forum members..
Click to expand...
Lol!

Tips:
Never change more than 1/3 rd of the aquarium water at a time.
Slowly and slightly increasing the water temp from ~22, 24 deg to ~26, 28 deg before a water change will lessen the impact of the "new" water on your fish.
Slowly reduce the temp back to normal afterwards.

Beware "Marine Tuberculosis" (Mycobacterium Marium) when working with your fish. Never put your hands in the tank if you have cuts or abrasions! (Even that bitten fingernail or quick)!
My late (2nd) wife suffered horribly from this sh*t! :(

NEVER suck/siphon aquarium water from a tank! It can kill you! (See above)

Be careful with chemicals! Don't go silly with chemicals.
Use a good quality "conditioner" only when changing water and filters.
I use "Prime." 500 ml treats 20,000 Lt of water.
It removes Chlorine and Chloramine and detoxifies ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.
When used at 1ml per 20 Lt of aquarium water it keeps the fish very happy.
 
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[QUOTE="Barcelona, post: 638210,”]

Beware "Marine Tuberculosis" (Mycobacterium Marium) when working with your fish. Never put your hands in the tank if you have cuts or abrasions! (Even that bitten fingernail or quick)!
My late (2nd) wife suffered horribly from this sh*t! :(

NEVER suck/siphon aquarium water from a tank! It can kill you! (See above)[/QUOTE]

I think this is a bit like Safely Removing USB devices....you should always do it but very few people do
 
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