Retirement and forum shutdown (17 Jan 2022)
Hi,
John Howell who has managed the forum for years is getting on and wishes to retire from the role of managing it.
Over the years, he has managed the forum through good days and bad days and he has always been fair.
He has managed to bring his passion for fish keeping to the forum and keep it going for so long.
I wish to thank John for his hard work in keeping the forum going.
With John wishing to "retire" from the role of managing the forum and the forum receiving very little traffic, I think we must agree that forum has come to a natural conclusion and it's time to put it to rest.
I am proposing that the forum be made read-only from March 2022 onwards and that no new users or content be created. The website is still registered for several more years, so the content will still be accessible but no new topics or replies will be allowed.
If there is interest from the ITFS or other fish keeping clubs, we may redirect traffic to them or to a Facebook group but will not actively manage it.
I'd like to thank everyone over the years who helped with forum, posted a reply, started a new topic, ask a question and helped a newbie in fish keeping. And thank you to the sponsors who helped us along the away. Hopefully it made the hobby stronger.
I'd especially like to thank John Howell and Valerie Rousseau for all of their contributions, without them the forum would have never been has successful.
Thank you
Darragh Sherwin
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New tank, new project, 160L
- Melander (Andreas Melander)
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New tank, new project, 160L was created by Melander (Andreas Melander)
It could take awhile until I have an update with Christmas and all but atleast the thread is started.
Cheers for looking,
Melander
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- fishmad1234 (Craig Coyle)
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Replied by fishmad1234 (Craig Coyle) on topic Re: New tank, new project, 160L
what you thinking stock wise
craig
at the end of the day it becomes nite
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- Melander (Andreas Melander)
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Replied by Melander (Andreas Melander) on topic Re: New tank, new project, 160L
At first it will function as a growout creche for ancistruses.
But the plan is:
* a group of Corydoras schultzei
* either Cardinal tetras or Rummynose tetras(bleheri)
* plus a group of smallish plecos
Melander
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- fishmad1234 (Craig Coyle)
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Replied by fishmad1234 (Craig Coyle) on topic Re: New tank, new project, 160L
bad time for things getting done this close to christmas the rack has hit a stand still altho it is only substrate and one more light unit i need
Would love a breeding tank for plecs but.
All the best with it
craig
at the end of the day it becomes nite
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- Melander (Andreas Melander)
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Replied by Melander (Andreas Melander) on topic Re: New tank, new project, 160L
It looks great, not only functional but stylish too. Most racks you come across looks quite boring imo.
I know its a bad time, some much to do that takes time from the hobby. But there is no stress anyway? I'm sure the end result will be excellent when all four tanks are up and running.
Melander
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- BlueRam (Sean Crowe)
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Replied by BlueRam (Sean Crowe) on topic Re: New tank, new project, 160L
that planted scene you cant go wrong id say that being a planted tank would look sweet
best off luck with it and ill be watchin this closely
sean
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- Melander (Andreas Melander)
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Replied by Melander (Andreas Melander) on topic Re: New tank, new project, 160L

Really liked Kevs tank in this thread:
www.irishfishkeepers.com/index.php/fforu...earseal-setup#111679
Melander
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Replied by Melander (Andreas Melander) on topic Re: New tank, new project, 160L
Painted the background black.
Have it up and running filled with bristlenoses, these will move gradually and be replaced by other fish.
There is one sponge filter and two internal filters in it atm but the two internal filters will be replaced by an external one, I'm thinking an Eheim Classic.
This is just a temporary setup atm and the decorations will be changed, thou the two pieces of wood will prob. stay.
This is how it and its inhabitants look now:
Melander
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Replied by des (des) on topic Re: New tank, new project, 160L
the black painted background worked really well and looks class
very nice photographs aswell
fairplay
Des
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- SpiderMonkey (Mark O'Neill)
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Replied by SpiderMonkey (Mark O'Neill) on topic Re: New tank, new project, 160L
Mark
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- paulcavan (Paul Gileoold)
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Replied by paulcavan (Paul Gileoold) on topic Re: New tank, new project, 160L

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- Patrick888 (Patrick Drummey)
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Replied by Patrick888 (Patrick Drummey) on topic Re: New tank, new project, 160L
Patrick
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- Melander (Andreas Melander)
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Replied by Melander (Andreas Melander) on topic Re: New tank, new project, 160L
Will post an update when ready.
@paulcavan: Yes I do breed bristlenoses, well they do most of the work themselves

Cheers,
Melander
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- Melander (Andreas Melander)
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Replied by Melander (Andreas Melander) on topic Re: New tank, new project, 160L
This project just turned bigger.
Desided to redo my old 144l too, this one:
It now looks like this:
And I also want to do up a small 60l for fry, I have no pictures of that one though.
All the fish now temporarily live in the new 160l so that tank is very chaotic and overstocked.
I'll post some pictures when I make progress, in a not too far future I hope.
Cheers for looking,
Melander
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- Blue Land (Brian McGeever)
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Replied by Blue Land (Brian McGeever) on topic Re: New tank, new project, 160L
Can I ask what type paint did you paint it with and did you spray/brush/roll the paint?
I've just acquired a 2nd hand tank and was thinking of a planted tank and like the idea of the black.
Brian
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- Melander (Andreas Melander)
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Replied by Melander (Andreas Melander) on topic Re: New tank, new project, 160L
@Brian: I actually used regular spray paint used for cars etc. It workes fine the only problem would be that it is a hassle to get rid off if you change your mind, and that you have to do it outdoors to properly air out the fumes.
I have been recommended something called "silicone paint" that is supposed to come of easily, but i never found it.
To be honest the spray is good to get a nice even surface.
Good luck!
Melander
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- Melander (Andreas Melander)
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Replied by Melander (Andreas Melander) on topic Re: New tank, new project, 160L
Will be emptyeing and reseal the tank, why does these things always happend when I'm away..
Melander
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Replied by Melander (Andreas Melander) on topic Re: New tank, new project, 160L
Ill post some pics as soon as it's up and running again.
Melander
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Replied by Melander (Andreas Melander) on topic Re: New tank, new project, 160L
During Christmas it sprung a leak in the joint of the front and "side" glass.
I have stripped all the silicone in that corner, in retrospect I should just have stripped the inner silicone but I hope this will work anyway. I also stripped quite a bit extra were there was no leak.
When that was done I cleaned the area with acetone and let it dry.
With the joints all clean and dry I applied masking tape so that my newly applied silicone will get a nice straight shape.
The picture above is taken after the silicone was applied, I smeared it out using a glove and then ripped the tape of before the silicone had time to dry.
I really hope this will do it but just to be safe I'm going to fix plastic supports in the joints, I'll post a pic when that's done too.
After that it's just the leak test left

Melander
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- BlueRam (Sean Crowe)
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Replied by BlueRam (Sean Crowe) on topic Re: New tank, new project, 160L
TEST OUT THE BACK


wat are your stock plans when is is all back up and going
sean
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Replied by Melander (Andreas Melander) on topic Re: New tank, new project, 160L

I bought it custom built and think the guy how built it used a bit to little silicone, for looks I think but I'm way more generous now.
For a starter my Peckoltia compta and a few Corydoras schultzei will move there and after awhile maybe some Cardinal Tetras or Rummynoses.
Melander
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Replied by BlueRam (Sean Crowe) on topic Re: New tank, new project, 160L
seems that u said u got it custom made had u got no come back with it??
sean
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Replied by Melander (Andreas Melander) on topic Re: New tank, new project, 160L
I have finally moved my old 144 litre tank, here's a pic:
I decided to get rid of all the stones for now and I think the wood looks better but it’s much harder to hide the caves. I have a few smaller pieces of wood to go in and some smaller stones so hopefully that will do it. The bright orange caves that stands out really annoys me at the moment.
The plants are a bit of a mess as this moving business has taken its toll but I'm sure they will recover.
The fish seems ok but a bit frightened; I'm going from a acidic pH to a neutral, that's why the tank is not fully filled yet. Hopefully they will acclimatize ok.
Still loads more to do, have to set up the new tank too.
Melander
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Replied by BillG (Bill Gray) on topic Re: New tank, new project, 160L

Cheers,
Bill.
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- Melander (Andreas Melander)
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Replied by Melander (Andreas Melander) on topic Re: New tank, new project, 160L
@Chris: There is no holding back with the compliments:laugh:, thanks for that Chris!
On a second note my Corydoras pandas seem to be doing great, they were spawning allot before but the move seems to have triggered them "even more". They seem to be at it every night since they moved. I have forgotten about collecting any eggs but a few survives from every spawn.
Melander
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- wastegate (Joseph Farrell)
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Replied by wastegate (Joseph Farrell) on topic Re: New tank, new project, 160L

You know you're addicted to fishkeeping when...you spend €200 to accomodate a €5 fish.
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