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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

Perspex lid

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30 Dec 2017 11:43 #1 by alan 64 (alan)
Perspex lid was created by alan 64 (alan)
Ok so toying with the idea of scrapping my lighting system and replacing it with an led unit that would sit over the tank, but it means i will have to take the existing lid off and cum up with a cover to stop heat loss and evaporation, so have u guys any suggestions, would buying some perspex and cutting it to size be the most economical way to go

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30 Dec 2017 12:04 #2 by fishmad1234 (Craig Coyle)
I did that when in had the Osaka al didn't have it on hinges or anything just got a sheet cut to size left it one or 2 mm bigger so it would sit on the top and not fall into the tank.


Regards
Craig

at the end of the day it becomes nite

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30 Dec 2017 12:34 #3 by Bill (Bill Hunter)
Replied by Bill (Bill Hunter) on topic Perspex lid
I bought a sheet of polycarbonate to make lids for my tanks. There is a Dublin company that will sell you sheets of Polycarbonate or the cheaper Perspex and cut it to the size you want - I think the polycarbonate sheets are more scratch resistant and certainly more unbreakable, not to mention having better heat retention.
1 sheet gave me 6 lids for breeding tanks varying between 2' and 3'. I was a bit worried about accuracy of sizes cut but when they sent them out to me they fitted exactly. Not one has the slightest gap. So as long as you are accurate with your sizes they cut them perfectly. I need a few more so will be going back to them shortly. I think I paid about €45 for the sheet including VAT and overnight P&P and cutting the sizes was free. If you're handy for Dublin you could perhaps save yourself the €15.00 P&P and collect it yourself.
The company is:
365plastics.ie and the contact name I had, to discuss my requirements, is Christopher Healy.
Hope that helps. By the way, I bought about 10 drawer knobs from Amazon for lifting the lids off the tank for about £6.99 and they are easily fitted by drilling a small hole in each end of the lid.
Bill

PS. I just dug out my invoice, I actually ordered and paid for a sheet of Acrylic Perspex measuring 1.025m X 1.525m @ €22.48. Cutting free. Delivery €15.00 and VAT €8.62.
They contacted me to say it would be about 48hrs before they got a new supply of Acrylic in and if I was agreeable they would supply a sheet of the more expensive Polycarbonate for no extra charge so that I didn't have to wait for it. Great service.

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30 Dec 2017 14:34 #4 by alan 64 (alan)
Replied by alan 64 (alan) on topic Perspex lid
Theres a company in ballymount i could pop into them it might be the company bill refers 2 also woodies have this stuff not sure how clear it would be

www.woodies.ie/1220mm-x-610mm-clearlite-...3EAQYASABEgKJC_D_BwE

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31 Dec 2017 01:55 #5 by robert (robert carter)
Replied by robert (robert carter) on topic Perspex lid
Hi i have tried both perspex and polycarbonate and found they both warped with the heat , ok iam using t5s but they were nearlya foot above the cover ,so it was back to glass for me . Maybe the lower heat levels from led lighting you mightbe ok

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31 Dec 2017 14:21 #6 by Bill (Bill Hunter)
Replied by Bill (Bill Hunter) on topic Perspex lid
My light units actually lie on the polycarbonate, although they are LEDs, and there is no damage, warping or marks of any sort. I find that acrylic does tend to discolour after a while, although higher quality stuff would be better.
Bill

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31 Dec 2017 15:38 #7 by alan 64 (alan)
Replied by alan 64 (alan) on topic Perspex lid
Yea i might ask the guy in the place about better quality material, id presume a bit of a thicker plastic will not warp as easy, what about venting these pieces, craig and myself reckon maybee drill a couple of holes in the pieces

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01 Jan 2018 12:47 - 01 Jan 2018 12:48 #8 by Bill (Bill Hunter)
Replied by Bill (Bill Hunter) on topic Perspex lid
I think that's where polycarbonate might be better, tougher, less discolouration and less warping. I set my lids in last March or there-about and they are still clear as crystal and no warping at all. I think the discolouration is more important than some think. The more discoloured the less light getting down into your tanks.
A couple of small holes drilled in should help with air exchange, but not so big you lose heat and moisture too quickly. I use 2mm polycarbonate.
Bill
Last edit: 01 Jan 2018 12:48 by Bill (Bill Hunter). Reason: additional info

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01 Jan 2018 13:09 #9 by alan 64 (alan)
Replied by alan 64 (alan) on topic Perspex lid
Cheers bill il be careful how many holes i drill as i dont want it loosing heat its a 5 foot tank in an insulated shed so i dont want the electric through the roof, thats one of the reasons im switchin to the
Led

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01 Jan 2018 13:40 #10 by ger310 (Ger .)
Replied by ger310 (Ger .) on topic Perspex lid
Have you considered two panes of glass on runners Al ?

Ger

What do you call a three legged Donkey?

A Wonkey....duh ha :)

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01 Jan 2018 13:48 #11 by ger310 (Ger .)
Replied by ger310 (Ger .) on topic Perspex lid

What do you call a three legged Donkey?

A Wonkey....duh ha :)

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01 Jan 2018 16:39 #12 by Bill (Bill Hunter)
Replied by Bill (Bill Hunter) on topic Perspex lid
Getting fresh air to circulate is important. When I first put the lids on I never thought much about it. I lifted the lid to feed and was immediately hit with the worst sour smell I'd ever smelled. I thought I had dead fish in the tank and couldn't understand why it smelled so bad overnight. Everything was living fine and after a few minutes I realised the air in the tank wasn't recycling. After the initial hit of smell it vanished. Three holes drilled in the lid sorted it. One a couple inches in from each end and one in the middle. Another thing I did was to cut a circular hole for putting in food which is covered by a suitable size piece between feeds. That prevents the warm tank air pouring out when lifting the lid to feed the fish.
Bill

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01 Jan 2018 17:46 #13 by alan 64 (alan)
Replied by alan 64 (alan) on topic Perspex lid
There are runners on the tank i could easily put glass panes on butbi would.need to have sections cut for where my pipe work goes in at either end, i can cut the perspex but i wouldnt fancy goin at the glass

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01 Jan 2018 18:02 #14 by ger310 (Ger .)
Replied by ger310 (Ger .) on topic Perspex lid

There are runners on the tank i could easily put glass panes on butbi would.need to have sections cut for where my pipe work goes in at either end, i can cut the perspex but i wouldnt fancy goin at the glass


Glass would be straight forward enough to cut a piece off,and sure a glass cutter would do it for you in seconds for a few Euro.......I tried to post a video to show you what I mean but it wouldn't post for whatever reason.........give me your e-mail or phone number and I'll mail the video over to you ok

Ger

What do you call a three legged Donkey?

A Wonkey....duh ha :)

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03 Jan 2018 16:14 #15 by alan 64 (alan)
Replied by alan 64 (alan) on topic Perspex lid
Its cool ger i have ordered acrylic cut to measure for both my tanks which cums in at 60 euro so not too bad for a 500 and 300 litre tank

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03 Jan 2018 20:21 #16 by robert (robert carter)
Replied by robert (robert carter) on topic Perspex lid
My guy i get my glass tank lids from here in tallaght has been extremly heplful , he normally has off cuts he uses and i get charged a very reasonable price

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06 Jan 2018 21:23 #17 by alan 64 (alan)
Replied by alan 64 (alan) on topic Perspex lid
So 50 euro all in for the 2 tanks so.not too bad

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