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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

Disaster in the tank

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08 Nov 2012 08:38 #1 by padraigr (Padraig Rooney)
Went away for a break for the last week, made sure everything was ok in fishy world, had the timer feeder set up & came back yesterday to find 5 dead fish in the tank & only one struggling for survival. 2 convicts since I had since fry about 2 and a half years old, a blue lab, a yellow lab I had since the tank was set up 4 years ago & a pleco also 4 years old. Couldn't figure out what the problem was till I put my hand in the tank.....it was ice cold. Not only had the heater packed in while we were away, it was extremely cold over a few nights last week & the heating in the house was not on while we away. :( :( :( :(

I desperately wanted to save the last fish which I also had since the tank was set up, a salvini I think which is 7 inches long. I started emptying the tank of the cold water & gradually added warm water to help bring the temperature back up slowly & then it was a waiting game while I got a new heater & set that up. This morning ............thankfully the fish seems to be making a great recovery but I'll just have to wait & see. The next job is to get all the food out of the bottom of the tank.

At times like this you feel like giving up on the hobby. The motto is even the best made plans can fall apart!!!

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08 Nov 2012 09:28 #2 by CrustyCrab (Peter Biddulph)
Sorry to hear about your disaster, but welcome to the club, I think we have all had one at some stage!
get or make a gravel cleaner (coke bottle and a length of garden hose), that will clean up the food from the gravel.

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08 Nov 2012 09:41 #3 by stretnik (stretnik)
Replied by stretnik (stretnik) on topic Disaster in the tank
Whenever I go on a break, I put in a 2nd heater, this will kick in if the other fails but check out the second one first, my paranoia has saved my Skin more than once!!

Kev.

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08 Nov 2012 14:46 #4 by padraigr (Padraig Rooney)
I am now on the hunt for new fish & put this experience behind me. As I have not bought any fish over the last couple of years I may be a little bit out of touch. Where would be good places to get good quality fish a reasonable price these days, preferably on the Northside of Dublin. Thanks

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08 Nov 2012 15:51 #5 by CrustyCrab (Peter Biddulph)
On the north side, you won't beat Artane Aquatics or Fins Fur Feathers (Alphabetical order!!)

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10 Nov 2012 12:40 #6 by newbejkjimk (damien kelly)
Where is fins fur and feathers on the north side?

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10 Nov 2012 13:05 #7 by CrustyCrab (Peter Biddulph)
They have become Artaine Aquatics!

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10 Nov 2012 13:44 #8 by padraigr (Padraig Rooney)
I went down to Artane Aquatics for the first time yesterday & they have a really good set up & loads of fish. Best of luck to the guys. By the way they were formerly finsfurnfeathers & where they are now is a much better location just across from Artane Castle.

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11 Nov 2012 21:20 - 11 Nov 2012 21:23 #9 by Mike53 (Michael)
Artane aquatics. The best by a mile for freshies and Gavin's and Sean's knowledge is second to none.
Last edit: 11 Nov 2012 21:23 by Mike53 (Michael).

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30 Jan 2013 23:02 #10 by Debrick (Ciaran barrett)
Hey man ,
I feel ur pain , 4 years ago I had a 260 litre tank 3 juvies somehow got trapped under the filter wiped out all 26 fish in my tank
over 5 days , only found the dead juvies when I cleaned out the tank it was a hard lesson to learn ,
6 months on , the 260 leaked major diaster , but every cloud has a silver linning , I up graded to a 450 litre
I have abt 40 + cichlids at least 20 were born and reared in the tank I'm glad I stuck at it
What type of fish are u looking for ??
Debrick

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30 Jan 2013 23:05 #11 by JSleator (Jason Sleator)
Sorry to hear your story man, exact same thing happened me couple of weeks ago, so I feel your pain. Will be using 2 heaters from now on. Good luck with finding your new fish

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31 Jan 2013 02:40 #12 by fishhope (pat)
Replied by fishhope (pat) on topic Disaster in the tank
I could give u a few egyptain mouthbrooders for free if u like?

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31 Jan 2013 09:50 #13 by Ski (Alan McGee)
I recently bought a controller and it's the best thing i've bought in ages. I've two heaters plugged into it. The controller measures the water temp and then turns on both heaters if it falls a certain amount. If it falls past this amount an alarm goes off. Find it really good

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07 Feb 2013 18:56 - 07 Feb 2013 18:57 #14 by Jayo1 (Jason Cummins)
Yep, i'm sure everyone thats into this hobby for a while will have some heartbreaking disaster story to tell, mine involves a heater also. Many years ago i came home from a long day in work to find my 4 adult discus (breeding pair also) side ways floating in the tank, when i lift the opening hatch on the lid steam rose up into my face, the termo on the heater was broke and didn't knock it's self off. It was panic stations, 2 fish where still gasping, a quick as i could i was replacing the water with cold tap water & ice cubes in a last attempt to save them and as anyone knows who keeps discus they are very water temperamental as regards hardness & ph etc so with the tap water being the exact opposite, so with the stress of it all i didn't have a hope, not to mention my stress that night i will never forget :-(( so i do use a controller with alarm now which goes off when 2 degrees over pre set, for the sake of a few quid it could save you a lot more in the long run. I was on the verge of packing it all in myself after that but glad now i did't, have to pick up the pieces and soldier on :whistle:
Last edit: 07 Feb 2013 18:57 by Jayo1 (Jason Cummins).

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07 Feb 2013 19:07 #15 by SpiderMonkey (Mark O'Neill)
What kind of controller are you using on your heater Jayo sounds like a worth while investment

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07 Feb 2013 19:16 #16 by Gonefishy (Brian oneill)

I recently bought a controller and it's the best thing i've bought in ages. I've two heaters plugged into it. The controller measures the water temp and then turns on both heaters if it falls a certain amount. If it falls past this amount an alarm goes off. Find it really good


Hi Ski,
What controller are you referring to? Sounds the business. Would u pm me where you got it and make/model....
Thx....

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07 Feb 2013 20:55 #17 by Jayo1 (Jason Cummins)
Well mine is nothing special it doesn't switch devices on/off, it's only a small Rena battery powered digital device that reads temp, water change reminder. I only bought it for the low and high water temp alarm which is handy, i'm sure i got it in per super store in Blanch shopping centre for less than 10 euro.

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07 Feb 2013 23:07 #18 by dave000000 (D H)

I recently bought a controller and it's the best thing i've bought in ages. I've two heaters plugged into it. The controller measures the water temp and then turns on both heaters if it falls a certain amount. If it falls past this amount an alarm goes off. Find it really good


Hi Ski,
What controller are you referring to? Sounds the business. Would u pm me where you got it and make/model....
Thx....


Hi ski
Can you pm me aswell
Thanks

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07 Feb 2013 23:20 #19 by Tigger (Abe Bardez)
Hi Ski

Please pm me as well

Thx

A

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08 Feb 2013 09:37 #20 by Ski (Alan McGee)
Hi guys, i got the ATC-300 Digital Aquarium Temperature Controller 2Chanel.

Doing the biz for me. Will pm on the details

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24 Feb 2013 20:39 #21 by padraigr (Padraig Rooney)
Hi guys Over the last few months since my disaster I have patiently restocked my tank with stock from Artane Aquatics & some of the guys on the site who were selling fish. I'm pretty happy with the way it is now :) :) :) following a good clean & water change today & decided to put up a short video. Any comments would be gratefully appreciated particularly an ID on the big lad which I believe is an american cichlid. This guy has caused a serious amount of fatalities over the years, I have him nearly 5 years & so am reluctant to get rid of him despite the amount of money he has cost me.

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24 Feb 2013 21:35 #22 by padraigr (Padraig Rooney)
Having a little trouble with the video heres an image for the moment.

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24 Feb 2013 22:04 #23 by padraigr (Padraig Rooney)
1 more try Hi guys Over the last few months since my disaster I have patiently restocked my tank with stock from Artane Aquatics & some of the guys on the site who were selling fish. I'm pretty happy with the way it is now :) :) :) following a good clean & water change today & decided to put up a short video. Any comments would be gratefully appreciated particularly an ID on the big lad which I believe is an american cichlid. This guy has caused a serious amount of fatalities over the years, I have him nearly 5 years & so am reluctant to get rid of him despite the amount of money he has cost me.

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24 Feb 2013 22:30 #24 by LemonJelly (Johnny Cowley)
looks central american to me. Cichlasoma friedrichsthalii maybe?

"The only thing that burns in Hell is the part of you that won't let go of your life; your memories, your attachments. They burn them all away. But they're not punishing you.They're freeing your soul."

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