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
trigon 190 now changed to350 setup
- hammie (Neil Hammerton)
-
Topic Author
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 1204
- Thank you received: 184
Couple of Sevrums, another Pleco (was originally mine but was living elsewhere) a gourami and a bala shark
Then replaced everything (altered positioning)
I honestly can't see the gourami staying in there, but he's there for now!
Anyway...... No aggressive problems towards the new guys, the fire mouths are still going after another tho trying to dominate one another!
The green terror and jack d don't show any aggressive, everyone just moves out of their way and lets them get on with things
Here's a few new pics showing colouring etc
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- JustinK (Justin Kelly)
- Offline
- Premium Member
-
- Posts: 519
- Thank you received: 70
Those plants look nice.
Your filling your tank with big enough fish.
You'll need to do some research on your fish
and decide what you want to achieve.
The tank is too small for most of those fish when adult.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- hammie (Neil Hammerton)
-
Topic Author
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 1204
- Thank you received: 184
I completely agree about the tank size, have a 350 waiting to be collected
To replace the 190
I havent decided yet but im thinking of not selling the 190 yet and just storing it for a while
But I cant wait for the 350 to be setup and transfer everything across!
Bought extra bogwood and will be probably picking up a few more of the same plants
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- JustinK (Justin Kelly)
- Offline
- Premium Member
-
- Posts: 519
- Thank you received: 70
I was planning to do the same, but had to hold off.
With the extra few inches it still fits into the corner.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- hammie (Neil Hammerton)
-
Topic Author
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 1204
- Thank you received: 184
Ive finally collected and setup the 350....
Pics will follow in the next few days when everything settles properly!!!!
Have to say the 350 has satisfied me much much more than the 190 ever did!!!
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- irish-zx10r (James feenan)
-
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 1536
- Thank you received: 145
Something fishie going on here
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- hammie (Neil Hammerton)
-
Topic Author
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 1204
- Thank you received: 184
Hope to up the stock levels soon.....
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- irish-zx10r (James feenan)
-
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 1536
- Thank you received: 145
Same stock yea! The 350 is the trigon aswell so yea another corner unit!!!
Hope to up the stock levels soon.....
what have you in mind for this one get some photos up asap.

Something fishie going on here
Please Log in to join the conversation.
some lovely fish in there too
thanks for sharing
Des
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- hammie (Neil Hammerton)
-
Topic Author
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 1204
- Thank you received: 184
If you still have those 2 next week when I get a day off I'll come up to you!!!
Definitely would love the pair for the new setup!
(Unlikely they will still be there unfortunately).
Unfortunately the geophagus in the pics previously posted in the thread didn't survive an attack from another tank member......
He was a beauty of a fish!
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- JustinK (Justin Kelly)
- Offline
- Premium Member
-
- Posts: 519
- Thank you received: 70
They look well.
Be careful increasing the stock.
The Geophagus wasnt suitable like the Gourami.
The Bala shark might get away with it.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- hammie (Neil Hammerton)
-
Topic Author
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 1204
- Thank you received: 184
The fish mostly came from other keepers, I bought the convict from maidenhead outside carlow and the 2 salvinis & replacement (very small) ele blue jd from petmania in carlow!
Current stock are
2x cobalt blue (cray fish) lobsters
3x pleco
2x salvini
1x convict
1x ele blue jd
1x green terror
2x sevrum
2x fire mouths(forgot these in the list....oops)
All I want to add to the list is 2x geophagus and I'll be happy out.........
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- JustinK (Justin Kelly)
- Offline
- Premium Member
-
- Posts: 519
- Thank you received: 70
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- JustinK (Justin Kelly)
- Offline
- Premium Member
-
- Posts: 519
- Thank you received: 70
Did you move on the Firemouths too ? I didnt see them in the last list.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Brazzill (john)
-
- Offline
- Junior Member
-
- Posts: 81
- Thank you received: 5
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- hammie (Neil Hammerton)
-
Topic Author
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 1204
- Thank you received: 184
Oops my bad.....
I might have a rethink of my plans on your advice!
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- andrewo (andrew)
-
- Offline
- Premium Member
-
- Posts: 742
- Thank you received: 51
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- hammie (Neil Hammerton)
-
Topic Author
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 1204
- Thank you received: 184
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- irish-zx10r (James feenan)
-
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 1536
- Thank you received: 145
Are u setting up the 350 in the same corner?
Something fishie going on here
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- hammie (Neil Hammerton)
-
Topic Author
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 1204
- Thank you received: 184
thinking of getting some annubis and a few other plants to grow on the bog wood!!! Need to research them a bit more to see what won't be destroyed regularly by the fish
190 is in storage till I decide what I'm doing with it.... might just sell it on because I have a lack of space for it presently
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- irish-zx10r (James feenan)
-
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 1536
- Thank you received: 145
Plants are all plastic in this one...... so no real upkeep on them at all.....
thinking of getting some annubis and a few other plants to grow on the bog wood!!! Need to research them a bit more to see what won't be destroyed regularly by the fish
190 is in storage till I decide what I'm doing with it.... might just sell it on because I have a lack of space for it presently
How do u clean the plastic plants I have a few and they need a clean.
Something fishie going on here
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- hammie (Neil Hammerton)
-
Topic Author
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 1204
- Thank you received: 184
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- hammie (Neil Hammerton)
-
Topic Author
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 1204
- Thank you received: 184
My little buddy moulted this evening!
Normally I wouldn't take these out cause they eat them within an hour of moulting, however I've never had one so complete and I want to show it to my little fella and explain it to him a little better! Its been explained to him once or twice, but he's never quite understood it! So I took the chance this time! (Also it was 3 hours untouched in the same spot)
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- hammie (Neil Hammerton)
-
Topic Author
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 1204
- Thank you received: 184
Would alternate water changes be ok? Ie. Clean out 1 tomorrow and the other 1 next week?
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- JustinK (Justin Kelly)
- Offline
- Premium Member
-
- Posts: 519
- Thank you received: 70
If its slowed down noticeably then its time.
Your right not to clean-out the two together.
You should get a few weeks of water only changes
before the filters are due.
Remember to clean them off in tank water.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- hammie (Neil Hammerton)
-
Topic Author
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 1204
- Thank you received: 184
Put the replacement in yesterday and have to say its completely changed the look of the tank
Have to say while I dont reallt rate the API nexx filter on its own, when combined with the fluval 206 I have to say im very impressed with how clean they are keeping the water!
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- m4r10 (m4r10)
-
- Offline
- Junior Member
-
- Posts: 233
- Thank you received: 34
Tank looks good, at least now you can clearly see if/when the cray fish starts stabbing other fish

Please Log in to join the conversation.
- dannyb (Daniel Byrne)
- Offline
- Junior Member
-
- Posts: 204
- Thank you received: 34

Please Log in to join the conversation.
- hammie (Neil Hammerton)
-
Topic Author
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 1204
- Thank you received: 184
But I have work for ya.......
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- dannyb (Daniel Byrne)
- Offline
- Junior Member
-
- Posts: 204
- Thank you received: 34
Just hit me up with what ever you need doing and il look after you

Please Log in to join the conversation.