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
are plastic plant pots safe in aquarium
- wolfie (Anthony)
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if it's the plastic pots that come with the plants I'd imagine they'd be fine.
if the quarantine tank is intented for the Rams then cool, I'm sure a few of the pots lying around here and there would do the job.
I think You'd be better to use the likes of small terracotta pots, coconut shell caves etc. etc.
maybe a few rocks, pieces of bog wood, subdued light...
I wouldn't use the plastic pots for plecs or corydoras etc. etc.
some might disagree as i know a lot of peoples quarantine tanks are almost totally bare but the rams would feel comfortable in these surroundings...
hope this helps
Des
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- ger310 (Ger .)
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Ger
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A Wonkey....duh ha

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- JohnH (John)
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There is still a plastic formula which is most toxic but I rather suspect our masters in the EU would have outlawed this by now.
However, I have always avoided any plastic-made items since all those years ago 'just in case'.
By this I don't mean anything specifically made for aquarium use, or anything made of plastic 'for food use' (food grade) since this would have to be non-toxic anyway.
OK, so I'm probably being over-cautious, but I feel it's better to be safe than sorry.
John
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N. Tipp
We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl - year after year.
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It's a long way to Tipperary.
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- wolfie (Anthony)
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yeah Des its just to make the rams more comfortable ,i have a coconut cave in the main tank for when i move them in but unfortunately none of the shops around here had coconuts in today so i ended up using a ceramic coffee mug for the time beingHey Anto
if it's the plastic pots that come with the plants I'd imagine they'd be fine.
if the quarantine tank is intented for the Rams then cool, I'm sure a few of the pots lying around here and there would do the job.
I think You'd be better to use the likes of small terracotta pots, coconut shell caves etc. etc.
maybe a few rocks, pieces of bog wood, subdued light...
I wouldn't use the plastic pots for plecs or corydoras etc. etc.
some might disagree as i know a lot of peoples quarantine tanks are almost totally bare but the rams would feel comfortable in these surroundings...
hope this helps
Des

im a bit cautious about using them myself john so i think il just leave the mug in and find a few coconuts to make more cavesI recall a time (showing my age again) when the first plastic pots were most definitely a 'no-no' but I suspect plastic has progressed since then.
There is still a plastic formula which is most toxic but I rather suspect our masters in the EU would have outlawed this by now.
However, I have always avoided any plastic-made items since all those years ago 'just in case'.
By this I don't mean anything specifically made for aquarium use, or anything made of plastic 'for food use' (food grade) since this would have to be non-toxic anyway.
OK, so I'm probably being over-cautious, but I feel it's better to be safe than sorry.
John
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- hammie (Neil Hammerton)
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I'd drop them down but I'm working today till 6

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- igmillichip (ian millichip)
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For even "tank-safe" plastics (such as filters and aquarium grade filter material) they are best swilled under the tap first to remove any manufacturing residue.
Most of the brown or black non-soft flower pots are likely to be safe so long as they are rinsed under tap water before use (a la normal aquarium plastic equipment).
Where you would treat with severe caution are yellow flower pots, or rubbery or soft flower pots. They may contain substances that will leach with time into the aquarium that are more than just residues from the manufacturing process.
But, all in all, if water changes are regular then that will minimise toxic build up.
ian
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- wolfie (Anthony)
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I have a couple of coconut shells here that you can have Anto
I'd drop them down but I'm working today till 6(
cheers pal but i got sorted so all good
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- ger310 (Ger .)
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www.poundland.co.uk/images/1070/original/large-plant-pots.jpg
Cheers
Ger
What do you call a three legged Donkey?
A Wonkey....duh ha

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