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
Purchased My First Tank! Pictures added
- dolf_peeters (Dolf Peeters)
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We bought the Jumel Vision180 with the curved front.
When I have it set up I'll post a pic!
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- steven (steven)
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Did you get yourself a testkit aswell they are vital to smoothly mantaining your aquarium, the fish will look after themselves, you need to take care of the water.
What did you buy with it. i.e gravel, airpumps, any decorations.
Also what fish do you intend on keepeing??
Treat every day like your last, some day it will be??
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- dolf_peeters (Dolf Peeters)
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I hope to keep Labidochromis Caeruleus, Spotted Duboisi and a.nother, I didnt get a test kit yet as the guy in the shop will be running test on my water first few weeks.
I've never seen anyone so exited about fish ... apart from last week when I was in the same shop on a reci mission.
Dolf
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- steven (steven)
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Thats great service that the lfs is going to monitor your water, but eventually you will need to get a test kit so you know whats going on in your tank. I can't stress enough to you how important excellent water quality is, you will have a happy healthy tank, best of luck and hope you have many hours of pleasure with your new hobby.
Treat every day like your last, some day it will be??
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- dolf_peeters (Dolf Peeters)
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wife just checked the label .... coral sand is what we brough home
on the gravel,.... should W wash/rinse them before they go in the tank? same question for the ornaments?
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- Valerie (Valerie)
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Well, Happy Birthday !!!! and welcome to the world of fishkeeping!

You should indeed wash the gravel before you put it in your tank. Otherwise, all the 'impurities' will make the water very cloudy and take longer to settle, dirtying your filter sponges.
Wash it in small batches in a a bucket, rincing it until the water runs clear.
The water in your tank will look cloudy for a few days but will clear quicker if you rince the gravel beforehand.
Best of luck with your new project. You are at a great stage, discovering/learning to set up a tank. It might feel like a challenge sometimes, but, it is very rewarding and also very addictive

It'll be no time until you yearn for another tank !

Let us know how you get on with your project. Documenting with pics and posting your experience would be great !

Finally, welcome to the forum. I hope you enjoy your stay. Remember, as Steven says, any questions, just ask - someone will be able to reply or point you in the right direction !
Valerie
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- Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
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Gavin
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- dolf_peeters (Dolf Peeters)
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it's actually not my birthday till january, but hey ....
does the thermometer go on the outside of the tank? its one of those stick on 'digital' ones
Thanks
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- tm2204 (Thomas Maguire)
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Welcome to the amazing & captivating world of fishkeeping.
Your thermometer sticks onto the outside of the tank.
Excellent advice from Steven in both posts above.
I'd suggest you spend a few hours reading the forums here and also lookup, study & understand the nitrogen cycle and how to properly establish your aquarium.
Fishkeeping is really water keeping. Keep the water pristine and you will find it practically impossible not to keep healthy & happy fish.
Good luck....

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- dolf_peeters (Dolf Peeters)
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How deep does one put the gravel in the tank?
thanks.
this is like having you all here telling me what to do next

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- Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
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Gavin
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- dolf_peeters (Dolf Peeters)
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H2 0 going in!!
this is sooo exciting!

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- Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
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- dolf_peeters (Dolf Peeters)
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- Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
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- Andrew (Andrew Taaffe)
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Andrew
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email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
see the ITFS tab above for more information www.irishfishkeepers.com/index.php/itfs
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- dolf_peeters (Dolf Peeters)
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- Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
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Now get those pics uploaded!!
Gavin
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- dolf_peeters (Dolf Peeters)
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- Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
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- Andrew (Andrew Taaffe)
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ITFS Club Secretary
email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
see the ITFS tab above for more information www.irishfishkeepers.com/index.php/itfs
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- Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
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The tank looks good,are you getting a background for the tank ? Also invest in a timer plug so the lights can turn on and off at the same time each day which I personally find is the best way of maintaining some type of routine etc..
Tank looks nice though,will be an interesting thread to see when the fish are added etc.
Also for someone who bought a tank today,you have been busy to be able to set it up so quick! Well done.
Gavin
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- dolf_peeters (Dolf Peeters)
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Also for someone who bought a tank today,you have been busy to be able to set it up so quick! Well done.
Gavin
it was the adrenaline i'd say ... once you pop, you cant stop!

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- tm2204 (Thomas Maguire)
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Good luck with the tank...

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- dolf_peeters (Dolf Peeters)
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- platty252 (Darren Dalton)
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Regarding the thermometer; if it is a glass tube it goes inside the tank. If you put it outside you will get the temp. of the room and not the water inside the tank. If it is a digital one with a probe, the probe goes inside and the digital clock on the out side.
Not trying to sound negative since i think you are doing a great job and asking all the right questions there are a couple of thing you need to consider regarding the setup you are going for and the fish selection.
The two fish you mention are from different lakes. Lake Malawi and lake Tanganyika.
Although some people keep these fish successfully in the same tank there are some differences worth looking at.
Read this in particular the difference in water.
www.irishfishkeepers.com/cms/content/view/20/30/
Here is a tread worth looking at about Malawi's
www.irishfishkeepers.com/cms/component/o...w/catid,43/id,32753/
Hopefully someone with good experience with both Malawi's and Tang's will be able to guide you in the right direction for a trouble free tank.
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- dolf_peeters (Dolf Peeters)
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the thermometer that came with the tank is a self=adhesive stip ... any ideas on these?
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- platty252 (Darren Dalton)
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You could use this and also get a glass one for inside the tank as back up.
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