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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

Any help for newbee

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24 Feb 2009 20:00 #1 by jackojack (Gwen Jackson)
Hi, I think I'm starting to get a bit confused and was wondering if anyone can help. After thinking about getting a tank for months I finally bought an established tank for someone selling theirs. It was well looked after and had three fish in it. That was three weeks ago. I topped up the tank after transporting it (175 ltrs) and did all the necessary things. After an week I added some more fish, tested the water and all was ok. Doing well so far..... so I did a 10% water change on saturday, cleaned the gravel and tested again. It all looked ok. A pregnant guppy looked like it had it babies but there is no babies in the tank. I did another water test this evening and the reading are pH is 7.6, Ammonia is 0.50, Nitrite is at 1.0 and the Nitrate is 40. I think these are a little high. I didn't clean the filter on Sat (Fluval 4+) because I couldn'g get the bottom off. Would it be that do you think or am I heading for trouble. Any advise would be much appreciated. Really would love to keep this up, I'm hooked. Gwen

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24 Feb 2009 20:28 #2 by mickeywallace (Michael Wallace Cath Woods)
Hi Gwen,
you are heading for trouble as the readings are a bit high.

so i would suggest you do a 10% water change asap treat water and leave to stand for 10 or 15 minutes before use.

now i am wondering is the carbon still in the filter and is now releasing i would try again to open it up they are hard if not regularly cleaned or after transport

question how many fish did you add. do a tank maybe running well and for a continuous time adding new fish must be don gradually if to many are added the bacteria can not cope or grow quickly enough thus your waters results will show a rise the only cure for this is small regular water changes.

mickey

Mickey Wallace & Cath Woods

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24 Feb 2009 20:45 #3 by jackojack (Gwen Jackson)
Cheers Michey, Think I've been really over ambitious, I have added (don't laugh) 5 guppy's 7 neon tetra's, 7 zebra danio's, 2 small angle fish, 1 siemest fighter and wait.....2 bala's and the tank had one already with a pleco and two clown loach. I didn't all them all together. I will do another change now, but when you say treat the water what do you mean, is it with the Aqua + to improve the tap water and de chlorinate it. The siemese fighter is on the bottom under the filter and is not doing much, will I do a daily water change or it is more serious.

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24 Feb 2009 21:56 #4 by mickeywallace (Michael Wallace Cath Woods)
Hi Gwen,
Yes way over! small water changes every day for now monitor your water daily keep below .2 but aim for zero. prepare water in advance. to avoid the temp drop stress and monitor your fish daily

expect whitespot at least
mickey

Mickey Wallace & Cath Woods

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25 Feb 2009 19:33 #5 by jackojack (Gwen Jackson)
Hi Mickey, thanks for advise, did a 10gal water change last night and i got ammolock this evening and added 3 capfuls to the water. Took another reading about an hour later and while the pH is still the same at 7.6 the ammonia came down to 0.25 and the nitrite down from 1.0 to 0.25 and the nitrates are also down from 40 to 20. Should I do another water change tonight, 'cos I know I'm not out of the woods yet. I am still having trouble gettin the filter off but I will have someone to help me tomorrow night and will do it then. Do you think that will make a difference as well. Gwen

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25 Feb 2009 21:39 #6 by mickeywallace (Michael Wallace Cath Woods)
Hi Gwen,
those readings are within a safe range!?! not high enough to do damage in a short period of time. so if they stay there for now it will be OK your good bacteria will grow now as there is food.

note this is for a short period of time you are aiming at zero. there are plenty of post on cycling which will explain things in more detail.

as for your filter i will act like it will contain every thing when supplied new.

when you open it the inner cage splits in two
it may have
two sponges
one cotton like rectangle
one black sponge

the two sponges will be closest to the sides (usually) wash in tank water only!!!!! and replace.

the cotton like pad i would dispose of after a month they tend to become a hazard after this, this polishes your water by removing finer material

the black is a carbon filter will remove a lot of things but need regular replacing as when spent will return everything to the tank and possibly turn water toxic. thus why i would only use in an emergency or to remove meds.

watch your fish closely for signs of stress or disease.
and if you notice anything don't be afraid to ask a question!!!!

Mickey

Mickey Wallace & Cath Woods

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26 Feb 2009 10:18 #7 by jackojack (Gwen Jackson)
Many thanks for that Mickey, much appreciate your advise. Gwen

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