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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

New tank

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14 Jul 2011 20:09 #1 by KDAK (Andy)
New tank was created by KDAK (Andy)
Well the person how gave me my tropical tank asked for it back and after offering people money for tanks and them letting me down I decided to go ahead and build one,
Here the pics I'll let them do the talking











The spot and tank it's replacing












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14 Jul 2011 20:24 #2 by stretnik (stretnik)
Replied by stretnik (stretnik) on topic Re: New tank
Well done, I don't have your confidence, wish I had, then I'd try a huge one, best of Luck and sorry you had those bad experiences.

Kev.

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14 Jul 2011 21:09 #3 by andrewo (andrew)
Replied by andrewo (andrew) on topic Re: New tank
Nothing like DIY; now you can have a few spare bob for fishes and etc :)

Well done there!

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14 Jul 2011 21:35 #4 by Luap (Paul O'Connell)
Replied by Luap (Paul O'Connell) on topic Re: New tank
Well done! Where did you source the glass? Is there such a thing as "aquarium" glass? Also, how do you guage the thickness of glass needed considering the pressure and weight of water involved? What did it work out at cost wise? Please excuse all the questions, I'm just very interested!
Paul

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15 Jul 2011 01:26 - 15 Jul 2011 01:37 #5 by KDAK (Andy)
Replied by KDAK (Andy) on topic Re: New tank

Well done! Where did you source the glass? Is there such a thing as "aquarium" glass? Also, how do you guage the thickness of glass needed considering the pressure and weight of water involved? What did it work out at cost wise? Please excuse all the questions, I'm just very interested!
Paul

There is a place just off the naas road is where I get it, I can't remember the name, I'll check later and for all the glass it was €120
Sillicon is very pricey for aquatic safe stuff and tec7 won't hold a tank together,
It cmes in around €18-21 a tub of silicon. I ordered it in bulk so was a bit cheaper.
My glass is 8mm thick and for the width of my tank it's over kill, the
Tank is 15" wide by just over 3' heigh and long so my rating is around 3.8-4.2
Here is a calculator for how
Thick your glass should be, and note the thickness there is more than enough to withstand knocks
I just went for thicker stuff to be 100% sure of it safeness
saltaquarium.about.com/od/planasystem/ig...kness-Calculator.htm
After filling the tank to check for leaks which there's bone I noticed the seal of where the 2 panes meet the silicon was starting to turn white indicating to much strain on it so tomorrow I'll pick up some 90degress daydo rails for more support and to hold all the panes together!
Will post up picks tomorrow
Last edit: 15 Jul 2011 01:37 by KDAK (Andy).

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16 Jul 2011 02:35 #6 by KDAK (Andy)
Replied by KDAK (Andy) on topic Re: New tank
So picked up the wood in b&q today €70 for it which my heart sank I thought it would be cheap but anyways

Some of the wood and my little helper

Sticking it all together






Waters in


Now it's been in an hour and I'm seeing no leaks
Unsure of cracking as I heard 2 earlier but could be the floor settling as it is around 300 kg full
I'm so nervous about it but will just hope!!!
Will be leaving the water in it until tomorrow as said on the silicon, it can create the ph level to spike in the water for the first 12 hours so will drain it tomorrow and start to cycle it,

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16 Jul 2011 10:43 #7 by platty252 (Darren Dalton)
Just a quick reply.

THIS TANK IS NOT SAFE.

For the glass thickness it is way to high. The seals (depending on sealant used) may hold but the glass wont take the pressure.

I would empty it straight away... and with kids in the house.

I will try get back on later to explain why it wont work.

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16 Jul 2011 10:52 #8 by platty252 (Darren Dalton)
I just worked out the safty factor on this tank., 00000

For this size tank the glass should be 15mm. and that is at a min. safty factor of 2.5

If this tank was to be built for you you would be looking at 22mm glass and a safty factor of 3.8

I wouldent trust it with kids in the house.

Darren.

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16 Jul 2011 12:23 - 17 Jul 2011 10:35 #9 by JohnH (John)
Replied by JohnH (John) on topic Re: New tank
Platty is SO right here!!!
This really is unsafe and should NOT be left filled - especially with a child in the house.


I once had a tank burst through insufficient glass thickness and it must have been like a cannon going off (luckily I wasn't in the fish house at the time).
I also talked to a man who suffered the same misfortune and a piece of the broken glass was propelled with such force that it was driven into a wooden barrel he had near the tank! - Imagine the barrel being yourself or your child?
Please - for safety's sake do not leave this filled.

John

Location:
N. Tipp

We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl - year after year.


ITFS member.



It's a long way to Tipperary.
Last edit: 17 Jul 2011 10:35 by JohnH (John). Reason: Changed post

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16 Jul 2011 13:44 #10 by christyg (Chris Geraghty)
I'd NEVER test a tank inside the house, just in case !!

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16 Jul 2011 14:47 - 16 Jul 2011 14:47 #11 by dar (darren curry)
Replied by dar (darren curry) on topic Re: New tank
wat about 1/3 fill it, fill with small fish and plants that grow up out of the water,or plants growing on rock sticking out of the water. dont give up on it just yet, you could still make a cracking (no pun) tank out of it

Check out the angling section, it is fantastic
Last edit: 16 Jul 2011 14:47 by dar (darren curry).

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16 Jul 2011 22:58 - 16 Jul 2011 22:59 #12 by KDAK (Andy)
Replied by KDAK (Andy) on topic Re: New tank
After taking all of your advice i'm only going to fill it part way. after taking the measurements correctly :crazy:, and doing some research i found i can actually fill it up to 61cm safely having a safe rating of 2.5, which most juwel aquariums have as their safety rating.
Last edit: 16 Jul 2011 22:59 by KDAK (Andy).

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16 Jul 2011 23:43 #13 by JustinK (Justin Kelly)
Replied by JustinK (Justin Kelly) on topic Re: New tank
Well spotted Platty252
That was a close call KDAK.
Would it be possible to strip it down and get the glass recut to a suitable size ?
Or maybe some sort of bracing half way down, though may take away from the appearance?

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17 Jul 2011 01:58 #14 by KDAK (Andy)
Replied by KDAK (Andy) on topic Re: New tank
Hey thank you for spotting it I had my mesurements all wrong in the first place :crazy:
But I checked on a calculator and if I keep the water below 61cm ill be at a rating of 2.5
I checked the manufactured tanks in the house and all where a rating of 2.5 and lower :blink:
So this should be grand
To cope with the "dead space" at the top of the tank I stuck in some wood it also will act as bracing for more peace of mind.
Here is a pic of it unfinished

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17 Jul 2011 08:40 #15 by stretnik (stretnik)
Replied by stretnik (stretnik) on topic Re: New tank
Kudos to you KDAK,

Some People would find it a difficult Pill to swallow, fair play to you.

I think you could have an absolutely fabulous Paludarium there, the space above the Water would look great if plants were allowed to grow up out of the Water like Amazons etc.
Best of luck.

Kev.

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17 Jul 2011 10:39 #16 by JohnH (John)
Replied by JohnH (John) on topic Re: New tank
KDAK,

That's a relief, really was a bit worried there - hence the large and coloured type fonts.

I really meant it for you to notice Darren's warning - and now you have, I've 'toned' it down a bit.

John

Location:
N. Tipp

We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl - year after year.


ITFS member.



It's a long way to Tipperary.

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17 Jul 2011 20:22 #17 by BlueRam (Sean Crowe)
Replied by BlueRam (Sean Crowe) on topic Re: New tank
hows it going i think it is something defferent but at the same time i think it will work great for u seen the plants over flow out off the water half fillin it is a great and cant wait to see it all up and running congrats mate

and fair play to u doing your own DIY dont think there is many ppl out there that would try it

fair play keep the pics coming

sean

Sean Crowe

ITFS Member

Location: Navan

Always Remember Surviving Is Not Thriving

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17 Jul 2011 20:22 #18 by BlueRam (Sean Crowe)
Replied by BlueRam (Sean Crowe) on topic Re: New tank
hows it going i think it is something defferent but at the same time i think it will work great for u seen the plants over flow out off the water half fillin it is a great and cant wait to see it all up and running congrats mate

and fair play to u doing your own DIY dont think there is many ppl out there that would try it

fair play keep the pics coming

sean

Sean Crowe

ITFS Member

Location: Navan

Always Remember Surviving Is Not Thriving

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18 Jul 2011 01:50 #19 by KDAK (Andy)
Replied by KDAK (Andy) on topic Re: New tank
I'm actually using this as my marine tank and sticking the tropical into the nano tank, haven't seen one with tropical but thing it's going to be cool.
So I've the tank filled up to 58cm just to be safe
The tank is 39cm x 79cm x 58cm now u can't get the calculator on my phone but if a dept of 61cm is a safety rating of 2.5 I guess less dept is better?!
Have the tank running here's a video

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18 Jul 2011 18:57 #20 by wylam (Stuart Sexton)
Replied by wylam (Stuart Sexton) on topic Re: New tank
Lol you must have a very understanding wife, to be aloud to have all that fish gear all over the place he he. :)

Multi tasking: Screwing up more than one thing at a time.

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18 Jul 2011 19:17 #21 by KDAK (Andy)
Replied by KDAK (Andy) on topic Re: New tank
Shes an absolute gem, it's stressing her a bit so I'll be cleaning it up tonigh to one area,

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18 Jul 2011 19:56 #22 by stretnik (stretnik)
Replied by stretnik (stretnik) on topic Re: New tank
It makes a lovely change, I can never understand the comments.... I sneaked it past the other half or the other half will kill me if etc etc... Isn't it a 50/50 thing..Marriage or Partnership?

I think I said it before but are there situations where the Woman is saying, I sneaked it past the other half etc?

Kev.

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19 Jul 2011 16:57 #23 by KDAK (Andy)
Replied by KDAK (Andy) on topic Re: New tank
Well my mandarin fish finally came out of hiding and had some food so it's getting settled

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20 Jul 2011 18:46 #24 by KDAK (Andy)
Replied by KDAK (Andy) on topic Re: New tank
Few pics from today


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20 Jul 2011 20:44 #25 by BlueRam (Sean Crowe)
Replied by BlueRam (Sean Crowe) on topic Re: New tank
really does look great think ya have a new job there anyone on the forum lookin for a custon made tank

KDAK is your man

congrats mate

sean

Sean Crowe

ITFS Member

Location: Navan

Always Remember Surviving Is Not Thriving

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12 Jan 2012 20:59 #26 by dave k (david)
Replied by dave k (david) on topic Re: New tank
:unsure:

.·´¯`·.. >`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸>
>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·...¸>

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