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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

DIY Cement Coral Sand Background

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14 Feb 2013 13:24 - 14 Feb 2013 13:29 #1 by CrustyCrab (Peter Biddulph)
Just a few photos of the background I am making for one of my tanks.
Background size is 199cm x 58cm and is made in 5 sections
Mix is 1 part white portland cement to 4 parts coral sand.
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Last edit: 14 Feb 2013 13:29 by CrustyCrab (Peter Biddulph). Reason: add photos

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14 Feb 2013 13:33 #2 by CrustyCrab (Peter Biddulph)
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14 Feb 2013 13:37 #3 by CrustyCrab (Peter Biddulph)
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15 Feb 2013 06:07 #4 by sheag35 (Seamus Gillespie)
you'd hardly see the seams in it, cant wait to see it in the tank

Fishkeeping the Only way to get wet and wild

currently 25 tanks, and breeding is the aim of everything i keep
location:Limerick

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15 Feb 2013 10:44 #5 by CrustyCrab (Peter Biddulph)
Thanks Seamus, I used cling-film between the sections when I was casting it, makes the seams fit together well.
Its curing/Leechng at the moment, I am keeping a note on the ph levels and the water changes. The ph was slow to come down, at first, but its getting there.

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15 Feb 2013 14:14 #6 by jeff (Jeff Scully)
Well done great idea and looks great

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A life making mistakes is not only more honourable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing at all.

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15 Feb 2013 16:54 #7 by christyg (Chris Geraghty)
I saw this in the very early stages, it's looking good now. Fair play Pete!

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15 Feb 2013 22:33 #8 by LemonJelly (Johnny Cowley)
that looks groovy. but will the cement not constantly leach minerals into the water?

"The only thing that burns in Hell is the part of you that won't let go of your life; your memories, your attachments. They burn them all away. But they're not punishing you.They're freeing your soul."

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15 Feb 2013 22:58 - 15 Feb 2013 23:18 #9 by CrustyCrab (Peter Biddulph)
The short answer is No.
The long answer is Yes, but it will leach less and less as time goes on, until what is released into the water is negligible. This takes about 12 to 14 weeks, but using salt water will speed this up. Testing ph is a simple method of recording the leach (mostly of lime) into the water. At the start the ph was off the scale of an API high range ph test kit. Because of the coral gravel used, the ph wont come down below 7.9, but as it is going into a temperate marine aquarium, that wont matter.
It was made in the same method that GARF and others use to make their "DIY Live Rock"
Here is a link to the GARF website www.garf.org/class.html
Last edit: 15 Feb 2013 23:18 by CrustyCrab (Peter Biddulph). Reason: add link

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18 May 2013 19:13 #10 by CrustyCrab (Peter Biddulph)
At Last......... Background is in Place.
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19 May 2013 01:45 #11 by sheag35 (Seamus Gillespie)
looking fantastic crusty, well done mate ;)

Fishkeeping the Only way to get wet and wild

currently 25 tanks, and breeding is the aim of everything i keep
location:Limerick

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19 May 2013 09:38 #12 by christyg (Chris Geraghty)
Thats really impressive Pete, Fair Play B)

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26 May 2013 10:46 #13 by Darkslice (Stephen Walsh)
very impressive :)

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31 Oct 2013 19:44 #14 by Mr B (C B)
Your background looks great, I've often wanted to do the same but was worried about using cement. Keep us posted on how it turns out. Super job!

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31 Oct 2013 19:47 #15 by Mr B (C B)
Any particular reason you chose portland cement, besides colour?

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31 Oct 2013 20:59 - 31 Oct 2013 21:05 #16 by CrustyCrab (Peter Biddulph)


To be honest, the difference in colour on the finished pieces, is minimal, between normal "grey" cement, and "white" cement.
Portland is supposed to be safer for use, in aquaria.
Background is in place 6 months now.
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Last edit: 31 Oct 2013 21:05 by CrustyCrab (Peter Biddulph). Reason: add file

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