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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

Using Local Wood

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01 Jan 2013 18:59 #1 by alan61979 (Alan)
Thinking of going over to Phoenix Park tomorrow and having a look for some fallen branches that might go well in my S American tank.

Anyone used non aquarium shop wood before? Anything I should know? I think Beech wood is aquarium safe.

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02 Jan 2013 00:13 #2 by JohnH (John)
Replied by JohnH (John) on topic Using Local Wood
Alan,
If you choose fallen wood (and that which hasn't fallen recently) you will still need to soak it and change the water a good few times before it will be usable in the tank - even beech. Wood taken directly from the tree will be more likely to decompose due to the sap it will contain, yes even in the winter. I guess someone better able to explain the phenomenon will help at some point.

Far better would be to search around the edges of lakes, rivers or even streams to find some dead stuff, already part-way ready.

If you have access to any bogland you could search there for what will be petrified wood, particularly bog Oak, but be wary of Yew as it contains toxins, I believe.

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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02 Jan 2013 10:54 #3 by igmillichip (ian millichip)
Personally, I would not.

There are too many reasons why not and what to avoid to be the hassle.

Fresh dying wood in a tank is asking for trouble.....bacterial growth, fungal growth, release of poisons etc.

ian

Irish Tropical Fish Society (ITFS) Member.

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03 Jan 2013 01:12 #4 by skinny (skinny)
Replied by skinny (skinny) on topic Using Local Wood
hi alan
iv taken wood from any were i can find it and the first problem you'll have is sinking it.
fallen wood is no good iv found only bog wood and submerged wood is the only option.
i tried soaking it to sink it but it'll take an age.
iv never killed any of my fish (yet... i don't think) with it but you'll have to soak it in clean water for as long as you can hold out.
when soaking it i change the water twice a day and always use boiling water.

hope this helps
craig

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