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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

Congratulations Zig

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08 Aug 2008 09:04 #1 by AndyT (Andy Taylor)
(and i hope you don't mind me posting this but you're too modest to do it yourself) :)

Zig has placed 15th (in the world) in the 2008 AquaDesignAmano (ADA) aquascaping contest. This is the premier contest for Aquascapers worldwide and is a major recognition of his huge talent.

Well done man. Well deserved. Post pics as soon as the rules allow?

170L Bowfront Community Tank : Heavily planted : CO2 : T5 lighting

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08 Aug 2008 11:56 #2 by JohnH (John)
Replied by JohnH (John) on topic Re:Congratulations Zig
That's brilliant, very well done Zig, you're fast reaching Celebrity status in the planted tank world. Something for us all to aspire to, I think.

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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08 Aug 2008 12:08 #3 by serratus (Drew Latimer)
Well done Zig!!!! congrats. mate, surely it was the pygmy rasboras that clinched it????!!!!!
That is some achivement!!!!

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08 Aug 2008 12:36 #4 by CJackson (Frank Farrell)
Well done. That is an incredible achievement. Can't wait to see the pics.

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08 Aug 2008 13:02 #5 by zig (zig)
Replied by zig (zig) on topic Re:Congratulations Zig
haha right, celebrity me arse:laugh: the boys down in the ITFS meeting on a tuesday would have none of that celebrity s***e, soon put you in your place!! flower arrangeing in fish tanks for oul women I tell ya, you need to get into some of those aggressive African cichlids instead!!!!

Well yes I was sort of hoping somebody would NOT post this up because yes I am too modest:P I'm sure people are fed up saying well done zig on this board as well and here's just another one:huh:

Well it puts Ireland on the aquascaping map thats probably the most important thing here. Its a hard one to explain to my friends how position 15 is a good result, Oh you came 15th in an aquascaping competition, you mean you didn't win! oh right!

I have to say I was delighted its a big deal for me, position 15 gets you in the prizes. I was the top placed westerner in the competition as well which was pretty sweet. The competition is dominated by Asian entrants. Unfortunatly I can't post the picture of the tank that won it for me, the rules don't allow this until after the prize winning ceremony in Japan on 13 Sept 2008 (which I won't be attending btw, too expensive, flights alone about 1200 quid!) ADA then publish a picture list for of the top 27 tanks which are the prize winners, these are then published in 20 or so aquarium related magazines around the world. The pictures can be used on forums at that stage.

Thanks Andy John and CJackson, Drew the fish were perfect for the tank and still going strong, definitely the clincher mate:) thats another load of your fish I'm trying to make famous:laugh: still haven't heard about that film btw.

There's a pdf file on this link with all the contest results and details from this year.

www.adana.co.jp/index_e.php

PS Andy your going to get me in trouble over on UKaps with comments like \"Ireland does it better again\":laugh: hehe, rubbing salt into the wounds there I tell ya:laugh: :laugh:

Thanks everyone.

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08 Aug 2008 14:14 #6 by Daragh_Owens (Daragh Owens)
Excellent, congratulations. Best placed Westenern. That is some achievement.

Of course we want to hear, it's great to have results like that on the forum or in the club. Don't be so modest.

How about a compromise a planted tank with africans :-) :-)

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08 Aug 2008 14:18 #7 by Peter OB (Peter O'Brien)
Fair play to you Zig, that is some achievement. Can't wait to see the tank.

Peter

Smoke me a Kipper, I’ll be back for breakfast.

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08 Aug 2008 14:25 #8 by AndyT (Andy Taylor)
zig wrote:


PS Andy your going to get me in trouble over on UKaps with comments like \"Ireland does it better again\":laugh: hehe, rubbing salt into the wounds there I tell ya:laugh: :laugh:

Thanks everyone.


Ah, yer man started it with the 'pity you're not British...' comment. i couldn't resist! :)

170L Bowfront Community Tank : Heavily planted : CO2 : T5 lighting

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08 Aug 2008 14:50 #9 by Valerie (Valerie)
Replied by Valerie (Valerie) on topic Re:Congratulations Zig
Zig,

Congratulations on your achievement ! This is fantastic ! well done :)

Valerie

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08 Aug 2008 17:58 #10 by goldy (goldy .)
well done zig its great to hear you are going from strength to strength. looking forward to seeing the photos. Its some achievement being the best placed westerner. What kind of prizes do they award for this kind of thing. Its a pity they wont pay for you to fly over to the award ceremony it would be a nice trip. congratulations

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08 Aug 2008 22:52 #11 by platty252 (Darren Dalton)
Well done mate. That is some achievement. You must be chuffed to bit's.
If that was me i would be dancing up and down O'Connell St. naked throwing handful's of HC at people. Although i would probably do that if i got placed in the first 10,000.:laugh:

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09 Aug 2008 00:03 #12 by Daragh_Owens (Daragh Owens)
I'll steer clear of O'Connell St, just in case!

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09 Aug 2008 21:50 #13 by PAULHARTE25 (PAUL HARTE)
Well done zig,you are the man,love your tanks,looking forward to seeing the latest one


Paul

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09 Aug 2008 22:06 #14 by mickeywallace (Michael Wallace Cath Woods)
well done well deserved

will have to change your user name to master zig

so let me be the first

Congratulations Master Zig

mickey

Mickey Wallace & Cath Woods

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09 Aug 2008 22:42 #15 by tanks_alot (Denis Coghlan)
That is excellent news, congratulation on a job well done. I'm really looking forward to seeing the pictures of the tank. I don't want to take any credit but I'm sure none of this would have been possible without the use of a certain \"ADA pipe\" brought back from foreign lands at great expense and risk to human life :P :P .



Great Job!

Regards

Denis

Lead me not into temptation, For I can find it myself!

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10 Aug 2008 02:34 #16 by sheag35 (Seamus Gillespie)
well done Zig, another fantastic acheivement, you will have to tell us all your secrets now oh master of the planted tank.. and i agree with the comment above what about a planted african tank.. that i would be really interested in seeing
Once again i have to say you are a credit to this hobby and rightly deserve all the praise and all be it smart assed adulation you get.. go on the Irish... maybe we could make this an olympic sport hell we'd be in with a chance of a medal with your form
Seamus

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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10 Aug 2008 09:52 #17 by Seany (Sean Phelan)
From what I see on the list of winners, Zig is European champion at the very least!
We done Zig, can't wait to see the photos.

Seany

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11 Aug 2008 18:46 #18 by ted30 (Damo Mac an Bhaird)
Your a legend! Just not as big a legend as Padraig Harrington;) Come on the Irish

Location: Carrickmacross, County Monaghan

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13 Aug 2008 23:59 #19 by zig (zig)
Replied by zig (zig) on topic Re:Congratulations Zig
Everyone, thankyou so much for all the support and kind words of encourgement, means a lot from the folks from my homepatch;) :)

Daragh_Owens wrote:

How about a compromise a planted tank with africans :-) :-)


A planted tank with African plants, great idea Daragh:P

Peter OB wrote:

Fair play to you Zig, that is some achievement. Can't wait to see the tank.

Peter


Peter, Thankyou;)

AndyT wrote:

Ah, yer man started it with the 'pity you're not British...' comment. i couldn't resist! :)


I didn't know what to make of your mans comment Andy, I just ignored it, I thought he would have known better;)

Valerie wrote:

Zig,

Congratulations on your achievement ! This is fantastic ! well done :)

Valerie


Thanks Valerie!


goldy wrote:

What kind of prizes do they award for this kind of thing. Its a pity they wont pay for you to fly over to the award ceremony it would be a nice trip. congratulations


Nessa my prize will be fairly small, a trophy of some sort a certificate for the wall and a smal amount in prizemoney.

The main motivation is obviously not the prize money because its so difficult to win anyway you wouldn't want to be counting on that, but when you get into the top seven positions the prize money is substantial enough to get your attention. The main winner wins 1 million Yen, which is about 6000 euro, so not too bad, it would then go 5000 4000 3000 2000 and 1000 euro or something like that for the other top positions.

platty252 wrote:

Well done mate. That is some achievement. You must be chuffed to bit's.
If that was me i would be dancing up and down O'Connell St. naked throwing handful's of HC at people. Although i would probably do that if i got placed in the first 10,000.:laugh:


Don't know whether to laugh or cry at the thought of this one:huh: :laugh: I will keep a close eye out for next years results Darren:blink:

PAULHARTE25 wrote:

Well done zig,you are the man,love your tanks,looking forward to seeing the latest one


Paul


Thanks Paul, appreciate it mate:)

mwdragondk/mickey wallace wrote:

will have to change your user name to master zig

so let me be the first

Congratulations Master Zig

mickey


The Zen master, I like that now:lol:

Cheers mickey

tanks_alot wrote:

That is excellent news, congratulation on a job well done. I'm really looking forward to seeing the pictures of the tank. I don't want to take any credit but I'm sure none of this would have been possible without the use of a certain \"ADA pipe\" brought back from foreign lands at great expense and risk to human life :P :P .



Great Job!

Regards

Denis


Couldn't have done it without you Denis;) still owe you a pint for that mate, one of my favorite pieces of kit btw


I like the graphic, gonna have to borrow this to show my British friend on the other forum:laugh:

sheag35 wrote:

well done Zig, another fantastic acheivement, you will have to tell us all your secrets now oh master of the planted tank.. and i agree with the comment above what about a planted african tank.. that i would be really interested in seeing
Once again i have to say you are a credit to this hobby and rightly deserve all the praise and all be it smart assed adulation you get.. go on the Irish... maybe we could make this an olympic sport hell we'd be in with a chance of a medal with your form
Seamus


Too old for them olympics, maybe the walking race or something:)

Thanks sheag35

Seany wrote:

From what I see on the list of winners, Zig is European champion at the very least!
We done Zig, can't wait to see the photos.

Seany


Thanks Seany mate, no reason you couldn't enter this next year if you get up and running, all entries are then published in a very nice book regardless of position, worth considering anyway.

ted30 wrote:

Your a legend!


Thanks Ted, leg end maybe:P

Hope I haven't forgotten anyone:huh: Thanks a mil everyone, I will post the pics up asap.

Peter


Ps. a guy was caught cheating in this years competition using photoshop to add plants in etc, sort of interesting how he was caught out. One of the other competitors came across his (public) Photobucket account by accident/chance while browseing the web a day or two after the results were released, and there it all was in black and white (or colour:P ) his crime laid bare. In his photobucket account there was a step by step guide on how he manipulated the origional photo, needless to say the other competitor exposed him by putting the photos all over the web on the planted forums, caused uproar!

Said (well known, won a prize last year ) competitor hasn't been seen since. tut tut :)

Where's Father Jack for his tuppence worth on that situation!!!:huh: :laugh:

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14 Aug 2008 12:59 #20 by Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
Congratulations Zig,
A fine acheivement by any standards. Supurb. At least we all know now where to go for advise on planted aquariums!

Gavin

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02 Jan 2009 21:29 - 02 Jan 2009 21:33 #21 by fourmations (NIall SMyth)
seeing as zig is bashful
he's not going to tell you
that he also swept the boards at aga 2008

watch out takashi!
we'll all be buying ADZ gear in a couple of years! ;)

1st in small tank category
showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/2008.cgi?...egory=0&vol=0&id=184

1st in medium tank category
showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/2008.cgi?...egory=0&vol=1&id=185

serious congrats for a brilliant result

its possible that this will never be done again, two firsts in one year

rgds

4
Last edit: 02 Jan 2009 21:33 by fourmations (NIall SMyth).

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02 Jan 2009 21:47 #22 by pointer28 (Noel Lambert)
Congratulations Zig.

Absolutely stunning aquascapes.

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03 Jan 2009 10:51 #23 by Peter OB (Peter O'Brien)
Well done Peter, stunning tanks as usual.

Smoke me a Kipper, I’ll be back for breakfast.

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03 Jan 2009 11:18 #24 by Seany (Sean Phelan)
Well Done Zig!

We bow to your stunning achievements.

Seany

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03 Jan 2009 11:52 #25 by JohnH (John)
Replied by JohnH (John) on topic Re:Congratulations Zig
Peter,
What an achievement, Firsts in two categories...my heartiest congratulations to you.

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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03 Jan 2009 12:33 #26 by mickeywallace (Michael Wallace Cath Woods)
Congratulations Master ZIG

Mickey & Cath

Mickey Wallace & Cath Woods

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03 Jan 2009 13:50 #27 by derek (Derek Doyle)
well done again, zig.
i was just wondering if it is possible to have a half decent planted tank without the co2?

30 tanks specialise in african cichlids, angelfish and various catfish

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03 Jan 2009 17:24 #28 by fourmations (NIall SMyth)
oh and heres what the master said about
the 96l tank

"I gave my highest evaluation to this aquascape in ADA's International Aquatic Plants Layout Contest. The use of stones on the foreground looks very unique, and the arrangement of the stones is well-balanced. Using only Hemianthus callitrichoides "Cuba" in the entire scene is a key to the successful outcome. Presenting a wide perspective, the aquascape has skillfully completed itself at a higher level. " —Takashi Amano

i'd retire now peter, at the top of your game

I can collect your tanks on monday if you like :laugh:

rgds

4

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03 Jan 2009 17:37 #29 by Daragh_Owens (Daragh Owens)
Brilliant result Peter - congratulations.

They are both wonderful tanks. I would be happy to hang the photos, they are really works of art. Great comments from the judges too.



Daragh

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03 Jan 2009 19:14 #30 by cardinal (Lar Savage)
Congrats Zig.:) :) Both Fantastic looking tanks
Lar

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