finally got a tank

[Andy_1984]

finally got a tank. i got talking to the guy that works in the garage next to my office he offered me 2 finches but told him i was after a tank to which he replied "ive got one if you want it"

 

got to his house to pick it up late on Wednesday past. he had told me he had a goldfish and a Siamese fighting fish but there was more than that but could not see them all properly as he had put all the fish in a bucket before i got there. the tank was absolutely filthy so we got it drained took out the gravel etc etc. didnt get home untill 11pm so took the fish up, got them in to a nice sterile bucket and left the tank in the car overnight as i needed help getting it up to the flat and with the whole cleaning and steralising.

 

thankfully Andy macfarlane came up to give me a hand moving the tank and cleaning. we were at it for ages but the fag breaks and coffees didnt help speed up much. we didnt get andy home till 3am, cheers andy yer an absolute star.

 

so we got it all cleaned and assembled things were lookin good at this point seeing it filled with water, clean and tidy i realise what an excellent tank i had got for NOTHING! (going to take the guy fishin with me as a thank you)

 

the fish are now in the tank and see i have: 2 siamese fighters(1 male 1 female) 3 zebrafish, 4 platy's (2 red 1 orange, 1 crackin little black and white speckled platy) goldfish (possibly lionhead but isnt so pronounced as most you see) 3 guppy's and a few neon tetras (siamese fighter rag dolled one of the neons around the tank and is now dead)

 

the male Siamese is getting parped out of the tank and given to the pet shop for a packet of fags. he's been bullying some of the other fish around the filter and getting a bit territorial and looks like he's dug out a trench under a rock (seen him and his lady getting cosy in it for a brief few seconds)

 

gold fish has some character and has been named "tape measure" because since i got him home his turds have been hangin from his ass about 7" long, andy grabbed an end of the turd and as he swam off another 4" came out

 

ill be setting the tank up as a cold water with roach, rudd, brown gold fish, minnos, sticklebacks. most of the fish in it just now will be getting sold except the black platy, female Siamese fighter and tape measure.

 

tank also came with 2 internal filters (rio 3000 without powerhead) and the one in it just now is an Aqua One At-882 that says it can filter 1200 litres per hour so doubt i will ever need the second filter which has no power head the filter also has an "elite" heater

 

the tank is 4ft long 1ft wide, 1.5ft high but this is a guess as i haven't properly measured it and comes complete with hood and lighting

 

all in all im well chuffed with this free tank. see the picture attached

[Steve Walker]

Very nice!

 

[Andy Macfarlane]

Just need a poster for the back of the tank. Give it a bit of depth and hide the cables etc.

 

Otherwise it's pretty smart.

[Andy_1984]

found some mini shopping trolleys online, just need wee tiny beer cans and bottles of buckfast then it could look like the canal

[Renrag39]

Might want to get/make a cooler for the natives. Unfortunately this might knacker the fighter and the platy though but will be best for the natives, especially in summer.

 

Looks great! Have fun

 

Renrag

[Andy_1984]

Might want to get/make a cooler for the natives. Unfortunately this might knacker the fighter and the platy though but will be best for the natives, especially in summer.

 

Looks great! Have fun

 

Renrag

 

hoping theres a happy medium for the platys, female fighter and natives. if it turns out too much for the platys & fighter then they will sadly have to go as the purpose of the tank is a native tank.

 

i have seen, on anglers net im sure, a discussion about a home made cooler from a beer chiller, water bottle and hoses.

 

 

would certainly be a cheaper alternative to some of the purpose built tank coolers, if infact the diy cooler can do the job.

[Renrag39]

It can. I designed it, built it and ran it. Its still running on a friends 4x2x2 native marine tank. Depending on ambient temp the tank runs at between 8 and 14 celcius on the coldest setting. He stores his bait in it too, on top of a 1.5 litre container full of water to increase its efficiency.

Tip- If it struggles to reduce the temperature enough, you can fit valves to restrict the flow or reduce flow rate at the filter if you can. Always put the cooler on the RETURN pipe to allow slightly warmer water to the good bacteria in the filter, they're more efficient that way.

Try eBay for an old worktop fridge or a caravan fridge.

For backing, use the cheap film stuff and then layer on a sheet of polystyrene to insulate.

 

Renrag

Edited May 13, 2011 by Renrag39

[corydoras]

What is the legal situation on keeping native species in a home aquarium? Are you permitted to go out into the wild and net some fry for your aquarium?

[chesters1]

What is the legal situation on keeping native species in a home aquarium? Are you permitted to go out into the wild and net some fry for your aquarium?

could be theft from the waters owner,the EA only mention from one water to another

the EA site has little about it but links lead here

http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/actio...icId=1087043459

 

the crayfish situation is strange whereas its said you need permission to move them ,in reality if you catch them you cannot put them back so you will have to move them anyway as the recommended way to kill them is by freezing so your moving them unless you traipse round with a freezer.

mine go on a little trip in the car to a cold but probably painless end

Edited May 15, 2011 by chesters1

[corydoras]

could be theft from the waters owner,the EA only mention from one water to another

the EA site has little about it but links lead here

http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/actio...icId=1087043459

 

the crayfish situation is strange whereas its said you need permission to move them ,in reality if you catch them you cannot put them back so you will have to move them anyway as the recommended way to kill them is by freezing so your moving them unless you traipse round with a freezer.

mine go on a little trip in the car to a cold but probably painless end

Found this bit.

It's an offence to remove any fish with an instrument other than a rod or line without having written permission from the Environment Agency, and you could face prosecution for doing so.

 

The whole blurb is here.

http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/actio...;type=RESOURCES

Edited May 15, 2011 by corydoras