Angelfishcam No.3 is down, the camera has failed. Sorry for the inconvience this may cause.
Since PracticalFishkeeping have re-launched their fabulous new website the RSS Feeds from PFK are weird, it’s being sorted by the Website and Technical Editor.
and I’m too tired to plant the Amazon Swords. Still working the late shift this week.
I collected my parcel containing my aquatic plant order from Java-Plants early this morning from the local Post Office Sorting Office. I’ve purchased 25 Amazon Swords and 25 Vallis, the Vallis was out of stock, so will ship later, the 25 Amazon Swords are in excellent condition, with healty leaves and root stock, extremely well packed in a large cardboard box with “LIVE PLANTS PLEASE RUSH!” stamped on the box; with plenty of packing material. Five ***** to Java-Plants Highly Recommended. The plant order was placed on Thursday, and delivery arrived on Tuesday, the box wouldn’t fit through the letter box so I was “carded” by the local sorting office to collect the parcel.
Excellent value for money, at just 30p per plant and that includes postage and packing. Try and get a deal like that at the local lfs. If they’ve got them in stock.
I carefully opened the box, the plants arrived heat sealed in a plastic bag, and placed them carefully into a vat of water at the correct temperature 28 degrees C as the display aquarium, if I’ve got enough time after work, remember I’m on the late shift, I’ll plant out later.
Most of these plants are to be planted in my 48″x18″x12″ aquarium in the “sun room”, it looks a little bare at present. The remainder will be planted into pots, for use in the fish house for those Angelfish, that refuse to spawn on breeding cones.
I’m ashamed to admit it but many fishkeepers I know are a “dab hand” at using a glass cutter. Unfortunately, this is a skill I’ve never mastered successfully, I’ve always left it to the professional glaziers to cut the glass to size for me, and they make it look so easy. I’ve been told it helps to have a good quality glass cutter. I finally succumb today and purchase a new expensive glass cutter. I’ve got lots of glass and glass condensation covers that need cutting to size for a few fish tanks, that need new tight fitting covers.
And this evening for the first time, I’ve successfully managed to cut a piece of glass, in a straight line, without smashing it! Maybe it does help to have the correct tools.
Display fish tank in the “sun room” is stable, but need to check water flow rate of Eheim external filter.
Finally installed the permanent electrical supply for the new air compressor.
I arrived home from work this evening, hoping to have the night off and then
I noticed the external filter had stopped working on my 48"x18"x12" display tank
in the "sun room", water quality did not look good, so immediately changed 72l
of water using my new Interpet Gravel cleaner. The fish tank is filtered by an
Eheim Classic 2015 External canister filter, filter media had been cleaned a few
weeks ago, the impellor had jammed, and required a few "cold boots" to get
started again. I think its time for me to purchase replacement impellors for all
my Eheim External canister filters, that’s a total of six – expensive -. I’ve
been considering purchasing a
Python No Spill system,
on-going costs prohibit me from using this, as it uses approx 7l of water
per aquarium water change, as it uses mains water to create the vacuum, and I
would never top of aquariums from mains water supply, because of temperature
difference and chlorine and chloramines present in tape water.
Good News, I’ve finally placed orders for my Water Deflectors for the
Lifegard Fluidized Bed filter from
AquariumSuperstore, after
exchanging emails and telephone calls with
Pentair Aquatics US and
Belgium and the UK Distributors ALF, Bedforshire, they pointed me at
AquariumSuperstore,
hopefully they’ll arrive quickly.
Free food from the garden, I’ve recently found plentiful quantities of small
earthworms gathering under the lids of my compost bins, these earthworms are
small enough to feed to my Angelfish, and Hoplosternum Catfish, and Gudgeon. I’m
sorry I couldn’t make the picture more interesting.
I went to the Harrogate Flower Show today to purchase some garden peat to
condition some water in hope to get some breeding pairs of Angelfish to spawn.
Unfortunately, there was no peat or even compost on sale so on returning from
Harrogate, visited Moorland Nurseries, Forest Moor Road, Knaresborough, North
Yorkshire HG5 8JY to collect some garden peat, I purchased an 80l bag, which was
very heavy a bit overkill for my needs, but I can use the rest for potting on
seeds and plants.
Whilst at the garden centre also had time to visit
Tropica, the
tropical fish shop and my local
Dennerle stockist!
This is an excellent tropical fish, with an excellent display of tropical fish,
Tropica plants, dry
goods and the full Dennerle
range. Some very interesting Botia loaches were on display from Asia, their
mail order business on the internet at
Tropica, carries some
very useful information on the
Dennerle range.
I purchased a pair of Discus Spawning Cones manufactured by JBL, I prefer these
"tough plastic" cones, to ceramic/terracotta, as they are easier to clean and
disinfect and are un-breakable, and much cheaper from this tropical fish shop,
than purchasing from eBay!
Back to what’s happening in the fish house, all fish are well, air ring main
is currently undergoing pressure testing, air pump is connected up, fixed in
place, and I’ve tested for air leaks, using a water mister and washing up
liquid, no leaks were found, touch wood! It’s currently violently
aerating an 18l container of water with an airstone. One of the display tanks,
has an algal bloom, possibly causes by too much vegetable matter from courgettes
and cucumber, partial water change required this week, I’m working the late
shift at the office, so I’ll have to re-plan my evenings.
I
awoke this morning by a loud knocking at the front door, it was the post person
wanting me to sign for a small package. My Five Pack of Screwcumbers had
arrived. Here’s a picture of five new sealed twin packs of Screwcumbers
available from
Gary Evans at Opti-Fish. I’m sorry to flog these to death, but they are
a fantastic invention and worth every penny. Every Ancistrus, Pleco, Gibbiceps,
L number lover should have one. With NO Hikari imports expected into the UK for
many months until the situation is resolved with the EU, NO algae wafers these
are a lifesavers in feeding cucumbers and courgettes to my L Numbers, Gibbiceps,
and Ancistrus sp.
The yellow tug beneath the screwcumbers is filled with aquarium water soaking
the filter media I "found" the previous week..
To spruce up my 48″x18″x12″ display tank, which contains two large old male marble angels, six bueno aires tetras and a 17 year old Syndontis Ocellifer and Pterygolichthys Gibbiceps, or The ‘Sailfin Plec’ can sometimes be confused with the suckermouth catfish, Hypostomus plecostomus, but one look at the broad dorsal base which contains between 12 and 13 rays, and the difference is immeasurable, also the first ray is equal to the length of the head. The small anal fin has 4 to 5 rays and its head is conspicuous by the large nasal flares. The “syno” and “pleco” are often seen scraping in the tank, the Sailfin Pleco was recused about 12 months ago from a local tropical fish shop in York, it was in bad condition when I purchased it, fungus, very thin, torn fins, it has almost full recovered. It’s quite small for it’s size at approx 6″-7″.
I’ve purchased some aquatic plants mail order from Java-Plants. I’ve not purchased plants by post for many years, but the selection in the area is not very good. We have some Tropica stockists but these plants are very expensive, too expensive for tetras to eat.
I’ve ordered 25 Amazon Swords and 50 Vallis. I’ll drop my comments back here, after they arrive. I’ve also got a Dennerle CO2 Professional System for plant fertilisation, but not connected it up yet. Another project for another rainy day!
I’ve ordered an additional five Twin Packs of Screwcumbers.Contact Gary Evans for details. It’s much easier feeding cucumber and courgettes to Ancistrus and other loving veggie catfish using Screwcumbers.
This morning is very cold, probably the coldest morning we’ve had for a long time.
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