Search found 60 matches

by Fred T. Washington
20 Dec 2009, 00:32
Forum: For Sale (USA & Canada)
Topic: Coralife Day-Night/Wavemaker timer power strip
Replies: 0
Views: 543

Coralife Day-Night/Wavemaker timer power strip

Hello fine peoples! I'm testing the waters here to see if anyone is interested in my Coralife Day-Night/Wavemaker timer power strip. This is the single timer 8 outlet analog unit. I purchased this originally from Dr's Foster & Smith this summer to run the lighting in my 37g. Here is a link to th...
by Fred T. Washington
07 Dec 2009, 18:39
Forum: Speak Easy
Topic: I'm building an aquarium stand
Replies: 7
Views: 984

Re: I'm building an aquarium stand

All done!
DSC00585.jpg
by Fred T. Washington
29 Nov 2009, 00:27
Forum: Speak Easy
Topic: I'm building an aquarium stand
Replies: 7
Views: 984

Re: I'm building an aquarium stand

The stand definitely needs to be protected from the inevitable spillage and the poly should do the trick just fine. After the stain has fully dried, I have clear satin polyurethane ready to apply. Right now I'm thinking three coats, but we will see how my enthusiasm holds up. I'm not much of a fan o...
by Fred T. Washington
28 Nov 2009, 22:35
Forum: Speak Easy
Topic: I'm building an aquarium stand
Replies: 7
Views: 984

I'm building an aquarium stand

Hi, If anyone out there enjoys a nice do it yourself project, I've been working on a stand for my 60g. 95% of the wood used is salvaged crate lumber from my work. There are pictures and notes on the project from the beginning in one of my photobucket albums; http://s972.photobucket.com/albums/ae203/...
by Fred T. Washington
07 Sep 2009, 21:11
Forum: What is my catfish?
Topic: My free cat that's 1/3 tail
Replies: 8
Views: 1299

Re: My free cat that's 1/3 tail

Hello everyone! I still have not found out for sure what this fish is. She presented herself quite nicely for some photographs today so I snapped a few. The markings have change fairly significantly from when I first acquired her, namely markings on the head and dorsal fin becoming more distinct. Th...
by Fred T. Washington
14 Aug 2009, 22:51
Forum: South American Catfishes (Callichthyidae - Corys et al)
Topic: Does this dorsal fin look okay?
Replies: 2
Views: 614

Re: Does this dorsal fin look okay?

Thanks Mats, I wanted to make sure it was no big deal.
by Fred T. Washington
14 Aug 2009, 17:33
Forum: South American Catfishes (Callichthyidae - Corys et al)
Topic: Does this dorsal fin look okay?
Replies: 2
Views: 614

Does this dorsal fin look okay?

I took this corydoras trilineatus from quarantine and put it in my main tank today. While reviewing photos of them in their new home I noticed what appears to be a split in one corys dorsal fin. split-fin.jpg Am I right? Is there anything I need to do for it? The cat swims fine and I actually have y...
by Fred T. Washington
13 Aug 2009, 03:01
Forum: Tank Talk
Topic: Do you have any "tricks" in your tanks?
Replies: 18
Views: 2163

Re: Do you have any "tricks" in your tanks?

MatsP wrote:...an air-pump does add a benefit: It moves water...
Isn't that what I said? Maybe I wasn't very clear.
by Fred T. Washington
11 Aug 2009, 04:26
Forum: Tank Talk
Topic: Video of my 3rd slate cave
Replies: 6
Views: 1428

Video of my 3rd slate cave

Hello all,

I just finished my third slate cave decoration. Photos do not do this thing any justice so here's a video of it, enjoy!


[Mod edit: Add youtube tags --Mats]
by Fred T. Washington
10 Aug 2009, 04:26
Forum: Tank Talk
Topic: corydoras video
Replies: 1
Views: 408

corydoras video

Hey peoples,
Here is a link to a video I shot today of my Q tank inhabitants; 3 corydoras paleatus, 2 corydoras trilineatus and one corydoras elegans.



The video is three minutes.

[Mod edit: Use youtube tags --Mats]
by Fred T. Washington
10 Aug 2009, 04:24
Forum: Tank Talk
Topic: Do you have any "tricks" in your tanks?
Replies: 18
Views: 2163

Re: Do you have any "tricks" in your tanks?

Air pumps add oxygen to the water only by the surface water movement they cause. The actual oxygenating of the water happens at the surface and the more you can move water to and then from the surface the better your oxygenation will be. I use a surface skimmer on the intake of my canister filter an...
by Fred T. Washington
09 Aug 2009, 19:03
Forum: Speak Easy
Topic: Dehumidifier water
Replies: 42
Views: 7990

Re: Dehumidifier water

Fred T. Washington wrote: After my near panic abated I tested the water straight out of the tap:

pH 7.6, ammonia 1.0 Numbers I can live with (although I'd like to see the pH lower)
by Fred T. Washington
09 Aug 2009, 18:57
Forum: Speak Easy
Topic: water testing
Replies: 4
Views: 642

Re: water testing

I test for pH, ammonia and nitrate. Testing right away would be no big deal then? I was wanting to make sure the new water had "stabilized" and mixed in with the original water. Apparently that is not necessary? My tank is recovering from some out of whack parameters and I wanted to make s...
by Fred T. Washington
09 Aug 2009, 18:03
Forum: Speak Easy
Topic: water testing
Replies: 4
Views: 642

water testing

How long should I wait after a water change to do a water test?
by Fred T. Washington
09 Aug 2009, 18:01
Forum: Speak Easy
Topic: Dehumidifier water
Replies: 42
Views: 7990

Re: Dehumidifier water

I think everyone with a dehumidifier (wether they use the water or not) should test it and post their results. Maybe MChambers and my test results are just flukes. I have run a second test on my water and got identical results. So far I'm leaning towards cleaning products as the source of ammonia, b...
by Fred T. Washington
09 Aug 2009, 17:28
Forum: Speak Easy
Topic: Dehumidifier water
Replies: 42
Views: 7990

Re: Dehumidifier water

I suspect spurious test results are the explanation. I doubt whether ammonia/ammonium ions are actually present in your dehumidifier reservoir. But there have been two positives for ammonia (myself and MChambers). Part of the scientific process is having your results repeated by another, which has ...
by Fred T. Washington
09 Aug 2009, 04:27
Forum: What is my catfish?
Topic: Sold as "Peppered Cory"
Replies: 4
Views: 817

Re: Sold as "Peppered Cory"

Wow! That is exactly it! Thanks. You deserve a cookie.

I wonder if Petco would give me another free fish if I tell them their error. :D
by Fred T. Washington
09 Aug 2009, 03:39
Forum: What is my catfish?
Topic: Sold as "Peppered Cory"
Replies: 4
Views: 817

Sold as "Peppered Cory"

These cute little guys were in a tank with corydoras paleatus and corydoras arcuatus (that's the one with the racing stripes nose to tail, right?) and all were being sold as "Peppered Corys". There was a tank labeled corydoras julii that had identical fish to these pictured, so I thought t...
by Fred T. Washington
08 Aug 2009, 16:35
Forum: Speak Easy
Topic: Dehumidifier water
Replies: 42
Views: 7990

Re: Dehumidifier water

I wish I knew the source for the ammonia in my dehumidifier water. The reservoir looks clean. I don't smell it in the air and I live in residential suburbia miles from the nearest farm. I wonder if one of the kids did something. No way of ever finding that out without thumb screws. :twisted: My dehu...
by Fred T. Washington
08 Aug 2009, 04:04
Forum: Speak Easy
Topic: Dehumidifier water
Replies: 42
Views: 7990

Re: Dehumidifier water

EMERGENCY! EMERGENCY! EMERGENCY! On a whim I thought it would be a good idea to test my reservoir of dehumidifier water and these are the results: pH less than 6.0 and Ammonia between 4.0 and 8.0 ppm! I just about crapped my pants! :shock: Since my Q tank received a greater percentage of the dehumi...
by Fred T. Washington
07 Aug 2009, 22:57
Forum: Speak Easy
Topic: Dehumidifier water
Replies: 42
Views: 7990

Re: Dehumidifier water

No smokers in this house. No fresh paint, no bug spray or mold issues either. I thought this would be a fairly simple question, boy was I wrong! Maybe this could be a good excuse to get another tank (or two or three!) and do a study on dehumidifier water. :D
by Fred T. Washington
06 Aug 2009, 23:17
Forum: What is my catfish?
Topic: My free cat that's 1/3 tail
Replies: 8
Views: 1299

Re: My free cat that's 1/3 tail

Seriously? No one else has any thoughts?
by Fred T. Washington
06 Aug 2009, 22:29
Forum: Tank Talk
Topic: Moving the Fish Room
Replies: 39
Views: 3741

Re: Moving the Fish Room

78 outlets? If you use all of them and have one item that draws let's say a meager 2 amps in each fixture, that is still 156 amps! Figure the typical household electrical circuit is 15 amps, you must have an entire breaker panel solely devoted to that room :shock: . Details please at your convenienc...
by Fred T. Washington
06 Aug 2009, 21:24
Forum: Speak Easy
Topic: Dehumidifier water
Replies: 42
Views: 7990

Re: Dehumidifier water

I have read the theoretical criticisms of using this water, both in this thread and on other websites, namely that the water touches copper coils and therefore has copper in it and that it also has pollutants from the air. I'm skeptical of these criticisms. I'm more than skeptical of that criticism...
by Fred T. Washington
06 Aug 2009, 04:02
Forum: Tank Talk
Topic: 1st attempt at making decorations
Replies: 6
Views: 702

Re: 1st attempt at making decorations

If anyone is interested, I'm selling this cave at this site:

http://aquatropicalfish.com/forum/index ... w.html#new
by Fred T. Washington
06 Aug 2009, 04:00
Forum: Speak Easy
Topic: Dehumidifier water
Replies: 42
Views: 7990

Dehumidifier water

Hello all,

Quick question: Wouldn't the water from a home dehumidifier be better to use in an aquarium than tap water?

Thanks for chiming in!
by Fred T. Washington
05 Aug 2009, 03:19
Forum: Tank Talk
Topic: Slate cave v2.1
Replies: 3
Views: 422

Slate cave v2.1

Here it is!
S6300455.jpg
I also have more photos on my facebook profile for those who would like to see more pics.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2 ... b8815ed4b1
by Fred T. Washington
05 Aug 2009, 02:24
Forum: Tank Talk
Topic: 2nd attempt at making tank decorations
Replies: 17
Views: 1170

Re: 2nd attempt at making tank decorations

The pressure washing was tried on my concrete driveway. The stones went flying. Changing the angle (90 degrees to 60 ish degrees) just changed how far away the pieces got blown away. But on the bright side I have a nice clean driveway now. The drilling thing sounds like it is going to be a headache....
by Fred T. Washington
04 Aug 2009, 12:11
Forum: Tank Talk
Topic: 2nd attempt at making tank decorations
Replies: 17
Views: 1170

Re: 2nd attempt at making tank decorations

I tried the pressure washer thing. Didn't go well. My pieces are too small for my 2000psi washer. I don't dare hold them by hand either. Is there an effective safe way to pressure wash small pieces of slate? I also thought about your drilling idea too. Thanks for the info about what kind of metal to...
by Fred T. Washington
04 Aug 2009, 03:06
Forum: Tank Talk
Topic: 2nd attempt at making tank decorations
Replies: 17
Views: 1170

Re: 2nd attempt at making tank decorations

After my recent experience with my LFS regarding my sick corys I believe I would prefer to sell them directly to fellow aquarists. BTW I have been continuing to build on the formation pictured above. If I may say so myself, it totally kicks butt. Total time in this one has now surpassed three hours....

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