Spring Cleaning Amid The Snow Flurries
By unclescott from the Hi-Ho! Ho-Ho! It's Off To Work We Go! department, Section Diaries Posted on Mon Apr 28, 2008 at 02:16:12 PM PST
The mud room/laundry room is covered with plants, pots and their hangers. They're refugees from the recent cold front. The carport is mostly empty, except for two clean aquariums. One can find a lot more of the fishroom floor now. (4 comments, 1036 words in story) Full Log Entry

A Word About Drinking Water in Stores
By unclescott from the Practical Aquarist department, Section Diaries Posted on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 08:16:57 AM PST
We've talked before here about using bottled water from grocery stores for emergency water changes, when one has no treated and "seasoned" water.  At least one manufacturer of those Betta vases suggests doing that too, thus avoiding the chloramines (chlorine and ammonia) and other toxins put in our water supplies, hopefully at such a level as kill bacteria and protists but not us. Raw tap water of that sort can be very dangerous for aquarium fish and we've flogged that a lot. (But see Immediate Help for a little more info.) (1 comment, 1390 words in story) Full Log Entry

A Handy Aquarium Glossary
By unclescott from the What did he say? department, Section Diaries Posted on Fri Mar 07, 2008 at 02:31:27 PM PST
I still get thrown by some terms which people throw around. One can highlight the term, copy it and paste it into Google to see what it is. (178 words in story) Full Log Entry

And now a BLA auction across the Big Pond!
By unclescott from the in the swim department, Section Diaries Posted on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 08:19:30 PM PST
While scouring the Net on another project, I touched on one of Tim Addis' UK sites. (He also has an interesting series of images on building his 5th fishroom.) His work on-line illustrates a much closer organizational cooperation between the British Killifish Association and BLA - the British Livebearer Association than exists between their US counterparts. Because the national UK guppy organization ceased to be a decade or two ago, guppy people may especially need the BLA as a national hobbyist organization they can work though and with. (4 comments, 652 words in story) Full Log Entry

We get mail - auctions and shows
By unclescott from the on the road again department, Section Diaries Posted on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 12:27:34 PM PST
Several messages about up and coming shows and auction have come our way. Also did a little list browsing. Unfortunately I blew it and didn't get this up in time for that auction in the middle of Massachusetts. In Seattle there is an auction TONIGHT! (2 comments, 1223 words in story) Full Log Entry

Surprise! Another Auction!
By unclescott from the On the Road Again department, Section Diaries Posted on Fri Jan 18, 2008 at 12:57:31 PM PST
As we are battening down for sub-zero (Fahrenheit) weather and very cold wind chills, it is easy to get cabin fever. Some years ago, modeling on the Chicago Killie club's show, a couple of friends (with their own money as working capital) started what became a very popular annual event the last full weekend of February in Northern Indiana. Every year, when we get a new calendar, my lady and I go through it, jotting down important dates. Along with birthdays, anniversaries, conferences, special things at church and elections, events like that fish show always get recorded. Part of the reasoning behind the timing of that event was that by late February, some killie nuts would be really glad to get out of the house and go somewhere and even (gasp!) spend money. (1224 words in story) Full Log Entry

A Visit to the Frugal Aquarist's "Library"
By unclescott from the Getting off to the Right Start department, Section Diaries Posted on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 09:16:46 PM PST
We dropped by Borders (a big box bookstore) yesterday evening for a couple hours' serious browsing. Usually a cheap date in that one can buy a cuppa coffee and sort through a fair amount of what might be called literature. The air vents were blowing cool air pretty vigorously and customers were casually slipping their coats back on as they read. (1149 words in story) Full Log Entry

One Guppy Keeper's New Year's Resolutions
By unclescott from the aquarist's craft department, Section Diaries Posted on Mon Dec 31, 2007 at 07:35:04 PM PST
There may nothing here, which you probably aren't already familiar with. Perhaps a reminder would be useful. I know I will need reminding. :) (6 comments, 739 words in story) Full Log Entry

The Shape of Things to Come
By unclescott from the more we change, the more we stay the same department, Section Diaries Posted on Wed Nov 28, 2007 at 11:19:39 AM PST
Guppylover's switch to salt water got me thinking about smaller aquariums and their usefulness. In this age of bigger and better (recently visited a home with a 300-gallon living room tank) we overlook what can be done with a 10-gallon aquarium. One does have to be more careful to maintain them consistently. But they fit more easily into corners or the center of one's living space. And the tanks can be drained down to wet gravel - one can move the tank without a lot of effort or hassle. Longer tanks seem sometimes more designed for the convenience of the fish keepers than the fish. We can see them more easily. It is true that fast swimming schoolers (at least the smaller ones under three-four inches) do benefit from being able to sail down those relatively long tanks. Deep tanks (great for slim, "laterally compressed" fish like angels or discus) are also popular. But they are hard to keep aerated and to clean. Growing bottom plants, where over half the light will be screened out even in clear water, is difficult. A couple of decades ago, there was a renewed interest in square aquariums, which were not too deep. Tetra publications and a controversial aquatic gardening book called The Optimum Aquarium (really the second edition of The Perfect Aquarium) suggested that such aquaria were of more benefit to the plants and fish than the standard sizes that had been around since the days of metal frame aquaria. Public Zoos, including aquariums, have also changed how they design buildings. The old lion or monkey houses had little dinky "jail cells" for the animals. People watching them got the majority of the space in the building. More recently the animals get the habitats and the human viewers get the narrower halls and galleries. Some exhibits are still of modest size, but they are more "user friendly" for the occupants. And the animals, with social groupings, more usable space per animal and decor approaching real habitats exhibit many more interesting and varied behaviors. (2 comments, 693 words in story) Full Log Entry

Revisiting the Frugal Aquarist
By unclescott from the save a buck department, Section Diaries Posted on Fri Nov 16, 2007 at 11:32:01 AM PST
We've kidded here from time to time about, "How much of a fish head are we really?" If one is waiting in line at a restaurant, what plants or glassware could be used in aquaria? If at a Tupperware party, what can be used for storing fish food or labeling aquariums? If in a hardware store... (1 comment, 808 words in story) Full Log Entry

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