Frattoniser
Community Member
Hi all,
Well what a fantastic forum and site this is, I've frequently visited and browsed but didn't register until yesterday (truth be known I was hooked on Laser's in-wall ocean sized tank in his living room and wanted to see the pics!!). I appreciate this appears to be a USA based or originated forum, so will always try to make sure that I keep that in mind when writing and some of your terminology on some issues is different from some of what we use, though the outcome generally appears to be the same.
My real name is Steve, apart from being a marine hobbyist I also fly radio control scale aircraft
lane: and follow my beloved Portsmouth FC :first: (in what you call soccer). I currently have a 1250 litre (approx 330 US gallon) set up having returned to the hobby in the last three years having been away from it since '94. Before then I kept a marine set up but it was during the days when we used to use undergravel filtration with powerheads and two external cannister pumps. :crossedlips: A marriage breakup brought an end to that though and it has taken me nearly twenty years to get back into it again! The system I use today is much like most now in that I have a main DT and the sump sitting hidden beneath in a scratch built cabinet. I have to admit, the sump and the use of the live rock (I believe it also known as the "Berlin Method"?) certainly seems to be a lot more successful than the methods of years ago and if anything is far more enjoyable too.
One main thing I've noticed is that boy do you do things big across the Pond! Not only that, but some of the equipment you have within available reach seems to be far more accessible than with us, not sure if that is down to anything with the EU market or that we are still doing what we always tend to do over here and that's play catch up! Either way, it's great reading a lot of the posts on here, no matter where the author of those posts originates from, it makes exceptionally interesting reading and is superb to see varying opinions being discussed with little or no actual argument. I've seen a number of posts where debate has eventually ended with a proper, dignified outcome that has often presented a solution to a problem too, so as a result a lot can be learnt from reading these posts.
I will at some point put up some pics of my tank, it's not worth it at present as we have just moved some 160 odd miles and that was a huge task when it came to moving the tanks, fish, live rock, sand etc and keeping them all alive in the process! The removal firm however let us down badly and did not use any form of acceptable equipment to move the tank, just two young guys and their muscle. I said they needed glass lifting suction cups but they said no they had done this plenty of times. When we arrived at our new home later that day, they had already unloaded having left some four hours or so ahead of us. My aged mother-in-law was there to open up the garage for them to load the stuff into but was not able to stay and watch them due to her ill health, so they clearly rushed the issue and got away before we got there. Hardly surprising they fled before we got there, they had damaged the top edge of the tank all around. Luckily this hasn't affected the strength/integrity of the tank but you can appreciate the nervousness that was running through us as I filled the tank! :behindsofa: It held and is running perfectly now, but the removals insurance firm are playing very difficult at accepting the damage was caused during transit.
Right, I've jabbered too much, :tongue: I am looking forward to reading and taking part in more discussions on here, already feel very comfortable! :amen:
Well what a fantastic forum and site this is, I've frequently visited and browsed but didn't register until yesterday (truth be known I was hooked on Laser's in-wall ocean sized tank in his living room and wanted to see the pics!!). I appreciate this appears to be a USA based or originated forum, so will always try to make sure that I keep that in mind when writing and some of your terminology on some issues is different from some of what we use, though the outcome generally appears to be the same.
My real name is Steve, apart from being a marine hobbyist I also fly radio control scale aircraft
lane: and follow my beloved Portsmouth FC :first: (in what you call soccer). I currently have a 1250 litre (approx 330 US gallon) set up having returned to the hobby in the last three years having been away from it since '94. Before then I kept a marine set up but it was during the days when we used to use undergravel filtration with powerheads and two external cannister pumps. :crossedlips: A marriage breakup brought an end to that though and it has taken me nearly twenty years to get back into it again! The system I use today is much like most now in that I have a main DT and the sump sitting hidden beneath in a scratch built cabinet. I have to admit, the sump and the use of the live rock (I believe it also known as the "Berlin Method"?) certainly seems to be a lot more successful than the methods of years ago and if anything is far more enjoyable too.One main thing I've noticed is that boy do you do things big across the Pond! Not only that, but some of the equipment you have within available reach seems to be far more accessible than with us, not sure if that is down to anything with the EU market or that we are still doing what we always tend to do over here and that's play catch up! Either way, it's great reading a lot of the posts on here, no matter where the author of those posts originates from, it makes exceptionally interesting reading and is superb to see varying opinions being discussed with little or no actual argument. I've seen a number of posts where debate has eventually ended with a proper, dignified outcome that has often presented a solution to a problem too, so as a result a lot can be learnt from reading these posts.
I will at some point put up some pics of my tank, it's not worth it at present as we have just moved some 160 odd miles and that was a huge task when it came to moving the tanks, fish, live rock, sand etc and keeping them all alive in the process! The removal firm however let us down badly and did not use any form of acceptable equipment to move the tank, just two young guys and their muscle. I said they needed glass lifting suction cups but they said no they had done this plenty of times. When we arrived at our new home later that day, they had already unloaded having left some four hours or so ahead of us. My aged mother-in-law was there to open up the garage for them to load the stuff into but was not able to stay and watch them due to her ill health, so they clearly rushed the issue and got away before we got there. Hardly surprising they fled before we got there, they had damaged the top edge of the tank all around. Luckily this hasn't affected the strength/integrity of the tank but you can appreciate the nervousness that was running through us as I filled the tank! :behindsofa: It held and is running perfectly now, but the removals insurance firm are playing very difficult at accepting the damage was caused during transit.
Right, I've jabbered too much, :tongue: I am looking forward to reading and taking part in more discussions on here, already feel very comfortable! :amen:
