HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: wmack@en.ecn.purdue.edu (William J Mack)
Subject: Re: Blue-green 'algae' are DEAD!
Followup-To: rec.aquaria
Summary: My experience with Maracyn
Organization: Purdue University Engineering Computer Network
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 92 20:44:38 GMT

In article <1992Dec16.215206.10496@bagend.uucp>, jan@bagend.uucp (Jan Isley) writes:
> 
> Okay, cringe away.  I meant what I said to be very general except
> for my specific claim that Mardel is guilty of false advertising.
> 
> Don't believe me.  Dose an established, populated salt water tank
> with Maracyn as the instructions recommend and you will probably
> find a tank full of dead fish on the third day with amonia and or
> nitrite off the scale.  I have advised three people recently that
> have ignored my warnings against doing this.  *ALL* of the fish
> died.  "But the package said it was okay!", they cried.
> 
> Jan Isley   jan@bagend.uucp   gatech.edu!bagend!jan   (404)434-1335

I do not disagree that e...mycin is not the best thing in the world for     
nitrifying bacteria.  Nor do I wish to start a war over the benifits or
problems of Maracyn.  However in light of the claim that Maracyn is no 
more than a death tablet for your fish, I must offer my experiences.
I have used Maracyn (and Maracyn II for that matter) in the past in my
20 gallon freshwater tank which used a UGF (now RUGF).  Before I would
administer the medication my ammonia and nitrite would be at their usual
low levels, not anything significant over 0 ppm.  After using the product
for the indicated 5 days, the only change in my ammonia and nitrite tests
was a very, very small increase in nitrite, maybe up to .08 ppm at the most.
Ammonia levels did not test any higher.  I dont wish to dispute Jan, and
for all I know the addition of Maracyn in all of her (his?) friends tanks really
did cause the ammonia and nitrite levels to shoot off scale within 3 days
and kill all of Jans friends fish......................
It is usually a rare occasion when I add antibiotics to my water (fortunately)
and I would tell anyone that casual use of them is a waste of money and also
dangerous.  I would also advise someone to carefully pay attention to their
ammonia and nitrite levels when using antibiotics.  But Maracyn a death
sentence for your fish.....probably not.  By the way, Mardel is not the only
company to sell e...mycin as an aquarium antibiotic either.  Shall we sue
all the others too?

-- 
Bill Mack                        "If you expect me to be an expert on the
School of Electrical Engineering  fundamentals while I'm asking a fundamental
Purdue University                 question....then fine, I'll pretend to be one"
Xref: sparky rec.aquaria:9483 alt.aquaria:6200
From: howardr@col.hp.com (Howard Rebel)
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria,alt.aquaria
Subject: Re: [F] How to get rid of snails?
Date: 15 Dec 1992 19:02:12 GMT
Organization: HP Colorado Springs Division
Distribution: usa
NNTP-Posting-Host: hplsdum.col.hp.com

You can remove the snails from your tank without using chemicals or tearing
down the tank.  

Place a lettus leaf (or other green vegie) in the tank. If it is
a vegie the snails like they will cluster on the leaf.  As needed remove
the snails with the leaf.

Once you have removed all the adult snails from the tank there will be no
new snails.  At this point you are dealing with a fixed population which
can be removed via the leaf (bait) or simply picked out of the tank when they
show up.  Any snail too small to see is too small to lay eggs, this makes
the process possible.

Howard
-- 
Howard Rebel hpcsos.col.hp.com 

Newsgroups: rec.aquaria,alt.aquaria
From: johnh@tigger.rl.af.mil (John Hawthorne)
Subject: Re: [F] How to get rid of snails?
Organization: Rome Laboratory, Network Design Facility
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 21:47:35 GMT

In article <1992Dec16.004939.3961@cs.ucla.edu> frazier@kona.cs.ucla.edu (Gregory Frazier) writes:

>gravel in bleach.  I do not recommend leaving sponge filters
>soaking in a bleach solution for long periods of time, however;
>they melt.

Same goes for those brushes you use to clean lift tubes, etc. :-(


Xref: sparky rec.aquaria:9403 alt.aquaria:6141
From: 01mbmccabe@leo.bsuvc.bsu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria,alt.aquaria
Subject: Re: A few Cichlid ?'s
Date: 11 Dec 92 22:06:42 GMT
Organization: Ball State University, Muncie, In - Univ. Computing Svc's

>>1. I'm planning on buying a book on African Cichlids with some Christmas
>>money, any suggestions? 
> 
> The cichlid book by Paul Loiselle (sp?) is an excellent book.  There are
> also
> good books about Malawi and Tang. cichlids by Koenigs.

If you could, what are some of the distinguishing features of these individual
books, so I might decide which to get....I'd probably order, so it's going to
be decided without actually seeing the book.  :(  Oh well.

>>2. What other types of fish are compatible with Africans? (algae eaters)
> 
>>3. What type of rock is best for building structures? (caves) and is
>>there a cheaper place than a pet store to get it?
> 
> I have heard that large lava rocks work well.  They are light weight, and
> easily 
> shaped, drilled, and cut. I would avoid sandstone - many kinds will
> slowly break 
> apart in your tank. I would also avoid calcerous rocks (limestone, etc. 
> put a drop of 
> hydrochloric acid on the rock - if it fizzes it is a calcerous rock).  
> The water is nearly hard enough where I live - some crushed coral
> or dolomite placed in my filter does the trick.

Is it possible for the water to get TOO hard for African's by putting limestone
in the tank?
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria,sci.aquaria
From: jan@bagend.uucp (Jan Isley)
Subject: Re: Blue-green 'algae' are DEAD!
Organization: This space for rent.
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 19:54:38 GMT

anbo@wuee1.wustl.edu (Albrecht Jander) writes:

Yes, Maracyn, aka erithromycin, will kill the blue/green meanies.
It will also kill your filter and therefore, your fish.

>Besides those purists who absolutely refuse to use any drugs in their
>aquariums, some people have raised concerns about the use of Maracyn:

>1) It may destroy other usefull bacteria, particulary those in your
>   biological filter responsible for decomposing amonia.

Bacteria do not carry cards identifying them as usefull.  Antibiotics
do not care, either, they try to kill them all.  If you think otherwise,
you are simply incorrect.  This is not subject to debate, Maracyn and
other antibiotics will kill your filter.

Mardel, et al, are lying to their customers when they claim their
products will not harm the "good" bacteria.  If I had endless sums
of money I would sue them for false advertising.  I wish someone
would.

This is easily proved.  I have too many first hand experiences that
conclusively show that even the low recommended doses can easily cause
total death of an aquarium if left unchecked.

>2) Antibiotics should not be used casually for fear producing resistant
>   strains of whatever you are trying to eradicate.  Always use the full
>   prescription of any antibiotic.

This is also not subject to debate, it happens.  Ask any pharmacist or
doctor (or third year medical student :)).  It is a SERIOUS problem
with treatment of many diseases in people.  For instance, new resistant
strains of TB are developing that we should all worry about.  It was a
very easy illness to treat with simple effective drugs until people
did not follow their doctor's advice and take all of their medication.
Now there are strains of TB that do not respond to anything.

>Just reporting my success,  happy holidays,

It works, but be careful.  ho^3
-- 
   Be a light unto yourself    || Jan Isley ...!gatech!bagend!jan
Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha || jan@bagend.uucp (404)434-1335
From: raible@cbmvax.commodore.com (Bob Raible - LSI Design)
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria
Subject: Re: WonderLite Grow-light
Date: 12 Dec 92 01:07:17 GMT
Organization: Commodore

In article <2800253@hplvec.LVLD.HP.COM> booth@hplvec.LVLD.HP.COM (George Booth) writes:
>From: gb@dixie.cs.unc.edu (Gary Bishop)
>Date: Thu, 28 May 1992 19:59:36 GMT
>
>requirements of my wife.
>
>The WonderLite is a reflector flood that produces a nicely directed
>round beam about 100 degrees across (about 5 feet in diameter at 2
>feet from the face of the lamp).  This is perfect for my hex and I
>suspect it would work fine for other shapes as well.  For example, you
>might place the lamp above one end and tilt it towards the other to
>illuminate the usual rectangular aquarium.
>
>I built my own fixture because I couldn't find anything that was just
>what I wanted.  I used a "decorative tin", the kind with "olde tyme"
>pictures on them.  The tin is a cylinder that is 5.5 inches in
>diameter and 7 inches tall.  I mounted a ceramic socket inside on the
>bottom and drilled holes through the bottom all around the socket.
>The tin is supported by a base made from two 5.5 by 4 by 3/4 inch wood
>pieces and two 4 by 7 by 1/32 inch scrap aluminum panels that I
>happened to have in my junkbox.  Early measurements showed that the
>glass under the lamp got very hot (185 degrees only 1/2 inch above the
>80 degree water) so I added a 3 inch DC fan, also from the junkbox.
>The fan is very quiet and keeps the glass temperature down to 110
>degrees.  My water temperature goes up less than 2 degrees when the
>light has been on for 12 hours.  A coat of flat black spray paint gave
>me a 7 by 5.5 by 10 inch fixture that got the seal of approval from my
>wife.
>


 into any photo supply shop and you will find reflective hoods for photo
flood lamps. These bowl shaped reflectors come in several diameters and
are threaded for standard incandescent lamp sockets. What more could you
want ?????
-- 
_____________________________________________________________________________
Robert J. Raible		EMAIL:raible@cbmvax.commodore.com
VLSI Program Manager		 or: {uunet|rutgers|pyramid}!cbmvax!raible
Commodore Business Machines     "my comments, not Commodore's, ok ?"
Xref: sparky rec.aquaria:9623 sci.aquaria:1796
From: raible@cbmvax.commodore.com (Bob Raible - LSI Design)
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria,sci.aquaria
Subject: Re: ballasts (was Re: newsgroups)
Date: 19 Dec 92 03:06:33 GMT
Reply-To: raible@cbmvax.commodore.com (Bob Raible - LSI Design)
Organization: Commodore, West Chester, PA

In article <1gojocINN7vf@gvgspd.gvg.tek.com> pjs@gvgdsd.GVG.TEK.COM (Peter J. Stonard) writes:
>Let try for a definition of 'electronic' ballast first. I've found
>the 'lights of America' shoplight to be a passive LC resonant circuit, 
>with conventional trigger starter. When I read 'electronic'on the box
>I thought it would be solid state using a triac or mosfet device to 
>switch the lamp on and off rapidly. 
>
>Anyone openned the package for an 'Icecap' or other true electronic 
>ballast??
>
I opened up a Coral brand electronic ballast (fom TFP, blue label on
a white plastic box). This is a 40Wx2 model and had two identical circuits
inside, consisting of a huge cap, a 3 terminal device (triac I suppose), and
a few misc odds and ends. In series with thw hot lead was a two terminal device
the likes of which I've never seen, probably a MOVistor or other type of 
transient suppressor to protect the triacs. I assume your shop light had an
exposed ballast with no can to protect it. I've seen shop light like this and
shied away from them. For under 10 bucks I've seen shop lights with the
standard passive ballast in a metal can. I find these to be preferable. The
nice thing about the Coral ballast is that each bulb has a separate circuit
which greatly aids debugging fixture problems.

-- 
_____________________________________________________________________________
Robert J. Raible		EMAIL:raible@cbmvax.commodore.com
VLSI Program Manager		 or: {uunet|rutgers|pyramid}!cbmvax!raible
Commodore Business Machines     "my comments, not Commodore's, ok ?"
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria,alt.aquaria
From: sdebol@tsp.med.umn.edu (Steven Debol (Nelson))
Subject: Re: [F] How to get rid of snails?
Keywords: snails fresh help
Organization: University of Minnesota
Distribution: usa
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 1992 05:59:22 GMT

>
>I would not "treat" a tank with chlorox, which implies you're going
>to leave the fish et al resident; I would use it to destructively
>eliminate the snails (and everything else) before starting the tank up
>again.	 Some folks have sufficient snail-phobia to go to this extreme.
>So why do you proclaim it "ludicrous" before investigating?  I'm amazed
>that you've been doing fish for 25 years but have not heard of this
>procedure before.  It's quite common among the fish keepers I know.
>
>>Why, why its unnatural. I suggest if you don't want to stress the fish
>>stay away from chlorox.
>

Just to be obnoxious here folks...  Bleach (or hypochlorous acid)
is hardly "unnatural"--whatever that means.  A number of different
organisms (including humans...) have cells which generate HOCl
as an antimicrobial agent--is that "natural" enough for you?

------------------------------------------------------------------
Steve Debol                       "The fear is all in your head,
Dept. of Microbiology              soldier, but don't get the idea
University of Minnesota            it's psychological." 
sdebol@lenti.med.umn.edu                        --Frank Burns
------------------------------------------------------------------

Xref: sparky rec.aquaria:9442 alt.aquaria:6164
From: jdhl@troi.cc.rochester.edu (papa_sm00sh)
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria,alt.aquaria
Subject: Re: [F] How to get rid of snails?
Keywords: snails fresh help
Date: 14 Dec 92 17:45:36 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of Rochester - Rochester, New York



I have heard loaches work well...

jason
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria
From: pprior@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Paul A Prior)
Subject: Re: powerDDDDDower heads
Organization: The Ohio State University
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 00:34:53 GMT

In article <1gkbgmINN7h4@cuda.add.itg.ti.com> middendorf@tsd.itg.ti.com writes:
>I recently aquired 2 powerheads (no instructions), for my 55 gallon
>aquarium.  I have had the aquarium and fish in it for 2 years. The
>fish include 1 texas chiclid, 1 pica cat, 6 cory cats and 2 plecos.
>(I have only had the plecos for a few months). I don't know if any
>of that matters. My setup has been an UGF (2 plates) and a wisper
>air pump. I got rid of the wisper and installed the two powerheads;
>one for each plate. My questions are, 1- which way should the current
>be flowing, up, down sideways or does it matter? 2- does it matter
>if you have air bubbles coming out of the powerheads, or is this
>just a matter of preference. 3- where does the air (or flow?) control
>valve go, in the water or outside the tank? 4- while I'm at it.....
>does anyone have a suggestion on what other living creatures I can
>put in my tank (including fish)? how many more corys can I safely
>put in the tank? No more pica cats, the one I have is pretty weird,
>and he is always hiding.


1) Personal preference.  Idealy you will have some current flowing
   upwards to create surface movement, which enhances gas exchange.
   Other than that, just try to keep plants and fish from being
   blown all about <G>

2) The air bubbles will help stir up the surface, but otherwise there
   is no need for them.
 
3)  I'm not sure what you mean by air flow control.  If it is some
   sort of control valve for the venturi on the powerhead (where it
   sucks air in) then it would go outside the tank and above water
   level.

4) You can safely double your cory population if you would like
   but just make sure they are being fed enough.

-- 
--------pprior@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu----(614) 621-8240----------------
Paul A. Prior    Ban anchors, not reef tanks    Nuke Gay Whales for Jesus  
3rd year medical student		        
The Ohio State U. College of Medicine   Tobacco Kills- Please don't smoke!
Organization: University of Maine System
Date: Wednesday, 16 Dec 1992 00:33:03 EST
From: <APARKER@MAINE.MAINE.EDU>
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria
Subject: Re: cichlid problem

In article <11@jptcs.COM>, Steve.Kilbey%bbs@jptcs.com (Steve Kilbey) says:
>all the info. He has a cichlid tank (not african). 55 gallon tank. He has an
>ammonia prblem. 5 ppm. Fixed it, but now on of his fish has it's mouth open
>constantly, and it always looks like he is trying to eat "ghost" food. A
>couple of the other fish swim right into the glass. pH is about 7.5, and
>ammonia is gone. I think the fish is a cobalt blue. Any help will be
>appreciated.

** _Five_ parts per million NH3-, not 0.5? For how long before it was
 fixed?  Sounds like possible permanent fish damage to me.
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria
From: mdkj@vax5.cit.cornell.edu
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria
Subject: Re: Hair algae removal?  It just keeps coming back...
Date: 16 Dec 92 14:53:50 EST
Distribution: rec
Organization: Cornell University

In article <connolly.724369424@vincent1.iastate.edu>,
connolly@iastate.edu (Patrick H Connolly) writes: 
> I've beenn reading the recentt postings about problems with hair
> algae forming.  I've got a 20 gal withh growth on plants (Amazon 
> sword) and fixtures in the tank.  I've got 3 Tilapia and
> some gouramis.  What can >I safely be used to get get rid of it?
> 
> Insert discussion here...
Hello, I'm the lucky one who started the discussion on the hair algae, so I
have lots of experience with it :-) Anyway, since I thoroughly distrust
chemical solutions (especially for hair algae, which are a "higher" form of
algae than the green, blue and red ones and hence closer to "true" plants), the
only way I have figured out is manual removal.  Fortunately, that's fairly easy
with hair algae, you just twirl your finger through them.
If you feel brave, you can try the "bleach" method, which consists of dipping
your plants for 2-3 minutes in a solution containing 19 parts water for 1 part
bleach.  Make sure you test this on 1 or 2 plants first!! In my case, I have
mainly hornwort and this method killed it just as surely as it killed the
algae...
 
John Opsomer
From: pete@introl.com (Pete Ikusz)
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria
Subject: [f] Stingray questions
Date: 15 Dec 92 20:45:52 GMT
Organization: Introl Corp.
NNTP-Posting-Host: introl.introl.com

I have always been extremely facinated by stingrays. I was in the local
fish shop this weekend, and saw one of the freshwater variety.
(Now I have to have one... maybe) I need some information about them,
hopefully someone here can help me out:

Note: I am configuring a 65 gallon tank with 2 external canister filters.

-How large do these creatures get?
-They probably like a sandy bottom, how does one effectively clean
this type of bottom? How often? And how difficult is it to maintain in general?
-Are there some of the variety which can tolerate slightly saltier water,
more brackish? Or do they not mind 1-2 tablespoons / 5 gallons?
-What do they eat, and how does one feed them with other "famished" fish
in the tank?

Thanks for any information, regards,
-Pete
-- 
-------------------------------------------------------
Pete Ikusz	Introl Corporation	pete@introl.com
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria
From: pprior@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Paul A Prior)
Subject: Re: [M] Gravel Cleaning
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 00:28:58 GMT

In article <1992Dec14.222148.3641@picker.com> jmg@stdavids.picker.com writes:
>
>  I am going to be removing my UGF soon and replacing it with a trickel filter and
>a protien skimmer for my 55gal marine tank.  I just finished building a hood which
>holds 2 vita-lights and a Super Atinic 03, so I plan on adding live rock.  Once this
>is set up, it is going to be difficult to vacuum the gravel on the bottom since it
>will be covered by rocks.  For those out there who have lots of rocks, do you clean
>your gravel, or just let everything settle??  Also, if you clean your gravel, do
>you move the rocks around in the tank to gain access??
>
PLEASE be a little more liberal with the return key, eh?

As for the tank, if you are yanking your UGF, why not yank the substrate
as well?  If you don't like having a bare bottom ;) then consider a fine
sand that won't trap detritus.  Also you could consider setting your
rock up on supports or eggcrate (that plastic stuff in fluorescent 
lighting fixtures that looks like a checkerboard) with powerheads
creating current below.

Cheers,
paul


-- 
--------pprior@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu----(614) 621-8240----------------
Paul A. Prior    Ban anchors, not reef tanks    Nuke Gay Whales for Jesus  
3rd year medical student		        
The Ohio State U. College of Medicine   Tobacco Kills- Please don't smoke!
From: booth@hplvec.LVLD.HP.COM (George Booth)
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1992 19:37:53 GMT
Subject: Re: Are W/D trickle filters worth it?
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Co., Loveland, CO
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria

In rec.aquaria, 01mbmccabe@leo.bsuvc.bsu.edu writes:

 Where does one get mechanical filtration when using a trickle W/D filter?  Does
 one have to spent the exhorbitant amount of money for this thing, and STILL
 have to spen more money for a Whisper power filter too?!?  And whay, exactly,
 does everyone have to spend the bucks/go through the hassle to get a W/D filter
 anyway?  Surely theres a better way...no?

    			-Matt

The prefilter acts as the mechanical filter, trapping detritus.  If you 
use a drip tray, there is usually a second filter pad over that for added
protection. 

Since the prefilter clogs quickly, it must be changed once a week.  This
forces you to remove the detritus before it has a chance to decompose
and add extra nitrates to the water.  Most canister filters allow you
to go much longer bewteen cleanings and will begin to act as a source
of nitrates unless you are very diligent (unlike 99% of us :-). 

Wet/dry filters (more properly, trickle filters) act as excellent 
biological filters and keep the oxygen levels very near saturation.  They
are inherently "cleaner" than UGF or canister filters.  Whether or not 
there is a "better" way depends on your personal situation.  Personally,
I think they are the best way to go for freshwater systems.  I find they
are much less "hassle" in terms of maintenance than anything else.  We
have Eheim canisters on three of our tanks and they are a pain in the
butt to clean.  So we don't clean then as often as we should.  

------
George
Organization: University of Maine System
Date: Wednesday, 16 Dec 1992 00:47:25 EST
From: <APARKER@MAINE.MAINE.EDU>
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria
Subject: Re: Goldfish

In article <29556@castle.ed.ac.uk>, ercn72@festival.ed.ac.uk (R.J.Hare) says:
>
>I'm a newcomer to this fish business, so I'd like to ask a couple of questions
>about *cold* water tanks. I'll shortly be moving to a new office, where,
>unlike the present one, I may be able to set up a small tank (24x12x15 tops!).
>I don't want the 'hassle' of setting up thermostats and aerators, etc. in the
>office so I wondered about a cold water tank for goldfish.
>
>How many fish could I keep in such a tank?
>What sorts of (non-fancy) goldfish are there?
>Are there any species other than goldfish to keep in such a tank?
>
** While a goldfish tank will not require a heater, it _will_ still
 require aeration.  Make sure before going this route that your office
 is below 73F or so in ambient temperature; warm goldfish are not
 particularly happy or durable creatures.  There are lots of non-fancy
 goldfish, and like so few things anymore, they are dirt cheap.  Ask
 for 'Comets' at the fishstore.  Goldfish get big and eat alot, so I'd
 find perhaps two nice ones for your planned <>20gal and stick with that.
 You can keep many North American fishes in a cool water tank; there were
 several articles on this subject in Tropical Fish Hobbyist in 1992.
 Enjoy your fish! aparker@maine.maine.edu
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria,sci.aquaria