heart-warming story...

[NetMax]

"RedForeman ©®" > wrote in message
...
> || So, anyone in Birmingham, UK - Aqua Design in Stirchley is run by
> || really entirely wonderful, helpful, kind people. I've never bought
> || fish from them (although I will be soon; nowhere else round here has
> || weather loach) but they all look in good nick and it's also a very
> || nice shop to be in.
> ||
> || --
> || sophie
>
> it's nice to know.... I've had to run to my LFS for bloodworms, come to
find
> out they were out of it, and since I was there looking for it, they
took it
> out of their own fridge and gave me enough for a week or so...
>
> I'm sure NetMax, if he was still in the fishy biz, he'd done the
same... I'm
> sure he probably did on a few occasions....
>
> --
> | RedForeman ©®


Thanks RedForeman. I'm glad you got everything sorted out sophie!

Our shop had the reputation of being run by hobbyists for hobbyists, so
we did stuff like that too. One fellow was trying to figure out how to
move his fish from a 90g to a 180g, when the 180g was going into the same
spot as the 90g was (we lent him a 100g plastic pond). We gave away
styrofoam shipping containers (for moves or tank teardowns), and lead
weight for plants (I'd buy bulk 5lb rolls). One time we emptied a tank
to sell it (and it was returned a week later). I dissasembled and
repaired too many filters and airpumps to remember (no charge), and
whenever someone wanted something unique (fish, special foods aquariums
etc), I'd be on the phone (and my manager would just be shaking her head,
but she too knew about customer service). If someone came in after
losing all their fish from a tank disaster (power failure, tank broke
etc), I'd help re-stock them by discounting and using fish & plants which
other customers had brought me for free (only seems fair ;~). The smiles
and appreciation were plenty payment.

My personal best was helping someone build a home-made filter system by
cannibilzing parts from new filters (I would re-order the bits I'd sold
to be able to sell the complete filters later). As the customer was
leaving, he admitted that his son operated an LFS (a competitor to me),
but he got better service from me. I knew his son so I got some mileage
teasing him about that one ;~).
--
www.NetMax.tk

[sophie]

After all my worries about the tank at school, discovering a leak in the
home tank on a Sunday night - a Sunday before a bank holiday Monday -
was absolutely not what I needed. This is a 48 x 18 x 18 tank and I had
to strip it down to find a one inch crack all the way across a corner of
the top layer of a laminated glass bottom. disaster. disaster. DISASTER.
I bought this tank second hand not long ago (and checked it
scrupulously, too) and I know from checking before that there is no way
on earth that I could afford another one this size (it's the width; it
doubles the price). fortunately I hadn't stocked it to its limits.

So Bank Holiday Monday found me ringing all the big aquatics shops to
see what they had in stock and whether they could deliver because it
won't fit in the car. Cheapest of the big ones was 75 pounds for a 48 x
15 x 15 plus a twenty pound delivery charge and I can't have the tank
till Wednesday; meanwhile my poor fish are in a tiny tank, slowly
suffocating... I know the lfs I usually use have a tank for forty odd
pounds but they're not open and they don't deliver. So I rang another
lfs (run by enthusiasts and not a chain) that I've been to occasionally
and explained my problem. A nice man on the phone said they have a
48x15x15 but it's part of a unit with a cabinet and hood but he'll sell
it to me separately if I'm happy with the odd plastic trim and would I
mind going to have a look? When I got there the tank was only 48 x 12 x
15 which is far to big a drop in volume and I probably looked like I was
going to cry. The man behind the counter wasn't the man I'd spoken to
on the phone and asked what the problem was. I explained. "well," he
said, "if you're desperate I have a brand new 48x15x16 that I only set
up yesterday that has just had an arrowana in it for one day, other than
that it hasn't been used. It isn't fancy. But if you really need one you
can have it for twenty five quid, that's what I paid for it. Deliver?
No. not really. Are you local? Oh, that's fine. Give me a chance to
break it down and shift the fish and I'll drop it round to you this
evening after work for a fiver."

This is not a fancy branded tank; it's plain and rectangular and the
kind of thing you see in the lfs, but it is now full of my fish, looks
fantastic and I can't remember the last time I felt this grateful.

So, anyone in Birmingham, UK - Aqua Design in Stirchley is run by really
entirely wonderful, helpful, kind people. I've never bought fish from
them (although I will be soon; nowhere else round here has weather
loach) but they all look in good nick and it's also a very nice shop to
be in.

--
sophie

[Toni]

"sophie" > wrote in message >
> So, anyone in Birmingham, UK - Aqua Design in Stirchley is run by really
> entirely wonderful, helpful, kind people. I've never bought fish from
> them (although I will be soon; nowhere else round here has weather
> loach) but they all look in good nick and it's also a very nice shop to
> be in.


After reading the first few bits I was almost afraid to cintinue.

So nice that you have a happy ending!



--
Toni
http://www.cearbhaill.com/discus.htm

[RedForeman ©®]

|| So, anyone in Birmingham, UK - Aqua Design in Stirchley is run by
|| really entirely wonderful, helpful, kind people. I've never bought
|| fish from them (although I will be soon; nowhere else round here has
|| weather loach) but they all look in good nick and it's also a very
|| nice shop to be in.
||
|| --
|| sophie

it's nice to know.... I've had to run to my LFS for bloodworms, come to find
out they were out of it, and since I was there looking for it, they took it
out of their own fridge and gave me enough for a week or so...

I'm sure NetMax, if he was still in the fishy biz, he'd done the same... I'm
sure he probably did on a few occasions....

--
| RedForeman ©® fabricator and creator of the ratbike streetfighter!!!
| ==========================
| 2003 TRX450ES
| 1992 TRX-350 XX (For Sale)
| '98 Tacoma Ext Cab 4X4 Lifted....
| ==========================
| ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸¸,ø¤° `°¤ø,¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø
| ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·.¸. ><((((º> ·´¯`·. , .·´¯`·.. ><((((º>
| for any questions you may have....
| www.gmail.com

[sophie]

In message >, Toni
> writes
>
>"sophie" > wrote in message >
>> So, anyone in Birmingham, UK - Aqua Design in Stirchley is run by really
>> entirely wonderful, helpful, kind people. I've never bought fish from
>> them (although I will be soon; nowhere else round here has weather
>> loach) but they all look in good nick and it's also a very nice shop to
>> be in.
>
>
>After reading the first few bits I was almost afraid to cintinue.

didn't the article title give it away? ;-)
>
>So nice that you have a happy ending!

apart from the losing 20 gallons of tank space; but I'm almost cheerful
to sacrifice that to have my faith in humanity buffed and polished so
well!

--
sophie

[Dr Engelbert Buxbaum]

sophie wrote:

> This is a 48 x 18 x 18 tank and I had
> to strip it down to find a one inch crack all the way across a corner of
> the top layer of a laminated glass bottom.

Would it be possible to replace the bottom plate? Most tank nowadays are
glas plates glued together wiht silicone rubber, so technically
replacement should not be too difficult. Just make sure that you use
aquarium-quality silicone, not the stuff used for bathrooms (which
contain fungicides).

By the way, does anybody know whether for a bottom plate glass is really
required? After all, nobody looks through it. I could imagine that a
MDF-plate, sealed with epoxyd-varnish, would be safer for that
application. Could that also be glued with silicone?

[Jeff Pratt]

Dr Engelbert Buxbaum wrote:

> sophie wrote:
>
>> This is a 48 x 18 x 18 tank and I had
>> to strip it down to find a one inch crack all the way across a corner of
>> the top layer of a laminated glass bottom.
>
> Would it be possible to replace the bottom plate? Most tank nowadays are
> glas plates glued together wiht silicone rubber, so technically
> replacement should not be too difficult. Just make sure that you use
> aquarium-quality silicone, not the stuff used for bathrooms (which
> contain fungicides).
>
> By the way, does anybody know whether for a bottom plate glass is really
> required? After all, nobody looks through it. I could imagine that a
> MDF-plate, sealed with epoxyd-varnish, would be safer for that
> application. Could that also be glued with silicone?

I wouldn't want to use MDF for that, but there are a lot of people out there
with plywood tanks.

http://www.garf.org/140.gallon.html
http://www.piranha-fury.com/forum/pfury/index.php?s=&act=ST&f=10&t=50311

Jeff

[NetMax]

"Jeff Pratt" > wrote in message
news:eOGZc.53246$A8.34395@edtnps89...
> Dr Engelbert Buxbaum wrote:
>
> > sophie wrote:
> >
> >> This is a 48 x 18 x 18 tank and I had
> >> to strip it down to find a one inch crack all the way across a
corner of
> >> the top layer of a laminated glass bottom.
> >
> > Would it be possible to replace the bottom plate? Most tank nowadays
are
> > glas plates glued together wiht silicone rubber, so technically
> > replacement should not be too difficult. Just make sure that you use
> > aquarium-quality silicone, not the stuff used for bathrooms (which
> > contain fungicides).
> >
> > By the way, does anybody know whether for a bottom plate glass is
really
> > required? After all, nobody looks through it. I could imagine that a
> > MDF-plate, sealed with epoxyd-varnish, would be safer for that
> > application. Could that also be glued with silicone?
>
> I wouldn't want to use MDF for that, but there are a lot of people out
there
> with plywood tanks.
>
> http://www.garf.org/140.gallon.html
>
http://www.piranha-fury.com/forum/pfury/index.php?s=&act=ST&f=10&t=50311
>
> Jeff

I'm no expert, but I think an MDF bottom would be problematic. They use
glass because all the surfaces then have the same thermal co-efficient of
expansion, so that at any temperature, the stress on the silicone does
not increase due to mechanical shear stress. Plywood tanks are all wood
which also expands at the same rate, except the glass front which expands
a bit faster (higher co-efficient), however the glass is not on a joint
and is flat against a surface with water pressure sandwiching the
silicone bond. I've also read where plywood tanks can use a rubber
gasket instead of silicone (to seal the glass), so the different
co-efficient cannot stress the seal.
--
www.NetMax.tk

[Jeff Pratt]

NetMax wrote:

> "Jeff Pratt" > wrote in message
> news:eOGZc.53246$A8.34395@edtnps89...
>> Dr Engelbert Buxbaum wrote:
>>
>> > sophie wrote:
>> >
>> >> This is a 48 x 18 x 18 tank and I had
>> >> to strip it down to find a one inch crack all the way across a
> corner of
>> >> the top layer of a laminated glass bottom.
>> >
>> > Would it be possible to replace the bottom plate? Most tank nowadays
> are
>> > glas plates glued together wiht silicone rubber, so technically
>> > replacement should not be too difficult. Just make sure that you use
>> > aquarium-quality silicone, not the stuff used for bathrooms (which
>> > contain fungicides).
>> >
>> > By the way, does anybody know whether for a bottom plate glass is
> really
>> > required? After all, nobody looks through it. I could imagine that a
>> > MDF-plate, sealed with epoxyd-varnish, would be safer for that
>> > application. Could that also be glued with silicone?
>>
>> I wouldn't want to use MDF for that, but there are a lot of people out
> there
>> with plywood tanks.
>>
>> http://www.garf.org/140.gallon.html
>>
> http://www.piranha-fury.com/forum/pfury/index.php?s=&act=ST&f=10&t=50311
>>
>> Jeff
>
> I'm no expert,

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I'm gonna have to call you on that one. I've heard said that an expert will
never tell you he is, but everyone else will.

Jeff

> but I think an MDF bottom would be problematic. They use
> glass because all the surfaces then have the same thermal co-efficient of
> expansion, so that at any temperature, the stress on the silicone does
> not increase due to mechanical shear stress. Plywood tanks are all wood
> which also expands at the same rate, except the glass front which expands
> a bit faster (higher co-efficient), however the glass is not on a joint
> and is flat against a surface with water pressure sandwiching the
> silicone bond. I've also read where plywood tanks can use a rubber
> gasket instead of silicone (to seal the glass), so the different
> co-efficient cannot stress the seal.

[NetMax]

"Jeff Pratt" > wrote in message
news:9u0_c.84076$A8.44972@edtnps89...
> NetMax wrote:
>
> > "Jeff Pratt" > wrote in message
> > news:eOGZc.53246$A8.34395@edtnps89...
> >> Dr Engelbert Buxbaum wrote:
> >>
> >> > sophie wrote:
> >> >
> >> >> This is a 48 x 18 x 18 tank and I had
> >> >> to strip it down to find a one inch crack all the way across a
> > corner of
> >> >> the top layer of a laminated glass bottom.
> >> >
> >> > Would it be possible to replace the bottom plate? Most tank
nowadays
> > are
> >> > glas plates glued together wiht silicone rubber, so technically
> >> > replacement should not be too difficult. Just make sure that you
use
> >> > aquarium-quality silicone, not the stuff used for bathrooms (which
> >> > contain fungicides).
> >> >
> >> > By the way, does anybody know whether for a bottom plate glass is
> > really
> >> > required? After all, nobody looks through it. I could imagine that
a
> >> > MDF-plate, sealed with epoxyd-varnish, would be safer for that
> >> > application. Could that also be glued with silicone?
> >>
> >> I wouldn't want to use MDF for that, but there are a lot of people
out
> > there
> >> with plywood tanks.
> >>
> >> http://www.garf.org/140.gallon.html
> >>
> >
http://www.piranha-fury.com/forum/pfury/index.php?s=&act=ST&f=10&t=50311
> >>
> >> Jeff
> >
> > I'm no expert,
>
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>
> I'm gonna have to call you on that one. I've heard said that an expert
will
> never tell you he is, but everyone else will.
>
> Jeff

LOL, you don't get me that easily. I think you have to be an 'expert' to
proclaim someone else to be an expert. The few true 'experts' I've met
have told me that I only know enough to be dangerous ;~). That, along
with my wide variety of interests just means I have a harder time staying
out of trouble ;~)
--
www.NetMax.tk

>
> > but I think an MDF bottom would be problematic. They use
> > glass because all the surfaces then have the same thermal
co-efficient of
> > expansion, so that at any temperature, the stress on the silicone
does
> > not increase due to mechanical shear stress. Plywood tanks are all
wood
> > which also expands at the same rate, except the glass front which
expands
> > a bit faster (higher co-efficient), however the glass is not on a
joint
> > and is flat against a surface with water pressure sandwiching the
> > silicone bond. I've also read where plywood tanks can use a rubber
> > gasket instead of silicone (to seal the glass), so the different
> > co-efficient cannot stress the seal.
>

[Peggy Butterworth]

NetMax, if you're not an expert, who the heck is???? Your humility is
appreciated, but your expertise is legend in these aquaria groups.

Peggy

NetMax wrote:
>>>
>>>I'm no expert,
>>
Jeff wrote:
>>
>>I'm gonna have to call you on that one. I've heard said that an expert
> will never tell you he is, but everyone else will.
>>
>>Jeff
>
> LOL, you don't get me that easily. I think you have to be an 'expert' to
> proclaim someone else to be an expert. The few true 'experts' I've met
> have told me that I only know enough to be dangerous ;~). That, along
> with my wide variety of interests just means I have a harder time staying
> out of trouble ;~)

[NetMax]

Thanks *blush*, but then this newsgroup must be full of legends because
this is where I get most of my education :o).

I can tell you one thing with certainty. The expertise level between
newsgroup posters and the general public who come into fish stores is
about the opposite. If we define an 'established hobbyist' as someone
who has a successful working familiarity with cycling a tank and fish
husbandry, then I'd rate newsgroup posters at above 90% (if not higher)
and the general public at less than 10%, *so* if you're here asking
questions and reading posts, FAQs etc, then you would most probably be
considered an 'expert' by 90% of the general public you see at the LFS.
*so there* :p
--
www.NetMax.tk

"Peggy Butterworth" > wrote in message
...
> NetMax, if you're not an expert, who the heck is???? Your humility is
> appreciated, but your expertise is legend in these aquaria groups.
>
> Peggy
>
> NetMax wrote:
> >>>
> >>>I'm no expert,
> >>
> Jeff wrote:
> >>
> >>I'm gonna have to call you on that one. I've heard said that an
expert
> > will never tell you he is, but everyone else will.
> >>
> >>Jeff
> >
> > LOL, you don't get me that easily. I think you have to be an
'expert' to
> > proclaim someone else to be an expert. The few true 'experts' I've
met
> > have told me that I only know enough to be dangerous ;~). That,
along
> > with my wide variety of interests just means I have a harder time
staying
> > out of trouble ;~)
>