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Temporary Storage Problem


sunnylass

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I've now been approached by two places to be a regular supplier of bettas, which is fine, but at the moment I'm still barely getting by with a very makeshift set up, which involves chinese containers, glass jars etc, and keeping the spawn together for as long as I possibly can in the tanks and I'm wondering if anyone has any good suggestions on what I can do that doesnt involve initial huge outlay to perhaps set up something better. I have a four foot tank that I'm going to have dividers custom made for it, and drill holes etc into it myself, but that is not going to happen in the next couple of weeks.

Hopefully someone will have some ideas.

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Hi Sara, thanks heaps for getting back. I have an entire garden shed complete with shelving, power etc, and I can also use the bar area if I need to which is also supplied with lighting and power. I need to work out a good way to keep the individual containers heated better than the arrangement I'm using at the moment. I think I have enough grow out tubs, mind you, this first round of VT's I've ever done, they are brutal little buggars. Don't get me wrong, I love them, but they are nothing like CT's. They've ripped bejesus out of each other's tails. Anyway, back on track, I have plenty of room.

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I jar my fish in 2L coke bottles with the necks cut off halfway up. I stand these bottles in 35L plastic shallow under-bed-type storage containers partly filled with water, with a heater. This keeps all the fish warm, but in Brisbane you may not have that problem. The storage containers I use only cost about $12.

If you have the resources you could set up a drip system barracks.

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congrats on the shed, I have a garage lol (yay for big fish rooms)

anyway, In summer I don't think you'll need to stress too much about heating; a lot of my fish have spent the past few weeks without it whiole I fix a leaking 8ft barracks. In winter I'd do as Stephen suggests, if you don't want them seeing eachother then you can wrap file seperators (the really thin sheets of coloured plastic) around the bottles/jars/asst water tights.

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When I was breeding I used the same type of set-up i.e. a big straight-sided storage tub and milk or soft drink bottles. Go for fairly strong storage tubs if you can, as some of the cheaper types can bow out badly when filled.

The main difference was that mine shared water -- I perforated all the PET bottles (using a pointy-tipped hobby soldering iron) so water could circulate through them, rather than having each jar separately filled. I used a heater and twin sponge filter in the tub, and put a handful of small pebbles in the bottom of each jar for stability. I started off using a cover for the tub that I cobbled out of a large shallow wire basket/drawer covered with heavy clear polythene, but it proved to be more trouble than it was worth, and not really necessary. You just have to watch evaporation in hot dry weather.

My contribution to necessity being the nanna of invention was making a flat wooden trolley on castors to sit the tub on, so I could stash it out of the way under a table in my work room B)

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Put the individual containers inside a tank. Each container is filled with water (or as full as is neccessary), so is the tank. Place a powerhead at one end of the tank and a heater at the other. Preferably have the p.head directed straight up between the rows of containers, for better effect. The water movement around each container will keep them all warm. For WCs, just do the containers, the tank water would, I'd guess, not need changing at all.

Incidentally, I find cut down 3L juice bottles to be great containers, as they are somewhat larger, and more stable, than the Coke bottles...

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I jar my fish in 2L coke bottles with the necks cut off halfway up. I stand these bottles in 35L plastic shallow under-bed-type storage containers partly filled with water, with a heater. This keeps all the fish warm, but in Brisbane you may not have that problem. The storage containers I use only cost about $12.

If you have the resources you could set up a drip system barracks.

I would love to set up a drip system barracks, I just need to know what I need to get etc. Thank you very much for your ideas etc, its all proving to be helpful.

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The main difference was that mine shared water -- I perforated all the PET bottles (using a pointy-tipped hobby soldering iron) so water could circulate through them, rather than having each jar separately filled. I used a heater and twin sponge filter in the tub, and put a handful of small pebbles in the bottom of each jar for stability. I started off using a cover for the tub that I cobbled out of a large shallow wire basket/drawer covered with heavy clear polythene, but it proved to be more trouble than it was worth, and not really necessary. You just have to watch evaporation in hot dry weather.

My contribution to necessity being the nanna of invention was making a flat wooden trolley on castors to sit the tub on, so I could stash it out of the way under a table in my work room B)

Funny you should mention that, it was an idea I had but never tried it. I was just going to perforate the chinese containers and let the water circulate right through.

I see you're in Ipswich, I am too!

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Put the individual containers inside a tank. Each container is filled with water (or as full as is neccessary), so is the tank. Place a powerhead at one end of the tank and a heater at the other. Preferably have the p.head directed straight up between the rows of containers, for better effect. The water movement around each container will keep them all warm. For WCs, just do the containers, the tank water would, I'd guess, not need changing at all.

Incidentally, I find cut down 3L juice bottles to be great containers, as they are somewhat larger, and more stable, than the Coke bottles...

I have my 4ft tank sitting empty in the garage at the moment, so I might drag that out today and see if I can set something up. Just not sure I have a filter powerful enough to circulate right through that big a tank at the moment. Gosh I can see I'm going to be busy today LOL. Thank you very much for your helpful ideas.

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congrats on the shed, I have a garage lol (yay for big fish rooms)

anyway, In summer I don't think you'll need to stress too much about heating; a lot of my fish have spent the past few weeks without it whiole I fix a leaking 8ft barracks. In winter I'd do as Stephen suggests, if you don't want them seeing eachother then you can wrap file seperators (the really thin sheets of coloured plastic) around the bottles/jars/asst water tights.

Oh yeah you should see the shed sara, its perfect! I've even been given permission to drill holes etc if I want to. I could set up all sorts of weird and wonderful stuff lol. You're right about summer, last summer I didnt need to worry about heating at all in the individual containers. I do have 7 boys in individual containers at the moment, during the day they are fine, at night I leave a light on them which seems to be ok so far.

I am thinking about buying an undergravel filter system from ebay that I think might work for my 4ft tank, along with the divider system I'm looking at having made out of perspex.

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I am thinking about buying an undergravel filter system from ebay that I think might work for my 4ft tank, along with the divider system I'm looking at having made out of perspex.

Great Ipswich minds think alike B) My first barracks was a 2ft tank with perforated perspex dividers I made:

condo_1.jpg

The double compartment at the back housed the heater and a small power filter. I also placed teensy supplementary air filters (home-made from a pair of S&P shakers) in two corner compartments. From time to time I used the rear compartment as additional tank space, as well.

It worked pretty well, although you need to be aware (I wasn't) that the perspex will expand slightly and will also warp.

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:)

Will have to let you know next time I'm heading down to visit the family...

a little of topic - are you a member of the Ipswich camera club? if you are, where you at the shoot that Atlas (Shaughn) did with the studio lighting... I *think* I meet you that night - didn't I? :) - if not I'll go back to hideing under my rock :)

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:)

Will have to let you know next time I'm heading down to visit the family...

a little of topic - are you a member of the Ipswich camera club? if you are, where you at the shoot that Atlas (Shaughn) did with the studio lighting... I *think* I meet you that night - didn't I? :) - if not I'll go back to hideing under my rock :)

I'm not a member of the Ipswich Camera club yet, but I'm a member of the Brisbane Camera Club. You havent met me yet. ~holds the rock up for her to crawl back under~ LOL

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afkdfdjfljsdfj <~!~~~ me talking under my rock haha

translets into.... We will have to set a date in that case!!! :D

I'm not either :) - One day I'll have to join a club!

So girls - when's good for you both? :) The next two weeks I'm going to be bored out of my brain as the boy is studying for uni exams.... *CRY* (hopefully his last - YAY :) ) ... any good for you?

:D

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Well Peta and Sara, you are both more than welcome to come to my place for a visit :)

Let's try and lock in a day and time etc, I work mon-thu and every saturday, plus I run my own businesses from home, but I can work something out. I'm free usually fridays and sundays if that's of any help.

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