Path: utzoo!hoptoad!amdcad!pyramid!voder!mas1!sheila
From: sheila@mas1.UUCP (Sheila Beaver)
Newsgroups: alt.aquaria
Subject: Re: cheap stuff
Keywords: stuff that is cheap
Message-ID: <1222@mas1.UUCP>
Date: 5 May 88 09:38:58 GMT
References: <3787@gryphon.CTS.COM>
Reply-To: sheila@mas1.UUCP (Sheila Beaver)
Distribution: alt
Organization: Measurex Automation Systems, Cupertino, CA
Lines: 48

This is my first posting to this group - I read it all the time and really
appreciate all the great advise.  (Maybe I'll get brave and start a
marine tank - I need to find better ways of parting with more and more of
my paycheck :-)  Anyway, I couldn't resist getting involved in this 
conversation.  

The comment was made (I don't remember by whom) that they felt safer buying
new equipment than used since they didn't want the tank to explode at 2am.
Believe me, it does happen (well, I wouldn't really call it an explosion)
and it is not a fun experience.  I had (still have but I'll get to that in
a minute) an 80 gallon, fresh water tank filled with all sorts of wonderful
fish.  I went to work one day, blissfully unaware than anything bad would
happen (I had the tank set up for at least a year and a half).
Unfortunately, when I got home that evening, I discovered that at some 
point during the day the bottom seal of the tank had "come unglued" and
all the water went on the floor (I was in a 2nd floor apartment so most
of the water ended up in the apartment below me :-) and, needless to say,
the fish all died.

It took me at least two years to get up the courage to try again but what
I did was take the tank to a place that builds them and had it
reconditioned.  They took the thing totally apart, cleaned it up,
reinforced the bottom with a second layer of glass around the perimeter,
and resealed the whole thing.  The tank originally was purchased new by my
parents probably about ten years before I inherited it.  It was moved
several times and probably got bounced around too much.  What I'm getting
at here is that you have to be very careful buying used equipment - you
never know what it's been through.  I would recommend getting any used tank
reconditioned the way I did (it cost me $70 for the job but even a used 80
gal. tank is expensive...) and they gave me a lifetime guarantee on it.
Yes, used equipment is cheaper but I never want to go through my experience
again.  (I now have four tanks in addition to the 80, all doing fine - and 
all purchased new.)

As for heaters, I wouldn't think of setting up a tank without one - but I
live in Michigan.  (If you want to keep clown loaches, they are extremely
susceptible to ick and need a slightly higher temperature.)

One more thing - does anyone know if a cure has been found for "hole in 
the head" disease?  My parents used to raise both discus and angels (sold 
them wholesale) and finally gave it up because of this very disease.  
One of my big angels got it several years back and I had to destroy 
him.  It would be nice to know what to do if it ever strikes again.

-- 
Sheila M. Beaver  (sheila@mas1)        Measurex Automation Systems
{...}pyramid!voder!mas1!sheila         Cupertino, CA / Detroit, MI
{...}codas!mas1!sheila                 (408)973-1800  (313)271-0333