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| ARTICLE INFORMATION: Author: Bill "Pegasus NZ" Title: Fry Savers Summary: Bill had nowhere to put fry that were being eaten, so he connected a 20 litre pail to their tank, and circulated the tank's water through it. Contact for editing purposes: email: pegasus-nz.paradise.net.nz Date first published: Publication: Bill's web site: Fishy Types Aquarium Help http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/grumpygr Dec. 2003: In connection with his web site, Bill has created a Forum to help with aquarium problems: http://aquaprobs.suddenlaunch.com Reprinted from Aquarticles: Jan/Feb. 2004: The Fishmonger, Vancouver Aquatic Hobbyist Club July 2004: translated into Hungarian language, on Endre Paller's web site Edesvizi Akvarisztika, at: http://edak.cellkabel.hu (Go to 'Cikkek'). |
ARTICLE USE: Internet publication (club or non-profit web site): 1. Credit author, original publication, and Aquarticles. 2. Link to http://www.aquarticles.com and original website if applicable. 3. Advise Aquarticles Printed publication: Mail one printed copy to: Aquarticles.com #205 - 5525 West Boulevard Vancouver, British Columbia V6M 3W6 Canada (Bill does not require a printed copy) |
Fry Savers by Bill "Pegasus NZ" of New Zealand I had accumulated around fifteen 20 litre pails with lids and have used them for various things, but I was sat watching the fry in one tank getting slowly devoured one by one, and having no spare tank or heater I thought of using one of the pails. I bored a couple of holes of around 12mm just slightly higher than the depth of the tank in question (2x1x1). In one hole I pushed an "L" shaped uplift, and in the other a 100mm by 12mm overflow pipe. The pail sits at the side of the tank... but could sit some way away if you extended the pipes. Not very pretty, but it will only be there for perhaps a week until the fry get their sea legs, or more fry come along.
I filled the pail up to the overflow with pre-aged water that was heated to the same temp as the tank, then set the flow on the uplift working. I left it running for an hour to check it out, and to keep track on the temperature and allow the two lots of water to mix. The uplift draws water from the tank which goes into the pail, which overflows back to the tank. I placed a fine mesh over the uplift and on the inside end of the overflow pipe, then transferred the fry. The pail needs no light, as the lights from the tanks are adequate enough and illuminate the inside of the pail quite well. The lid just sits on the top to keep the draughts out. The temp remains constant in both the pail and the tank, without using an additional heater or filter system, and the fry are safe and happy. Because they are equalised the fry can be quickly dropped into the pail without stress, and no worry about water conditions or temperature. Since making it I have used another one, but have cut a 300x200 window in the front and bonded a 4mm curved acrylic screen to the inside of the pail with silicone. A few minutes under the grill made it flexible enough to bend to shape. I can now leave the lid on and keep track of the fry. |
