u/-Daunting

I'm planning for a future tank which won't be happening for a while yet. Not new to tanks, but after losing my pleco due to a heater failure, I'm taking a break before trying something new. I'm planning for a 125 litre tank - I think just over 30 US gallons? (Juwel Rio) with a spotted congo puffer - I'm in the UK and have found someone who captive-breeds.

Anyway, this is the biggest tank I'll have ever owned, so I'm looking into potential tankmates, as these puffers are more docile and community friendly than others, but I'm aware I'll still need to use caution.

I've always been interested in owning cichlids, I was looking into more docile species now I'll have a larger tank, and was wondering about the electric blue acara as a contender? I read that the tank is big enough, and that they can be kept without a partner/shoal which will prevent breeding aggression? Would there be a huge risk of fins being nipped, or would it likely be okay?

I'm very much open to other suggestions too, cichlids or otherwise! Cories are a strong contender so far as I've enjoyed keeping them before and would be able to get a bigger group this time! Also a shoal of either neon or cardinal tetras. Let me know your thoughts and other suggestions please, I'd really appreciate it!

(I still do need to make a list with their required parameters and make sure they match up, but so far the puffer and acara seem to match closely enough?)

Thanks for any help!

Where can I find this in the UK, please? Is it hard to find? I got scammed on my first Owala although I do still love it, but I'd really like a proper one, especially the huge size if possible. Thanks for any help!

Wanting to submit a crochet meepit to the August handmade category. I've paid for a pattern, but now I'm wondering about the rules as the pattern was created by someone other than me.

I've asked on the forums, but it seems to be a grey area - the crochet would obviously be created by me, so my own art, but the pattern was created by someone else.

I've neomailed contest judge so hopefully I'll get a reply soon, but in the meantime, what are your thoughts on this? Bonus if any TNT staff are on here?!

I'd love to submit crochet, but I'm not good enough to create my own pattern yet. Like I could make a fat sausage body, but wouldn't know how to make the head curve forwards like it does in the pattern I bought.

Thanks for any help!

I'd love to get the Random avatar! I noticed recently a crochet submission was accepted - is crochet done rarely enough that it'd look like I was copying (been thinking about it for a while regardless!) or done a fair bit? Also, how do I know when the next Handmade/Homemade contest will be, please? As I'd need a bit of time in advance to crochet something appropriate for the Neopian time of year! Thanks for any help!

I used to keep a reef tank, and I had a fair few zoas and palys, including a favourite, Palythoa Grandis. I knew the rules about never heating them, careful fragging, etc. But there was a time I was really struggling with algae (IIRC brown hair algae) that had grown onto the frag plugs and was choking the coral. So I dipped the paly, amongst some others, for a really long time. I can't remember how long, but definitely longer than a normal dip. And after that, and I think the next day too, me and my mum were finding it harder to breathe. Not dangerously so, but wheezing uncomfortably. We had no pets other than the fish at the time thankfully, but after a day or two of open windows and door, it went back to normal. But I'm still wondering if that's what happened? I didn't think it was possible to vapourize palytoxin that way, but it seemed like more than just possible fumes from the dip (I wanna say hydrogen peroxide dip if that sounds right? It's been a while) - is it possible the palytoxin vapourized into the fumes of the hydrogen peroxide or something? It just didn't seem right or like something I've experienced before... thanks for any help!

I was given a set of 48 of these. Read mixed reviews on them, only messed around a little bit so far. First impression after trying to draw with them and then blend it with the water brush pen was that like some had said, the water doesn't 'activate' the pens. Then I learned that they work far better on a wet base (I'm very new to these, and watercolour in general!) So far, I had great success with wetting the end of the colour pen, and could get a great light to dark gradient as the tip gradually dried. However, my question - when I've finished with one, I've been scribbling with it until the colour darkens again so I'm not leaving the brush too wet when I put it away. Is this the right thing to do, or am I just needlessly wasting their ink? Sorry, lots of words... I'm excited to work with these more! Thanks for any help, and open to advice too!

Reading the extra info, it says blocking off with fences etc is necessary because of cloning - but surely if I move a flower far enough away from others the same, I'll know if it's a clone vs bred with another flower? Is that why it says to block off or am I missing something here? Determined to breed them myself, thanks for any help!

My mum can't smoke any more due to her health, but misses weed and would like to try edibles. I've read it's not too tricky, and the easiest way is using cannabutter with a packet brownie/cake mix. But does anyone have a link to any super simple guides/videos that follow each step start to finish? She is a good cook but is 70 and has limited patience and energy so would need to be as straightforward as possible. Thanks for any help!

Looking into wood for my next setup - I have a small piece of driftwood from my previous tank, but I can't remember what sort it is and I need something bigger/possibly a few pieces for a bigger setup. But I forgot how many sorts there are! I don't want something that will permanently leech tannins that make the water brown, and I'd like something large and attractive although I know that's subjective haha. I don't have a pleco now ( :( ) so wouldn't necessarily need to be suitable, but would like to keep the option open I guess. Would appreciate the advice, thanks!

I've always found this hard. Always tended to have one 'best' friend and everyone else is just background noise in a way. Clearly not healthy, as the friendships tend to end and I'm left with no-one.

I feel like other people have their 'best' friends, but also have other friends that they love too? I don't really understand it but I want to. Does this mean the regular friends are less special and lower down in a metaphorical ranking than other friends? Does it mean that they love all friends equally but for different reasons? Do all friends have a place or do some/non-'best' friends not really matter? I hate that I find this so hard to even have a concept of. Thanks for any help!

I have one that I barely used from my time in reefkeeping. Would I be able to use it in a freshwater tank, or would it be inaccurate? Thanks for any help!

I don't want to have to factor in supporting walls, direction of joists, etc, because it makes me too anxious. Is this size tank still small enough that it can undoubtedly be kept upstairs long-term with no worries about it damaging/falling through the floor, or is there a risk? Interested to know where the line lays between 'definitely safe even if your house is crappily built', and 'there's a risk due to the tank's weight' - thanks for any help!

Been looking into this puffer a lot and seems to be about as peaceful as puffers go - just avoiding slow moving long-finned fish, or fish that could harm the puffer.

Anyway, if I go through with this (not rushing!), it would be the largest tropical tank I've ever had (can't go much larger due to upstairs floor and keeping water changes manageable - and space!), and potentially be opening the door to some interesting new, slightly larger, species.

So far I'm thinking a shoal of neon tetras as my first basic hardy fish whilst the tank is still new. Possibly kuhli loaches. But it's a whole new world of options when I've been used to a 67 litre.

Would appreciate any suggestions please, thank you!

Stuck in a rabbithole, so far I'm bouncing around between the Juwel Rio 125, Fluval Roma 125, Aqua One Lifestyle 125, and Aqua One Aquanano 80. But I'm open to more suggestions, plus getting confused about which of these have which features.

- Well built is most important. Heard good things of Juwel's build quality although others could be equal AFAIK.

- Not thrilled about built in filtration systems hidden in the back, at least based on past experience. I'd probably like the option to customize filtration more.

- I love the curved glass rimless design of the Aquanano, but concerned about sturdiness. Also about it not coming with a lid.

- I love bow front tanks if that's an option, but don't wanna go much bigger than this due to price/tank being upstairs

Would appreciate any suggestions, thanks!

I'm guessing it'll need the specifically designed cabinet at that size which is fine, but safety-wise, like when it comes to not falling through the floor? Is this fully, completely safe - not as in 'you're fine if it's against a load-bearing wall and position it the right way along the joists', like a definitive completely 100% safe and I can relax in the knowledge that if I ever fall through the floor it'll be nothing to do with the tank haha? Thanks for any help, appreciate it!