Tonster76

Being into servers and that, my thoughts go to some sort of APC UPS.  Which has batteries and supplies power for maybe 15-60 mins for 230W or so... you can pay for bigger and smaller..  If you look at their site the 1500VA might do 30 mins and the 2200VA up to 2 hours.  Unfortunately the model numbers seem to equate to their RRP.

 

The batteries and UPS are high voltage so you really really really can't afford to get one wet - so I hope I'm not suggesting a death trap.

 

(I only have one tank and don't run any backup power ;>)

Just a quick follow up.. I'm going off the hand vacuum a little. It does pick up well... But it also clouds the tank a lot (which then gets taken up by your filter) if you need to submerge the filter in the handle. .. Which you will need to do if you tank is deeper than about 30cm. I've put mine away and will stick to the weekly routine

The good thing is that it's the exact same larg size that the fish shops usually make.

 

To be worth half of that it would have to be Jarrah and that would be one heavy hood

I've caved and bought one at the weekend.  Pretty happy.  Works brilliantly.  Fairly fine gravel and doesn't pull too hard to be a problem,

It seems robust enough really - but I almost bent the 4 x AA battery lid open within 10 secs out of the box - so be careful.

 

No mess and easy to clean - which you would want to do each time you use it... else dried you know what caked on

 

I'm changing water once a week though... so I'll probably use this only once between.

I might even make the water changes less stressful and only siphon the water without cleaning gravel.  And just use this vacuum twice a week which the fish don't seem to skittish about.

Just the little Kingsizei being his usual self... bailing everyone else up at one end of the tank and digging holes.

 

 

 

Thanks a lot guys, brilliant advice in these forums. I'll do bigger water changes and stress less about the pH. But I will buffer up the water more with the Buffer Max and hope maybe the pH will go up as a result. I was sort of aware it was low but not sure about how much to load it up, even though I do keep reading it should be 200-300.

I've got a pile of holey rock in there. Think that's limestone.

After a 50% water change tonight and buffering it pretty heavily two electric blues got a bit excited, did the mating dance and started dropping and fertilising eggs on top of a rock. A pesky Metriaclima sp. "elongatus chewere" really made it difficult for them. They were pretty good at drawing him away and taking their opportunity every chance for about 90 minutes. Very young though 5 months old max I'd say and less than 2"

Just had two electric blues pair up and lay and fertilise eggs on the top left rock where the yellow lab is photographed. The Metriaclima sp. "elongatus chewere" made it very difficult for them! Edge of my seat barracking for them. - I think they managed.

The Rio 240 has been a perfect first tank...

 

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(thanks Aquotix)