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Buckeye
Next Meeting: Friday March 5th at 8pm
In This Issue: The OCA’s New Logo –Why the change? Drilling Tanks – you won’t believe how easy it is! Is Pool Filter Sand the perfect substrate?
Ohio Cichlid Association
Cichlids - Catfish
OCA Bulletin March 2010
On The Cover
This month’s cover features Aulonocara Stuargranti “Ngara Flametail”. This fish entered into Extravaganza 2010 by member Scott Myers, was the Reserve Best of Show winner. Photo by Frank Mueller
OCA Mission The OCA is an organization dedicated to the advancement and dissemination of information relating to all aspects of the biology of cichlids and related aquatic life. Our purpose is to promote the interest, keeping, study, breeding, and the educational exhibition of Cichlids. Additionally, the exchange of ideas, meeting new people, and distribution of information concerning Cichlids is of primary interest.
2009 OHIO CICHLID ASSOCIATION OFFICERS Emperor Emeritus Mike Neelon
President Don Danko 440-526-0755 Brecksville [email protected]
Vice-President Dan Woodland 440-885-2033 Parma [email protected]
Treasurer Rhonda Sorensen 216-398-8966 Cleveland [email protected]
OCA Historian Lew Carbone 419-681-1628 Norwalk
Membership Kyle May 216-548-5165 Strongsville [email protected]
Andrew Subotnik Barberton [email protected]
B.A.P. Mark Chaloupka 330-468-1966 Northfield [email protected]
Catfish B.A.P. Dave Ayres 330-758-2421 Boardman [email protected]
Bowl Show Andrew Subotnik Barberton [email protected]
Raffle Dawn Dewerth 440-212-0896 Columbia Station [email protected]
Librarian Hilary Lacerda 216-752-7329 Shaker Heights [email protected]
Photographer Frank Mueller 330-673-0446 Kent [email protected]
Videographer Jonathan Strazinsky 440-437-7033 Orwell [email protected]
Secretary Steve Heinbaugh 330-730-4418 Massillon [email protected]
Refreshments Gayle and Joe Ring 330-483-0419 Valley City [email protected]
Editor Kyle May 216-548-5165 Strongsville [email protected]
Exchange Editor Eric Sorensen 216-398-8966 Cleveland [email protected]
Web Editor Frank Mueller 330-673-0446 Kent [email protected]
Production Consultant Martha Niehaus Cleveland
The Ohio Cichlid Associations Buckeye Bulletin is produced monthly by the Ohio Cichlid Association. All articles and photographs contained within this publication are being used with consent of the authors.
If you have an article, photograph, or ad to submit for publication, please send it to [email protected]. When submitting articles for publication in this bulletin, please remember to include any photographs or art for inclusion in the article. The Ohio Cichlid Association is not responsible for any fact checking or spelling correction in submitted material. Articles will be edited for space and content.
Ohio Cichlid Association members in good standing may place a for sale ad in our Cichlid Exchange section at no charge. Please remember to spell check your ad and include your contact information. Ad’s will be printed in the bulletin as they are received, so make sure you’ve proof read your ad and checked species spelling prior to submission.
All information contained in this bulletin is for the use of The Ohio Cichlid Association members. If you would like to become a member of The Ohio Cichlid Association, please contact Andrew Subotnik or Kyle May using the contact information contained in the Membership section located on the previous page.
Buckeye Bulletin STAFF
Call For Content
OCA Calling
For 2010 The Ohio Cichlid Association has upgraded the Newsletter to be more of an Electronic Cichlid Magazine than a Newsletter. This means that we can include more information, features, and fish pics that ever before. Since I don’t have a staff, (and this is YOUR publication as an OCA Member), I’m asking each of you to contribute to this publication this year. I know you’ve got some great pics of your fish or you’ve got enough experience with a species to write a short article. It’s simple and quick. Take some time one day to consider what you have to offer. There are a lot of members out here that will benefit from your experience and would love to hear what you have to say. This is your club, this is your publication. Support it. Editors Contact information for all submissions: [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
Presidents Message By Don Danko
February’s featured speaker was Frank Reese of Blue Zoo Radio. Frank gave a very entertaining talk in which he told us about his background, how he started Blue Zoo Radio and provided much insight into the commercial side of the hobby. He also showed some episodes and asked for feedback. Thanks, Frank, for your excellent talk and for your ongoing support. As for all of our monthly Membership Meetings, our January meeting had a membership door prize, Breeders Award Program and Buck-a-Bag auctions, a raffle and BAP accomplishment awards. Thanks to all that attended. Our Winter Auction, held on February 13, is now history. Thanks to the many members and attendees that helped run another successful event. We had excellent support from our Runners and never ran out of bags for the auctioneers. Thanks to guest auctioneers, Ken Walker and Eric Bodrock, for their expert help in keeping the auction running at a good pace. We had approximately 700 bags and the auction finished up at 4:30 pm leaving plenty of time for other weekend activities. The rewriting of the Constitution of the OCA continues on as planned and good progress is being made. Once done, we will publish it in the bulletin and then vote to accept it at the April or May monthly meeting. The OCA has adopted a new, contemporary club logo that we have begun to roll out. Please check out the article in this bulletin that explains more about it. Also, be sure to get your OCA tee shirt with the new logo. They’ll be available at the monthly meeting. Be sure to attend the following upcoming OCA events: March 5: Jonathan Strazinsky on the DIY Aquarist April 2: Swap Meet at the Membership Meeting May 7: John Oyer on Gymnogeophagus Sept 12: Swap Meet at the Strongsville Holiday Inn Nov 19-21: Extravaganza at the Strongsville Holiday Inn As always, keep current on OCA activities by visiting our website, at www.ohiocichlid.com, and by checking out our forum. There is a link to the forum from the website. Don
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The View From Here… By Kyle May - Editor
Kyle May Editor
Talk to you next month,
If you are like me, you’ve got cabin fever right about now. Hopefully this issue of the bulletin will cheer you up. It’s packed with so much great info that you may not mind being stuck inside.
Many of us have thought about taking our fish room to the next level and for some of us, this means installing bulkhead drains so we don’t have to be dragging hoses around so much. In this issue Dan Woodland shows you how to successfully drill your tanks in “Dissecting the Hobby”.
One of the first decisions you must make when setting up a new tank is what kind of substrate to use. You want looks and function at a reasonable price. For my money Frank Mueller has this problem solved in his article “Pool Filter Sand –The Ideal Aquarium Substrate”. Read this and see if you agree.
This issue is historical because Lew Carbone, OCA Historian, offers his first installment of “Historically Speaking”, a new column that provides an interesting look at The Ohio Cichlid Association’s past.
Inside you’ll see a new logo for the OCA. I’m sure some will love it, others will hate it, and some won’t care either way. These are all typical reactions to big changes. I’ve written a general explanation of how this change came about and hope that you’ll give the new logo a chance. In the meantime, here are some quotes I’ve found about change:
He who rejects change is the architect of decay. The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery. ~Harold Wilson
Change is inevitable - except from a vending machine. ~Robert C. Gallagher
When you are through changing, you are through. ~Bruce Barton
Faced with the choice between changing one's mind and proving that there is no need to do so, almost everyone gets busy on the proof. ~John Kenneth Galbraith
Growth is the only evidence of life. ~John Henry Newman, Apologia pro vita sua, 1864
Metriaclima Lanisticola By Frank Muller
B
Andrew Subotnik Mother Nature was at it yet again this month! We did however have one entry in the class of Victorian Basin Cichlids, it was a beautiful P. Nyererei ‘Makobe Island’ brought in by Gary Mendez. March will include classes for Pseudotropheus, Cynotilapia & Melanochromis, South Americans under 6" - Excluding Angels, Discus & Apistos, and Catfish - Excluding Callichthids, Loracariids & Mochokids. If you’re not sure that your fish qualifies for a particular class you can contact me with questions. Phone 330-730-3177 or email [email protected] There is still time to get in the game for the 2010 Grand Prize, so bring out those show entries and show us what you’ve got! Andrew
Prizes: Best of Show: $20 Cash Quarter Champ: $35 Pet Shop certificate 2010 Champ: TBA
February Results: A. Victorian Basin Cichlids 1st – P. Nyererei ‘Makobe Island’ Gary Mendez B. Angelfish No Entries C. Synodontis and other Mochokids No Entries
March Classes: A. Pseudotropheus, Cynotilapia & Melanochromis B. South Americans under 6" (Excluding Angels, Discus & Apistos) C. Catfish (Excluding Callichthids, Loracariids & Mochokids)
April Classes: A. Peacocks B. Central Americans over 6" C. Freshwater Crustaceans
Standings Feb. 2010 1st Qtr.
G. Mendez 10 10 10
Point System 1st place…..………………………..10 2nd place….…………………………7 3rd place…………………………….5 Non-placing entries………………...1 Best of Show*…………………… 5 *Only awarded if 2 or more entries.
Why Not Donate To the Jim Smith Fund?
Your donations to the Jim Smith Fund are used to fund a variety of projects that have a major impact on the hobby we all enjoy. For example, we just donated $1,000 to the Stuart Grant Cichlid Conservation Fund, an organization that is actively protecting endangered fish in a national park in Malawi. Many species of cichlids have already disappeared from this area and your donations to the Jim Smith Fund have helped to save a significant number of fish. As an OCA member, this is your fund. We use this money to fund your causes - causes that affect the hobby today! Why don’t you make a plan to donate?
Here’s how to donate
Donating is painless. You can give the OCA cash at any meeting or event. You can donate fish, tanks, filters, etc, at any meeting or event. Even a few bucks add up over time. If we all give just a few bucks, the fund will grow significantly, allowing us to fund projects that affect us all! For more information or to suggest a project that might be right for a Jim Smith Fund donation, talk to any Ohio Cichlid Association board member.
2010 Bowl Show Winner Bowl show Chairman, Andrew Subotnik (left), is pictured here with Dustin Brummit, OCA’s Overall Bowl Show Winner for 2009. Dustin amassed an amazing total of 307 points to win the honors for 2009.
Besides a cool certificate of achievement, Dustin won a 55 gallon tank for his efforts. photo by Frank Mueller
Congratulations Dustin!
March Meeting: Jonathan Strazinsky
“The DIY Aquarist”
Next Social Meeting – March 5th, 2010 Old Oak Church, 7575 Old Oak Blvd,
Middleburg Heights, Ohio
I-71
Southwest General Hospital
Bagley Rd. Old Oak Blvd.
Old Oak Church
Fowles Rd.
Meeting Starts at:
8pm
Directions:
From the North take I-71 South Take exit 235 (Bagley Rd.). Turn Right onto Bagley. Turn left onto Old Oak Blvd. Church is about ½ mile on left. From the South take I-71 North Take exit 234. Turn Right onto Pearl Rd. (42) Turn Left onto Fowles Rd. Turn Right onto Old Oak Blvd. Church is on the right 1/10 mile.
Old Oak Church 7575 Old Oak Blvd.
Middleburg Heights, Ohio
BREEDERS AWARD PROGRAM By Mark Chaloupka
February 5, 2010
Dustin Brummitt
Aulonocara sp. “fire fish” 10
Lew Carbone
Australoheros sp. “red ceibal” 15
Haplochromis sp. “red piebald” 10
Lepidiolamprologus nkambe” 15
Bryan Davis
Aulonocara sp. “OB peacocks” 10
Jonathan Dietrich
Hypsophrys nicaraguense 15
Rick Hallis
Aulonocara sp. “eureka red albino” 10
Copadichromis borleyi “Nkhata Bay” 15
Julidochromis marlieri “Burundi” 15
Gary Mendez
Astatotilapia sp. “green bloyetti” 10
Jonathan Strazinsky
Paratheraps fenestratus 20
Charlie Suk
Gymnogeophagus labiatus “Rio Olimar” 20
Julidochromis transcriptus “Kissi Bemba” 15
Tom Swiderski
Aulonocara korneliae “blue gold” 10
Ethan Wiley
Hemichromis lifalili 10
Welcome to the B.A.P. Program:
Jonathan Dietrich
CURRENT B.A.P. STANDINGS (2/5/10)
BREEDER 2010 TOTAL
MASTER BREEDER 1000 POINT LEVEL
Lew Carbone 40 2275
Don Danko ‐ 2255
Dan Woodland ‐ 2010
Linda Wallrath ‐ 1130
Rich & Maggie Schoeffel ‐ 1065
900 POINT LEVEL
Mark Chaloupka ‐ 905
Tom Swiderski 10 905
Dennis Tomazin ‐ 905
800 POINT LEVEL
700 POINT LEVEL
Gary & Ramona Omerzo ‐ 740
Dustin Brummitt 10 735
600 POINT LEVEL
Jeff Natterer ‐ 690
John Tesar 40 690
500 POINT LEVEL
Bill Schwartz ‐ 595
Charlie & Cathy Suk 35 595
Hilary & Antonio Lacerda ‐ 570
Ron Georgeone ‐ 510
400 POINT LEVEL
Bryan Davis 20 475
300 POINT LEVEL
Richard & Crystal Pittenger ‐ 395
Ken Galaska ‐ 375
Christopher Blondin ‐ 355
Bob Bina ‐ 345
Gary Zalewski ‐ 310
200 POINT LEVEL
Rick Hallis 40 295
David Hale ‐ 275
Tyler Toncler ‐ 265
Dave Skok ‐ 240
Jerry Freeman ‐ 220
Kyle May ‐ 220
Gary Mendez 40 200
BREEDER 2010 TOTAL
100 POINT LEVEL
Marc & Dawn DeWerth ‐ 195
Ozeal Hunter ‐ 190
Chuck Carroll ‐ 185
Eric & Rhonda Sorensen 15 185
Ken & Karen Grimmett ‐ 160
George Anagnostopoulos 15 155
Phil Hypes ‐ 155
Andrew Subotnik ‐ 155
Greg Seith ‐ 145
Bob Blazek 25 125
Jonathan Strazinsky 20 120
Joe Ring ‐ 105
David Ayers ‐ 100
Bill & Janice Bilski ‐ 100
Ken Rawlinson ‐ 100
BREEDER LEVEL
Mark Huntington ‐ 70
Michael Danko ‐ 65
Marco Lentini ‐ 65
Josh Johnson ‐ 60
Frank Mueller ‐ 60
Bob Tillman ‐ 60
Dan Ogrizek ‐ 50
Daniel Scheeff ‐ 45
Dennis Hitch ‐ 40
Christopher Sooy ‐ 35
Steve Heinbaugh ‐ 30
Tom & Carolyn Evers ‐ 25
Fred Roberts 10 25
Dave Enser 10 20
Alex Gorges ‐ 20
Andy Lacerda ‐ 20
Bill Sensor ‐ 20
Ethan Wiley 20 20
Jonathan Dietrich 15 15
John Kaminski ‐ 15
Ron Drungil ‐ 10
Mike Trader 10 10
The points list for the Breeders Award Program has been
updated to include only current members. If you are a current
member and your name has been omitted, please see the
B.A.P. Chairman at the social meeting so we can correct any
errors.
Please remember: You may only turn in a species or strain of
fish for B.A.P. points one time. If you need a list of what you
have been credited with, see the BAP chairman at the social
meeting.
OHIO CICHLID ASSOCIATION CATFISH BREEDERS REPORT
FEBRUARY 5, 2010
Breeder Species Points
Dustin Brummitt Ancistrus sp. “albino
bushynose” 10
Rick Hallis Corydoras habrosus 10
TOTALS (thru 2/5/10)
NAME 2010 TOTAL Don & Marilyn Danko - 135 Dan Ogrizek - 135 Dan Woodland - 100 Linda Wallrath - 75 Charlie Suk - 65 Bob Bina - 60 Eric & Rhonda Sorensen - 55 Jeff Natterer - 50 Tyler Toncler - 45 Dustin Brummitt 10 40 Bryan Davis 40 40 Rick Hallis 10 40 Hilary Lacerda - 40 Dave Ayres - 30 Phil Hypes - 30 John Kaminski - 30 Marco Lentini - 30 Dennis Tomazin - 30 Bob Blazek - 20 Kyle May - 20 Gary & Ramona Omerzo - 20 Phil Ayres - 10 Lew Carbone - 10 Chuck Caroll - 10 Mark Chaloupka - 10 Karen Grimmett - 10 David Hale - 10 Rosemary Hitch - 10 Richard Pittenger - 10 Brian Shrimpton - 10 Kris Sooy - 10 John Tesar - 10 Bob Tillman - 10
The 8 Steps of Spawning Corys
by Robert Dwyer from The Informer,
Green Water Aquarist Society of Chicagoland, March 2004
Courtesy of Aquarticles.com
1) First, let's talk about the tank size: For the smaller corys (pandas, aneus and julies), I always use a 10 gallon tank with no gravel because I like to be in control of the areas that the fish spawn in. By that I mean I don't have to remove the eggs from the tank - just the spawning corys. Then I can treat the eggs with chemical fungicides without the risk of killing the eggs by moving them… (By the way, that's how 50% of all cory eggs die). For the larger corys (sterbi, adolfis and rubuties), I always use a 20 high. You have to take the eggs out of these tanks because you run the risk of the adult corys eating their own eggs. 2) Now, let's talk about filtration and water cleaning: No filter is needed. The fish do just fine with just an airline and an air stone. They like it a bit on the dirty side. After all, all corys are scavengers. Besides, if you put a filter in the tank, that is one more place you are going to have to look for eggs. 3) Conditioning the breeders: There are two ways of doing this. The slow way and the fast way. The slow way is the best way to get a larger spawn. The slow way involves feeding the fish in colder water so they build up more eggs before they spawn (just shut off the heater, they can take it). The fast way involves using a lot of chemicals to modify the fish's hormones. We won't go into that right now, since that really is not good for the fish. What I do is trick the fish into thinking it is a different time of the year (spawning season.) Note: The fish can spawn five to six times per year. 4) What to feed the breeders to condition them? Live food and lots of it (black worms, daphnia, wingless fruit flies; and if you can get it or raise it, live adult brine shrimp). 5) How do we trick them into spawning? First you need to drain the tank of at least 50% of its water. Next, continue to feed the breeders the live food we talked about earlier. Leave the tank like this for at least three days. After the three days have passed, refill the tank with a sloshing motion on top of the water (at night is best, with 65° water from the tap). This will imitate a heavy rainstorm which should trigger the start of spawning season. If successful, you should see cory eggs in the morning just after dawn, or in the first couple of hours after dawn.
photo by Frank Mueller
6) Spawning medium: I have found that the wild stock (sterbies, adolfis and rubuties) need some kind of floating plants to lay eggs on. The normals (tank raised) don't care where they lay their eggs (on mops, stones or on the glass). 7) Now that you have eggs, how are you going to hatch them? You can either: a. Remove the eggs and put them in a bubbler. b. Remove the adults and treat the whole tank. c. Do nothing and hope the adults will not find the babies. The answer is: A or B, but never C. Now we get to the fun part, how to get the eggs out of the tank without damaging them! Some people scrape the eggs off the side of the tank with a razor blade. I don't, it's a no-no! I have seen a lot of eggs damaged without the person knowing it. The best way, I have found, is to use a clear turkey baster or your fingers. 8) The last, but not least, important thing is what to feed the baby corys? a. Green water. b. Micro worms. c. Baby brine shrimp. d. Daphnia. The answer is: A through D in that order. Good Luck!
Are you into catfish?
Are you a catfish addict, adherent, admirer, aficionado, buff, devotee, fan, follower, freak, groupie, habitué, hound, keeper, nut, maven, or lover?
You’d be pleasantly surprised that you are not alone; in fact, there are a significant number of Ohio Cichlid Association members who love catfish! As the Editor, I am looking for someone who shares the love of catfish and is willing to share their knowledge with others. We need a column for the catfish collectors in the OCA. All you need is some basic writing skills and just a little free time to put an article together each month. The article doesn’t need to be very long, (one page) and won’t take too long to produce. If you are inclined to help the cause of the catfish within the OCA, then contact me. It’d be great to give the catfish folks some love! -Kyle
How to Join The OCA in two simple steps
Send your name, email address, street address, and telephone number to OCA c/o Kyle May, 15730 Whitney Rd., Strongsville, Ohio 44136. Email: [email protected]
Send $15 for one year/ $25 for 2 years by: Check: Use Address Above Cash: Pay at any meeting or event Card: Use our paypal account: [email protected]
Joining the Ohio Cichlid Association has never been easier. If you’ve considered joining but have never gotten around to it, why don’t you join today? At just $15 bucks per year, we’re not only the finest Cichlid and Catfish club on the planet - we’re also the best deal!
Have Questions? Contact the membership team:
Kyle May [email protected]
Andrew Subotnik
To find my immediate predecessor as OCA Historian, one must go back to 1988, when the late Mike Gumto held this position. Because the position has been vacant for so long, I see this as an opportunity to, in effect, re-invent the job. The main duty of the Historian, as described in the OCA Constitution, is to keep a complete collection of Buckeye Cichlid Lovers Bulletins, plus all other publications, such as auction and show fliers. I will add to this several other activities, such as writing this column, which I hope will be a regular feature. My 1st task is assembling the bulletin collection. I started by transferring my own bulletin collection to OCA ownership. This covers early 1994 (when I joined) to early 2008 (when I switched to the electronic bulletin). I was thrilled to hear from the OCA Librarian, Hilary Lacerda, that our library owns a collection of bulletins that ranges from the first ever published up the early 1990’s. Very convenient! Now that I’ve combined the 2 sets, I’ll try to fill in the remaining gaps. Requests for the donation of specific issues may appear here if I can’t obtain them any other way. While a complete collection of Extravaganza Programs should not be difficult to assemble, auction fliers will be another matter. With no club Historian, no-one had a reason to save them. I’ve dug out a few, and if you happen to have any we’d appreciate the donation, but I’m sure that what we’ll end up with will be far from complete. After the already mentioned projects are as complete as possible, I may begin assembling a collection of Extravaganza T-shirts. Any ideas you have for other projects of an historical nature would be welcome. This column will frequently appear, reporting on the progress of our historical collections, and describing interesting events in OCA history or reprinting articles from past bulletins. In addition, beginning this month, I’ll assemble and submit a feature called “This Month in OCA History”. I’m hoping that the newer members will find it interesting and informative, and the long-time members, nostalgic.
Historically Speaking…
Revisiting OCA’s Past.
by Lew Carbone OCA Historian
This Month in OCA History 1984: In issue 7 of the Buckeye Cichlid Lovers’ Bulletin, the announcement is made that a new club will be formed. The Organizational meeting will be held on the 17th. Until a suitable name can be found, the “Temporary” name will be “Ohio Cichlid Association”.
1986: Among Dan and Marilyn Danko’s BAP entries, two, that’s 2, are first US spawns: Heros (now Paratheraps) guttatatum and Heros (also now P.) zonatum!
1994: The OCA learns that it lost its 2nd bid to host an ACA convention because the ACA wants to grow its membership on the West Coast. (This is part of what motivated us to create the Extravaganza.)
1996: Dan Ogrizek gives a talk entitled “Pinchhead Discus Cichlid Keeping and Hedge Hogs”. (This must have been a running joke for some time, because in the April ’92 BCLB an article was run in which Dan “interviews” Bill Schwartz about how he creates the “Pinchhead Discus”.)
Editors Note:
I’d like to thank Lew for taking the time and initiative to do this column. Whether you joined the club twenty years or twenty minutes ago, it’s important to know about the history of the organization. Only when you see where you’ve been is it possible to see where you are going….or at least it makes the path a lot clearer. I think that you’ll find this new column interesting, and for those of us who’ve been around for the entire time, you’ll probably find yourself remembering some good times that you’d forgotten. If anyone can help Lew fill in some of the missing information he needs, please send it directly to Lew, or send it to me. I’ll make sure he gets your contribution. -Kyle
Dissecting the Hobby
By Dan Woodland
How do you drill a tank? *Materials list for project is at end of article
After you’ve decided to take your fish room to the next level, you may choose to put your tanks on a automatic drain system. This will entail putting drains in the back of your tanks. This eliminates the need for dragging hoses around there by eliminating a tripping hazard as well as a wet slippery floor. The fist decision you must make is what size of bulkhead you will install in your tanks and then setting up to drill the appropriately sized hole to accept the bulkhead fitting. For Example, a one inch inside diameter (ID) hole will require a 1 ¾” outside diameter (OD) core drill and bulkhead.
After choosing a hole size purchase a core drill and the bulkheads from the Internet or Aquatic Eco Systems (AES) at http://www.aquaticeco.com or 1-800-fish-stuf. No I’m not a shill for AES, but they do stock these types of parts at a competitive price. I recommend a bulkhead fitting versus a PVC pipe fitting to ensure a watertight seal. Using PVC and silicone is messy and is a poor solution. You don’t want to be working behind a rack of tanks to fix leaks! Each bulkhead kit comes with an adapter for a drain hose and a strainer so fish will not be sucked down the drain! In the pic on the right, you’ll see the basic bulkhead assembly (in blue), consisting of the strainer (far left), thru the tank fitting (middle), and the 90 degree outlet adapter with barbed hose fitting (right). There is also a gasket that you can’t see that protects against leaks.
The core drill is basically a diamond encrusted hole saw used in a drill press or a hand drill. I highly recommend using a drill press. A drill press will hold the core drill steady and allows the drilling rate to be easily controlled. Sears usually has table-top drill presses for under $100 dollars or look for a deal at a discount tool store such as Harbor Freight. Diamonds adhered to hole saw.
Photos by Dan Woodland and Kyle May
You’ll need a stand to set the drill press on inside the tank. See the drawing and description at right. Build the drill stand out of the 2 x 6 boards and ¼” plywood. The plywood will be used for the top and bottom pieces. The 2 x 6 boards will be used for the sides. The stand should be wide enough to accommodate the drill press. Use screws to build the stand and make sure they are counter sunk. You don’t want the screw heads cracking the glass while applying pressure during drilling! Be sure to make a big enough notch in the bottom of your drill stand so the tank frame will fit through and the stand rests flat on the inside of the tank and the floor. Be sure side (A) is slightly shorter to accommodate the thickness of the tank frame. For example, if you look at a tank lying on its side, you’ll notice the glass is NOT touching the floor. You have to allowance for this if you are drilling different size tanks like 20, 75, or 100 gallons. Each tank frame is a different thickness so you need to make shims to accommodate these differences.
Hole is drilled here
Drill Press sits here
¼” Plywood
5.75” Side A
6”
¼” Plywood Tank to be drilled
2 X 6 Board
Drilling the Tank Mark the tank for drilling. Remember the nut for the bulkhead is bigger than the hole being drilled. Place the nut about 1/8th of and inch below the frame. Using a permanent marker, mark the inside diameter of the bulkhead nut. Place the notch in the drill stand over the tank frame making sure the stand does not rock inside the tank. Be sure there is no gravel under the stand.
Place a small towel on top of the drill press table and then add a small piece of wood (Approx. 1 x 4 x 5). The towel will absorb water while the block of wood will give the drill press a back-up piece to push on while drilling. This will reduce the likely hood of the tank breaking and make a cleaner cut once the core drill cuts through the glass. This is the towel on the drill press table. Between this towel and the tank is a small piece of wood to provide support while drilling. Note: After drilling the hole will have a little chipping, this is normal. Once you’ve all the pieces in place, move the drill press table up as far as it will go and lock it in place as is shown in the pic to the left. Test its positioning by pressing on the tank where you will be drilling. If there is no movement you are ready to go. If there is movement, make necessary adjustments.
Place rope caulking on the edge of a small piece of 4” PVC pipe and place it on the tank over where you plan to drill your hole. Press firmly but don’t press too hard! Make sure the ring is securely set on the tank glass and that the caulking has sealed completely. More caulk can always be added to the inside of the ring BEFORE you add ANY water if needed. Fill the PVC pipe with approximately ¼ - ½” of water. This will lubricate and cool the drill. Without proper lubrication and cooling the core drill will be ruined.
Stand is notched over tank frame
Now that you’ve got the stand in place, test the drill press for level - DO NOT TURN IT ON YET. Lower the core drill onto the tanks surface using the mark you made earlier as a guide. The core drill should rest as perfectly flat as you can get it. This will cut down on the chipping of the inside of the hole and reduce the possibility of cracking the tank. Next, release the return spring tension of your drill press so you can feel the drill bit working (see the drill press manual if you are unfamiliar with this procedure). IMPORTANT: Make sure you adjust the drill presses RPM’s to match the requirements for the core drill you purchased. Drill speeds outside the recommended range can be dangerous and can cause damage to your tank and core drill. The instructions with the bit or the drill press manual should have this information. CAUTION! DON’T drill tank bottoms. They’re tempered glass and will shatter before you finish drilling the hole. Always drill the side or back of your tanks. Be PATIENT, it will only take a few minutes to drill each tank once the setup is properly completed. Remember thicker tanks take much longer than thinner tanks. Drilling the tank: DON’T PRESS TO HARD, BE PATIENT! Before starting drill press put water into the 4” pvc pipe. Verify the set up and then start the drill press. Begin by gently lowering the drill bit onto the glass for a second or two and then raise it. This will allow the water to flow into the groove and help keep the drill bit cool. Continue by lowering and raising the drilling head every few seconds. Moving the drill bit up and down (in and out of the water) will cool and clean the drill bit. If the water begins to leak out of the PVC dam, shut off the drill and unplug it before you repair the caulking seal. The water may have to be replaced if it gets too hot or milky from the glass particles being removed from the tank. Once the drilling is complete SHUT OFF the drill press FIRST then, dismantle the set up and clean off the tank and drill press. Watch out for small glass chips! Now install the bulkhead on the tank. Remember you don’t need to have the bulkheads super tight; there is no pressure on the drain itself. Make sure you have the bulkhead gasket on the inside of the tank and hand-tighten. Then, using channel lock pliers carefully snug the bulkhead nut. DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN!
Opportunity: This is the perfect time to paint the back of your tanks. It will give you a cleaner look plus your fish photos will look a lot better without wires hanging behind them! Use black for the back and sides then dark brown on the bottom.
Finally, set the tank into place and connect the drain hose. Make sure you have enough hose to reach the drain before you cut it. After cutting the drain tube to length cut two small V shaped slots in the end of the tube being placed in the drainpipe. This will virtually eliminate any obstruction should large amounts of water or a foreign object get into your drainpipe.
Materials List 1 – 2x6 board 4 ft long (will make both sides of your drill stand) 1 – 2ft x 4ft ¼” plywood 1 – Box of 1” Screws to assemble stand 1 - Drill Press (bench top model) 1 - Core Bit (matched to outside diameter of your choice of bulkhead) 1 - 1 X 5” scrap piece of wood and small towel 1 – 1.5” long piece of 4” pvc pipe 1 – Box of rope caulk
Extravaganza 2010November 19th-20th
Cleveland, Ohio Cichlids – Catfish
Registration Opens Soon.
www.ohiocichlid.com
Don’t forget that your
Membership was due in
November. The Ohio Cichlid Association is the coolest
Cichlid and Catfish Club on the planet and it’s also a great deal. Our membership contribution
is only $15 - you just can’t beat it!
Make sure that you stay current and send in your membership contribution today.
Thanks to the generosity of our members, the OCA gets better every year!
To renew your membership please contact:
Andrew – 330-730-3177 [email protected]
OR
Kyle May – 216-548-5165 [email protected]
OR by mail:
Ohio Cichlid Association 15730 Whitney Rd.
Strongsville, Ohio 44136
OR Pay online:
OCA Changes Logo For 2010 By Kyle May
Maybe you attended the winter auction and saw the t shirts that the OCA was selling with a new logo emblazoned on the front. Maybe you missed it or really didn’t pay much attention due to the hectic nature of the auction. But nonetheless, the winter auction was the coming out party for the new logo even though we unveiled it without any fanfare. A new logo had been in the works as a project of mine since the beginning of 2010. As a member of the membership team I’ve noticed a lot of new energy in the form of new members, especially younger members. I’ve also noticed an upwelling of new energy and participation from the older members, some of which have been in the club since the beginning. The club is in a great position right now and it’s getting better all of the time. The veterans are enjoying passing on their knowledge of the hobby to the young aquarists and the young aquarists are enjoying unprecedented success in their early years in the hobby as a result. I’ve noticed this “win-win” situation firsthand and I wanted to make a visible change to the clubs identity to celebrate all the good things that I’ve witnessed. Enter the new logo idea. With the help of some board members and a commercial artist, I constructed a logo that included a lot of our ideas and followed the basic tenants of how to build an effective logo. It’s a deceptively simple logo, (as some of the best are), but it’s also a logo that fits our club for a couple of reasons. Green is for life, growth, and prosperity. The fish is silhouetted so that it defines our club as a cichlid club, but it bears no allegiance to African, South American, Central, Madagascar, or any other specific group of cichlids. It’s a symbol that is meant to unite all of us who love cichlids. The softened lettering is inclusive and anyone who sees this logo will know what we do regardless if they know what a cichlid is or not.
It’s not uncommon to change a logo. This year, Pepsi, MTV, and others have changed logos. McDonald’s changes their logos frequently - to date I’ve found about 26 different McDonald’s logos. As with most organizations, we will have a group of logos that are customized to fit a variety of situations. I have some samples from the group posted below. I understand that it’s a drastic change and that you are used to seeing the Julidochromis splayed across the state of Ohio with the script Ohio Cichlid Association. There wasn’t anything wrong with the old logo. It was just time for a change and change can be good. Unlike the old logo, this logo can be read from across a room making it a more effective advertisement for our club. I presented this new logo to the board at the February board meeting where it was voted in as the new OCA logo. As a board, we are still getting used to the idea of a new logo and the change. I ask that you give this new logo a chance. You never know. It might grow on you.
PPPoooooolll FFFiiilllttteeerrr SSSaaannnddd The Ideal Aquarium Substrate
by Frank Mueller /photos by author
Today’s aquarist has a great number of options available when selecting the ideal substrate. From gravel, marine sand, play sand, to even man made ceramic sand, it seems that the variety is endless. Personally, I find that pool filter sand is an almost perfect aquarium substrate and the following are some of the reasons why this particular sand is my substrate of choice. Perfect grain size Pool filter sand is coarser than play sand, but still a lot finer than any aquarium gravel. Play sand is very fine, which unfortunately means it tends to clump together. Clumping can lead to anaerobic pockets in the substrate, which can produce chemicals that are harmful to fish and have a bad odor. With aquarium gravel the crevices between the particles are large enough to trap leftover food and other debris, which need to be removed by gravel vacuuming. Pool filter sand isn't so fine that it clumps, but fine enough that debris usually stays on top of it from where it gets swept into the filters or is easy to remove by vacuuming.
From left to right; top row: Play sand, Pool filter sand, Black T-grade 3M Color Quartz; Bottom row: Natural-looking aquarium gravel, Black & white aquarium gravel. Each container measures about 1.5" in diameter.
Chemically inert Pool filter sand is completely inert, meaning it will not affect your water chemistry. This makes it suitable for setups with soft water and hard water alike. For a Rift Lake Setup, it is desirable to buffer the pH and slightly raise hardness. This can be done easily by mixing some aragonite (crushed coral) in with the pool filter sand. The color and grain size of these substrates is very similar, producing a nice even look in the mix. I did this for a 125G Tropheus setup, and used one bag (15 pounds) of Carib Sea aragonite for the tank.
.
Inexpensive I paid $22 for 15 pounds of Carib Sea aragonite, and did not consider that a bad price. A 50 pound bag of pool filter sand usually retails for around $5, which makes it almost as cheap as play sand.
Aragonite (crushed coral) can be mixed with Pool Filter Sand for Malawi and Tanganyika setups
Readily available Pool filter sand is available wherever you can buy pool supplies. In North East Ohio for example try the Litehouse Pool Store Chain or Leslie’s Pool Supplies. Both have a store locator on their web site at: www.litehouse.com or www.lesliespool.com. In those States of the US that suffer a cold winter during which outdoor pools can not be used, pool filter sand can be hard to come by so you’ll have to stock up in Fall, or just wait until Spring. Clean People using this stuff to filter their pool don't want to clean it before use, and they don't want it to cloud their pool either. That's why pool filter sand tends to be very clean right out of the bag. I didn't have to wash the Pool Filter sand at all, while play sand must be cleaned before use. Plants grow well in it I often hear people wonder if life plants need a gravel substrate. In nature, water plants are mostly found on sandy bottoms, and in my tanks plants also seem to grow best in sand. I use pool filter sand as substrate, and about 1.5 watts per gallon of lighting. Fish detritus seems to be abundant in my tanks, and that's really all my plants require for vigorous growth.
Valisneria (right) is growing vigorously in Pool Filter Sand. Even the Anubias sp (left) is sinking its roots into the sand.
similar grain size (see photo on first page of article), and quartz sand is also chemically inert. However, it is a lot more expensive (about $20 to $40 per 50 pound bag, depending where you buy it), and it needs a very good washing before it can go in a tank. There have are rumors that 3M is about to discontinue its production.
In summary, as long as you are fine with its light sand color, I believe pool filter sand is the ideal aquarium substrate! I think you’ll find it inexpensive, inert, and easy to use.
The catch As perfect as pool filter sand is as a substrate, you’ll find that there is a compromise to be made when using this particular sand. The one and only catch is that pool filter sand is only available in one color. If you want dark substrate, have a look at 3M Color Quartz. You can google the term and find lots of info. Apart from being available in a wide range of different colors, it shares the main advantages of pool filter sand in that it has a very
About the Author: Along with being an avid aquarist, Frank Mueller is the Senior Web Master for The Ohio Cichlid Association as well as the OCA’s official photographer. His work is well represented in this issue by this article as well as in the photo spread about our recent winter auction To learn more visit Franks personal web site: www.fmueller.com
OCA Winter Auction 2010 600 Bags of fish in less than 8hrs.
That’s Smokin’!
“I just wanted to say that I had a great time at the (winter) auction and I saw it as a real success. It seemed like a good auction for sellers this year. Plus it was a great time!” -A.S. OCA Member
Thanks to everyone who supported The Ohio Cichlid Associations Winter Auction. The proceeds from this event keep the OCA strong and allow us to host events like the Extravaganza. You are also helping to keep the cichlid hobby alive and growing because with your support, the OCA is able to help young aquarists learn about Cichlids and Catfish – and that’s good for all of us. Thanks to all of those who helped us pull this off – the runners, auctioneers, and everyone who worked so hard, for so long, for so little.
“The day kind of flew by……..and the pace was intense…which made it really fun. It kept you involved and interested because the fish just kept coming.“ “At the end of the day when they told me that the bags were selling at a rate of over 80 per hour, I thought, “Are you kidding me?” It didn’t seem like it was going that fast because there was such a great variety of species.” -Andrew S. OCA Board Member
All Photos By Frank Mueller
The 50 watt heater sells for about $44 and the 300 watt for $50 with the other sizes falling somewhere in between. If you are looking for piece of mind or maybe you just love hi tec stuff like me, then this new fangled heater is right up your alley. Not only can you lose your thermometer, but you won’t have to think twice about adjusting the heat up or down for spawining - or to stop spawning. There are a lot of heaters out there for similar money that don’t have any of the features of the Fluval E series. You should check this one out.
New Gear & Gadgets
Maybe the most High Tec Aquarium Heater Ever……
by Kyle May
See the E Series Heater at RMS Aquaculture, 6629 Engle Rd, Cleveland, OH (216) 433-1340 RMS Aquaculture is a proud supporter of The Ohio Cichlid Association.
If you’ve never cooked or chilled a tank of fish due to a heater malfunction, you are either very lucky or very new to the hobby. Those of us who’ve been around since before submersible heaters were standard can attest to the fact that heaters have been letting us down for years. And submersibles? Good luck adjusting them once they’ve been stuck on the tank. I know guys that heat their entire fish rooms to sahara like temps to avoid having to deal with the unpredictable nature of the aquarium heater. Enter Hagen and its Fluval E Series heaters. You probably think I’m a shill for Hagen because I featured the new Fluval power filter last month, but I’ve been eyeing this E series heater in the LFS for quite a while now and I wanted to make sure you knew about it. The E series
consists of 4 heaters ranging from 50 – 300 watts. All have a micro processor inside which, along with their dual temperature sensors, keep your water heated to within 2 degrees of your temp setting. You can adjust the temp in ½ degree increments too, but what’s really cool is the continuous temperature read out on the heater. If your water is too cold the reading emits a blue background; too hot - red, and just right - green.
Cold! Perfect! Too Hot!
There is also a nifty mounting bracket that surrounds the heater to keep small fish from frying and large fish from breaking the glass. The heater is easily removed from the bracket for adjustment. No more trying to pry the suction cups loose to change a setting! If the heat varies by more than 5.5 degrees, the display will flash alerting you to a potentially disasterous situation. Display can be set to celsius for the metric tekkies and fahranheit for the rest of us. And what does all of this hi tec finery cost?
Easy to use adjustment lever allows user to precisely set temp in .5 degree increments All Photos courtesy of Rolf C. Hagen USA
20Happy Birthday Kingfish!
Representing:MARS FISCHCARE
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Aquarium Technology Inc. - ATI Sponge Filters
Finley Aquatic Books - Lee Finley
The Fish Factory - Mike & Robin Schadle
Cichlid News - subscriptions available
Diskus Brief - past issues available
Discus Hans USASwiss Tropicals
- Poret Filter FoamEastern Aquatic Blackworms
- Craig ShaubachBlue Zoo Radio
Pleco CavesKen’s Fish
PythonManufacturer SpokespersonRay Lucas
Speaker • Judge • AuctioneerE-6715 Pinehurst Drive
Boston, New York 14025Phone: 716-941-3701
Fax: 716-941-5172Email: [email protected]
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Kingfish Services20 years of getting you hooked on tropical fish!
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Contact your local pet store for the best sponge filter products on the
market!Visit our website at:
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hydro-spongetmFilter-maxtm
aquarium technology, inc. was founded in 1991 by Joseph C. gargiulo. mr. gargiulo, an avid hobbyist, developed and patented the hydrosponge Filter. the turbo-Flow has also been granted a patent and is the final stage of that process. as one can see, ati is a company with ingenuity and creativity.
aquarium technology, exciting!
PO BOX 33623, DECATUR GEORGIA, 30033404-294-4726
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A show dedicated to each and every aquarist
making a difference in the hobby.
Blue Zoo Radio is live every Monday evening
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Poret® BrandAquarium Filter Foam
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Finley aquatic Bookspo Box 164
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Dave’s RareAquarium Fish
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Monster Fish RescueMFR will attempt to re-homeany size fish, big or small,
regardless of your situation.
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do the research. Buy the tank, then the fish!
Discus Hans USAStendtker Discus USA
Promoting high quality German bred Discus
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order back issues of the discontinued international
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disKUs design28180 Verdin street nWisanti, mn 55040-6030phone: 763-444-6029
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CICHLID NEWS maGaZiNe
THE LATEST UPDATE
IN
THE WORLD
OF CICHLIDS
http://cichlidnews.com
Aquarium Societiessponsoring the
OCA Extravaganza 2009CAFE
www.columbusfishclub.orgEast Coast Cichlids
www.EastCoastCichlids.orgGreater Cincinnati Aquarium Society
www.gcas.orgYoungstown Area Tropical
Fish Societywww.yatfs.com
Many thanks from the OCA!
Oyer Cichlids
- Quality Cichlids- Unbeatable Prices
www.ohiocichlid.com
the largest and most visited cichlid
site on the web!
KENS FISH
Home of quality tropical
fish food and supplies
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508-823-4043
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Plecocaves.com- pleco Caves
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i Will meet or Beat anyone’s priCe or deal!!!
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eastern aquatics~ Black Worms ~
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Fax: 717-898-7224
http://shop.easternaquatics.com
www.ohiocichlid.com
OCA Fish Market Members Only ads. For Sale, trade, or want to buy.
Have an ad you’d like to place? OCA members place ads for free. Contact: [email protected] Don’t forget to check out the trade section in the OCA area on Cichlidae.com.
FISH: Neolamprologus Mustax - 2"+ - $6.50ea Neolamprologus Savoryi - Breeding Group of 5 fish - $65 Nelamprologus Leleupi - Breeding Group of 5 fish - $50 Synodontis Petricola - Young Breeding Group of 10-13 fish - $175 DRY GOODS: 10gal tanks - $6/ea 25gal tanks - $15/ea Eheim Ecco Canister Filter - $50
Andrew Subotnik [email protected] 330-730-3177
SELL Will deliver to meeting: Protomelas kirki 1.25” $2 ea Protomelas “Taiwan Reef” M 4” $15 ea Lepidiolamprologus nkambae 1.75” $4 ea Austaloheros “Red Ceibal” 1+” $2 ea Looking for: Melanochromis labrosus adult male(s) or group
Lew Carbone 419-681-1628 • [email protected]
For Sale: Neoplamprologus Caudopunctatus: 8 Available $5ea/$25 all Archocentrus Nanoluteus F1: $3 ea/10 for $20 Mellow Central 5” max. Hypsophyrs Nicarguensis: $3ea/ 10 for $20 Parents had amazing color. Cichlid Max Food: Sinking Pellet 6oz/$2 12oz/$3 16oz/$5 5lb/$20 Large Floating Pellet: 1/2lb $3 1lb/$5 Kyle May - 216-548-5165 - [email protected]
You share everything else with your friends… Why not share the Ohio Cichlid Association?
One of the most often heard comments we get from new members is that they wish someone had told them about The Ohio Cichlid Association sooner. The OCA has some great new things in the works for 2010 making this the best time ever to become a member of The Ohio Cichlid Association! We’ve all got a friend with whom we discuss our fish and all the cool things about the hobby. Why not invite them to join the OCA and help them to further enhance their fish keeping experience? They’ll thank you for sharing the best kept secret in the aquarium hobby. Our yearly membership contribution is still only $15. It’s worth the $15 just to get the Buckeye Bulletin magazine delivered to your email box each month. Add on our exclusive “members only” sales area on Cichlid Room Companion, (the finest Cichlid web site on the net), plus the opportunity to be a part of the Extravaganza, (the hottest cichlid & catfish convention there is), and you have a membership that’s worth way more than Fifteen bucks. With all of the members perks for so little cash, it really is true that The Ohio Cichlid Association is the finest Cichlid and Catfish Club on the planet!
Share your passion with a friend. Invite them to join the OCA today.
…One Last thing, *You May Be a Cichlidiot if……
by Lisa Englander, of Brooklyn, Ohio From The Wet Thumb, Cleveland Aquarium Society, Jan/Feb 2004
Courtesy of www.Aquarticles.com
10. You notice the algae in the tank, but not the dust in the living room.
9. Your husband states, “Either the fish go, or I go!” You miss him terribly.
8. Your local fish store has provided you with your own parking space.
7. It is not unusual for you to be forcibly removed from the fish store ½ hour after closing.
6. Quality time with your kids consists of their helping with water changes.
5. You failed Spanish class, yet you know all the fish's Latin names.
4. Your screen saver is yet another aquarium.
3. You remove the harmful chemicals from the tap water for your fish… but it’s ok for the kids to drink.
2. You know what aquarium water tastes like.
1. You are still in denial about the water bill.
*Title changed for this publication. Original title: “Yet Another Top 10 Signs That Someone Is An Aquarium Hobbyist”