I'm kinda just cooling it with mine until after cottage season.

I don't understand your sponge filter problem. Did you get "store bought" sponge filters or sponge filter sponge and the other pieces to make your own sponge filter?

With store bought sponge filters, you connect an air hose (connected to an air pump of course) down the center of the clear plastic tube and into a nipple (usually) at the top of the actual filter. Put it into the tank and the rising bubbles push the water ahead of them out the top of the tube which causes water to be sucked into the bottom of the filter (through the sponge) and so on and so on.

Putting one together yourself is a bit more complicated. There's a great post in the hardware section of the forums:

http://www.fishforums.net/content/Aquarium...-sponge-filter/

Cheers.

I will check it out.

I have plenty of air pumps. I bought the tubes and sponges from DrsFosterandSmith when they had a sale. I suppose I need things to make the pieces connect. I have seen them working in tanks, so I should be able to figure it out. It is just when I take something out to put together, if I don't see immediately how it works I go do something else. LOL It took me a year to put up my first canister filter. I looked at the instructions and all the parts and said, "Later!"

My Rena is still not working after taking it apart and fixing it and all, it stopped again. I have spent hours and I am very annoyed with it!

I hear you.

The number of times I've started something but got distracted and moved on is plain to see if you come into my office.

I'm slowly come to realize that if I really want something and I'm under a time constraint I'll go out to buy it or pay someone to do it.

Good luck with your filters. Did you take a look at the link I posted?

Cheers.

Not yet. I will.

* sigh *

Don't make me come over there!

I still didn't get it.

LOL! Is this one of those situations where the woman says "Oh dear, I can't figure this out!", bats her eyes, and the man says "Here, let me show you how it's done."? Unfortunately I live on the other side of the continent. Of course, this could be a good thing for me because after that remark I half expect you to come over and slap me silly(er).

(Trying to swing this thread back to Corys) Do you have any comments/experience about/with metae? A lfs got in a shipment and from the pictures in Ian's book they look quite nice. Just thought I'd ask before I drive all the way downtown...

Cheers.

Answer to first order of business: Absolutely that is what I expect!

I don't have metae. I have melini which is similar. I know Baracuda has some--or did. He liked them. I think they would be a nice little fish. They would be nice with pandas perhaps and arcuatus/skunks. My melini are with a group of smallish black and white species. Are the metae also small?

Well, I'm going right out and buy a plain (sic) ticket



C. metae are a bit larger 45 - 50 mm vs melini 40 - 45 mm and yes, from Ian's pictures they look quite similar but it looks to me like the metae's snout is a but longer and the rear stripe starts just before the adipose fin vs before the dorsal fin.

I think I may give them a call tomorrow and ask if they have any left. I'm getting itchy...