Author Topic: Hello from Cardiff, Wales (Read 13965 times) 84 replies

TopCookie · « **Reply #20 on:** March 17, 2018, 09:40:36 PM »

Looking good there BT...

TopCookie · « **Reply #21 on:** March 17, 2018, 10:03:39 PM »

@Sue

The old man is the Frenchman from where my name comes... His subject was, unsurprisingly, French... Although, business French to be precise... A secondary role at the uni for him was as the Curator of Arts...

I remember going into the uni many times as a pup and one of the funniest things that tickled me back then was that in all the toilets, the loo roll was stamped on every sheet with something along the lines of: "Property of Cardiff University" or something like that - can't remember exactly now, but it didn't half make me laugh at the time...

My mum, also a teacher, her subjects were physics & maths funnily enough, albeit at Cardiff High back then, rather than at the uni...

BT Bob · « **Reply #22 on:** March 17, 2018, 10:51:10 PM »

Quote from: TopCookie on March 17, 2018, 09:40:36 PM

Looking good there BT...

Thanks

TopCookie · « **Reply #23 on:** March 17, 2018, 11:02:39 PM »

Lovin' the tank backing you have there...

I got one for my tank and literally "forgot" to put it on until after the tank was positioned and filled up... Consequently, it's sat unused now

Yours looks smart, I like it...

BT Bob · « **Reply #24 on:** March 17, 2018, 11:03:22 PM »

@Sue & @TopCookie - as we've moved into "All Our Yesterdays" territory (

) I was born & grew up in Roath - so not far from Cardiff Uni (assuming you're both talking about the "proper" Cardiff University (which, from the proper subjects you both mention, I assume you are) and Cardiff High School. I went to Howardian High School (sadly, no longer there), so big rugby rivals with CHS.
I didn't go to Uni, but did study as an apprentice in the late '70s at the old South Glamorgan Institute of Higher Education in Llandaff - formerly Llandaff Technical College and now part of Cardiff Metropolitan University.

BT Bob · « **Reply #25 on:** March 17, 2018, 11:06:23 PM »

Quote from: TopCookie on March 17, 2018, 11:02:39 PM

Lovin' the tank backing you have there... I got one for my tank and literally "forgot" to put it on until after the tank was positioned and filled up... Consequently, it's sat unused now Yours looks smart, I like it...

It's the Juwel one. Must admit I'm pleasantly surprised how natural it looks (once we got all the bubbles out).
It' be pretty hard to fit to a full tank - we laid the empty tank on its front and poured the gel onto the glass - even that was tricky... Worth the effort, though, I think.

TopCookie · « **Reply #26 on:** March 17, 2018, 11:35:01 PM »

Blimey, I used to go fishing at Roath Park lake...!!! Was many moons ago though...

Cardiff Uni became UCC several years ago now, amid much controversy, if I recall correctly...

Sue · « **Reply #27 on:** March 18, 2018, 09:21:54 AM »

I agree with the others - your tank is looking great.
Can I make a suggestion? I have Espei's rasboras, which are closely related to harlequins. They are not fond of bright light, and I discovered they are happier with floating plants over their heads. Floating plants are also great at sucking up ammonia

It was University College, Cardiff (Coleg y Brifysgol, Caerdydd) when I was there. UWIST (University of Wales Institute of Science and Technology) and the National Welsh School of Medicine and Dentistry were separate institutions back then. I think they are all now Cardiff University. The University of Wales had 7 colleges back then - 4 university colleges (Cardiff, Swansea, Aberystwyth, Bangor), UWIST, NWSMD, and St Davids at Lampeter. My degree is from the University of Wales not Cardiff University.
As an undergraduate I was in digs for 3 years in what was officially Pen-y-lan but was one of the roads running south east from the playing fields section of Roath Park. As a post grad student I shared a flat in a converted house overlooking the garden section of the park.

fcmf · « **Reply #28 on:** March 18, 2018, 10:05:46 AM »

Photos are lovely. I would echo Sue's suggestion about floating plants; although my harlequins don't seem to be particularly perturbed by the bright light, they do love it when there is Amazonian frogbit as they love to rest between the dangling roots.

[Sorry I can't contribute much to the Cardiff conversation. I've only visited once - but it has brought back a memory or two which has made me chuckle.]

BT Bob · « **Reply #29 on:** March 18, 2018, 12:14:46 PM »

Quote from: Sue on March 18, 2018, 09:21:54 AM

I agree with the others - your tank is looking great.
Can I make a suggestion? I have Espei's rasboras, which are closely related to harlequins. They are not fond of bright light, and I discovered they are happier with floating plants over their heads. Floating plants are also great at sucking up ammonia

Thank you, much appreciated - I'll look into it

Quote from: Sue on March 18, 2018, 09:21:54 AM

As an undergraduate I was in digs for 3 years in what was officially Pen-y-lan but was one of the roads running south east from the playing fields section of Roath Park. As a post grad student I shared a flat in a converted house overlooking the garden section of the park.

I spent countless hours playing in and around Roath Park - Waterloo Gardens, the Rec (I went to Albany Road primary school and we played all our home rugby matches at the Rec, and played baseball there in summer), the Flower Garden and the Lake. Then, when I had children of my own, we took them there too. We regularly walk round the parks, as do my girls now they're grown up. It's a fabulous part of the city..

BT Bob · « **Reply #30 on:** March 18, 2018, 12:17:50 PM »

Quote from: fcmf on March 18, 2018, 10:05:46 AM

Photos are lovely. I would echo Sue's suggestion about floating plants; although my harlequins don't seem to be particularly perturbed by the bright light, they do love it when there is Amazonian frogbit as they love to rest between the dangling roots.

[Sorry I can't contribute much to the Cardiff conversation. I've only visited once - but it has brought back a memory or two which has made me chuckle.]

Thank you - I'll look into the floating plant thing. I'm aware there's not much shade in the tank and the LEDs are pretty bright, though I only have them on for around 6-7 hours a day.

I'm slightly biased, but Cardiff is a great city - come back soon, we always keep a welcome in the hillside

TopCookie · « **Reply #31 on:** March 18, 2018, 12:51:41 PM »

Big +1 from me on the Amazon Frogbit... I have some and it grows real well but is also easy to control by periodically removing some...

I do actually come back to Cardiff at least once a year, to visit my old dad... Always a pleasant trip and I agree that Cardiff is a nice city... I would like to go and "see" Canton again, which we don't normally do, but that's where I was born and raised...

fcmf · « **Reply #32 on:** March 18, 2018, 01:32:01 PM »

Quote from: BT Bob on March 18, 2018, 12:17:50 PM

I'm slightly biased, but Cardiff is a great city - come back soon, we always keep a welcome in the hillside

The hotel I stayed in at the time (20 years ago), for a small conference, was presumably in the suburbs - probably on a hillside as I remember a lovely view from up there. Probably lots of hotels fit that description, though! All I can recall is boarding the train in Scotland with a rather full bladder but being trapped in my seat for the entire duration of the journey and having no time to do so during the change of trains, then availing of a waiting taxi (rather than finding the ladies' and potentially queuing for a taxi afterwards) but which got stuck in commuting traffic while I writhed around thinking that my bladder was actually going to burst. On arrival at the hotel, I didn't bother getting change from the taxi driver, blurted out to staff at the check-in desk that I was in desperate need of the toilet, abandoned my suitcase in the reception area, and ran crossed-legged to the ladies'. I have never experienced such relief in my entire life as I did in the ensuing few minutes. Rather than this, plus an outing to a ?Mexican restaurant near a railway bridge, I recall very little else of Cardiff, so I will endeavour to return some day to rectify that (and ensuring that I don't end up in the situation as I did first time round)!
I'm rather off-topic of the original thread here so I might avail of my moderating responsibilities and delete this post

after giving you a chuckle - although, if you were able to identify the hotel and/or restaurant from my description, that'd be great for my own curiosity.

BT Bob · « **Reply #33 on:** March 18, 2018, 02:08:24 PM »

Quote from: fcmf on March 18, 2018, 01:32:01 PM

Quote from: BT Bob on March 18, 2018, 12:17:50 PM
I'm slightly biased, but Cardiff is a great city - come back soon, we always keep a welcome in the hillside
The hotel I stayed in at the time (20 years ago), for a small conference, was presumably in the suburbs - probably on a hillside as I remember a lovely view from up there. Probably lots of hotels fit that description, though! All I can recall is boarding the train in Scotland with a rather full bladder but being trapped in my seat for the entire duration of the journey and having no time to do so during the change of trains, then availing of a waiting taxi (rather than finding the ladies' and potentially queuing for a taxi afterwards) but which got stuck in commuting traffic while I writhed around thinking that my bladder was actually going to burst. On arrival at the hotel, I didn't bother getting change from the taxi driver, blurted out to staff at the check-in desk that I was in desperate need of the toilet, abandoned my suitcase in the reception area, and ran crossed-legged to the ladies'. I have never experienced such relief in my entire life as I did in the ensuing few minutes. Rather than this, plus an outing to a ?Mexican restaurant near a railway bridge, I recall very little else of Cardiff, so I will endeavour to return some day to rectify that (and ensuring that I don't end up in the situation as I did first time round)!
I'm rather off-topic of the original thread here so I might avail of my moderating responsibilities and delete this post after giving you a chuckle - although, if you were able to identify the hotel and/or restaurant from my description, that'd be great for my own curiosity.

That's a helluva journey to hold-on for...

I can't really place any "old" Mexican restaurants in Cardiff - there's an excellent "greasy-spoon" called Ramon's near one, but I doubt it's that, and I can't really picture a hotel on a hillside... sorry. Great story though

Littlefish · « **Reply #34 on:** March 18, 2018, 02:42:42 PM »

I'm going to guess at the New House Hotel, near Thornhill. It has been the venue for conferences, etc. for many years, and is situated on a hill that overlooks Cardiff, with great views.

As for the Mexican restaurant approximately 20 years ago, it was probably Las Iguanas on Mill Lane. In those days, there were no other hotels or other building to block the view of the railway bridge. If you remember and outside seating area, and 2 for 1 offers on cocktails in glasses the size of a nano tank, then it's the right place.

fcmf · « **Reply #35 on:** March 18, 2018, 02:58:09 PM »

Quote from: Littlefish on March 18, 2018, 02:42:42 PM

I'm going to guess at the New House Hotel, near Thornhill. It has been the venue for conferences, etc. for many years, and is situated on a hill that overlooks Cardiff, with great views.

As for the Mexican restaurant approximately 20 years ago, it was probably Las Iguanas on Mill Lane. In those days, there were no other hotels or other building to block the view of the railway bridge. If you remember and outside seating area, and 2 for 1 offers on cocktails in glasses the size of a nano tank, then it's the right place.

That is definitely, definitely the hotel! Well done, @Littlefish.

As for the Mexican restaurant, that is almost certainly it - it's certainly how I remember it was situated but, as you say, I don't recall anything else round about it as it was quite dark up to the view of the railway bridge. I have a feeling it was a very cold evening when we were there, and so I don't recall outside seating, but I do have a vague recollection of drinks offers in large pitchers/glasses that some folk were availing of.

This has totally made my day, being able to account for the names of these places all these years later, especially as electronic versions of any communication, etc, didn't exist back in those days that I could refer back to.

BT Bob · « **Reply #36 on:** March 18, 2018, 06:52:03 PM »

Quote from: Littlefish on March 18, 2018, 02:42:42 PM

I'm going to guess at the New House Hotel, near Thornhill. It has been the venue for conferences, etc. for many years, and is situated on a hill that overlooks Cardiff, with great views.

As for the Mexican restaurant approximately 20 years ago, it was probably Las Iguanas on Mill Lane. In those days, there were no other hotels or other building to block the view of the railway bridge. If you remember and outside seating area, and 2 for 1 offers on cocktails in glasses the size of a nano tank, then it's the right place.

Good work.... makes sense now...

BT Bob · « **Reply #37 on:** March 18, 2018, 06:58:49 PM »

Just run a series of tests with my API Master Test Kit:

Temperature is kept around 25^oC
PH: 7.4
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 5

I think the PH is a little high - I'd like it under 7 ideally, but haven't done anything to change it yet.

The Nitrate's OK, but I was going to do a 40l water-change tomorrow anyway.

Sue · « **Reply #38 on:** March 18, 2018, 07:28:37 PM »

Don't do anything to change the pH.

Hardness is more important than pH and as long as your water hardness is within the fish's range it doesn't matter if the pH is outside as long as it's not way outside.

Look at your water company's website, it should give your hardness somewhere on there. They could use any one of half a dozen different units, so you'll need the unit as well as the number. Fish keeping uses just two units so the chances are you'll need to convert the figure to those two. Fishkeeping uses ppm which is the same as mg/l calcium carbonate, and German degrees, also called dH.

The best site for looking fish up - and checking their hardness range - is http://www.seriouslyfish.com/knowledge-base/

BT Bob · « **Reply #39 on:** March 18, 2018, 11:26:32 PM »

Quote from: Sue on March 18, 2018, 07:28:37 PM

Don't do anything to change the pH.

Hardness is more important than pH and as long as your water hardness is within the fish's range it doesn't matter if the pH is outside as long as it's not way outside.

Look at your water company's website, it should give your hardness somewhere on there. They could use any one of half a dozen different units, so you'll need the unit as well as the number. Fish keeping uses just two units so the chances are you'll need to convert the figure to those two. Fishkeeping uses ppm which is the same as mg/l calcium carbonate, and German degrees, also called dH.

The best site for looking fish up - and checking their hardness range - is http://www.seriouslyfish.com/knowledge-base/

Amazing - thanks. I'm right on the money it seems... 110ppm/6.16^oH ("slightly hard")

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Hello From Cardiff, Wales

Hello From Cardiff, Wales

Author Topic: Hello from Cardiff, Wales (Read 13965 times) 84 replies

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