The Craftsman’s Forge

I have the rest of the week off, and decided that I should bring my parents for a spot of prawn fishing, since its been a while since they went fishing. Kyla who is in the afternoon session also decided to tag along and have some fun. Overall, I’m really happy we did this. My parents enjoyed themselves very much! No surprises when it was my mum who caught 5 prawns, dad with 1, Kyla with 1. A total of 7, but we lost 3 prawns through a torn net.

Kyla looking bored.

Dad & Mum

Finally! My nijsenni female in my office tank has emerged from her normal hiding place! She’s all yellow in breeding colours. Sorry for the lousy photo from my iphone. Hopfully they can give me some babies soon. The female is the one on top and the male is bottom. Uh.. doesn’t sound quite right… Ha ha ha ha

I’ve signed a new contract with another company within the group of companies where I work. Will start work on Feb 16 next month. Office location in Tuas!!!! Wahhhhhhhhh Siong man!

It’s been 18 days already. Time for an update!

Angled front shot.

Side tank view.

Front tank view

I wonder what this plant is? I see quite a number of them sprouting around the lawn.

Ever since I put in the fish tank at the office, good things seem to be happening (in terms of career). Well…. ok… I started a big and a small tank at home, and good things seem to have happened as well. But, the new house isn’t the story I wanna tell today. Its the story about the tank in the office.

OK… since I bought the fish tank in the office, people have been silently asking around if I did it for feng shui reasons. The office staff are notoriously famous for believing in such things. Eventually, word got round to me from one of my staff that people are talking and asking her. I told her it wasn’t done for feng shui, but it must be working as I am getting an imminent offer soon. I got a verbal offer today, and will (finger crossed) be getting my formal contract by Tuesday next week.

People don’t know yet whats gonna happen, but when they find out, I think I’m gonna be able to auction out my tank. Starting price… $168.

Hee…

Saw a nice maisonette near my mother-in-law’s place last Sunday, and decided to pursue it. Have made a verbal offer for it, which has been reciprocated. Will be meeting the agent to pay a deposit of S$1k to exercise the offer, and we have the next 14 days to get a bank loan. After that, we have 60 days to exercise the option to purchase.

So many things to do now…. Have to also begin putting our current place on the market. Anyone interested in a top floor unit at Lorong Ah Soo? Windy, next to PLMGS, unblocked city view. Let me know by dropping a comment.

I found a buyer for my first tank just a couple of days ago. I found the tank to be inadequate for what I wanted to do, with main complaints in the overhead filter and light department. Got a pretty decent price for it. I got a smaller tank (just like the office tank) instead. (30cm x 18cm x 19cm) Just about 2.5 gallons.

Bought a pair of Apistogramma cacatuoides “triple red”. Triple Red being the colour of the fish’s fins, which can be seen on it’s Caudal, Anal and Dorsal fins.

Heres the male.

Another shot of the male.

Heres one of the male flaring (to impress the female)

Heres the femal (Yellow in colour when she is ready to breed)

Its the 9th day since I set up the planted tank on the 30th of Dec 2008. The plants are thriving, and I need to perform my first trim VERY soon!

I finally got meself a small 30cm(L)x18cm(B)x18cm(H) tank for my desk in the office. Have been thinking about it for days now! Just filled it up today with cycled water from home, 2 baby guppies and a pair of Pelvicachromis pulcher, or more commonly known as the Rainbow Krib. Its a more common cousin of the Pelvicachromis taeniatus, or Nigerian Red, which I really want. But the Nigerian Red is S$55 a pair, and I’ve decided to only get it for home. The Pelvicachromis pulcher on the other hand is only S$3.00 a pair. I’m hoping they settle in nicely and lay me some eggs!

Its been 3 days since the tank was set up. Time for an update.

I bought HC from 2 sources. Te HC which I used for all of the substrate was purchased from Pasir Ris Farm, and grown emersed. The second source of HC was from a Local Fish Shop (LFS) called Colourful, opposite Thomson Medical Centre. I bought some HC on two coconut husks as a fail-safe, in case the HC on the lawn started dying on me. The HC on coconut husks were supposedly submerged for some time already, and should not have to undergo any acclimatisation.

So, I was quite surprised to see some of the HC on the coconut husks “melting”, while the HC on the substrate all look extremely green and healthy! Wow! Better dun say so fast. Have to give the HC on the substrate more time in the water.

Here is the full tank shot again.