Hey guys, finally got around to doing this!

Firstly can I just say a massive thank you to everyone here, for all the help and advice you guys have been giving me since the beginning. I have learned so much on my fish keeping journey so far  

I thought it would be nice to see how far Lucky has come, she's been through a lot with me, losing her tank mate, going through the stress of the Nitrite spike, not to mention for a good while I was constantly worried she was sick with something, as veins appeared in her tail (still no explanation for that! I think they've quite possibly been there the whole time and I didn't realise XD) and various other mis haps.

But regardless, even with her little genetic defect fin (where as you can see the spike at the front is almost healed!) she is such a character, I'm not sure what life holds for her when she grows too big for my Dads tank, but I think I'll cross that bridge when it comes to it.

The first photo is how it all started, Lucky and Star -R.I.P Star
Ha excuse the thermometer in the third shot XD
The fourth one is a little blurry I know, but she just looks so funny, with her 'are you looking at me?' expression  

I've also included a photo of her current teeny tiny set up and my fathers old tank that I have finally finished cleaning and as soon as I get a filter sorted out, will be doing it all up and moving her over.
Infact random bit of information, my dad told me this tank is around 25 years old He originally had it when he was younger and kept tarantulas in it! Then later after they died, it became a tropical fish tank and now its with me  
The background on the tank, is the same one the tropical's had when I was a child, so a nice bit of nostalgia!

Hope you guys like it ^_^

Aw, she is so cute. I bet you can't wait to get her in that big tank! She'll love it. It's neat that your Dad's tank lasted 25 years.

Shwishee that is great, Lucky is so cute too!! Hope you have lots of sucess in setting it up. I am sure Lucky is going to love it!!

It's pretty simple, she just kept exchanging the cabomba as the fish ate it She even had a separate tank on the terrace to grow plants in

In my experience, a fish that's stunted earlier on in their lives will die earlier as well, they'll get sick easier and allover not have the same life quality that a properly kept goldfish will
And, as I believe I've mentioned elsewhere, a goldfish that will be poorly fed during the fry- and juvenile stage won't grow to even a fraction of the size as it's siblings would if they'd get more nutritious food in larger amounts. The fish that got less food as they were fry will have bigger tail but a small body, while the ones that got more will have plump bodies with a bit smaller tails, and generally turn out to be stronger fish.

Bristol Shubunkins are beautiful! Very easy to recognize as they have a "B" shaped tail, but so far I've never seen a Bristol shubunkin around. Possibly best to nab one from a breeder indeed c:

Hope you'll get that filter soon so you can start setting the tank up and cycle it!

Besides, since they're just photos, it's hard to tell whether she's keeping them successfully or not
(Link is not visible to guests. Please register to view.) The purple sort of plant I have here on the right side of the tank has been eaten by now :'D I replaced it with something even prettier, and so far it hasn't even been pulled (My goldfish love tearing plants, as if they're little dogs or something...) I could post photos of it, it has beautiful, light green leaves and looks kind of long and thin, like the elodea

Yeah I saw Mindemae's thread, it was so fascinating watching them grow like that! 

That plant sounds interesting Noss, I saw a nice looking plant the other day, but the LFS had the plant labels wrong (the label on this plant said cabomba, but I knew it wasn't) I wonder what it was..... Sounds similar to your description, maybe it will be there when I go back for plants!

Happy Three Kings Day

I was going to ask him the same question!

Well no filter today by the looks of things
So thought I'd share some pics of the driftwood (they are temporarily out of the bucket because I needed to use it for the water change today!) annnd smooth gravel yay! =)

Well for £1.99 each, the driftwood was a bargain 

I just want the filter here so I can get started already!!!!

You mean Epiphany (bringing forth)

Oh interesting celebration Fantailer  

Haha I'm excited too Cheri!! It's not ridiculous at all it's nice to come here and have people share my excitement!

I got the gravel, driftwood and rocks in today, albeit I found the longest and most OCD way to go about gravel but I got it done! Lucky gave me some very odd looks while I was doing it too, I was making quite a racket, I did explain to her what I was doing. She just carried on swimming up and down looking at me, before going back to whatever it was she was doing, probably nibbling the plant or staring at the wall knowing her!

My other half must think I'm nuts, his away at the moment (as a result the room has become filled with art and fish things with just me here) I was trying to explain the tank so far to him and ended up saying I had made a driftwood corner, like a book corner but for fish

Also, one of my driftwood pieces is slightly arched, any tips on blocking the gap between the driftwood and gravel? For the time being I stuck some rocks in there, didn't know if there were any alternatives? I just know what Lucky is like, she will find a way to swim in there! But I was thinking the rocks will be okay? She will hopefully grow some and then be unable to fit down there anyway!

Filter should arrive soon  

Will get some photos of the tank so far tomorrow when the lighting is better (it is night time now).

I also saw someone on gumtree, offering a 6 foot tank for £150, couldn't resist e-mailing asking for more details, how soon they were hoping to sell it as I was interested, but would need time to save money!

*Sigh* They'll probably sell it to someone else, but maybe one day.... not sure I even have space in this house for a 6 foot tank either XD Not to mention having to save up for suitable filters!
But one thing I'm beginning to learn about fish keepers, instead of thinking 'oh a tank would go nicely in that empty space', like most people, we find and make the room instead 'sofa? who needs one of those when I can have a tank!'

Haha you know what, there's a desk in our guest bedroom, with a giant tv, that's supposed to be for the N64 and SNES, but man I have considered asking my partner and other house mate, if I can move it all and put a tank there  

Then there is the consideration of replacing the sofa with a tank, but I do not think my house mates would like that idea XD

Also, excellent news, my order status was 'completed' today and I got an e-mail, so if the delivery is UPS next day 24 hours, then the filter should be with me tomorrow So I'll try and get some water conditioner today on way to work later!

Yay!!! Also tank so far It feels a little 'empty' to me right now, but that's probably because it's lacking water, Lucky and plants, not to mention the air stones too, I'll move those over tomorrow possibly. I am sure Lucky will survive without her bubbles for a few days.

Nossie may remember me mentioning these stones, they are called 'Wet Rock' stones, they are also known as Blue Soladite King. These are dry at the moment, but when wet they look pretty.
Driftwood Corner  
And also pictures of the gap underneath the driftwood and the difference when I stuff one or two rocks in there.
Altogether it looks like this   

Ha yeah I did kinda throw the rocks all over the place by this point  
After sorting through gravel in my OCD way, I had, had enough of rocks for one day!
I figured I would re arrange them once I get some plants in there

I'm hoping to get some plants later this week, quarantine them for 24 hours in a strong salt solution to kill anything and then maybe soak them in fresh water for 4 or 5 days, just to be on the safe side.
Will have to see what plants I can get at the LFS in town, as he keeps the plants separate from the fish.
The other LFS near me, always has them in tanks with other fish, makes me a little wary!

THE FILTERS HERE!!!!!!!!  

Considering I got the 'completed' status, via e-mail at 9am.... Just as I was leaving the house at 3pm, I saw a delivery truck pull into the road, wondered to myself if it was the filter, did a 360 degree turn and walked back home and it was the filter!!!!!!!!!
Bloody fast delivery!

The LFS annoyed me tremendously when I went to get some water conditioner on my way to work *some what hyper* he asked what filter I'd brought when I said I was excited (I figured he of all people would understand my excitement) and his reaction was he could have gotten it cheaper?! Why didn't he tell me this when I asked about External Filters there a few months ago?

Useless!! I am starting to realise how LFS sales people work in general, i.e. if you go in about something, they will try and sell you the most expensive thing, yet if you go in with something more specific, they are more useful. Like when I went in about water test kits, I was given test strips and I was like 'no I want a liquid test' and then they were all 'oh yes these tend to work out more economical anyway' and I was like, well why are you trying to sell me test strips, when this is the better option? XD
I guess shops have to make money some way!
But who cares, I have a filter now!! Time to go play!!

Will make a little review somewhere when I've got the time  

p.s Nossie I have read your comment   about the plants, but right now the filter is too exciting!!!

[Slight update]

So after getting part of the way through sorting out the filter, the instructions said to fill it 3/4 with tank water.
My problem? The tank was empty.

So now my arms are exhausted, I've had to fill the entire tank armed with a 10 litre bucket and a measuring jug!
I am now a little worried about the tank volume, remember I quoted 125 litres? That's how much I thought it was.
I have now filled 88 litres, and the water level is just under 1cm away from the glass lid.

So it would appear this tank is actually, more than likely, 90 litres. Not 125, because I forgot to take the glass lid into account   This won't affect filtration too much will it? Having 1400 L/H on a 90 litre tank?
Also slight query, I noticed one end of the tank, the gap between the water and the glass lid is around 1mm, but at the other end it's 5 mm   Is this something I should be worried about?
I don't get how it's not level, it's been on the same stand it's always had!

Hmmmm not sure there. Feeling really tired now, so probably best to do the filter tomorrow when I'm more awake!

Thanks Runwithscissors, I'll get some photo's of the filled tank later today, but I am a little hesitant on touching the external filter though.

I've contacted All Ponds Solution (APS) about whether they think the filter will be okay, or if it would be possible to exchange it for the 1000L/H model. I'm not sure if they'll let me exchange it as I did open and wash the filter media. But I'll see what they come back to me with.

Just don't know if over filtration would be a good thing or not?

I'll see what APS say at any rate, kinda wishing I hadn't touched the filter media now, the carbon made a bit of a mess on the filter pad, so I doubt they'd take it back, considering it isn't in perfect condition now.....