August 2005

GFSA Info

The hardcopy July/August Goldfish Report is in members' hands. E-subscribers have had this issue for more than a month. So a big kudos to Terry Cusick, Andrea Pecher, Matt Lyon and all the associate editors and article authors for getting the society back on a timely publication schedule, while consistently putting out a top-notch product. For info and updates on the Goldfish Report, take a look here for info from the editor on upcoming issues of the Goldfish Report and the publication schedule.

If you have let your membership lapse or have been thinking about joining the GFSA, now is a great time - here is a form you can print. To submit material for the Goldfish Report to editor Matt Lyon, please see the updated society contact info. Articles and photos in electronic form are particularly appreciated.

The current line-up of people filling the GFSA offices is on the society officers page. 

Interested in joining the GFSA but still not sure? We have two sample Goldfish Reports available to download, to demonstrate that every issue is packed with thought provoking information and pictures available nowhere else. We are also promoting an electronic membership option that significantly lowers the cost of membership.

Lessons Learned "Quick Hits"

We are soliciting short lessons-learned from hobbyists: events that possibly left you sadder, but measurably wiser. Have a good one? Please send it to the  . FYI, the Webmaster is disappointed by the tepid response ... if no one is reading this, lets stop now. Anyway, here is yet another submission from the Webmaster:

Cool idea gleaned from the British Northern Goldfish and Pond Keepers newsletter several years ago:

If you drill small tanks or ponds to have bottom mounted overflow standpipes, and still want to do water changes (or simply drain the water from the tanks), here is a trick. Take a big plastic soda bottle (say 2 liters, or however large needed), cut a hole in the bottom that the standpipe can fit through. To use, push the soda bottle down over the standpipe. It will fill with water. Pull the bottle back up sharply, say half way. Water will flow down the standpipe and a siphon will start. Let the soda bottle back down and water will continue to travel up through the bottle and down the pipe.

If desired, put a few holes in the soda bottle at the level you want the tank to stop draining at. Caveat: the Webmaster has never tried this, but it seems possible and fairly clever. Send a note if you try it and it works!