# 1st day at MA aquatics!



## aaronnorth (12 May 2008)

It was my first day at MA aquatics on my work experience, and they said i can rescape the fluval roma 90   I will be doing this on friday so watch out for some pics :? 

Monday:

fed fish
cleaned all of the tanks front glass
cleaned the coldwater and cichlid tank (approx 30) another 100 or so tommorow :!: 
priced up some gravel
restocked shelfs
took some rubbish to skip.


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## Arana (12 May 2008)

sounds like a good days work mate  don't forget to post photos of your scape


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## TDI-line (13 May 2008)

What a cool work experiance, good luck with the scape.


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## planter (13 May 2008)

Nice one Aronnorth    May I ask which MA is it your working at?


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## Luketendo (13 May 2008)

Cool thanks. Will give me an insight in what I'll have to do next month.


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## Steve Smith (13 May 2008)

Excellent!  I wish I'd done something a bit more adventurous for my work experience.  I worked in a small local kitchen unit manufacturer.  I spent days beating wooden door panels with a lump of coal to "age" it.  I also spent a day carting car tyres about for the boss around to the local garage.

In college, when doing my BTEC National in computing, I did 2 weeks as a computer technician at the college which was cool


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## Egmel (13 May 2008)

Now I think of it my work experience was a bit random too, I did window dressing... I'm now doing a PhD in computers/elec eng!

Sounds like they've got you doing all sorts of bits and pieces, always a sign of a good placement   How long are you there for? 2 weeks?


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## LondonDragon (13 May 2008)

Lucky for some, I was stacking shelves at Saisnburys! LOL and the second time was in a car garage working as a panel beater! then did a degree in Accounting and Finance and not am a Network Administrator! go figure! lol


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## beeky (13 May 2008)

It's good that they're giving you some responsibility so early on and not just treating you as a gofer.

My work experience was in a bread factory cleaning grease from all the machines and washing floors  :?


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## aaronnorth (13 May 2008)

Thanks guys, i am working at 'the dukeries' in welbeck, worksop. It's much better than school (so far) You are treat so much differently, more like an adult.

I cleaned 2 more sections of tanks (12 in each section), i am half way through them :?  I almost made my first sale today aswell! It was a 40l tank with all accesories and optimat CO2 but they said they will think about it. I am only there for 1 week as they said i would get bored, so i am going to BJ's warehouse where they deal with rubber and materials, not the best place but i had 1 week to sort a placement out and i knew i would almost get it seen as my uncle works there. 

It was alos good to haer that they will not be ordering any fish that get large like common plecs and they have posters about big fish and what size tanks they need, it couldbe the next step forward. I forgot to say, yesteraday a rep from JBL came in (he's french) he gave me and another member of staff some freebies, i got 3 tubs of different food, algae scraper with a metal blade (unsure whether to use this), the JBL '7 balls. I aso got a chocolate muffin  Graham (member  of staff) said he always brings a muffin, maybe a french tradition? He comes out with some good stuff too!

He was on about carbon, he said:

_The manafacturer put it in so that customers will keep on buying it as they think it will be an essential part of the filter. If i was dealing with a customer (he bends down as though on toilet!) and i s*** in the tank, you come back every time you need a new s*** ok? That is how necassary it is! Ok!_


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## Steve Smith (13 May 2008)

aaronnorth said:
			
		

> He was on about carbon, he said:
> 
> _The manafacturer put it in so that customers will keep on buying it as they think it will be an essential part of the filter. If i was dealing with a customer (he bends down as though on toilet!) and i s*** in the tank, you come back every time you need a new s*** ok? That is how necassary it is! Ok!_



Nice to hear it from the horse's er... mouth


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## aaronnorth (13 May 2008)

here is the shop webpage:

http://www.fishkeeper.co.uk/store_detai ... storeid=61


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## Egmel (14 May 2008)

aaronnorth said:
			
		

> algae scraper with a metal blade (unsure whether to use this)


They're great in glass tanks but don't use them in acrylic, also watch out for plant leaves getting in the way.


> Graham (member  of staff) said he always brings a muffin, maybe a french tradition?


It was always pain au chocolat when I was working in France, every Friday morning   yummy


> He was on about carbon, he said:
> _The manafacturer put it in so that customers will keep on buying it as they think it will be an essential part of the filter. If i was dealing with a customer (he bends down as though on toilet!) and i s*** in the tank, you come back every time you need a new s*** ok? That is how necassary it is! Ok!_


Excusing his French 
Seriously though, carbon is good for removing meds if you've had to treat your tank (or so I've been lead to believe, PCMIIW).  Mine's still sitting in my 'box of bits' just in case


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## aaronnorth (14 May 2008)

> Excusing his French
> Seriously though, carbon is good for removing meds if you've had to treat your tank (or so I've been lead to believe, PCMIIW). Mine's still sitting in my 'box of bits' just in case



He did say use it to remove meds, he said the juwel carbon sponges dont work as the carbon needs to be porous (like fluval) to absorb the elements.


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## aaronnorth (16 May 2008)

Well today was my last day, i finished the scape, not to bad, i have took a pic but i cant upload it, i'll try it tommorow because i can't be bothered tonight.

It was the best day today, i was running the till and serving customers on my own, i brought in just shy of Â£100 (they must make a fortune if i can do that!)

I am supposed to be going to 'BJ's Warehouse' but i am asking Sam (manager) if i can go to MA for the next week aswell!


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## Luketendo (16 May 2008)

aaronnorth said:
			
		

> Well today was my last day, i finished the scape, not to bad, i have took a pic but i cant upload it, i'll try it tommorow because i can't be bothered tonight.
> 
> It was the best day today, i was running the till and serving customers on my own, i brought in just shy of Â£100 (they must make a fortune if i can do that!)
> 
> I am supposed to be going to 'BJ's Warehouse' but i am asking Sam (manager) if i can go to MA for the next week aswell!



Great my week starts on the 9th June.


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## aaronnorth (16 May 2008)

Cool, it's alot more fun when you are serving customers.


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## aaronnorth (17 May 2008)

Here are some pics of the tank i scaped, they are not very good because it is a mobile, and it is next to a door with lots of light (reflections).








what do you think? It needs a few months to grow in but it was cool having the whole shop to choose from!

2 x 15w aqua glow (1WPG)
no co2
inert gravel
driftwood (4 pieces)
black background
fluval 2+ internl filter
fluval tronic heater

crypt balanse
crypt becketti
crypt bullosa
crypt 'm' (cant remember name, starts with M)
vallis spiralis
lilaeopsis mauritiana

5 x ottos
5 x japonica shrimp
5 x honey gouramis


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## Luketendo (17 May 2008)

That could turn out great if the shop keep it going.


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## aaronnorth (17 May 2008)

Thanks, the plants are great quality too, they are in line with tropica, the company is aqua-fleur situated in holand

http://www.aquafleur.com/site_en/index.php


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## Luketendo (17 May 2008)

aaronnorth said:
			
		

> Thanks, the plants are great quality too, they are in line with tropica, the company is aqua-fleur situated in holand
> 
> http://www.aquafleur.com/site_en/index.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



Oh so I guess that's where my Maidenhead get their plants too.


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## aaronnorth (17 May 2008)

If you click on dealers, then select UK then it will show if our MA is a stockist.

BTW, feeding the fish is a little bit tedius after a few days, especially if you do it more than once a day,


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## JamesM (17 May 2008)

MA could use a few people with love for planted tanks.

Sounds like you had a great week Aaron!


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## aaronnorth (17 May 2008)

I have just rung up and they said i can go for 2nd week, just got to ask school now... guessing it will be a no


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## Egmel (19 May 2008)

aaronnorth said:
			
		

> I have just rung up and they said i can go for 2nd week, just got to ask school now... guessing it will be a no


If you don't ask you don't get, the worst they can say is no


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## aaronnorth (19 May 2008)

Egmel said:
			
		

> aaronnorth said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




They said yes, because i organised it myself, it isn't so bad if i had choose one of schools placement and it made it easir with my mum's brother being the manager at BJ's so that was simple  

I added 10more harlquins to the tank today.


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## johnny70 (14 Jul 2008)

are you still there? was at the Dukeries for the first time yesterday, must say I was very impressed with the people running it, the selection of kit and dry goods. Fish looked excellent, some fine looking fish some real beauties, including chocolate gouramis and panda garra

JOHNNY


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## aaronnorth (14 Jul 2008)

No it was only for 2 weeks   

I always buiy my stuff from them, always very helpful, did you speak to anyone?


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## johnny70 (14 Jul 2008)

yeah, had 2 long chats, went back today for some panda garra's, no idea the name of the chaps I spoke too, know there stuff though

JOHNNY


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## aaronnorth (14 Jul 2008)

johnny70 said:
			
		

> yeah, had 2 long chats, went back today for some panda garra's, no idea the name of the chaps I spoke too, know there stuff though
> 
> JOHNNY



Yeah, the owner Sam, he is posh speaking (he has 2 other stores, he just set a up a few week back and hoping for another by december so that will be 4!)

Dd you see the tank on the door as you walk in on the right? I scaped that one    Looking nice now.


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## johnny70 (24 Jul 2008)

Yes I did see it, nice little tank, looked very healthy when I was there last time, good job  

JOHNNY


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