Back from Australia trip

[Tom Barr]

I just got back yesterday.
Long flight(14 hours).

Very nice bunch down there.
As an aquarist, it really has a lot to offer for just going out into the bush and collecting beautiful aquarium fish and plants, rock, and wood collecting.

Pisces is an excellent plant nursery and hardscape/gravel vendor there.
Had a nice tour there, well run and nice supplies, many in the USA would be very envious.

I have not downloaded the pictures yet.

Lost one tank of fish due to a nasty fungal out break in a quarantine tank.
Other tanks did amazingly well. Raised the lights, and ran things very slow.
My advice works for me too.

Some good plant and fish shots.

Did not get to go up north, am already planning that trip for another year.
Needs serious planning to go out to such remote areas, but plans to be rather cool.

The folks are super nice down there.
Also got to travel a fair amount with Diana Walstad, a very sweet person.
The meeting was more along the lines of a Science seminar, and the topics where all quite good.


Will update more later.



Regards,
Tom Barr

[scottward]

Hi Tom! Good to see you back online, glad you enjoyed your trip. I was interesting in coming to your presentation in Brisbane but couldn't make it because it was my son's 3rd birthday on that day.

Look forward to photos and other details when you are less jet-lagged.

Sleep well!

Scott.

[dantra]

Hey Tom, its good to know you got back in one piece . I'm glad things worked out and I can't wait to live the trip myself through your photos. Oh, don't forget to show us the goodies you bought home for yourself.

[PaulB]

Hi Tom,

Good to hear you survived the long flight home and to hear you enjoyed yourself. Everyone i have spoken to who attended the conference enjoyed your presentation and the chance to talk with you.
I also belive your aquascaping demonstration at ANGFA Brisbane was well recieved going by some of the posts on our local forum - AquariumLife.

It was good to catch up with you and thanks for the PAR meter.

Cheers

Paul

[jazzlvr123]

good to hear, keep us updated with pics

[Tom Barr]

Well, seems I left Sydney just in time prior to Hell on earth dust storm.
Here's Darling Habor:



Captain Cook's replica, Skyline and other boats there.


Nice goby, roughly 20cm long caught real close from Sydney

Nice fire adapted plants in Karungai:



Nice lori in the wild:


Regards,
Tom Barr

[Tom Barr]

Fresh caught local Rainbows from Brisbane:


Elatine:




Lots of Vals there and a 1/2 dozen other species.
Found some rare Myrios also, Oz has many species that have not been worked out taxanomically as of yet and many are not in the hobby.

I did not venture up north where 90% of the really cool plants are. Saw some nice Erio's at the meetings though. The 40$ per dinky plant type except they where not dinky.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[Tom Barr]

Steve does some neat stuff with Styrofoam waste:







If you like to make model train landscapes, this is the medium for you.
He's got plastic plants though

Still, he does excellent work and is very good with the scapes.
Might give some plant folks a new insight with DIY backgrounds and scapes.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[Philosophos]

Welcome back, Tom

Nice pictures. Is that goby FW? If so it's a nice break from the muddy browns.

If Steve ever decides to go live plant, he might be able to actually get rid of the cornball image anything man-made has in planted tanks right now. Any clue where he got that acrylic from?

I'm glad to hear your trip went well, sorry to hear about the quarantine tank.

-Philosophos

[hydrophyte]

Welcome back Tom.

Oh I remember that red-flowered plant form botany class, but I can't remember what it's called. Those rainbows are nice.

I want to go to Australia someday.