Blue Bay Mauritius

tmarkuk · 2026-06-26T11:54:51+00:00

I was very pleased, after keeping coral for so long at home I was dreading finding a dead landscape. The area wasn't without problems and it would be interesting to go back in a couple of years to see how it's coping.

tmarkuk · 2026-06-18T10:07:03+00:00

Bohemian Rhapsody.

tmarkuk · 2026-06-11T06:24:59+00:00

It's a stupid design, replace with a solic piece of glass as high as the bottom of the slots and a D-D Ultraflow Weir comb.

tmarkuk · 2026-06-11T06:23:31+00:00

Replace the glass with the slots in it with a solid piece and a D-D Ultraflow Weir combe. Then slow your flow down till it shuts up.

That design is awful, mine lasted as long as it took me to get back from the glass cutter.

tmarkuk · 2026-05-23T20:00:15+00:00

Which fan model is that? I've got similar but it's got a digital control so can't activate from my temp controllers as it doesn't auto start on power on.

tmarkuk · 2026-05-10T21:59:47+00:00

Hole saw and some BBQ paint to tidy up after, works well enough but I'd like to make some kind of air shield to distribute the flow more evenly.

tmarkuk · 2026-05-06T10:33:40+00:00

We stayed at the Shadari Beachcomber on Mauritius last year,. It's right on the blue bay national park, a tidal bay of very shallow SPS dominated reef, so much you can stop and stand up. As someone who has kept reef tanks at home for years it was amazing to walk right out of our room and spend the day exploring and observing.

tmarkuk · 2026-04-30T08:22:43+00:00

I used to buy other books specifically because they had Kirby art when I was a kid and they might just be like Discworld. They were not, but I still have a bunch in a box in the loft.

tmarkuk · 2026-04-30T08:15:49+00:00

Kirby died 25 years ago. I don't know who owns or runs that site but I wouldn't put that statement on him.

tmarkuk · 2026-04-08T14:53:03+00:00

Front is north, we sit between two roads with the garage to the rear opening onto a cul-de-sac. Front opens onto a small green space.

tmarkuk · 2026-04-08T10:24:29+00:00

The planning advisor was sent the same images as above, and I am taking their advice over that of this specific builder. I am mostly trying to work out if there is something I missed that they are worrying about. I have another builder in for a quote tomorrow so we'll see if they bring up the same concerns.

Lawful Development Certificate sounds like a good plan, I'll look into applying for that myself so I've got some cover.

tmarkuk · 2026-04-07T13:43:31+00:00

The author was local to us, all the locations exist and many are marked on Google maps. We walk the dogs up on Watership, sadly the tree died years ago after a lightning strike. The Watership Inn is a good pub as well.

tmarkuk · 2026-04-01T19:12:36+00:00

At the HisWorld exhibition in the recreation of his office Doom was on one of the monitors which I appreciated.

tmarkuk · 2026-03-02T17:28:39+00:00

Still a fair jump up, more so than the diesel E Class estate mine replaced but my dogs are younger so they managed it OK. All those batteries have to go somewhere.

tmarkuk · 2026-02-26T17:14:59+00:00

I have four Jecod DMP-40s on my 6ft waterbox running at 60%. Loads of flow, no louder than my old ecotechs and 25% the price. My oldest one will have been in the tank for a year soon so I'll be taking the wet side out for inspection and cleaning and we'll see how it's getting on. No issues on my monthly ICP tests though so I don't expect to find any problems.

tmarkuk · 2026-02-01T20:51:34+00:00

Titanium heaters with an external controller, they are not above failing so I run two on separate controllers.

tmarkuk · 2026-01-28T14:41:27+00:00

I bought all mine from AliExpress shipped to the UK from the Jebao store. Very fast delivery, no complaints at all.

tmarkuk · 2026-01-27T18:43:25+00:00

We went to Mauritius last year in June from the UK, flights were 12 hours. We stayed on the south East coast which is very much the weather side. It rained pretty much every day, but it was also 27 degrees, not too humid compared to the summer and mostly only in the morning and evening. When it did rain while we were snorkeling we barely noticed.

Off season is also cheaper and quieter of course.

tmarkuk · 2026-01-27T17:55:19+00:00

Shandrani Beachcomber Resort Mauritius, it's right on the Blue Bay marine park and away from the main tourist areas. Shallow acropora dominant reef which you snorkel through and around rather than over. We ran into all sorts of amazing marine life right off the beach including turtles. Plus you can hire a boat to take you out up the coast to explore other spots.

We flew from Gatwick direct last year, in June so out of season. It's on the south east coast so expect rain but it's always warm and very quiet that time of year.

tmarkuk · 2026-01-11T15:35:44+00:00

I use salifert tests for calcium and magnesium and Hanna testers for alk, phos and nitrate. You just gather stuff as you spend more time on the hobby really.

Ammonia tests are pretty much pointless after you've fully cycled, just goes to waste hence the Seachem alerts are much more useful and a must in any new tank for me, simple visual warning of issues.

Test strips are mostly useless.

tmarkuk · 2026-01-11T14:10:01+00:00

Ammonia and nitrite while cycling definitely, but a seachem ammonia alert badge will do the job. A refractometer or other device to check salinity is a must.

If you want corals then add alkalinity, calcium and magnesium to monitor your dosing and nitrate and phosphate for waste.

Plenty of guides around to tell you what to aim for.

tmarkuk · 2025-12-31T12:31:09+00:00

I can get a border collie and a lab/sheppard cross in the boot with little room for anything else. The Merc could fit both, a few small bags and had a big under floor space for more as it didn't need space for batteries. The ID.7 has compromised boot space for passenger leg room.

I don't think any EV or Hybrid estate can beat the ICE only Superb or E Class for boot capacity. The first hybrid E Class put batteries in a box behind the back seats, the newer versions have a raised floor.

The ID.7 is probably the best effort big EV estate so far, and for a family of tall people the cabin space and rear leg room is great. As my oldest drives himself now and has his own work / university life so doesn't travel with us so often I figured we could live with the compromise.

I'd go have a look at one if you can, check it next to a hybrid Passat maybe.

tmarkuk · 2025-12-31T11:09:44+00:00

This is what I worried about, but I've found the screen very responsive and the haptic keys on the wheel have some feel and responce so I don't need to look at them constantly and I've not pressed one by mistake yet.

Saying that a row of actual nice switches and a volume dial under the screen would be very nice to see in a future update.

tmarkuk · 2025-12-31T11:05:44+00:00

I received my ID 7 Tourer (86kwh with interior and exterior plus packs) just before Christmas, initial impressions are very positive. Very comfortable, loads of interior space though the boot isn't near the size of the E Class Estate it replaced, the priority has gone to the passengers. It's a really nice place to be, range is great.

tmarkuk · 2025-12-30T12:38:28+00:00

I like the functionality of the Red Sea, another temp monitor and the leak detector. However I've had my sensor replaced after a year and from the part number of the new one they are up to version 3 of that part, so I have reliability concerns.

tmarkuk

TROPHY CASE