I think your aquarium may be okay for now, but you likely would have to go bigger in the future. Also, I don't know how much you know about the "nitrogen cycle" but perhaps do a search on the internet, or use words like "aquarium nitrogen cycle" and you may find a good article or two. I have attached a link for starters. Basically, fish eat food and produce ammonia as waste. In an established aquarium, there is beneficial bacteria which grows on the filter and the gravel which eats the ammonia, converting it to a slightly less harmful thing called nitrite. Another bacteria then eats the nitrite, converting it to the even less harmful nitrate. You then control the level of nitrate by doing regular water changes perhaps weekly. The immediate concern is that because your tank is newly set up, the beneficial bacteria don't exist or at least don't exist in large numbers. They will grow naturally. However, the amount of waste produced by adding 4 fish at once may be too much. If it is, and the bacteria can't handle all the ammonia, the ammonia level will build up, possibly harming the fish. That's the reason it's good to get an ammonia test kit. Also nitrite too and nitrate wouldn't hurt. You can monitor if these levels get too high do water changes if they get too high. You may have to do water changes daily for the first bit, depending on what your readings indicate. You just change maybe 20% to 50% of the water using new tap water, at the proper temperature and dechlorinator added to it. At first you may have to do these daily and that may get frustrating but hang in there. Once the beneficial bacteria grow in the tank to acceptable levels they will be able to handle the waste the fish produce and the ammonia reading will read 'zero'. Then you may find that the nitrite level goes up, here too you need to do water changes if it's at an unsafe level. Anyways, there's alot to it, but this article explains it fairly well. Don't be scared, it's really not as bad as it sounds, and understanding how it works helps alot in knowing what to do for your fish. Here is a link that might be useful: Nitrogen cycle

I swear, the most beautiful children in the world are all extensions of this cooking forum. I also had a play date this past weekend. I had Tristin, 7 months old. Roger pretty much took care of him most of the time cause I am not a real big "baby" person. I love them best once they reach about 18 months or so. He is beautiful with gorgeous huge blue eyes and the most beautiful black long lashes. He will be a ladykiller someday. I minded Arianna. She is full of pi*s and vinegar and always active, always laughing, always into something, always talking...and we also made a tent, but she called it a fort. We must threw a blanket over the round table in the basement, put in a pillow and blanket and we played in there. She was rather upset with me cause I left my legs and feet hanging out, but the table is only about 40", and my legs and feet just won't scrunch under that table and still have room for her! We had lots of fun. Roger dropped something and said, "sh*t." Arianna looked at him with big eyes and said, "sh*t. Sh*t. Papa, Papa, sh*t." (I gave him the evil eye.) The little ones do take energy though, and I have been very short on energy and stamina lately, so I was pretty exhausted when they left. Whew. I do, however, much prefer all my grandkids...one at a time. Love them to pieces, but it is so much easier and so much less exhausting when they visit one at a time. Makayla, Maggie, Beau, Lily, Bruvver, Tristin, Arianna, well they just have to be the cutest ever. If anybody disagrees, then please post pictures so I can change my mind, LOL!!! Sherry

Well YEAH, Silly Girl!! LOL He sure is growing up and is still a doll. One of my DGDs was little and had never licked a beater. I handed her one with mashed potatoes on it. In a few minutes, she came back and said, "Mamaw, would you load this for me again?" LOL I took it to the sink, washed it well and reloaded it for her! LOL Oh, yeah, just make sure that the mixer is turned off and the beater is out of it! LOL (That's my household hint for today, KTers.)

CRACK. I gave the only bs. card I picked up to GYPSIE. You don't need addresses or names of shops. Just go to the Malacon and start out on the same street as the church. You just wander and wander and find wonderful stuff, and you never look to see the name of the shop. There are two that were my favs - within a block of the church. Everyone knows where the flea mkt. is. It's not like a flea mkt we all know and love - it's just a market place - a whole square block but it's all Mexican art. You'll go several times. And right near it is the tile factory and a glass shop where you buy those wonderful glass faces made into candle holders and other stuff. KLINGER can tell you where everything is. She was our tour guide, having been the multiple times.