Dave's filter idea is first rate. It's also a good idea to fill the photo tank up with clean water before you start seining and muddying things up.
Still, that wouldn't help much-in-the C&O Canal, which is pretty muddy to start with.
And don't forget to disinfect the photo tank before using it-in-the next site, to prevent transferring pathogens from one location to the next. (I often use hydrogen peroxide.)
-----Original Message-----
From: Dave Neely <rheopresbe-in-hotmail.com>
Sent: Mar 14, 2005 2:43 PM
To: nanfa-l-in-nanfa.org
Subject: Re: NANFA-L-- Spring Fling - The Preliminary Picture.
Maybe I should provide a couple phoquaria for the auction in Arkansas this
year! Actually, of late I've been really impressed with a couple friends who
are using a small (2-5 gal) tank like yours, with an extra piece of glass
close to the front pane to hold the fish in position, and held in place by
grooves cut into the top of the plastic rim. You can landscape with gravel,
rocks against the back, etc. and it looks mighty good. Two other things that
help are using a small filter on an AC adapter to get fine particulates out
of the water (they catch the light and cause backscatter), and using a
12"x12" piece of black foam-core board with a hole cut in the center for the
camera lens to eliminate reflections off the glass.
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