# Thread closed



## Danny (29 Jul 2012)

Closed


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## HarryRobinson (29 Jul 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

Just a little tip for you, If you are wanting to carpet plants and use co2, you will need to have minimal surface agitation when the lights are on to keep the amount of o2 down. Also you will need lots of flow to spread out the co2 through the tank meaning your outlet pipe should point just downwards into the tank


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## Danny (29 Jul 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

I am hoping that I will have high enough light to carpet with GE, may not grow as fast but should still grow well with the approx 1.8wpg + the rich soil it will be planted above.......


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## HarryRobinson (29 Jul 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

You still may have problems with algae in areas with little flow though matey.


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## Nathaniel Whiteside (29 Jul 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*



			
				HarryRobinson said:
			
		

> Just a little tip for you, If you are wanting to carpet plants and use co2, you will need to have minimal surface agitation when the lights are on to keep the amount of o2 down. Also you will need lots of flow to spread out the co2 through the tank meaning your outlet pipe should point just downwards into the tank




Its not O2 that causes low CO2 levels, but in fact surface agitation 'gases off' Co2.

High levels of Co2 and O2 can be achieved by having surface agitation and cranking up the Co2.

Plants will output a lot of oxygen into the Water column by a term referred  to as 'Pearling'.

This ensures the High oxygen content keeps fauna from being affected by high Co2 levels, and is obviously great for plants.

Cheers,


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## Danny (29 Jul 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*



			
				HarryRobinson said:
			
		

> You still may have problems with algae in areas with little flow though matey.



It may not look it but there is almost 3000lh of water pushing through the return lol It does actually flow quite nicely around the whole tank with how it is directed now.

Thanks for the advice though


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## Nathaniel Whiteside (29 Jul 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*



			
				Danny said:
			
		

> HarryRobinson said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Failing that, you can just add a powerhead like a Hydor?
 I'm sure being a 'Marine' you'll know about the importance of flow, it is equally important in the 'high tech' planted aquarium.


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## Danny (30 Jul 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

Only done marine once for a few months and found it boring lol Cichlids are my thing.

Update to the journal,

Ok, been thinking about it for a couple of days and decided to do it. I have added another divider into the sump so it is now 4 sections and better water flow.

Dodgy drawing lol


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## Nathaniel Whiteside (30 Jul 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

Great looking sump though, Regardless of drawing


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## Danny (30 Jul 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

Cheers, just waiting for the silicone to cure and get it all running again lol, think I will just give it 6hrs as only a thin bead of silicone either side of it.


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## Danny (30 Jul 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

The whole thing,

Excuse the mess doing a bit of decorating as well.


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## Danny (30 Jul 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

Sump re fit complete and running again, much better flow through it now and should be more effective.


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## Danny (31 Jul 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

The Phyllanthus Fluitans has been added. Should have the Glossostigma Elatinoides tomorrow and the Nymphaea rubra at some point in the week.


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## Danny (1 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

Looks like a long day for me, Glossostigma Elatinoides has arrived so this should be fun........


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## HarryRobinson (1 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

Gooooooood luck


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## Danny (1 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

Well 2hrs and I have got it all separated and ready to plant lol oh dear......


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## Danny (1 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

Well looks like I underestimated the amount of each portion lol half the tank is done and need the same amount again.....


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## Danny (1 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

Got the lights and filter for the shrimp tank today, all it needs now is substrate and a black background which I will have Friday or Saturday and it is ready to cycle. I will use some alfagrog from the sump on the main tank to kick start the cycle.





Both out take pipes will be surrounded with sponge to stop it sucking up the shrimp.Also got a bit of Elocharis acicularis planted in the main tank to see how that goes.


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## HarryRobinson (1 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

Love the placement of wood in that tank, also love how you've suspended your luminaire, looks brill. Keep it up!


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## Danny (1 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

Thanks!!

That is a £20 3x8w off ebay, just got it hung with garden string until I get to b&q and pick up either some small stainless chain or stainless cable.


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## HarryRobinson (1 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

Erm they sell little hanging kits somewhere online, 2 secs ill have a look


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## HarryRobinson (1 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

http://www.seapets.co.uk/products/aquar ... n-kit.html This is just an example but there are lots out there


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## Danny (1 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

Cheers for that but I will make my own for under £5 almost the same as those lol


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## HarryRobinson (1 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

Fair do's, make sure you post it up on how you did it, would benefit a few members


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## Danny (1 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

Here is the quick one I just did, only temp till tomorrow or Friday.

Drill a hole in the ceiling above the tank as centre to the tank as possible, I then got a 6" bolt with two nuts and tied the HD garden twine/string to the bolt between the nuts to hold it in place and pushed the hole thing into the ceiling through the hole to lay flat.

The string was already measured to length before doing that, then just looped the string into these clips I had in the shed ( cant remember what they are called ) I replaced all 4 end screws with longer ones to give the extra hold and length to get the clips fixed.

Also threaded a small round key ring onto the string to hold it central. 









Bit of a bodge job but will do for a day or two.


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## Danny (1 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

Also helps if you can move the tank a few cm here and there to get the light unit measured to centre of the tank both length and width ways.


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## HarryRobinson (1 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

Very innovative danny


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## Danny (1 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

Here we are with the shrimp tank, cat litter substrate un-capped been in about a hour now. Black background to follow in a day or two. I have loaded the filter with some alfagrog from the main tank sump to get it on its way.

Diy Co2 is the next step for this tank.


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## HarryRobinson (2 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

Remember you don't need the lights on until you have plants  You'll get a little algae if you do


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## Danny (2 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*



			
				HarryRobinson said:
			
		

> Remember you don't need the lights on until you have plants  You'll get a little algae if you do



Ahh I don't mind lol

Got the lights hung with steel cable now will post pics tomorrow, also got the black BG. Here is the soon to be shrimp tank now, fair few scratches on the glass as it is a well old tank.


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## Danny (2 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*


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## Danny (3 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

Here is how I hung the shrimp light with steel cable,





You need 1.3mm steel cable as long as you need, that cost me £0.99pm in B&Q and got 3m. I had everything else apart from the latch bolts and bigger washers.



I made some crimps out of small pieces of metal I had in the shed. Bit of a dodgy pic though sorry.



and some small washers I had in the shed



And to keep the light wire in place and stop it pulling on the light



Bit basic but does the job and looks great.


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## Danny (3 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

The shrimp tank last night,


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## meejo (3 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

Love the lighting effect on the shrimp tank, good skills with the mounting too


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## Danny (3 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

Thanks, I wanted it to be a bit dull in the sides to give it an eery feel with the dark wood as well, was not sure that this light would do it but I think it does especially at night.


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## meejo (3 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

It does it perfectly, looks well, are you planting it?


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## Danny (3 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

Thanks,

Yes not decided what with yet but as it is low light and the main inhabitants will be shrimp I am thinking plenty of moss for sure but other plants not a clue yet lol All ideas for low light plants welcome  

Will also be running DIY Co2 on it so will carpet with something as well.


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## HarryRobinson (3 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

I'd keep it moss only without the diy co2, that stuff can turn out to be a really bad idea because it fluctuates alot, in turn, causing algae


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## Danny (3 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*



			
				HarryRobinson said:
			
		

> I'd keep it moss only without the diy co2, that stuff can turn out to be a really bad idea because it fluctuates alot, in turn, causing algae



Cheers for that, I will be running two bottles so can swap one at a time and hopefully get a good balance....


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## Danny (5 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

Getting a fair bit of new growth from the Phyllanthus Fluitans and the Aponogeton Natans are growing insanely fast!! Currently 5 shoots on their way to the surface from two of the 5 bulbs!





Approx 11" shoot


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## Danny (7 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

Quite a few things to update so here goes,

Plants are on the increase, I now have;
Java fern and moss
Taiwan moss
Vallisneria gigantea var rubra ( growing  )
Crypts
Nymphaea rubra
Glossostigma elatinoides ( initially almost all melted but new growth coming through  )
Aponogeton natans ( growing like crazy  )
Phyllanthus fluitans ( starting to grow  )
Miniature water lettuce
Amazon frog bit
Salvinia natans
Riccia fluitans


The Nitrite has gone up and is now on its way back down in both the main tank and shrimp tank, both are at the same level of approx .4ppm and I hope will be clear for fish by the weekend 

A few updated pics for you of both tanks,

Both tanks




main tank surface



main tank



















Shrimp tank with Taiwan moss and something else 














Think that is it up to date


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## Danny (7 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

Also a new lighting schedule,

2 bulbs 9am-12pm
4bulbs 12pm - 5pm
2hrs off
2bulbs 7pm-11pm


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## B7fec (7 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

Hey Danny, the scapes are coming on nicely mate... That's a nice piece of wood in the shrimp tank.


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## HarryRobinson (7 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

That's alot of light matey, i'd stick to 7-8hrs a day to keep it simple


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## B7fec (7 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

I agree with Harry, that's a lot of light..... I've had great results on just 6 hours a day of 2 x 54 watt bulbs a day, recently increased to 7 once the scapes stabilised and has been established. As Harry said, keep it simple and get the scape established, you can tinker and increase lighting later.... But final decision is yours.


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## Danny (7 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

Cheers B7, it is 3 pieces 

I know it sounds like and maybe a lot of light but so far the plants have loved it especially the Ap. natans lol Because of how deep the tank is I think it will be ok with that much, I had a look about at the sunrise and sunset of the majority of plants and they are between 10-12hrs.

I know it may make algae but I don't mind cleaning it every couple of days


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## sr20det (7 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

Agree with others, lot of light bud, certain algae is a mare to clean in some cases a complete strip down is the only method, prevention is better then cure. You will regret it, if bba or the likes kick in. I had 9hrs a day, which triggered bba, I am now down to 6hrs which seems the most algae free approach.

Will be a great tank once things settle.


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## B7fec (7 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*



			
				sr20det said:
			
		

> Agree with others, lot of light bud, certain algae is a mare to clean in some cases a complete strip down is the only method, prevention is better then cure. You will regret it, if bba or the likes kick in. I had 9hrs a day, which triggered bba, I am now down to 6hrs which seems the most algae free approach.
> 
> Will be a great tank once things settle.




+1


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## Danny (7 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

Does light have a different effect in a planted tank to a Cichlid tank? I had my Malawi's lights on for avg 15hrs a day ( I work from home ) and never really suffered with much algae, some rust here and there but nothing serious and never BBA........ Was I just lucky lol


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## sr20det (8 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*



			
				Danny said:
			
		

> Does light have a different effect in a planted tank to a Cichlid tank? I had my Malawi's lights on for avg 15hrs a day ( I work from home ) and never really suffered with much algae, some rust here and there but nothing serious and never BBA........ Was I just lucky lol


I never got bba in my non planted tank only diatoms, but in my planted I have got bba. So there must be a difference. Plants weaknesses can trigger algae.


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## Danny (11 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

Not happy but getting there, decided the compost under the sand was doing my head in and leaching into the water and prefer the look of cat litter in my shrimp tank so replacing it lol, about half way through it now.......all compost gone and almost got clear water again but still needs a couple more drains and fills ( only about quarter of the tank ).

Not to happy I think I sucked out my red RH snails not thinking I should of taken them out before hand lol hopefully one or two are still there somewhere.

Will post pics once the cat litter has been put it and a possible re scape is done which I am thinking about............. In for a long night lol


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## Danny (11 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

Well was up until 5am doing it and everything is drained, sand and rocks re-done. Will get the cat litter in a couple of hours and get that in then re plant.


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## Danny (11 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

Plants all sorted and cleaned, got the cat litter also happy to say I found the two Red RH snails so will now start getting the cat litter rinsed and in the tank


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## darren636 (11 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

5 am? That is crazy talk!


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## Danny (12 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

Had to get it finished hate leaving things half done lol


All done, also added a diy spray bar to the sump inlet, not entirely settled on how the cat litter is now but have 2 more bags if I decide to slope it at all, pics taken about 10 mins after being filled so hazy.


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## HarryRobinson (12 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

Reasons for the spray bar into the sump?


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## Danny (12 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

More equal water distribution over the sponges and better flow through them, with it coming straight out of the 2" pipe the force was focusing it on one part of the sponges which could clog up in no time with that much water pushing into them and in my mind not being as effective as a spray bar evenly distributing flow and matter onto the sponges.  


PS the tank is now as clear as clear can be to the point of looking like it has no water in it, problem I think I have now caused is washing out the bacteria that had built up by replacing almost the entire volume of water. Although I kept the sponges and media in tank water with the hope of not washing them out I think replacing almost 550L of water has done it anyway lol we will see n a day or two if there is any Ammonia or Nitrite.....


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## Danny (15 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

First fish added to the main tank,  9 ( bought 8 lol ) Rasboras Hengeli and 8 Neons, long week for me this week so will get some pics over the weekend to show a few changes.


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## Kristoph91 (25 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

Spray bar in the sump is going to gas off your CO2 if you inject some. 

Other than that looking good, hate when you get the rescape bug.. Sometimes you just have to let it grow out.


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## foxfish (25 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

Nice set up apart from sumps & highlight will BURN c02 at an incredible rate!
There are few successful sump driven tanks around, not least Tom Barr's but, you can at least double the amount of gas required that would be used from an enclosed system.


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## Danny (25 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

Still dabbling with the idea of Co2 on this one, if I do it will be a FE set up so no worries of keeping up with teh amount needed.

Went away for a couple of days last weekend and came back to a brown tank full of rust algae lol cleaned off what I could and letting the otto's do the rest. Will get some updated pics later and list the fish etc.


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## nry (25 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

If nothing else, if things haven't changed plant wise since the last photo's, I'd be looking to add LOADS more plants at this stage.


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## foxfish (25 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

Well ok but my 200lt sump tank uses about 2kg of gas every 12-14 weeks so you are going to need a bigger cylinder than a standard FE for 500lt!
If you are going to stay low tech then I doubt if your tank will work very well with such a high gas off & high lighting?
I may be wrong as I am not a low tech fan but, my understanding is a low light, low surface movement is the way to achieve success?
Most sump users use needle wheel pumps to get the co2 diffused & dissolved into the tank, just remember every drop of flowing water that is exposed to air will effectively gas off the precious C02 that you plants require to flourish.
I would aim for a 5kg or bigger cylinder, slow down the return rate to the sump, avoid any splashing by submerging pipe returns, install a NW pump & raise up the lighting....


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## Danny (25 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

Plant wise got some windelov and needle fern added, the floaters are growing like mad, just noticed a couple of baby molly's hiding in the Taiwan moss.

The mrs has chosen x3 male guppies and x4 orange Lyretail mollies bloody things.

Fish stock is now,

x3 otto
x3 male guppies
x4 mollies
x9 hengali's
x8 neons

and has to be the slowest growing giant vallis I have even had, the taiwan moss is slowly out growing the rust algae that has formed on it, think I will trim of the top layer with the algae on or may just leave the mollies and otto's to eat it lol


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## Danny (25 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*



			
				foxfish said:
			
		

> Well ok but my 200lt sump tank uses about 2kg of gas every 12-14 weeks so you are going to need a bigger cylinder than a standard FE for 500lt!
> If you are going to stay low tech then I doubt if your tank will work very well with such a high gas off & high lighting?
> I may be wrong as I am not a low tech fan but, my understanding is a low light, low surface movement is the way to achieve success?
> Most sump users use needle wheel pumps to get the co2 diffused & dissolved into the tank, just remember every drop of flowing water that is exposed to air will effectively gas off the precious C02 that you plants require to flourish.
> I would aim for a 5kg or bigger cylinder, slow down the return rate to the sump, avoid any splashing by submerging pipe returns, install a NW pump & raise up the lighting....



The mrs has claimed this as her tank now and wants it full of guppies and platies! that will not happen but she will have a few, sort of lost heart with it as that si what she wants and not a planted heaven like I wanted so now my main focus in on the shrimp tank and other 2ft I have sitting here. Also keeping my eyes open on Ebay for another 4 or 6ft tank to be my jungle lol


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## foxfish (25 Aug 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try*

That's a shame!
 Although you can still have guppies and platies & plants, you just need to make a few adjustments.


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## Danny (16 Sep 2012)

*Re: The green green grass my first try ( for sale/swap )*

SELLING THE WHOLE SET UP, I AM AFTER A 4X18X18ISH OPEN TOP SYSTEM 

IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN BUYING OR SWAPPING LET ME KNOW AND I WILL POST FULL DETAILS OF EQUIPMENT ETC ALTHOUGH MOST IS LISTED ON PAGE 1 OTHER THAN THE PUMPS WHICH ARE NEWJET AND THE AUTO TOP UP TANK SIZE WHICH I WILL MEASURE TOMORROW.

WITH WORK NOW LOOKING UBA BUSY FOR THE NEXT YEAR AND THE NEW BIKE TAKING ALL MY SPARE TIME THIS IS TO BIG SO WANT TO DOWN GRADE TO SOMETHING THE MRS CAN MANAGE.


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