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Hello @bbtom10 Wellcome to UKAPS! :) To make a meaningful dent in your high water hardness you will have to use at least 50% Rain or RO water - do not use water softened (ion exchanged) with NaCl (Sodium chloride pellets - table salt essentially). To exchange your level of Calcium (and...

If you’re thinking ion exchange softener that uses salt, then no as it’s bad for the fish. Calcium and magnesium is replaced with sodium. Either live with the hard water, use rainwater as you suggest or use RO which you can remineralise with some of your tap water. Many people on this forum...

I did once have a fish version of this classic and I didn't even have a tank at the time.

I wish Superfish would sell the tank on its own without the filter, light etc.

Did you get this lamp in the end? any pics? I'm doing similar. Thanks!

Hi, I am about to upgrade from a 100cm 120L to a 4ft 288L tank and I’m concerned my water is too hard. I have 3 nano tanks and the aforementioned 120L, and they all report high Ph (c.8) and high Kh (c.18) but the most worrying is my general hardness, measured with a water monitor, is between...

@Zeus. How would I override the IFC calculator values to set my K2SO4 according to the following so that I get the correct PPM and amounts to add to the container:

Ah, I see. Thanks for the information. I think I'd rather go for the cheaper stuff then. It's easily accessible and good enough for this use case. Also, I agree with the findings regarding the Seachem one. I wouldn't put it past them to do simple repackaging, branding, and marketing. That source...

It does make me wonder if there was any correlation between the price of the fish and their health status and longevity.... not meaning to directly point the finger at the fish shop, but surely a possibility to consider?

Sorry to hear that, mate. When did the mass die-offs occur (i.e. did you wake up and find them) and was there anything you did before the die-offs (no matter how small?

I originally glued the moss. But some glue spots were visible on some occasions. Next time I would use threads to fix it.

Well, thats this evenings google food. What an amazing organism!

The marbling effect are snails egs... 🐌

Hi all, I'm pretty sure it is "Slime mould" Myxomycota. They aren't anything to worry about and will disappear just as mysteriously as it appeared - "White fungal growth" Cheers Darrel

Hi all, It is a possibility, it is probably more likely to be an indirect effect, rather than direct toxicity. There is honestly nothing worse, you tend to blame yourself, even when it is just "circumstances". That is probably sound advice, especially with the benefit of hindsight. I'd try...

Sorry about your loss :( Here are some common and less common causes to consider: 1. A spike in Ammonia (NH3) 2. A disease - perhaps from recently introduced livestock 3. A large swing in water parameters 4. Leaching compounds from substrate or hardscape 5. O2 depravation 6. overdosed CO2 7...

That’s the exact look I’m going for!! Scraper 90 with the white cabinet!! Thank you!! Your tank looks awesome!!

Growing in a small hang off fry tank with a couple of Galaxy Rasboras fry in it. Some sort of aquatic myceleum?

Got a bit of a mass die off of the Chilli and Galaxy Rasboras. Lost about 20 so far - Doing a large water change and putting the purigen in. Don’t know what’s caused it (No Planaria or whatever) Whatever caused it I’m pretty devastated I’m not going to lie. This hobby is awesome and cruel

Oh 😂😂 you are right!!! Can you tell I’m new to this?! 😂😂 thank you so much for answering 😊

Its good that there was no ill effect to the fish, but for piece of mind if there is a large air pocket or strong smell. I would probably suggest to perform a water change as I would assume some of the gas exchange would affect water chemistry perhaps. I understand in regards to feeding the...

Ideally they enjoy different water conditions but they could meet somewhere in the middle but its better if they dont have to. I would advise choosing one species or the other because gelius barbs are an amazing little fish that likes to be kept in groups, so a loner won't be living it's best...

Sorry, It looks like some of your substrate has got stuck to the wood. Eggs will be spherical and smooth.

Welcome! :)

Welcome! :)

Hi all, So that is K2OS4. The RAM of potassium (K) = 39.1, sulphur (S) = 32.1 , oxygen (O) = 16. To get the RMM is (39.1 x 2) + 32.1 + (16 x 4) = 78.2 = 32.1 + 64 = 174.3 and 78.1 / 174.2 = 45% , so near enough. When you 10g of K2SO4 you've added 4.5 grams of potassium and you need ~23g of...

Hi all, I wouldn't add any Otocinclus <"https://www.planetcatfish.com/common/species.php?species_id=105"> yet, they are <"sensitive little beasts"> and they really need a biologically mature tank. What @John q says. It is entirely up to you, but have a look at <"Nano Tank (ish)">. The thing...

Hi all, Traditionally it hasn't really enjoyed life in the UK, our climate is a bit too oceanic for it. Global Climatic change may change that as it is a tree that does well with a warmer summer <"Red oak (ROK) - Forest Research">. cheers Darrel

My front and back yards are covered in those leaves now :) ... we don't rake them, we just have them mulched down so they can fertilize the lawns. Cheers, Michael

Hi all, Lab. (technical or food) grade chemical are a lot more expensive than fertiliser grade, just because they are more refined. "Analytical grade reagents (AGR)" are an order of magnitude more expensive (and of higher purity) again. Unless you are making up standard solutions (to use with...

Hi, can anyone tell me what eggs these are? If they are indeed eggs?! I’m guessing Pygmy Cory eggs, but I also have otocinclus, green neon tetras and micro rasboras in the tank so I don’t know for sure… I don’t have a breeding box so I will leave them in there but is there anything I should be...

Indeed it was, thankfully I added a lot of Moss to both of these small containers Worms in one and "Shrimpy Things" as the kids call them in the other

Hi all, That was always likely to be an issue once you had the Gobies. Water Louse (Asellus aquaticus) <"are great survivors">, but Crangonyx and Blackworms (Lumbriculus variegatus) are both highly palatable and <"cat-nip for most fish">. cheers Darrel

Hi all, What @Courtneybst says. I've used them as well (there is a tree close to my room at work) - <"Botanicals that last longer?">. They are easy to find at this time of year, mainly because we don't have many trees in the UK that <"reliably go red"> in the autumn. <"Liquidambar...

Hi all, I wouldn't have any worries about that, I'm sure the substrate is fine. If you were concerned some Malaysian Trumpet Snails (Melanoides tuberculata) might help I feed them to the Corydoras pygmaeus as well <"Microworm culture">, although mine might be <"Banana Worms">. cheers Darrel

Hi mlgt. THANK YOU so very much. Love your suggestions. Good to read that you have had sand this way withoiut problems for so long and that you have been able to uproot and redecorate without any problems. Regarding bubbles: During the first weeks I several times Iiberated trapped air in the...

WOW. it worked this time. .. and voila. Egeria densa is the dense, floating green plant. I regularily cut ist roots and keep it as shade to the anubias untill the frogbite have taken a bit more over but will kepe some as some of the more skiddish fish thrives in its canopy . :)

Hi Bradders. A most reasonable request. :) I have tried to upload but withut succes. I will try again. :)

Thank you, Darrel. Now I remember. I bought them as "micro worms". And they indeed are micro.

Thank you! I will pick up some more then :)

The fluval hoses are the weird black corrugated ones with the rubber end pieces for connection to the filter barbs, and there are several sizes. The rubber connecting pieces are not the same outer diameter as the actual hoses. Even if you could find one with the right diameter end piece to fit...

So I have noticed that since adding the Tank janitors and Gobies as well as increasing my fertilizing regime with TNC Complete (the one with phosphates and nitrates) as per directions on the tank that I have had a serious reduction in the growth of "Green Hair Algae's". My Amazon Frogbit and the...

Hi Darrel, thank you for the informative response. The easiest accessible Potassium Sulphate available near me list the composition as: K : 425 g/kg (42.5%) S : 170 g/kg (17.0%) Based on the formula you have given me, this one would give 35.27mg/l (ppm). Quite low compared to Niloc & GLA. I...

5 days in and nothings melting yet. Doing 50-60% water changes regularly despite doing a dark start method first. I’m going to give the plants a full 2 weeks growth to root in and settle before testing properly and changing water change schedule. If tests are good I’ll add amano shrimp and...

No worries. Another option is potassium bicarbonate as a 'kinder, gentler' way of boosting potassium and KH. If you wanted to add a straight-up base to increase pH (and thereby KH) more aggressively you could also consider a dilute solution of KOH. Once in the water column and equilibrated...

Small update I've lost 2 Gastrodermus hastatus and have just 3 left. 2 of these are quite big and round. There is is one that is small and also starting to look a little rough. Tail fin appears to be torn. A little scared to repeat what happened the last time so I've quickly set up another tank...

Hi, was there high winter mortality?

In that case probably not as Oase are 16/22, so 16 inside diameter and 22 outside diameter. if the outside diameter of Fluval is 17, then the inner is much less that 16.

@curlingmom - do you have a picture, please, so we can see what you are looking at?

Hello and welcome :)

Hello and welcome :)

For what its worth I have a 350l Rena tank that I set up 13 years ago with argos play sand. It is between 3.5-4 inches and there are times when I have rescaped and pulled out a thick root such as crinium or large swords and crypts in the back and there was some sulpher smell. but I was already...

Hi all, Grindal Worms (Enchytraeus buchholzi)? or the, much smaller, "Micro" worms? (Panagrellus spp.) cheers Darrel

https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/ifc-aquarium-fertilizer-calculator.63045/

Hi all, In @Zeus.'s signature, download from <"IFC Aquarium Fertilizer Calculator"> or from "Calculators" in the Menu bar. We also have a link to the Rotala Butterfly nutrient calculator <"Nutrient Dosing Calculator">. cheers Darrel

Hello there!

Hello there!

That’s good to know. I have some pieces sat in the vegetable patch I could saw into pieces.

It is the bark, the wood can be regarded as neutral and is fine to use. Although some bark may contain tannic and humic compounds, that could reduce pH in water that has very little carbonate buffering. If you take something like seasoned Ash wood (Fraxinus excelsior), or a coconut shell...

When do i find the ifc cert calculator

Should I empty all and start over? Or is it not as dangerous a set up as I am told? I have topped a bagged substrate with 2-3 cm. chiclid sand. (Do not remember the name of the substrate. It was a gift. Something amazonian-ish. Texture and color as wet: grey clay) Along the edges of the sand...

Hi all, Simple enough, you just need the RAM of potassium (K) and the RAM of chlorine (Cl) to give you the RMM of KCl. <"Potassium - Wikipedia">= 39.1 + <"Chlorine - Wikipedia"> 35.5 = <"Potassium chloride - Wikipedia"> = 74.56 and 39.1 / 74.56 = 52.4 % K and 100 - 52.4 = 47.6% Cl It is...

Will our fish die if we pull unknown driftwood out of a river and use it? Could boil it possibly? Also what does everyone think of ash? Seems like the wood is alkaline? But could soak it to overcome this?

Guess I better update this. So, it's a girl. After refusing food for a good while, she passed an unfertilized egg. After that, she went back to being a picky eater. So, she's still not gorging herself, but feeding is fairly regular now. I'll check with a vet at some point, and provide sepia...

Found this video this morning. Beautiful imagery and very detailed information. I hope they produce more like it:

Welcome to the forum :D

Welcome to the forum Abi, got any photos of your tank? :)

I use sweet chestnut all the time, they last a bit longer if you don't boil them. And there are hardly any tannins coming of these leaves. If you ever want tannins you are better of using peat.

Hi all, That still isn't quite right, if it is 50% (K2O) x 0.83 = 41.5% K It is just because horticultural fertilisers express the potassium (K) content as "potash" potassium oxide (K2O), this means to convert from K2O to K you need to multiply by 0.83. The details (and calculations) for...

Or ask if you have any issues using it. I have teamed up with another expert and have plans on some prescriptions for DIY remineraliser's for various GH/KH scenarios/remin regimes for keeping various livestock and an update to the IFC so the remin regimes can easily be used with it as well.

Found you via a Google search

Hi Everyone, my name is Abi, been keeping fish off and on fo 20+ years. I am based in Harrow, Middlesex Love keeping plants in my aquarium and enjoying binge watching MD Aquatics on Youtube for inspiration! Look forward to learning on this forum.

Hi all i can gather is the outer diameter is 17mm i don’t know if the rubber at the end will fit the Oase BioSmart thermal 250 ?

Thanks if i get around to creating and stocking another tank i shall bear them in mind along with the others that have been recommended

Hello, welcome to UKaps. :wave:

Hello all Thanks for accepting me into the group. Been keeping Tropical for years but never Aquascaping before. As Aquascaping is new to me I'd all ears to learn from people who have the real experiance. Thanks

Well knowing the K% allows you to calculate the mg of K per gram of product, a higher K% doesn't always indicate its purity. A pure salt of K2SO4 has 44.87% K and 18.40% S and a pure salt of KCL has 52.45% K and 47.55% Cl There will be other K compounds in the salt as well. which IMO suggests...

Yeah scaper 90, it is 60cm.

I'm not into stereotyping, however I find those fish keeping social media groups can be very "cliquey".....

With 50% WC twice a week you should be able to fine tune the water colour by adding more or less botanicals. One of the most strong in terms of colour are alder cones. I use one or maybe two in a small tank. Hawthorn leaves are a nice size & shape but they don't last very long.

I assume with that RO unit your tank is fairly large so using that remin product would prove quite costly, 250g for £14.50 using 1 level (presumably supplied) spoon per 15l. If you're familiar with Excel using the IFC Aquarium Fertilizer Calculator along with Calcium Sulphate and/or Calcium...

My mistake, I meant potassium carbonate, and have corrected original post.

I just noticed: This one is actually 50% K and 17% S. Looks like majority of them are around this 50% K and 17-20% S range

Yeah, I didn't know this was a thing, either. It was only after comparing the product from NilocG to one that I found locally that I noticed that the percentages vary. Unfortunately, in both cases, the manufacturer only provides this guaranteed analysis and does not include any information about...

I see. So ideally, I should be looking for whichever supplier can offer me the highest % of K. So far, GLA and NilocG both offer this 52% K and 18% S mix. I will check with some horticulture/industrial farming supply dealers. Locally, I was able to find a few of these farming places that sell...

That is oak indeed! It's an American Red Oak. I use them in my current blackwater setup.

They usually sink in under 24 hours, if you don't want them in the tank, just stick them in a jug of tank water and put the whole think back in once they've sunk. Or, if you have decor, you can usually find a spot to wedge them under water, pop a little pebble on top or a sprinkle of sand. Rip...

Potassium sulphate doesn't add KH... just saying...

Are you sure that's not a scaper 90? the number in the superfish scaper line represent volume not the length of aquarium. scaper 60 measures 50cm and scaper 90 measures 60cm

...hmm I am not convinced... Alternatively, have a chat with Tony in the Fishshop in Waterfoot. He used to own and run a much larger shop elsewhere before selling it (the shop is still operating) and downsizing to Waterfoot. He kept hos contacts and he tends to import every second Friday...

You could just use magnesium sulphate and calcium sulphate for GH and potassium carbonate if you want some KH. This will save you a ton of money. The IFC cert calculator will help you to work out quantities.

Given the rapidly changing nature of the ecosystems which we draw our plants (and fish), I think this would be a particularly useful approach. Particularly, if we could link to either an academic institution or zoological society engaged in conservation.

Hello I am looking to see want is the best Remineralise for my plecos i have super red long fin my tap water is so bad i cant use it for anything atm looking to see what is the best salt/Remineralise products are available on the market i have cherry shrimp in the same tank would i need to...

Superb thread. Illuminating. One to print off and reference!

Is this an oak variant? The leaves are bigger than my hand. Probably too big for my tank really but they were lovely and crunchy.

Here are some photos

Hello, Im using juwel lido 120 cabinet for my scaper 60

I think that is a pretty good suggestion!

What are the internal and external diameter of the Fluval hoses?

Forgot to ask, how much tannin do Sweet Chestnut release? I don’t want the water to be too dark but I am doing 50% WC twice a week so maybe it wouldn’t ever get that bad?