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Welcome to UKAPS

As Picard said to the Borg Queen.

I guess the network between the plant and our home. I am going to let the tap water standing and then do another test... And probably check our neighbours' water in case we need a plumber!

Hi all, That is the problem with FB etc., if it is a "members only" group you may get informed discussion, but it is hidden away from most punters. If you have an open group? Then you better be pretty thick skinned <"Facebook Planted Tank Groups">. I've <"had to apologise a few times">, but...

Hi all, I think we would all be interested. I have a <"quarantine tank"> that doesn't have any permanent residents, and therefore no ammonia source, but it is mature and planted and I have absolutely no compunction in <"adding fish to it">. That is why I come back to probability all the time...

I have seen products come and go from both sides as End Consumer and Retailer. When these Bacteria Products 1st started appearing in the early 2000's even i was sceptical about them, and the spiel the reps gave about them. Since then I have tried and tested many of these and found the ones...

I am still perplexed why the 44 water supplier tests done up to June this year, never had tap water lower than a pH of 7.8. But you are getting much lower! How weird is that?! I know these things are never totally bang on, but still.......

I think I might try the 25% once a week. Thanks both. Would stirring in Prime to the bucket of new water before adding it to the tank be an adequate substitute for leaving out for 24hrs (particularly as I don't have a spare means of aeration/agitation)? I like the idea of adding the Epsom to...

I've got the older model and it has been running for 3 1/2 years without any problems, now I don't think I could live without it.

Morning update... Tank water test results with JBL strips: NO3 = 10 ppm NO2 = 0 ppm GH = 4 - 7 degrees KH = 0 degrees pH = 6.4 (or lower?) Cl2 = 0 ppm Tank water test results with Aqua are Master Test Kit: NO3 = 5 - 10 ppm (very weak, but progressively growing) NO2 = 0 ppm NH3 = 0 ppm KH = 0...

25% once a week will fine for low tech if you don't really want to go through with two. As long as you are replacing the old water with new from the same source and if you prepare your water prior to the change i.e. leave for 24 hours to off-gas (Chlorine) preferably with agitation, bring it up...

Hello everybody, I am a new member and I have a question and I hope I can get some answers please: I am in the 3rd week of cycling a new Nano Tank. I have used fritz 7 to boost the cycling process, I have a Tetra 250 filter system Gravel substrate Ph 7.5 with fake plants. I am also using a...

This kind of informed & measured debate in an online forum is so rare, and one of the reasons why I like this site so much 🙂

https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/please-read-the-guidelines-for-plant-help.60671/

Looking great @Spartacus, and text book start up. As a low tech tank, 5 hours of lighting is a little too low I'd say (I start all mine on 12 hours out of the gate). I'd start stretching it out if I were you, bump it up to 8 hours, and gradually increase it to 12. You can always dial the Vivid...

I think that’s everyone outside the home countries.

Ah I think you misunderstood me. The British expression “call it a day” just means to do nothing further. So in my context I’m saying that placing a fish in a bowl with no further research, effort or interest is objectively bad. I agree with you, you can maintain a healthy environment from the...

I feel that we have to be over cautious when giving advice to newbies and always err on the side of taking things very slow/safe. The average person doesn't seem to do basic research, nor do they seem to overly care about the fish much as they are "just fish", although I would argue that a...

Welcome, nice looking cubes you have there :)

Hi!

Hello there!

Interesting thread! There are aquarists on this forum who introduce fish almost immediately after setting up the tank and seem to have great success. @Gill is one of them, and I track his journals as he has 'gone large and bold' in his aquariums! (Size envy, I know, i know!). And some people...

Unfortunately shortly after my last post the female kribensis I have in the tank with the eques suffered a bacterial infection, which spread to the eques juveniles. I lost the majority of the juveniles which was pretty soul destroying. Especially as it was my fault. The filter hoses had become...

Hi und moin moin aus Deutschland. Die Pflanze die Du hauptsächlich in Deinem Becken hast kenne ich unter dem Namen Haarnixe oder Tausendblatt. Die ist ziemlich lichtbedürftig, ein guter flüssig Dünger (für so kleine Becken sollte ein Tagesdünger also tägliche Düngung ganz gut sein). Meine...

I hear what you're saying, and do excuse my bluntness, but let's not be too quick to call a method "bad" and obfuscate it just because it's not what you're used to teaching. The real challenge is understanding why different approaches work, especially when they've been successful. Dismissing new...

Hi All, I do believe I have reached the stage where "it is all done" 😎 I've been away for a week and all is well, apart from some green hairy algae appearing on the glass. If I understand correctly, I need to up the ferts a bit. Making my own (TNC clone) and squiring 75% EI. Happy with my first...

I saw Terry Reid at the Jazz Cafe last week and was absolutely blown away - a superb performance by a man who should have been a household name. Sound is kind of soul/folk/blues/country/rock. Yep, just good music, labels are pretty irrelevant here. He is in his seventies and played for two and a...

So far there as been some drama!!

I also noticed that. I usually measure the tap water as it comes out (rather cold). Proper measurements with a pH meter equipped with a temperature probe would take into account the temperature, but I would not expect that to result in a difference of 2! We are around 6 miles away... I am...

Hello , welcome to UKaps. To her help, please read the guidelines below. Without this I formation, no one can possibly tell you what you might have done wrong. https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/please-read-the-guidelines-for-plant-help.60671/#post-595767 Also, I’m going to move the post to...

Welcome to UKAPS

Hi all newly got a 60L tropical tank with an heater, a light and a filter, and an air bubbler. I want to create an effect like attached photo. What plants are here? Any other equipment i need? I heard people say CO2 for example. So far, the plants i got are all “melting” after while. What did i...

These are my 3 at the moment. A bit different from the original post..... L: 30/30/30 litre low iron - strong light but short photoperiod - mostly fast growing plants - the Hydrocotyle will be coming out of there into a planted vase project. I think that will also give a better rule-of-thirds...

Welcome to UKAPS

Welcome

🤣🤣🤣

Welcome

I want to know this also... I vaguely remember reading something about Glasgow and Edinburgh the other day - but not 100% sure it was on this site - and it did not strike me as particularly offensive... Maybe run it by a Scottish person as to whether it is actually offensive, from what i know...

Your wabi-kusa likely attracted larvae due to the excess moisture. Dry it out, rinse off the larvae, and ensure it doesn’t stay overly saturated to avoid future infestations.

ATO and some solid grey hosing on its way, never tried an ATO before so will see how I get on.

Thats odd. The water report mean pH testing shows a pH of 8.2. But your tests are showing a pH of 6.0-6.4 - and that includes the tap water testing! Thats quite a difference. I suspect now you introduced 12 Ember Tetras yesterday, this is going to kick-start the ammonia source and cycle, so I...

I keep my England shirt next to my kilt - just in case. 🤪

Yes I managed to nab the last one in stock, hopefully they’ll be back in stock soon for you. I think I’ll likely make any future tank stands like this. Of course, pick away I’m due time :)

Good to know as I wasn’t aware and I have soft water also!

All us locals know who you mean. If you can catch him when he’s not busy he knows just about everything you need to know about fertilisers. 👍🏻 Welcome mate.

Here’s your water report: https://www.scottishwater.co.uk/-/media/ScottishWater/Water-Quality/Data/100/202406/Water-202307-Rosebery-A-Last-12-Months.pdf Rosebery is a relatively new WTW in Penicuik and supplies a lot of Midlothian. I’ve had water out of a DI unit which wasn’t much different...

Welcome! :)

I’ve been a very loyal customer to them, since the beginning of my venture. I have absolutely no doubt they’ll come up trump’s with something. 👍🏻

I checked the tap water this evening and there is nothing in it, other than low pH. I am tempted to bring it with me to my job and start using it instead of the millipore DI we use! Quick tank water test update with JBL strips: NO3 = 10 ppm NO2 = 0 ppm GH = 4 - 7 degrees KH = 0 degrees pH = 6.4...

Now that the days are shorter and Glasgow has gotten its usual cloudy, the green hair algae has died back and the tank is looking clean again; must have first started growing due to sunlight reaching the tank through the window. I always try to take as much algae out as I can manually during the...

Thanks all ;-)

Welcome to the forum :)

Hello 👋, welcome to UKaps.

Plus 1. Big shoals of little fish gives great scale visually as well as being good for them. I think of lot of people arent bold enough to stick to that and want to try keeping lot of different species. Understandable, but I like your plan. Nice tank btw!

Welcome! :)

Welcome! :)

You're in good hands!

Started building a desktop nano; which will only be seen from the front and angled left. Plan is to be lighting planted, primarily using moss and some small epiphytes Anyway, lightings a little poor but you should be able to get the idea 👌 I wanted to have this “over hang concept”...

Welcome! Looking forward.

Ha this confused me for a bit too until I saw another thread with more context. Still, I think having more tanks is also a valid way to dilute your worries about algae in just one of them, even if it does potentially mean less time to combat algae in the first place...

Wise decision! I can't see that being a problem at all, it gives you the opportunity to have more of each of which I'm sure will gratify you and the fish and enable them to be in a more natural environment. I would give it a bit longer before introducing the Chilis until the plants have matured...

Hello 👋, welcome to UKaps.

Welcome!

The Calcutta cup has become less problematic for me ...

So I started painting this canvas with leftover plants from my iwagumi and other tanks, and I added my mixed neocaridina colony! I still need to add some riccardia and hc Cuba patches but it’s starting to please me. Daily dosing Ada brighty K, and brighty mineral, 1ml of each. Cheers!

Hello there!

Stunning as always CooKieS!

If you’re in Gorebridge you have the same water supply as me. It has basically nothing in it. Excellent starting point.

I've known about this site for some time, decided to finally to register given that's its the closest to me regarding Aquatic Plants etc. I don't do social media sites and the Irish Fish Keeper Society website is Archived now as far as I am aware. I've recently invested more time and money...

Onwards and upwards!

What was the joke then? As an Edinburgh resident with dual-nationality (the Calcutta cup is problematic for me) I am intrigued as to what could be so offensive. 😄

I did the opposite with my shrimp tank (I cleaned nothing!) and ended up with lots of cool stuff in my tank.

I understand that. The mess, gunk and complete saturation of gunk is pretty bad when doing it!

I have heard this tip many times and have ignored it just as much. It’s not that I don’t think it would be beneficial, I just don’t want to do it.

Remembering to scrub the caked on rich dirt on rocks you source from bypass/runoff canals before putting them in the aquarium is a great way to prevent algae issues. (speaking from recent experience)

That requires determination to learn or at least some sort of patience when preparing to look after an animal including premeditation. A good chunk of people who are starting fish keeping have done it impulsively to some extent and the actual reality is overwhelming. My local Fishkeeper employs...

I remember that video from aquarium coop, was one of the first wakeup calls to my old obsession with asserting strict advice about "cycling" for literally every aquarium problem. I'm embarrassed to admit how backwards my logic was before I got into more natural keeping.

Using a puppy training mat to protect the floor when doing water change or maintenance is more absorbent than towels. And it’s anti-slip too.

I do need to tidy up a bit. Managed to dump a load of soil adding some more CuC this morning.

Hi all, That is why we recommend <"plant and wait">, it isn't <"very exciting"> but it has <"very little chance of failure">. Point taken again, you could have a tank that was years old, but still not <"mature or stable">. cheers Darrel

Another pic

She arrived on Friday, and settled in very well. Has been hunting fruit flies this afternoon. And has decided to perch and moult right infron of me right now.

I'll get a journal going on it. You should do the same if you've not already started one?...

I have seen that picture before on a different forum, and I argued that the idea behind the advice itself is not inherently wrong, (since I personally introduce inhabitants the day I setup my aquariums) but the context is extremely lacking. Its hard to have success with your first aquarium...

Hi all, The limestone (CaCO3) you've added will add both dGH calcium (Ca++) and dKH (bicarbonate ions 2HCO3-) <"at a 1 : 1 ratio">. You are going to add the other essential nutrients for plant growth via the food you feed the fish <"and plants">. cheers Darrel

malaysian trumpet snails. they dig through the substrate and come out at night. very prolific.

That's somehow interesting, the GH of the tank water is 4-7 degrees, whereas the tap water results are <3 degrees. Just noticed @jamiep's tap water in Edinburgh, and his is GH 2-3. It is really that soft... I reckon the GH between 4 - 7 may come from the speckled sand or fluvial support. I rinse...

Hi all, I should have also said that we are<" just trying to help">. Personally I've been a <"truly terrible fish-keeper">, but I've <"found simple visual ways"> to mitigate for my lack of ability. If I'd been a better fish-keeper I might not have found it necessary. Cheers Darrel

MTS?

Hi all, New tank management is a <"bit like triage"> in first aid, there is no point in bandaging a finger, if the patients is bleeding out from a severed artery. <"TAN Ammonia will be less of an issue">, as long as the pH remains low, but nitrite (NO2-) is your potential severed artery...

Look forward to your results. I'm currently dark starting a small scaper 60 with nutibase capped with pool filter sand. I'm a novice and this is only my second tank and is also experimental. I will be running CO2 on this tank too! My first tank is low tech and all I used was Fluval stratum and I...

I would just add that at a pH of 6, Ammonia is likely less of a problem, and Nitrite will become very toxic at very small PPM levels. (It's reversed in pH7+ water). Out of interest, what is your GH of the current tank water? I ask as even bacteria needs some salts in the water, and there is no...

Nice build btw. That’s something I’d look into for a couple of tanks i currently have, the 45p stand i did recently was always only going to be temporary. I might pick your brains on this in the near future if that’s okay? James

Hi all. Found the site through googling for info on plant trimming etc....great source of information ! Just acquired a 145l setup to go with my (soon to be replaced hopefully) 250l 4' tank. Looking forward to watching it grow....hopefully avoiding the algae which has blighted my previous...

I fully agree with you on the dead tetra and the snail, which is why I thought about adding the limestone chunks (I look forward to your PM, by the way). I know that if there is an even hint of ammonia or nitrite, I'll do a change straightaway, but not because the KH has been catastrophically...

I'll PM reply properly this evening after work regarding various points. But I disagree with you about the water changes - currently you have too greater about of livestock for a new set up to cope with, which means catastrophically depleting the KH and not being able to deal with the...

Not after the FC Twente & Spurs matches! 😂😉

Thank you for your information - I will continue dosing the Epsom and Iron. I might change my WC to 25% twice a week as well. Ideally I would drip the new tank water back in gradually, but due to my setup I am not be able to get a container of water above the water level of the tank.

They are shrimp safe, but you ideally want to swap the TNC Iron out for TNC complete, and you are not dosing a decent number of the micro and macro nutrients require for plant growth. EDIT: Scratch that, just seen you are dosing TNC Complete already. Both are fine for shrimp. In a low tech...