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hi all having set and established a lovely tank, i'm losing the battle to maintain it well due to life getting in the way! my MC carpet is all lifting despite several trims as it is so rampant im getting dead spots and algae, any tips on a lower maintenace tank, still co2 and EI dosed just...

Thanks, I appreciate the feedback, I was trying to create scale with my narrow front to back measurements (12") by having the Cuba in the background, I've been kinda thinking the same way as you though, the tank is so trouble free I'd rather pull the Cuba than put myself through the world of...

Thanks again, maybe you can help me with lighting suggestions, (on advice) I have kept the lighting moderate (2 x 27w compact pll fluorescents) 6.5hrs, co2 is good, well distributed, flow is decent, 850lph external and a koralia, my co2 is delivered through a mini internal filter so thats...

Thanks Mick, I didn't spot your reply, here it is a couple of days ago with a better photo, the dark bits seem to be spreading, not the other way around, I'm on medium light with a fairly short cycle 6.5 hrs, this has maintained good growth and no algae, do you think the cuba might want a bit...

thanks for the replies gents, very informative

hi all i bought an 850lph filter for a 100l tank (i know, im an idiot!) i have a koralia in there too so the flow is pretty good but im interested in maximising the flow as best i can, i run the koralia more or less in sync with my co2 but when its off the flow is not great Ive read about...

great tank Salava, looks super

Hi, yes they will, I planted loads of the HC & MC as i got huge portions and was thinking a lot of it would come loose thats why I have such a good spread after only a month theres actually too much cuba now that its spreading, ill need to thin it out i reckon, the akadama wont stop Cuba doing...

hi all see photo below, ( i know it's not great) i have cuba growth thats a bit odd, its very thin darker shoots with tiny leaves now the chances are that this is some of the pieces i planted very deep i had severe issue keeping it in place (in-vitro plants) so planted it very deep and then...

hi glenn it is tricky all right, i ended up capping my akadama with a thin layer of tesco cat litter as i was running out but thy planted better in this, i ended up almost burying the HC but it will grow out, heres mine after a month MC at front HC behind main centre root be patient and dont...

hi all so, here's my first journal, warts and all! its a bit backdated as i havent got around to doing the journal Its heavily influenced (a rip-off if you will!) of Cliff Hui's "Destiny" from a good few years ago its a tank i've always really liked and after neglecting my own tank...

thanks, i use cheap mechanicals as well but the noise is annoying do they all make that buzzing/grinding noise? cheers

Thanks guys, Yeah, I'm running the co2 hard ( no fish) And getting the ei dosing going, low light for the moment, funnily it's the exact advice I got off Ceg years ago when starting out, Im planting deep and hoping for the best, Would plants floating on the top survive and maybe get some...

Hi all, Digging out my old timers to set up my co2, have a couple of digital ones from argos, had to get the manual online to refresh myself on how to program them, I never actually used them before but a couple of my mechanical ones are bust, anyway to the point...the manual says do not use...

bumping an oldie here but........ any further wisdom on this? its my first try with in vitro and my cuba, monte carlo and eleo. mini and acicularis are proving tricky to plant, any tips welcome? 100l tank, akadama capped with kitty litter, (ran out of akadama so used the litter to cap off...

hi all doing my rescape and didnt have enough akadama to get the slopes i was after so i bought some tesco cat litter to cap it off, i got the correct variety i didnt realize it was perfumed, (it doesnt smell) i figured people just rinse it for dust so anyway i was only using a little bit so i...

thanks ian, i have a proper washer the pfte tape is just reducing the amount that the adapter turns until tight very slightly thus leaving my regulator in a better position but i'm just thinking now that maybe its compromising the seal on the washer ill do some tests later, its been "active"...

hi sorted it with pfte tape, just put a bit on the threads of the FE and the regulator to adapter, which made my regulator stop at t abetter posiion when tightened up., using pfte is another mixed opinion thing on the internet, some say yes, some say no, any opionions? thanks

wow that was quick, just added a bit of text there to the photo before you posted again... my FE goes in a small cupboard with not a lot of height, so i need the needelevalve and fine tuner bit to point down i used different FE's years ago in the same location and was just luck that it did point...

Hi heres the unit, where im holding it is where the connection is when i tighten it all up it ends with the fine tuning knob pointing upwards i need it to point down, cheers

hi all when i connect up my regulator to my FE and tighten it all up the needle valve is pointing upwards and i cant fit it in my press, Im just using the standard adapter with a washer any tricks for this? deeper washer? pfte tape? many thanks

great stuff marcel, thats the sort of thing im thinking about, food for thought there thanks a million

hi this is going to be a heavily planted, built up substrate type full carpet and the areas between the roots planted out, (see attached for the inspiration) in this type of scape the filtration and co2 diffuser is usually at the front of the tank id imagine im thinking i could hide all those...

hi all im doing the scape below and was thinking i could stash a lot of equipment behind the wood, could i create a screen and leave the area behind the roots as a void with my inlet and outlet and my co2 diffuser there as well under the outlet, the gaps in the roots will be filled in with...

thanks aqua im confident that it will be fine in the short term, i assume if anything happens it will be a tiny leak theres no way it could cause a major failure surely? ill probably replace the tank in a few months anyway, its done its time and is a bit of a crappy shape being only 12" (91cm)...

hi all I;ve read up on this and theres mixed opinions! whats your opinion please! ive not posted my actual tank before, just read other peoples questions so here is mine, this is by far the worst part of it as you can see its not in where the glass touches but not far off it, its unsightly i...

Hi, it's just to get some extra plants in while the tank settles in, fend off the algae, I've only tried one co2 tank before and had a nightmare because my plant mass was so low, I have plenty now though this time, fingers crossed

thanks alto ill be moving my three fish but as temporarily as possible, i dont have the facilities they will be in a large bucket with a small filter, ill probably give the substrate a deep siphioning and then cap it unless anyone else has any opinions this is the plan...

hi all im doing a rescape I have akadama & gravel in the tank and more akadama there to top up and build some mounds with etc is there any advantage in leaving in all or some of the old substrate its 6yrs old and has never been changed, its full of mulm is it full of baddies or is there any...

hi all ive loved Cliff Hui's Destiny for years and am looking to do similar my tank is a poor dimension for aquascaping (90cm W x 30 D x 38 H) Destiny was a 90 x 45 x 45, have i any hope? Something obvious about Destiny is that he has small delicate plants in the back which does a great job of...

thanks marcel, thats great i have the original redline akadama (the one people generally say is the hardest) What's the netting bag you used in the photo? I want to make sure what I use is inert, prefer the bag idea to the matting, I'd imagine there less chance of anerobic conditions with the...

hi all i did a search, assumed this would have come up before but didnt see anthing have plenty of akadama but want to try aquasoil could i build up a bit with akadama and cap with aquasoil to keep the cost down? will it be a mess in time, will the akadama come up through the aquasoil? this...

sorry i should clarify, he does use a floss type but the three foam layers are all in one basket at the bottom then the bio is above that, no "polishing layer" over that, he says a layer of floss on top just traps the detritus and makes it get caught around the bio, you want the bio to stay as...

hi setting p a new filter and its been a long time, watched a youtbe vid and the guy was saying the usual order is wrong basicially he said that you should have a coarse foam and a fine foam layer in the bottom tray and then all bio media from there, the logic being that you want the water as...

hi all i picked up a slow release osmocoat-type fert today as it was on offer its 13:13:13, that sound okay? ta 4

hi all are these the job? http://cgi.ebay.ie/1-Set-3W-High-Power-LED-Lens-Driver-Heat-Sink-DIY_W0QQitemZ360238398029QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_BOI_Electrical_Components_Supplies_ET?hash=item53dfe1ba4d or these...

cheers john i will call those guys tommorrow rgds 4

cheers sam, yes i have read before that and get the idea just confirming about the HO lenght thing paul, cheers for the links, im on that site but i dont know what i am supposed to be looking at tbh whats the map telling me? i dont want to pay lfs prices, i wnat to go to a regular...

hi all quick question, i assume once its 850mm wide and 39w its HO right? can i just use any decent brand 865's that are 39w at 850mm i can probably get these locally (ireland) but have no hope of getting grolux and skywhites and the like ive used lampspecs for pc's before but i'm sure...

Re: I want to upgrade my rio 125 lighting... careful, braces are there for a reason :wink: rgds

i have a nano on a 100l 3' tank and it did not quite suffice on the front of the guard there are 8 "ribs" i cut four of them off and it made a huge instant difference ( i read about it elsewhere) i'm sure the koralia 1 would be better but I had bought a couple of nanos at a good price and its...

what about doing a tank with "ukaps" lettering in cuba or something (like you see done in flowers outside hotels/parks/monuments etc) it'd be a first as far as i can tell and would be a promotional talking point rgds 4

cheers for that, does it not bug you? mine rolls around the tank and almost clouds the view it a good sign i know, (the mist covers all the footprint) but i does annoy me! id like a clearer view an external reactor is mistless, right? rgds 4

hi does these diffusers "mist" the water? i have a nice co2 delivery arrangement going on but the mist annoys me a bit rgds 4

hi pixels have you thought of a 36 x 18 x 18? the depth and height being the same make for better deeper looking scaping rgds 4

hi all i have a converted eheim 2327 which does 900lph (tested) but its media capacity is quite small (4.9l) i this a concern? tbh I only clean it once a month max i dont particularly want to replace it its going sidemounted on a 150l fully planted tank with a koralia rgds 4

mini cooper s (mine) 318 (hers) rgds 4

mini-hijack ZIg is that wackers you are talking about are the prices reasonable? long waiting? i was planning on going down the mail-order route for my new tank rgds

my thoughts exactly, saw her warm up for r'head too rgds 4

yeah i know, it can be hit and miss, i've overheard some shocking advice before! this guy is an avid marine fishkeeper too and has run co2 for years do you rate the nylon washer as being okay? thanks again regards 4

cheers chris i bit the bullet and did it already i got a nylon washer in work, a quick call to the local marine lfs confirmed that it's suitable and im not dead yet! i was just a bit iffy about the whole thing its interesting that the disposable bottles i have used seem to be the same bar as...

thanks chris thanks for the concise answer, perfect regarding the washer, is this the one (from d&d site) i bought my adapter in the lfs and i didnt get one! thanks for the link, they dont mention "nitrile", is this the ones...

hi all i know this is old hat but i've read the tutorial and can help noticing i could potentially blow my head off! heres my specific questions, if y'all dont mind! is it safe to assume that the reg/solenoid/needle on my d-d disposable set will take the the pressure of a 2kg f/e i have the...

hi my choices for last couple of weeks... radiohead sigur ros battles don caballero dinosaur jr lots of beatles led zep foals maps and atlases billie holliday louis armstrong early jay-z wu tang clan ciao

fwiw i have an open top with front and back long braces (40mm wide) and i still had 3 rasbora crispies in the morning over a year i am getting a braceless tank so im worried too! rgds 4

hi the other thought would be that with all these methods we get better results and attractive tanks, thus spurring us to set up more tanks or inspiring more people into the planted tank hobby rgds 4

cut the sponge in half ? leave half in the filter? rgds

cheers steve i have tried that method but the majority of bubbles got the surface way too fast, that mini filter has a glass difusser in the body so its chomping up the bubbles from the diffuser further this has boggled me for ages tbh my mate has a tank where the diffusers bubbles just go...

thanks steve the water makes the far end no bother but i would be doubtful that its getting far enough along the substrate if you know what i mean, there are tall stems that move around a lot but at the base of them is fairly dead with bits of bba and poor growing low plants (although uneaten...

Re: My first Layout hi my 2c (as always i bow to 99% of the scapers here! so it just my opinion) my eye is drawn to that flat rock left corner so your main focal point is off in the far back corner perhaps bring that rock into the golden ratio area or try emphasize the one in front of it...

hi all related question i have a side mounted spraybar and was wondering about drilling directional holes my filter is 900lph (tested) and the current holes are about 3-4 times the size of a tetratec bar holes to reduce velocity but still pushes a lot of water well but i have dead spots (150l...

thanks stu i have looked around... i am in ireland so that makes a fair difference it cost 12quid to post a koralia to ireland from uk shops on ebay or TGM but it costs a fiver to post this copy from hong kong thats £43 vs £11 for the copy i cant get over this, i got 25kg of akadama...

Re: My first Layout hiya i'm nowhere near as experienced as the the other guys but have spent days upon days doing what you are doing before try get a "master" stone within the golden ratio then use smaller stones that point towards it if your rocks have thinner edges or points try to face...

cheers LD i will have a think about it, the "mat" i plucked last night had healthy growth underneath albeit a bit darker than the top coat it literally took me about 10 seconds to do this plucking thing on a 4" square which is a fraction of the time i used to take to trim my cuba, then the...

hi sam i have done it on flat stiff mesh pieces 4" square and covered over it a light pliable mesh, so its not "roundy shaped" as it would be on stones I have carpet tiles so to speak! they were growing like crazy so last night I looked at trimming one but i was able to just pluck loads of...

hi all just thinking........ has anyone ever tried 100% riccia as a carpet i've buckets of it on mats and it looks great one thing in my mind is build-up of crap under it but having said that i could just lift the "tiles" and vac under them during w/cs rgds 4

cheers matt i'm assuming the sand will always work its way down again if i disturbed it seeing as its finer than the akadama it does if you cap gravel with sand but then again some of the akadama is quite fine mmmm, i have a think about this one thanks for the osmocoat tip, i had no idea how...

hi all thanks for the tips any rough idea how much osmocoat to use 145l - 90cm x 42cm footprint btw this caught my eye in the shop im getting the akadama http://www.yorkbonsai.co.uk/naruko-slow ... g-i26.html its a slow release npk bonsai soil, would this be a good base under the akadama...

hi any thoughts on the hong kong wave makers on ebay eg....http://cgi.ebay.ie/Aquarium-Mini-Wave-Maker-Pump-2000L-H-Magnetic-Fixation_W0QQitemZ370261878330QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Pet_Supplies_Fish?hash=item563553e63a after a quick look this would suit my 90 x 40 x 42 (along with a flow monster...

cool thanks nick, i have oto's now (but didnt at the time) cheers for the tip rgds 4

cheers for the feedback @chilled84: i have a few real redmoor roots and they did what you said, grew a fuzz but they never stunk, they were scrubbed once more and it never returned re: the reptile droppings... would the mature filter bacteria sort out any traces that might remain after soaking...

hi all i bought roots off an lfs as they were redesigning their reptile house these were in with the reptiles and had a little crap on them i was thinking that its nothing a scrub, soak and boil wouldn't remedy but I would like some second opinions please they are like a really knotty...

cheers shadow i would have thought 4 x 39 is a lot (they say you can grow anything with two t5ho the length of your tank) have you individual reflectors? i am thinking of upgrading my lights but its on a long list of things i cant afford to do! i may well stay with what i have for the moment...

cheers matt I thought it would work but have made mistakes before! So, bearing in mind i should have a more or less instant cycle is there any point in putting mulm under my akadama, is it a fert of sorts or is it used to kickstart the cycle through its ammonia? Regards 4

hi ed thanks for that, i never thought about a constant ammonia source, still learning! i cant use my external on the temp tank as the hoses and thermostat are more or less permanently built in the walls behind my kitchen presses! long story! the temp tank will be a little 54l juwel with the...

thank aaron any thoughts on how to keep ammonia in the filter is it as simple as adding chemical ammonia could i add mulm from my other external could I in theory, run the filter in a bucket recycling 20 litres of tank water and add a bit of mulm here and there i had initially planned to...

hi all i did try search for this, but getting conflicting stuff all over the web i have done a hc carpet and loved it, hated the way it uprooted itself on me though i only found out that it needs severe mowing when it was too late my new tank will be a little deeper than my last, so im half...

hi all i have been led to believe that new tanks will almost always get diatoms, is this true? what causes this? i am doing a new tank with an established external filter (that i can keep wet) same setup more or less, just new glass and going to try akadama im was going to keep some of the...

cheers sanj any other thoughts, 17" is as deep as I can go, 36" is as long as i can go, i can play with height though im starting to think that it would look even better a little shorter in height say 14" or even 13" rgds 4

hi all ive read this thread and am going to try akadama thanks for the thread james! heres my quick questions! i dose ei and have read all about the fact that strictly speaking you dont need a fertilised substrate but it seems worth putting something in there i don't want soil underneath, i...

go on, i'll bet you use it too! :lol: thats what i used and its worked a treat i just want lots more! rgds 4

Re: any thoughts on the size 36w x 15h x 17d hi all after much measuring im going to try a 36"w x 15"h x 17"d (90w x 38h x 42d) am i correct in saying that the tank being slightly deeper than taller should work out well? rgds 4

hi i've put a few "mats" of riccia together and they look great but i was just wondering.... will the riccia grow out of these netted mats and come loose to the surface i want more to plant in more mats so if i dont trim will i be able to propagate it by letting it grow out rgds 4

hi there garden centre scottish cobbles are the job or slate pieces, as mentioned you will get a smaller flatter pebble off the beach but i wouldnt condone that sort of thing (....hides stash) disclaimer... :wink: ....some say these will do nasty things to your water personally i only used...

well done george!! do they show every entry on the website? rgds 4

me too rgds 4

thanks george, great article "destiny" is probably my favourite tank of all time its just amazing i plan a "homage" to it soon, okay I'm going to copy it, but when its doesnt work out to be as stunning, I can then call it a "homage" cheers 4

Re: any thoughts on the size 36 x 15 x 15" cheers jonny on the curved corners.... its not a bow front tank that i mean its the ones with the radiused seamless corners like betta tanks and aqua-one heres the aqua-one one! http://www.aquaone.co.uk/AquaStyle_aquarium.php cheers on the optiwhite...

Re: any thoughts on the size 36 x 15 x 15" cheers peter im pretty sure 18" wont fit in the area i have but i will measure again, its on a counter, not a stand another question i have on this tank if you dont mind... the tank is tight in an alcove-type area, walls to three sides would you...

hi all im fairly restricted in the area the tank is going so i have asked for prices on the above size 36 x 15 x 15" (or 910mm x 380mm x 380mm if you prefer) like everyone, i am trying to get a deep look is same height and depth a good option? rgds 4

hi ed thanks for the info, i did open by dispelling any thoughts that i was an expert! i do feel i have a point though, even if I was a bit dramatic! schoolers are well know to "loosen out" after settling in, and as glyxo has stated, his fish act a different way around the discus, i've often...

i wouldnt like to be a tetra in your tank! this is the point, i am no fish species expert but to my knowledge, fish school because there is something wrong or they are scared my rasbora hengeli dither around enjoying their own space but when lights go off or there is a sudden noise etc etc...

+1 i tried capping gravel with sand and it worked its way through the gravel in no time, so any of those gravel size planty substrates will be the same flourite sand? rgds 4

hi all anyone use betta tanks for the planted tanks? (the seamless radiused front cornered ones, i mean) another thing, has the betta brand another name or something i am finding it impossible to search for their products, as every search i can think of throws up siamese fighting fish sites...

hi matt the situation is not chronic and i'm looking into a support for it (my counter has sunk about 3-4mm over a year, but is still moving) thanks for the advice all, i might get some of that jbl manado the colour aint great IMO but if its in stockings! (it seriously pricey to do the ada...

hi im using redmoor and seriya stones, cuba, moss, riccia i really like this one and may attempt the tree root look in the corners perhaps a path may be OTT? http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/2009.cgi?&op=showcase&category=0&vol=1&id=104 another question while im on the subject, i also...

hi all i have a 36" x 12" x 15" tank (thats 12" front to back) as you all know this is a bad size for a scape as its so slim from front to back i have done lots of reading and playing about and have a basic grasp of what creates depth i am re-scaping at the moment and fancy a change (i had a...

cheers all you've got me thinking again... would i need any substrate at all in those area? would plants root into bunched up fishnet tights? it would help with the weight issue im having the tank is ei dosed so there might be enough goodies in the water column, im sure a bit of mulm would...

hi ed and matt thanks again i may use small bits of perspex (theres lots of scrap in my work) in fishnet tights as a bulker, its inert and free! bioballs could be another option to bulk up the area my thinking being that the flow would get through it well and keep it clean and avoid possible...

thanks for the feedback Ed my thinking is related to this scape which i love http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/2009.cgi?&op=showcase&category=0&vol=1&id=104 the foam block would be great to use behind the roots as you could plant the "nooks and crannies" then im not sure how he has...