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  1. Z

    Light suggestions for a Fluval spec V

    I have an old Fluval spec I am scaping. It has emergent wood and plants so the spec light no longer fits (and it’s the old spec light, so wasn’t very good anyway) Any suggestions for something clip on that is height adjustable and will sit higher up. I can’t hang from above, it has to attach...
  2. Z

    Is this algae?

    I have these rather attractive little bushes of what I think is algae growing on a piece of oak in my tank. It’s very delicate, comes off very easily if you touch it. But my searching isn’t finding a type of algae that looks like this. No other algae in the tank. It’s also growing on the juwel...
  3. Z

    Having a play with a dirted tank

    So do you think I’m safe to use my already cycled media if I plant very heavily? I’ve heard stories of media being trashed and plants dying as initial ammonia levels get so high. I was assuming I’d need to monitor levels and do frequent water changes until more stable. Tank is only 19L
  4. Z

    Having a play with a dirted tank

    I have a Fluval spec sitting in the garage and plan to have a play with a dirted tank once the kitchen decorating in finished. I’m just going to use what I have lying around already - some potting soil and sand to cap, some previously used hardscape and whatever trimmings or plants I have spare...
  5. Z

    What plant in this gap?

    I have a large juwel vision tank, low tech, with some big pieces of oak in there. There is a gap where two pieces cross over that I’d like to plant something in. It’ll be dark in the planting spot until the plant grows out of the gap. Already in the tank I have Java ferns, anubias, buce, Amazon...
  6. Z

    Blyxa japonica in a low tech tank?

    I have some of that already 😉 Will give up on the Blyxa idea, I love the low maintenance of this tank and don’t want anything that struggles in it
  7. Z

    Blyxa japonica in a low tech tank?

    I have hard water, am I best to avoid and choose an alternative?
  8. Z

    Blyxa japonica in a low tech tank?

    I have a juwel vision 180 with the stock multilux LEDs on for 6hrs/day. Use dry salts as ferts, but lower dose than EI, based on getting good growth but no algae! Planted heavily with loads of easy stems, crypts and epiphytes. There is a space towards the front that is crying out for a plant...
  9. Z

    Is it worth getting a helialux?

    I’ve found a helialux spectrum fairly locally at a bargain price and wondering whether it’s worth getting for my low tech juwel tank or if it’ll be too bright and cause too many issues such as algae. I know the brightness can be reduced with the controller, but I’m worried whilst finding the...
  10. Z

    Critique my hardscape What do you think of this?

    Large shoal of ember tetras, large shoalof Pygmy cories or maybe Cory Habrosus, cherry shrimp, Otos and sparkling gouramis
  11. Z

    Critique my hardscape What do you think of this?

    but what about the rest of the tank? That’d leave about half of it bare
  12. Z

    Critique my hardscape What do you think of this?

    😂 how would you arrange the rocks around the wood? I’m not normally keen on scapes with wood coming down from the surface, I’ve not seen one I like
  13. Z

    Critique my hardscape What do you think of this?

    Juwel vision 180 with some lovely slate from our stream and a piece of Talawa wood I have been soaking for weeks, but still won’t sink! ( so that’ll need weighing down for quite a while!) I will be getting another bag of soil for the rear as didn’t have as much left from another tank as I...
  14. Z

    Rear sump in tank

    The tank is in a spot where having an external filter isn’t possible, hence the revamp of this old marine tank
  15. Z

    Rear sump in tank

    I’m not sure if it will run the sump dry, that’s what I’m trying to figure out will having two chambers of alfagrog slow the flow that much? An external stuffed full of alfagrog works fine, so I figured the rear sump would work similarly. Is two chambers of alfagrog overkill?
  16. Z

    Rear sump in tank

    I have a Fluval M90 reef tank that I am modifying to be a planted tank. It’s 136l and had a rear sump similar to a Fluval Flex, but on a much larger scale. It has 4 sections and I have modified the baffles a little to correct the flow through them. I have the original return pump, but it is...
  17. Z

    Biohome or alfagrog?

    soil in a goldfish tank would not work! They dig continuously and rearrange the hardscape as the see fit. The tank is scaped with very large rocks and huge pieces of wood covered in java ferns and anubias. Amazon swords grow quicker than they can eat them, but they uproot them regularly.
  18. Z

    Biohome or alfagrog?

    I have a goldfish tank that I want to replace the media in. It is a juwel tank with the standard juwel internal filter. Not ideal, but there is no room for an external in its location. I have biohome in my tropical tank, which isn’t particularly large and the media still cost a fortune. So I’m...
  19. Z

    Fluval M60

    How do you get the bits out?
  20. Z

    Fluval M60

    I am looking for a tank with an internal filtration system - I have a spot on my kitchen work top that needs filling, but I don’t want anything external to the tank. Looking at the juwels with the corner box filters, but heard bad reviews about the filters themselves. Then I saw the fluval M60...
  21. Z

    The clueless blog

    So, a little less than 12 weeks in and here is the current state just after a big trim. About 3 weeks ago had an issue where the pipe came off of the pump and the heater went crazy and I lost a load of shrimp. Java fern is sprouting new leaves so have trimmed many of the old leaves away as...
  22. Z

    How can I stock heavily planted nano tank?

    I have a low tech heavily planted Fluval Spec V. Current stock are 5 male tiger endlers and around 30 cherry shrimp (currently, they are breeding). The endlers seem a bit shy and spend much of their time hidden in the plants, so was considering adding a few more. AqAdvisor tells me I shouldn’t...
  23. Z

    The clueless blog

    About 25 of these little critters moved in today Now just to decide what fish, I can’t find any stockists of Boraras Brigittae locally. I was then going to get a few tiger endlers and can’t find them either Lfs suggested a single female fighter - they have some very attractive koi ones.
  24. Z

    The clueless blog

    It’s all tied to a small flat piece of bogwood that’s sat on top of the substrate
  25. Z

    The clueless blog

    So things have grown a little and I have some cherry shrimp arriving in the post tomorrow. The dwarf sag is starting to sprout miraculously from the substrate after it dramatically all melted overnight in the first week. Have been clearing out handfuls of salvinia each week and wondering if...
  26. Z

    Where do copepods come from?

    That is really quite a gross thought about them being is the tap water - they can survive the chlorine?
  27. Z

    Where do copepods come from?

    So, I started a 20l nano tank last month. Brand new bogwood, new substrate, tissue culture plants. Filter media is brand new and not seeded from another tank. So where have the copepods come from that are swimming about in my tank? I only noticed them today, but there are many. And what do they...
  28. Z

    The clueless blog

    Definitely dust as I can swish it away, but also risk uprooting plants in the process. When I set up, I rinsed the substrate as much as possible, but still managed to make particularly murky water. And then did the same the other day when I uprooted the melted dwarf sag. Think I may try a small...
  29. Z

    The clueless blog

    Also, can anyone tell me what this tiny plant in the foreground is, arrived unlabelled so I shoved it in and hoped for the best. It’s growing fast, but is clumpy and difficult to plant as doesn’t really have a part to poke in the soil as such! Some bits are growing well and some look stupid, but...
  30. Z

    The clueless blog

    So, pretty much all the dwarf sag melted overnight after a week or so But actually I’m half glad as it didn’t look right. The roots are all still in there and new roots have grown looking at the ones I pulled up, so maybe something will come back, no idea??? So I had a little fiddle about with...
  31. Z

    The clueless blog

    And I’ve read some things saying liquid carbon is a big con. But I have no idea
  32. Z

    The clueless blog

    Given that the light is low is carbon a good idea? I don’t want to use CO2 gas, but I do have a bottle of liquid carbon. Wasn’t sure if I’d be creating more problems by using it when I have low light?
  33. Z

    The clueless blog

    That is apparently a mini java fern and is as big as it’ll get according to K2Aqua
  34. Z

    The clueless blog

    The remainder of the plants arrived today and I spent an age poking them in the soil. In there is - java fern mini Anubias bonsai Sagittaria dwarf Staurogyn repens Salvinia natans Limnophila sessiliflora And a mystery plant down at the front on the right All except the anubias and fern...
  35. Z

    The clueless blog

    So that I thought was a bit of a crap attempt. Asked some people in the know on here for some help and ended up with this
  36. Z

    The clueless blog

    My friends and family think I’m a bit of a geek setting up a tank and taking it all so seriously. I used to have big 600l Malawi tanks before and they thought that was fine - big tank, loads of rocks and fish, easy. But scaping and planting a tiny 19l nano, they can’t see the point in that. I...
  37. Z

    Critique my hardscape Not had a tank for a decade - first nano scape

    Great minds think alike, just put an anubias on that. One would not stay put on the big wood, so has been moved to grow over the little pokey bit Have some plants arriving today for the rest of the tank
  38. Z

    Critique my hardscape Not had a tank for a decade - first nano scape

    How’s this now? Java fern just tied to a little bit of DW and dropped in, may rearrange that a bit. The anubias bonsai should grow along the crack in the wood, albeit very slowly. Other plants should arrive tomorrow - salvinia natans, sagittaria dwarf, staurogyn repens and limnophila...
  39. Z

    Critique my hardscape Not had a tank for a decade - first nano scape

    I just want a tiny schooling fish that has some colour to it, but actually can’t find anywhere locally that has the brigittae Any other suggestions? Or maybe I’ll dump the schooling fish idea and get some Scarlet Badis
  40. Z

    Critique my hardscape Not had a tank for a decade - first nano scape

    Is the tank big enough for that quantity of them?
  41. Z

    Critique my hardscape Not had a tank for a decade - first nano scape

    Yep, tiny nano tank I was going for a small shoal of boraras brigittae
  42. Z

    Critique my hardscape Not had a tank for a decade - first nano scape

    43.5cm by 27cm high and 16cm wide, not sure about the numbers you’ve written there as tank is tiny!
  43. Z

    Tank cycling - a bit clueless

    Now I’m confused
  44. Z

    Tank cycling - a bit clueless

    As simple as that? dont add anything into the tank to feed the growth of the bacteria?
  45. Z

    Critique my hardscape Not had a tank for a decade - first nano scape

    How is this hardscape guys? I’m clueless. Last tank I had was a 600l low tech that just turned into a bit of a jungle. It did what it wanted and luckily looked fab. This is also going to be low tech as the lights of the old Fluval Specs aren’t great. Plan to add a pile of pebbles in back left...
  46. Z

    Tank cycling - a bit clueless

    I haven’t had a tank for quite a few years. Previous to that, my large low tech tank used to be a Malawi tank so the filters were cycled. Used a fishless cycle when I originally got that tank many moons ago. My new tank is 1/30th the size of my old and is currently sat with the hardscape ready...
  47. Z

    Back after a break - plants for a nano

    It an old spec with the less powerful light. Unfortunately in white, as I really wanted a black one, but the price was too good to say no to. Would love to see some pics of your spec if you have any
  48. Z

    Back after a break - plants for a nano

    After about 5 years without a tank, my 8 year old son goes out with his grandparents and wins a goldfish at a fair. He returns with a tiny bowl and the resulting panic has rekindled my passion for the hobby. Goldfish is now in a bigger tank (unfortunately no fishless cycle as cycling the tank...
  49. Z

    Can't grow anything, not even algae!

    Thanks, will give it a go.
  50. Z

    Can't grow anything, not even algae!

    That's too confusing! I have a little 1/4 teaspoon measure that I use - whole one of potassium nitrate and quarter of potassium phosphate. How much of mag sulphate if I want to go via my measure?
  51. Z

    Can't grow anything, not even algae!

    Will give it a go. It was someone on here who said it just needed the above two salts. How much should I add? How does the amount if liquid carbon and hours of light look?
  52. Z

    Can't grow anything, not even algae!

    Help this newbie guys, because I can't grow anything, not even a spot of algae! I have a 120 juwel lido with the t8 lights it came with (2 x 24W I do believe) they are on between 4 and 10pm. Planted in there are mini Java fern, Java moss, blyxa, various crypts and some hygrophila. But nothing...
  53. Z

    Can't get fertilisers right

    Thanks. No reflectors on lights. No way of reducing lighting without buying new ones which I won't do - don't have the money. Will putting black tape on really help? Definately not going down the gas co2 route. Again cost, but trying to keep it as simple as possible and it all seems a bit...
  54. Z

    Something easy, fast growing and bushy - hygrophilia?

    So hygrophilia will grow to fast you think?
  55. Z

    Can't get fertilisers right

    My tank is 120 litres with 2 x 24w t5s. How does that work out with the lighting you say above? No idea how to work in gallons! (Crazy English still working imperial!) It's lido so tall rather than long - no idea if that makes a difference! I have sand and gravel mix, so not a specific plant...
  56. Z

    Something easy, fast growing and bushy - hygrophilia?

    Does my tank count as high tech? Tried for it not to be! But so expensive to replace the lights that came with the lido, it was easier just to buy some liquid co2! People told me it killed algae too so I was sold ;).Not a fan of the Limnophila sessiliflora btw - just googled it. Want something...
  57. Z

    Can't get fertilisers right

    I have recently stripped my tank right down as had major algae issues and plants just not growing. Was dosing plenty of liquid co2 to try and combat algae but it didn't work. Algae was soft grey stuff growing on wood and green spots and haze on glass. Plants went faded green and stunted and just...
  58. Z

    Something easy, fast growing and bushy - hygrophilia?

    I had an algae issue with my tank (juwel lido with internal filter removed and replaced with tetratec ex1200) put it down to too much light (not used to these t5s - previously had 600litres of low tech with a couple of t8s. Had no idea that downsizing would be more difficult!), not enough ferts...
  59. Z

    Giving up, please help me with pricing before I list it all!

    I'm in frittenden, Kent. Might keep hold of the lido (it's a new bigger one), want to sell off the fish at least so I can take it all down
  60. Z

    Giving up, please help me with pricing before I list it all!

    I am down south. How much would I sell the fish for? If I can sell the fish, then I can just take the rest apart and get rid of it whenever I have time. But really the fish need to go first
  61. Z

    Giving up, please help me with pricing before I list it all!

    Recent events in my life have meant I have less time for my tank. I started by downgrading from 500l down to 100l, but in reality I can't have the tanks in my life at the moment as they end up being a little neglected. It has been a while since I was on a forum or bought or sold anything and I...
  62. Z

    Various algae due to low CO2 - various questions

    Thanks guys - will the liquid carbon kill off the algae or will I need to do a bit of a blackout for a while as well?
  63. Z

    Various algae due to low CO2 - various questions

    I have downsized from 500L to 120L and since moving the plants over, they have become covered with various algae types. I know why - my old tank was low light, gentle flow and no added CO2 - never had a spot of algae in there and plants grew very well, although obviously slowly. New tank is a...
  64. Z

    Juwel vision 450 and poorly looking plants

    Thanks. I have 4x36W T8s on for 8 hours a day. No added CO2 and flow from my 2 tetratec ex1200 filter outputs only. I don't want to add CO2, so should I increase flow and if so how? Or reduce lighting?
  65. Z

    Juwel vision 450 and poorly looking plants

    My juwel vision is planted with vallis, swords, crypts, java fern, anubias and blyxa. So nothing majorly demanding. The swords are beginning to look "see through" if that makes sense. The leaves seem to lose their colour and then turn into a fine mesh. Does that make any sense at all?! I...
  66. Z

    What stems?

    After finally accepting that it is my choice of hardscape that has meant my tank looks pretty poor, I have found something else and have a great scape in my head to recreate (probably won't come out as well, but I can hope!). I currently have crypts (brown adn green), vallis, swords, anubias...
  67. Z

    Tanks with branches you've collected

    Seen that one - his scapes are pretty much the only ones that come up on a google search!
  68. Z

    Tanks with branches you've collected

    I am fed up with my tank, so once again considering ripping it all out and starting again! I have a 3 acre field that I keep my horses in and 2 sides are bordered by large trees, mainly oak. I have found some wonderful fallen branches and wondered if you'd be kind enough to show me your tanks...
  69. Z

    Angel fish spawning in my community tank

    Watching them spawn, they certainly seem to be a male and female - one is laying eggs and the other seems to be fertilising them. I am not bothered about breeding them, but will be bothered if they become aggressive towards my other fish. ATM they are just chasing the other angels to the other...
  70. Z

    Angel fish spawning in my community tank

    I have 7 angels, 3 from a breeder, 3 from my LFS and one given to me as she was lonely :( Since number 7 has joined the others, she has paired up with one of my other and they have started spawning. 2 weeks ago, she laid a large batch of eggs with lasted 2 days before they disappeared (eaten...
  71. Z

    Staghorn problem

    Thanks Darrel - that'd be super if you could help with re-jig. The water where I am is very very high in calcium so have never added any. Can't remember levels off top of my head. But I may need to add some, just assumed I didn't need to with our super hard water. When I first planted it...
  72. Z

    Staghorn problem

    I don't want to use CO2 anymore. I found the rapid growth and constant need for pruning inpossible as I also have a new baby. Much prefer the lower maintainance of slower growth with no CO2! If I want to go without CO2, do I need to drop the lighting? I only have abut 1.5wpg with my 4x36W...
  73. Z

    Staghorn problem

    Tank - Juwel Vision 450 (450L) Lighting - 4x 36W T8 with reflectors on for 12h CO2 - Until recently had pressurised CO2, now have none as wanting to go low tech - seems this was the cause! Filtration - 2x tetratec ex1200 Fertilisation - Make my own - 3tsp. Potassium Nitrate, 1tsp Potassium...
  74. Z

    Dirty purple shrimp!

    Ok, google mislead me! I actually have blue pearls. Not well versed on the subject of shrimp as you can tell. They are certainly a reddish purple. My camera isn't good enough to take a focused pic (it's on my phone)
  75. Z

    My litlle 250L garden.

    Thats impressive, wish I could produce something like that!
  76. Z

    Dirty purple shrimp!

    After the shrimp disaster that was smoking filter and lots of dead shrimp, I bought lots of shrimp/fish/plants from a man who was getting rid of his tank. He had a massive colony of crystal blue shrimp and cherry shrimp (fire red or super red variety or whatever tyhey call the soid bright red...
  77. Z

    Officially awful at aquascaping - plese help me!

    :D I have a juwel vision 450 and have made a right hash of the scape. I desperately need your expert help. Have read the aquascaping articles and been looking at other peoples tanks for inspiration. I've sat sketching and everything looks awful. Here is a pic when it was first planted. Was...
  78. Z

    advice on co2 diffusion in larger tank

    Will be watching this with interest as I could have written that exact same post (except I've jsut stuck with the same old glass diffuser as it looks nice, but it doesn't work very well) Was looking at inline diffusers, but it would mean getting one for each filter (2x tetratec ex1200)
  79. Z

    Improving inert substrates

    Thanks - just saved me money buying roots tabs or even replacing my whole substrate!
  80. Z

    Juwel t8 tubes

    I'll just leave them then until they "go pop" Thanks, especially for link as it is very cheap
  81. Z

    Improving inert substrates

    Will plants like swords that feed from the roots still do as well if I am dosing EI? Sorry, plant newbie after years of cichlids (so no plants!), just figured if it was a root feeder it'd do better if nutrients were in the substrate? Feel free to tell me I'm totally wrong!
  82. Z

    Berried RCS

    Thanks, thats all I wanted to hear! How come the others are cream? Are they just different varieties (all from the same source though - a friend who's cherries are breeding very fast)
  83. Z

    UKAPS Pico Contest - Results!

    Having a look through this has made me want to give a pico a try - will be buying a little glass vase asap!
  84. Z

    Berried RCS

    Thanks Matt Worried about the green eggs though (new to shrimp keeping so may be normal???) Anyone else shed any light on it?
  85. Z

    Improving inert substrates

    Due to budget when setting up my tanks, I has to go for sand and gravel. My 500L is mainly sand with some gravel areas ad the nano is sand. Is there something I can poke in to the substrate to improve plant growth? I have mainly swords and vallis in my big tank. Was looking at JBL balls, but...
  86. Z

    Juwel t8 tubes

    I have four 36W t8 tubes with reflectors over my tank. 2 of these now need replacing as they are beginning to lose their brightness. Are there any cheap tubes I can get that will fit and be ok for plant growth? Are there any better ones I can buy for plant growth without replacing the light...
  87. Z

    Problems with Tetratec EX 1200

    I've found tetra customer services to be super - I was given a very old tetratec 1200 as a second filter and it was very noisy. I gave tetra a ring to see if they could tell me what was most likely to be the offending part so I could buy a new part and they sent me a new impellar free of charge...
  88. Z

    Native Moss on rocks (UK)

    A friedn of mine is obsessed with moss and collects mosses from all over the place to grow on in his tanks - he finds they all adapt well to the increase in water temp and even non aquatic mosses adapt well to being submerged
  89. Z

    centrepiece fish

    How about some killifish? There are some species that would be suitable for a community and grow to a nice size and they tend to be very brightly coloured and more unusual. just be careful - with some species the male can be very.... amorous! He'll attempt to mate with anything
  90. Z

    Berried RCS

    Quick question - I have a few berried RCS; how long will it take before I have shrimplets and how tiny will they be? Also, one of the shrimp's eggs are bright green whereas the others have creamy coloured eggs - is this normal?
  91. Z

    Where to buy in the South East.

    I use Aylesford aquatics for my livestock. Not a great selection of plants as they are a marine specialist, but have a massive selection of freshwater tropical fish and inverts in a back room. Stock fish that aren't usually seen in shops as well - lots of differnt killifish, large selection of...
  92. Z

    Orchid Feeding and Watering.

    I was asking someone else about orchids the other day as I have just bought one. My orchid is in a translucent pot, but I've put that in a nice ceramic pot so good job I read this! Will take it out and put it in something glass! Once again, you guys have given great advice. I've only been on...
  93. Z

    best filter for shrimp tank?

    Thats a brilliant idea, think I may have to do that, Possibly on a smaller scale for my tiny tank though. Thanks Darrel
  94. Z

    Tonys 'Triassic Hollow' 420L - Now FOR SALE !

    Re: Tonsers 420L "Triassic Hollow" @ 2.5 weeks I have been searching through all the photos of peoples tanks on this site for inspiration and have to say this is one fo the most impressive - the hardscape is jaw dropping
  95. Z

    Welcome :) Tell us about yourself

    Hi, I'm Nina and I have kept cichlids for many many years, so not a plant in sight! Last November I moved house and found a bargain 500L tank. After much deliberation I decided I wanted an Amazon biotope and that meant diving head first into the world of planted tanks. I am pretty good at...
  96. Z

    best filter for shrimp tank?

    Darrel - don't quite get how I'd go about making your filter. What is the purpose of the tile and how would powerhead attach to draw water through sponge?
  97. Z

    best filter for shrimp tank?

    Well last night the filter finally died and I woke up this morning to dead shrimps :-( All the CRS are dead (high grade as well), but some RCS have survived including a few berried ones. Think it must have been lack of oxygen - the otos were darting up to water surface. Water tests all ok so...
  98. Z

    best filter for shrimp tank?

    My little internal in my arcadia arc keeps dying, so going to need a new one. I want to spend as little as possible and need something that is suitable for shrimp. any ideas? What filters do you all use for your shrimp tanks?
  99. Z

    Where to place diffuser?

    Hi guys, I'm new here, so excuse me jumping straight into a question without introducing myself! I have a Juwel vision 450 that I have planted with cuttings etc to save some pennies, but hoping it'll grow into a bit of a jungle eventually! Dosing EI ferts and everything is looking healthy...
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