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So I started a second filter with the new filter material last night. It did not magically clear the water (alas!), but the problem is much better since I first posted. Top: perfectly clear immediately after flooding (9/9), Middle: the peak of the cloudiness prompting me to make the original...

I don't have a way to test the current draw of the filter. I did however replace all the pipework, clean the inflow and outflow pipes and the filter. The flow rate is much better but the filter still has a fault where it's stick in it's purge mode. I think I need to look at a replacement.

This is it currently

It is at the moment . I’ll shut it down when new one is ready as plants and fish will be transferring over .

Hi all, That is it really. @Happi posted how they got around the issue of replication in <"My thoughts so far">. I know that we all tend to have <"faith positions">, usually based on our experiences, but they aren't always optimal, or we might not understand why something <"new to us"> works...

I did find loads of research on fish DO consumption, all as confusing as one another due to variables. One piece said the below, but I cannot determine how they got to the 0.84mg/l per 24-hour mark!

Pufferfish are spawning. Males have been chasing the females for a few days heavily. Just seen them in the guppy grass corner, one of the males headbutting a female in the side. And then spawning amongst the grass. Not that anything will hatch as the shrimp live there. And will consume any eggs.

This is very interesting, and I think you should post on the blog to see what thier response is. My experiment does seem to heavily suggest that a good build-up of DO during the photoperiod provides good levels for non-photoperiod. That being said, I dont have any fish in that aquarium...

Awesome scape. Any fears with running a single in/out?

Same here. Mine is borderline too soft. I think there's definitely a connection.

This has been a fascinating journey @dw1305. I like it when things click into place between experience, research and some good old fashion testing!

Another question popped up for me. You compare the dosing of K and Mg. But often people add X ppm of K based on the total tank volume, and Y ppm of Mg based on the water changed, considering one to be a fertilization and the other to be a remineralization. For a 50% water change regime, one has...

...Produce Oxygen For Fish In Aquariums? | Atlas Scientific"> And they claim to be <"experts">. I'll try posting on their blog and see what happens*. I should say that I also like <"some water movement">. I see a <"large gas exchange surface to volume ratio"> as an unalloyed god thing. *This...

It's only been running for 8 days, so slightly nervous about pushing it up at the moment! Thoughts? Indeed Darrel. And this (very) rudimentary testing shows that for real. I was amazed at such healthy fish in a planted aquarium with almost a flat surface. I was also amazed at healthy fish (like...

Hi all, Try it again at 40% intensity? That is the point I've always tried to put over to the unconvinced, that plants are <"massively net oxygen producers">. When I started on this journey I had expected that this would be the <"consensus amongst serious aquarists">, but I met a lot of...

I also had situation when I been on vacation and CO2 runs out for a week. No major changes, everything will be good, fire it up and good luck

Arghhh Same day as 'Book Club' and Craft Fair at the Cathedral. Already got Evils for even suggesting not going.

I very rarely have green spot algae, my water is soft ,maybe helps ?

Again, this is a first pass and a rudimentary level of testing. Yesterday, the dissolved oxygen went to 7.25mg/l just before the photoperiod ended at 20:00. (NOTE: photoperiod is still only 6 hours at 25% lighting). This morning at 08:00, the DO remained at 6.10mg/l - which is safe and healthy...

Welcome to UKAPS Steve,you have soft water fom upland sources which aquatic planted aquariums will really benefit from

Hi all, As long as the <"rhizome is still hard and green">? The plant should re-leaf. If the entire rhizome goes yellow, or is mushy, the plant is dead. cheers Darrel

Is there a point with either anubias (or buce for that matter) where you accept that it has melted too far? I separated an anubias nana into three sections for planting. I thought I divided the rhizome fairly equally but two melted away back to the rhizome whilst one settled in immediately and...

Thanks everyone I appreciate it. I didn’t turn the light on today as I was at work till late but will turn it on very low tomorrow just to get them by till Thursday. I don’t plan on adding much else other than buce and the cyperus helferi I already have. Maybe some moss on the driftwood...

I do 7 ppm PO4 per week, as three every-other-day doses following this scheme: Estimative index - Fireplace aquarium

I think Cladophora responds pretty well to blackouts. If I were you I'd try a 48 hour blackout. I've been pretty lucky and not had major algae issues for a few years but when I did have some problems a very strict blackout worked well. It helps to have some big amano shrimp to hoover up the...

I used pier aquatics recently for some fish and they were very helpful and the fish arrived quickly and in perfect health. I thought the way they had packed the fish was odd but maybe they know something I don't. I would use them again for sure.

Green spot is one algae I've never seen in any of my tanks ever. I almost wish I did because I actually love the way it looks on rocks.

@Andy Pierce - i'm looking to increase my Phosphates to further limit GSA. Just to clarify, did you dose P or PO4 at this 7ppm? Also was this an individual dose or accumulated? If accumulated, what daily dose and uptake were you assuming? Currently, I am dosing EI with KH2PO4 yielding 1.8ppm...

Hello Steve, If it helps I capped lava soil with a layer of Tropica aqua soil (both in separate mesh bags) For the sand I used Unipac silver sand which is extremely fine. Couldn’t be happier with the end result - Think the only thing I would change is planting stem plants into the “thin” sand...

Band is indeed a strange app. But I bought some lovely shrimp off there a while back which I couldn’t get anywhere else and I was very happy with it but wasn’t convinced until they arrived. Switch off push notifications!

Think I may go :)

@Qwedfg if you want some floating plants send me a dm. I’ll send you some for the cost of postage.

I’ve let my co2 run out and forgot to replace the cylinder for a week. I noticed no real difference. I keep buce and lots of other fairly low maintenance plants. I actually turned it down a bit after that and it’s been good.

If you get any bottom dwellers, don’t underestimate their ability to remodel your tank to their own taste! Even the tiny ones. 😄 Im sure others will be along soon to add their experiences.

Welcome! :)

Howdy :)

You could still start it up low tech, if it’s just Buce they usually do well in lowlight setups as they are slow growers anyway. Just keep the lights relatively low. Do you have any fast growers like floating plants or stems? They can really help fight algae on a new setup (especially with...

Finally my cycled but currently empty 15l on my desk. Currently used as plant holding and hoping to hatch some rice fish eggs in here if I can get hold of them.

100l tank with Java fern/anubias/moss on wood. There is also a really healthy hydrocotle (sp?!?h, and Red root floaters and frogbit. Stocked with Bentosi tetras, 5 Marble Angels, 2 Ghost Angels (rescued), 4 Kuhli loaches (I think - 4 went in at least although I rarely see more that 2 at a time)...

A 15l nano tank with my first dragon lotus and, a vallis, and I think some dwarf Sag, which really needs a trim. Also ubiquitous Java fern, anubias, moss on wood and red root floaters. This also has a Ficus bonsai growing out of the top. Small school of Celestial Pearl Danios and Pygmy Corys in...

Thanks for your comments. I asked the question having read a review on a fine sand, which the purchaser blamed on the death of several of his fish. With regards to the substrate, I’m not looking to cap it as I expect the plants to camouflage it. The sand is to be a decorative addition to the...

Shoot, and Anubias Nano on all those woods as well.

Hello 👋, welcome to UKAPS.

Guppy and Cyberman Tank, with a bristle nose in there. Plants are red root floaters (not much red root though), some Vallisinaria (sp?) struggling at the back and more moss and Java fern on wood (can you see a theme developing?). There was also some Starogyne Repens in there, but it is no more.

Thanks for taking the time to reply. Using an algaecide is very much a last resort for me. I have tried reducing the light and have been removing it manually with no luck. The algae adheres very strongly to the wood in particular so it's not possible to remove it all. I'm sure there's still an...

30l tank with Lambchop Rasboras, Ember Tetras and a couple of ottos. There is some frogbit in here (recently thinned out as it had thugged out the tank), Red root floaters which have started going red since thinning out the frogbit, and some Java fern and moss on wood). The base is Wio...

I’ve never heard of sand being so fine as to cause harm to fish. Generally sand is considered the best substrate for bottom dwelling fish so as not to cut fins or gills etc. If you buy a sand recommended for aquariums then you’ll be fine. If you want to source it yourself, I’ve used wild...

Oh and one sunken Helicopter (Son #2)

Tank has been running about 18 months but only with real plants for a couple of months Thanks anyway, I will throw away the feed and get a different one and should I Do weekly changes?

60L tank with Platys (lots and lots of Platys 🤣) a couple of Swordtails, a couple of Corys and a couple of Ottos. Plants are the Java Fern on wood, a mossball, Frogbit which isn’t taking over the tank, and the dregs of some Monte Carlo.

A year passes and plants are becoming more established. Some duckweed arrived as I thought the pond was nutrient rich but it seems I was wrong as it only thrived at the water’s edge where I suppose some nutrients leach in, the rest is pale and sickly. Great to get some lilly flowers, pink and...

Hi All, My name is Mike and I stumbled across this lovey little forum today. I kept fish as a kid some 25 years ago, all just your regular community fish and never had much luck with plants (other than Duckweed - always lots of Duckweed!). I then got a tank given to me by an acquaintance about...

Hi all, Good on you, open source is the true spirit of UKAPS <"GitHub: Let’s build from here">. Cheers Darrel

How old is the tank? Usually algae growth is associated with excessive organic matter, which can accumulate as the tank ages. If things were going well for a long time and then started taking a turn for the worse, I suggest that you make some critical observations of the tank to identify where...

Well, I am hoping a few others can chime in here, but this is my observation. Flora Pro seems to be marketed for heavily planted tanks, as per the below. It also has nitrates and phosphates. Maybe nutrient richness is causing an issue? I also note that the plants look unhealthy in places, and...

Welcome! :)

My lights are still the ones that came with the tank Juwel 120 , I use Flora grow pro (nearly finished) 1 pump every 2 days, my lfs test my water when I ask and they tell me it’s ok, they use dipsticks,really helpful staff.i do fortnightly 40% usually 4 x 10 litre bucket and gravel clean, no co2...

Look forward to seeing what you come up with, is your existing tank still in operation?

Hi @Riley, sorry for not replying earlier. Could you send us some details on the below? I am not an expert here, but I am sure this will help us help you! Lighting and intensity Fertilizer used, as well as the dosing amount and frequency. Water change routine, how much and how frequent Water...

Welcome! :wave:

Well, it crossed my mind for a second, but I don't think I will start a business with this sensor. I'll put together a GitHub page with instructions for those who want to build it.

Hi, I’m intending on setting up a planted tank and am going to use a decorative sand towards the front of the tank so as not to cause any issues with the soil substrate which is to lie from the middle to the rear. My question is if the sand is too fine could it be harmful to the fish? If so...

Hi, For me it would have generally been, manual removal, clean, water change and repeat but obviously using the Walstad method prohibits this, but then again adding algaesides probably goes against the grain too. This seems like a good idea but beware on the front page of the website for this...

Thanks for the link. I will have a read and a further ponder.

Hi all, They aren't really an algae eater, although they will scrape algae from hard surfaces at night. I often see them on the aquarium glass feeding, but I can't actually see what they are feeding on. You can just trap them, if you use a net the shrimps will swim off and you can remove the...

Day 5 update. Never have I ever seen water so clear. Don’t know if it can be seen from pictures. I am using Seachem Purigen and carbon. Water tests are showing ammonia and nitrite at zero. Livestock doing well. I have Juncus repens from pots and Eleocharis vivipara in-vitro planted in the back...

Thank you for the info. Perhaps I should try a different / more powerful siphon before introducing MTS

I got some Crypts at AquaH aswell so planted Flamingo Pinks in here aswell. The contrast looks good against the moss and wood etc.

Hi, Just wanted to add something to this. This post was good timing as I was looking to buy from an online seller for the first time. I contacted all of the companies listed above. After about a week I heard back from some. Wildwood said I should keep checking their website for availability...

Lovely Nano, Nice that they let you. Only 1 place i have worked has let me have a tank, but it had to fit inside a A4 sheet of paper, so was only one of the Azoo Picos Good choice with the Blue Leopard Ramshorns. They sell for a good price when you have enough to sell.

Hey Welcome to UKAPS :greenfinger:

Hello Bazz, Thank you very much for taking the time to contribute to my little project 😊 I welcome any and all advice and as you say it takes longer than we think / longer than we want for a tank to be fish ready. I have parked the idea of fish for a few weeks longer as I can concentrate on...

Hello and welcome to UKAPS Steve 😊 Great bunch of knowledgeable and nice folk here so we hope you enjoy you’re stay 😊

I am setting up a new tank with mostly buce and it’s been dark cycled for a month. I ordered plants and received them yesterday. Unfortunately I went to stop at my local co2 supplier and they had run out of tanks of co2 to exchange and wouldn’t fill my tank. They won’t have co2 until...

Hello :wave:, welcome to UKAPS.

Sorry for late reply. Here is a couple of photos, tanks are 3 weeks old

My planted mess 60-50-50

Hi, my name is Steve and I’ve been keeping tropical fish on and off over the years, but am definitely not an expert. I currently have a five foot tank which has an under gravel filter system, but I’m about to dismantle it as it’s being moved to another room in the house. I’m planning on setting...

They are adorable! I've wanted them for a long time. I will be getting more of them in due course.

I asked ChatGPT to make a table that would show "the calculated equilibrium pH values for water at 20°C with varying alkalinity (measured in dKH) and CO2 levels. The CO2 levels are presented as atmospheric concentration (ppm) and the resulting dissolved concentration in water (ppm)." and below...

Hi all, Because UKAPS is the fount of all knowledge, <"Only Fools and Horses"> gets a <"few mentions">. cheers Darrel

Ill think on it, but I will leave you with this.....

Hi all, Welcome to UKAPS, I think you need a German speaking Discus keeper to advise you (I am neither), but I don't think the low electrical conductivity is a problem. I've kept L129 (Hypancistrus debilittera <"https://www.planetcatfish.com/common/species.php?species_id=211">) and they are...

Hi all, Yes that is it, pH isn't a useful measurement in RO because of the lack of solutes. You can just ignore the pH of the RO, it is a blank slate. No need to be, the pH reduction due to CO2 addition doesn't reduce the alkalinity, you just have more Total Inorganic Carbon (TIC) <"dissolved...

Thanks for the awesome reply. One at a time per your reply. I’ve heard measuring ph of ro water can be trickle because it devoid of almost everything. Should I assume my RO water is the ph at which it comes from the tap? It also sits in holding tanks before I tap it and that’s has to be a day...

Hi all, They are gorgeous little fish <"corydoras hastatus">. cheers Darrel

Hi all, Possibly, if it really was Lemna minor? It might <"put off punters"> and you wouldn't get any repeat sales? But on the other hand "pump in a bucket" will be indestructible (and last for ever), so we wouldn't get any repeat sales any way. It is a difficult one. Free <"Secret...

Free duckweed with every pump in a bucket? 🙂

Yes i think i was on the right pathway, but just hit a dilemma? I don’t think a biomaster would fit inside the ADA style homemade cabinet I’m about to attempt to make 😁😅

Hi all, The problem is <"with the lack of solutes"> in the RO <"water">, it just means that pH is a moveable feast. It shouldn't be, you could only get a higher pH value if you weren't at equilibrium with atmospheric CO2 levels, e.g. CO2 levels were below the equilibrium point. That sounds...

Yeah i was thinking in the right direction for sure. But I’ve just stumbled across a little hurdle? I have a few days off work, and I’m about to embark on building a 45p style cabinet . I’m bloody hopeless at DIY, but fancy giving it a try? Anyways, I don’t think a biomaster would actually fit...

Hi all, I think you are right, by the time you can <"detect ammonia">? It is already too late. That is just fantastic. I genuinely think it could be, the aquarium market wouldn't be huge, but there are applications in aquaculture and waste water management. Aquaponics might be an option...

Hello, New to this site but have been keeping fish and plants for more than 50 years, yes I’m old 🤪 Currently running 2 planted tanks with C02 and doing PPS auto dosing. Tanks are only about a month old. The startup went very well, absolutely no algae issues other than some minor diatom issues...

Hi all, I understand where you are coming from, but they will be different in shade. The green colour comes from the mix of protonated (yellow) and unprotonated (blue) <"bromothymol blue"> molecules. You definitely can differentiate differing shades of green <"The scientific background to the...

Small update. Recently a friend of mine who works at a part-time fish store helped me to pick up a Hoplisma caudimaculatum and 3 Hoplisoma concolor. Probably one of the better stores in my city as they don't misidentify fish and take husbandry quite seriously. I would have gone down to the shop...

Im currently looking into swapping my tank contents into a new one. What is the best way of doing this? Current tank has been running for 2 years and I plan on trying to remove and reused most of the contents. Would the soil be reusable or would I create an ammonia spike if I disturb it? I had...

I think the 250 will be quite strong but it’s not not doable with your logic above. A spin lily pipe and a co2 reactor would also go far in reducing the in tank current without affecting flow too much. I have a thermo 100 on a 36p and that itself is too strong so I connected my CO2 reactor...

Easiest option without buying anything new is to swap 350 into larger tank as stated and use the 250 on your 45P, might be worth trying it with a lily pipe or a spin pipe or something which can help reduced the turbulence. Failing that, if you want a less flow but with an integrated heater than...

Hi all, That is a good question and I'm not sure there is an exact definition. I've regarded "active soils" as substrates that reduce hardness and alkalinity via ion exchange - <"ShrimpKing Active Soil 8 l">, and "plant growth substrates" as substrates where those ion exchange sites have...