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I use a simple piece of freezer paper taped to the back to create a frosted look to hide the tubes and wires while still allowing the tank to look “of a piece” with the rest of the room. Black looks good per se but I feel like it contrasts too sharply with the rest of my room which has very...

Oh hax47, do you take in account the temperature when calculating the exact absolute ppm of CO2 in the tank based on the CO2 sensor reading? You might be aware that cooler water takes up/contains more CO2 for the same partial pressure (same for oxygen btw) I have derived a negative exponential...

A few water changes will help, at least a couple a week should help when you increase plants

Thanks @bazz . I am treating it as "Morcheeba Stage" * at the moment as we get close to 2 weeks in. Water change cleared it up (started when moving to 3 times a week from daily) and keeping an eye. * "Part of the Process"

We have seen threads from people who have overdosed Tropica Nutrition Capsules and encountered the same problem and the general consensus was that it is caused by Ammonia, so I would imagine it is your substrate still leeching this. As mentioned above, surface skimming or agitation will solve...

Hello. What a great idea for a young person - getting them into this great hobby! Could you post the actual numbers for your water (Amonnia, Nitrite, pH, KH and GH) as it's hard to accurately determine from the screenshot? Be good to see how much alkalinity you do have.

There has to be a problem and they are quite basic so might be worth replacing the diaphragm, having said that they aren't cheap at 16 quid so would be an expensive trial and error if it's not the problem. Mine has been running trouble free non stop for four years now.

Hi, The Crypt Balansae (back left) looks healthy enough, the Sword plants should recover through producing new leaves if they have everything they need, you can remove the large outer dying leaves, that Java Fern wants removing from the substrate and attaching to hardscape along with the Anubias...

Looks like you have a mix of "high tech" and "low tech" plants.. I've seen some par numbers for the Hygger and some for equiv lights and could "guesstimate" you have fairly decent par at the subtrate. You don't quite make my "1 w per gallon" rule I impose on myself. ;) since you have about a...

So... A week ago we set an aquarium for the first time. The setup is a SuperFish Start 70 Tropical Kit we got from a well known shop in Edinburgh. We put speckled sand in the front area and the rest was covered with Fluval stratum to create some contrast. A big porous rock, a chunk of driftwood...

For historical reasons you should indicate what type of tap water you have for example I have kh 3 gh 6 and yes it grows well enough to post these but not as well with co2. https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/plant-pictures.24682/post-741239 but the problem with saying it grows well in tap...

More than enough I would guess. I have one Kessil A80 15W light for my set-up which is 18" from light to substrate running at 80% power and that's totally fine. Give it a go - I think you're in good shape.

"It was interpreted as being serious and hence moderated." Could you reassure the moderator in question of my deep and abiding love of Scotland and that in no way did I wish to offend either the wonderful people of Glasgow or Edinburgh. While I can, however, accept that the joke was...

I’ll be keeping my eyes open then, because I’m always interested in buying new stuff

I have lots of things for sale, none of them are listed officially yet though, need to get around to pricing and pics etc.

I’ll be damned! I did not notice that? You should put that on the sales page?

Oh i only just noticed that 😅. I must have “selective” reading? I know i got selective hearing, because my wife reminds me 🤣

This closely related species was sold to me as a. lineata (not the ones that will arrive in a few weeks - fingers crossed nothing goes wrong); i really like this fish but it is colourless at least in my environment. It also has a good personality - it doesn't run and hide like my a. wolli but it...

I have 'petchii' but it was too new to make a statement and yes spiralis tiger red is growing quite well without co2 or strong light. Never heard of X purpure - if that is purpurea it is described as some sort of hybrid. -- When i receive the 4 i did order i'll take a picture label the aquarium...

Post #4 above. @Jimmyc even liked it.

I mentioned it earlier in this thread but you maybe missed it :) Sounds like a plan, let us know how you get on!

So good news with this. The tank has cycled, but bad news is, I’ve taken it all down 🤣🤣 I wasn’t happy with it at all. So I’m going to try out a different approach with this one, I’ve contacted aquarium gardens in the hope they can help me out with this, and fingers crossed, it should be done by...

Damn! I didn’t see your sales post for the 100?I have been checking on the off chance someone is selling one. I don’t think the flow will be an issue, as I’ll be adding an inline diffuser and reducing the hose to 12/16 with probably a spin pipe too? The only reason i didn’t use my 250 was purely...

Hi everyone. I’m in the process of setting up a low tech 2foot cube. It’s going to have a capped soil substrate and I’ve just brought 2 hygger 999 22w lights. https://amzn.eu/3ZYFmZw I was just wondering if that was enough light being that it’s 2 foot deep? The plants I’m planning to put in...

You should have bought my filtosmart 100, the 200 is nearly as much flow as the Biomaster 250. Fingers crossed it works out though.

This. Already watched video, shame he lost some shrimp. Always wash first to be safe.

Welcome :)

Small update: Two of the Anubias have melt issues (one was rotting away to nothing including the rhizome - Other is 50/50. Also lost a Schismatoglottis prietoi which is a shame as I really liked the plant. I haven’t seen any algae - It’s been approaching just over 4.5 weeks including a 3 week...

Welcome to the UKaps! :happy::thumbup:

Ooh boy @CooKieS is back!

Hello 👋, welcome to UKAPS.

Hi there! Just got into fishkeeping and (an attempt to) aquatic landscaping after thinking for some time with the missus about getting an aquarium for the wee one (both of us are allergic to cats). The wee one is only 2 years old, so we would like him to grow seeing how we take care of the...

I watched the video, but not read the comments. Probably worth noting more generally about washing products.

Hi all! New into aquatic landscaping and fishkeeping, heard about UKAPS from the chap working at the shop where we got the aquarium. I believe he is one of the "Team Edinburgh" here!

She's still not perfect as she is still breathing heavy but I have once again spotted her sifting through the sand and hanging around with the other Cory's although she got shy when I tried to take a photo and tried to hide around the back of the tank.

We can't get by without humour. Having said that there are still folk who don't get Monty Python ,so not to worry

Looking at the thread, it’s not obvious that it was meant to be humour, was interpreted as being serious and hence moderated. UKAPS is certainly not a humourless place.

In one element of my post I attempted to leven a post with a bit of humour. A joke about Edinburgh and Glasgow. One I had shared with me on more occasions than I can count whilst living in Scotland and then by and between Scottish friends and colleagues. Quite safe and perfectly permissable in...

The watched pot never boils, and I guess the cloudy water doesn't clear up until you go on vacation. I came home to 97% clear water. Check out this gross build up at the waterline though: Gross. Better there than floating free in the water, I guess. I won't be surprised if cloudiness is a...

I tend to use it before the bio media in my filters, they capture quite a lot of fines to be fair. Not sure on production process but I think it's polyester fibers and the flame resistance property is part of its molecular structure instead of a coating.

Hi all, Interesting, I'm not a <"filter floss fan">, but I wonder if it had a flame retardant coating or similar? I think it is 100% nylon? cheers Darrel

I think it looks fine. I am not an expert, however, I found that adding in lot of cheap rapidly growning stems and a floating plants helps significantly at the start of any new scape where the nutrients are in the substrate rather than just the water column. I use these plants as a biological...

Thanks for giving members the heads up! 👍

Hi all, We've talked about this as the <"Mbuna scenario"> - <"When to add fish!">. There is ample proof that you can maintain a <"large amount of fish"> purely with microbial biofiltration, but I'm not sure it is ever a tenable long term option, because you will always be <"teetering on the...

Hi everyone, Was watching the new MJ Aquascaping video "I ALMOST GAVE UP ON THIS AQUASCAPE..." on youtube and saw he had a bit of disaster with his shrimp with nearly all of them dying after he replaced the filter floss in his filter. He didn't mention the brand of filter floss in the video but...

Hi all, OK, that (unfortunately) makes perfect sense. It is pretty shocking. Realistically it is back to a <"fish-keeper with a shop">, not a "shop-keeper with fish". It also tells you what the issue is in some ways, we aren't the people that are keeping LFS afloat, it is the people who...

To be honest I came back, saw two dead fish, felt the temperature with the back of my hand, unplugged the filter and the heater, started pumping water out and sloshing cold water until the tank was at a similar temperature to my other tank. I didn't record the temperature. I worked on the basis...

Maybe people with heavily stocked fish-only tanks can't afford to be cavalier, but I think most warnings about one thing or another killing all your tank bacteria are seriously overblown. You can set yourself back especially early on, but bacteria is quite good at surviving and adjusting its...

I can't believe the info in the attachment! A whole day - such patience!

Sounds about as much tripe as this I saw at a Pets @ Home. I have literally been to 6 local fish shops over the weekend. The last one is a tiny independent it’s the only one I spent any money (could have spent more but still waiting for my tank to season) My local Maidenhead aquatics has more...

😄. Let's just say it's an established chain of aquatic shops (my regular independent LFS is currently undergoing a refurb). It makes you wonder at how much incorrect advice new fishkeepers are being exposed to; not only online but from professionals as well.

...real issue with "plant and wait", nobody makes any money out of it. Yes, totally wrong for a planted tank. If you feel it would help you could take into the LFS any of the scientific papers from the Newton lab., but while you might get a hearing, they may just tell you to p*ss off. Cheers...

Consider it done. Thank you!!

Hi all, You need to move the growing point to above the water's surface. They can't survive underwater in the long term. If you search for <"Dracaena> on UKAPS it will give you lots of threads. Cheers Darrel

Hello all, I went to pick up some RCS from my LFS today. They will be the first livestock in my (low tech) tank, which is planted with Salvinia, Java Fern, Java Moss, and Anubias. The 65 litre tank has been planted for about ten weeks, with two sponge filters. When I told the LFS employee that...

I have a low tech tank. I've bought some RCS today - I will see how the tank is in a few weeks and then revisit the snail question.

Awesome thread, hax47! Your work and posting are much appreciated! I’d really like to copy/build your sensor. I’ve done my own controlled test for a couple of months to check the effects of heavy aeration on the pH/CO2 in equal non CO2 tanks. No strange outcome: the aerated tank is always...

Yup, think it's a pretty common stress dream for fish keepers from what I've read on Reddit etc... doesn't make it any less jarring. Thanks for the well wishes too!

That's so wonderful! For all the stress these little guys you through you deserve a win! I also have dreams about killing fish, usually because I have forgotten about them and discover that I am the owner of a whole tank of dead and dying fish. 😩

...Alternatively, on the subject of the paint colour of the wall, if it suits you I would recommend a darker wall paint, possibly black, as everything, from fish and plant colours seem to pop, much more contrast! *from experience from using different backgrounds for the tanks, painted on the back

Ahh. Makes sense!

N

Sponsors of the forum, not sponsors of you.

Okay. I will not worry about CO2 for now. I didn’t know I could have a sponsor. I am so glad I found you guys.

The lucky bamboo leaves are just reaching the top of the water. I’m expecting them to come out soon. The annubias look good and I have one Java fern baby that I will move on its own once it gets a little bigger.

A BREEDING UPDATE Hi all, hope you're well :) in a very fun and slightly disconcerting turn of events, I noticed I have an extra pygmy cory - they've only gone and bred without warning me first 🫠 I did notice quite a smart, smaller Cory a while back but didn't clock that it wasn't one of the...

Hi all, Welcome to UKAPS Does it have its leaves out of the water? cheers Darrel

Hi all, You will need to start adding a compete fertiliser, I don't know what is available to you? But you won't need to add a <"vast amount"> for your epiphytes. You don't need any remineraliser then, just add the magnesium addition with the fertiliser. The CO2 is a <"double whammy"> in that...

What's the best paint colour for the wall behind my lushly planted tanks? My tanks are black backed right now but will remove this evantually.

Yeah, tonnes of hawthorn, chestnut, blackberries etc, but we have lots of Sycamores and Myrtles around us as well. Some of the Myrtle in particular has great shapes etc. if I get round to experimenting, I’ll feed back…

Hi all, They break down really quickly. I haven't tried it, but I'd be slightly wary just because they are very resinous. Are there any other trees you can access? cheers Darrel

Brian Cox new series coming up Solar System looks a good watch

As your new to planted tanks ,I would in my own experience go low tech, low energy set up first and go for easy plants and fast growing stems . If later you want to go down the CO2 route aquarium then the sponsers on UKAPS will have all genuine advice. You can have a beautiful aquarium with easy...

Does anyone have any thoughts on Sycamore leaves (apols if I missed this in the thread - saw sends but not leaves)? Also Myrtle wood/leaves?

Ok, so low lighting and easy plants. You won’t really need or benefit from CO2. CO2 is best when using high lighting and remaining plants.

The cheaper the better @MichaelJ ! Here’s the plantation plan, I want something with green only this time so: -riccardia in the cracks of the rocks -hemianthus micranthemoides as an background bush -patches of HC Cuba in the foreground for details -some Eleocharis pusilla in transition between...

Hi!! I’m Noelle. I found Ukaps on the internet researching how to aquascape.

Also 3 annubias

Thanks! I have Java ferns so far. And lucky bamboo. I have low lighting - the light that came with the aquarium. Tetra is the brand of the aquarium.

Can't wait for everything to grow nice and lush! At the moment, the tank is at the floor, until I place the stand sometime in October. As for the radiator, it's about 15cm or so away from the tank - but not to fear! I never really turn on the heating until late into November to the point where...

Do you have CO2? I’ve found that in my high tech tank the shells of MTS deteriorate quickly and then the fish pick at them and eat them. Ramshorns seem to do better. In my low tech shrimp tank however, snails everywhere! I like snails though so it’s all good.

I agree. For a planted tank, reasonably stocked with some sensible maintenance applied to it, additives and special filter materials are grossly unnecessary - a good sponge for mechanical filtration is all you need - keeps flow up as well. What filter @CooKieS are you using?. Love the rocks...

One more, when cleaning with magnet, apply some water on glass, it will make process much easier.

I uped the pressure to the recommended pressure and it's fine now lol didn't realise I didn't have the right pressure when I changed the cylinder.

Very beautiful setup! What is the reddish round-leaved plant in your very first picture? I'd like to add a bit more color to my Terrabase.

What plants and lighting do you have? You may not even need CO2.

Hello everyone !! I am Noelle and brand new to aquascaping. And I’m hooked. Now wanting to add CO2. Have read everything I have found and can’t decide. Please advise on the starter CO2 unit. I have a 20 gallon fresh water tank with just plants so far. I do want fish but I’m not rushing...

Hurray for plants, it's going to look nice once they give you a bit of height on the left. At the risk of asking the obvious, how fa away is that radiator?

This is looking great. Love the layout. Keep us posted! 🇳🇵

Hi Darell, Thanks you for your kind comments. Regarding the mineraliser, I will be mindful using it in the future. Immediately after the last water change, I tested the TDS and it was somewhere near mid-30s if I remember correctly. I then added the mineraliser which brought it to 100ppm. It...

Hi Scapernic, it can be ok, depending on your setup. Please let u know what is your output pressure, what co2 diffuser you have on both branches, maybe some pictures? Can that needle valve reduce and stop the co2 flow? What you have chained on each branch (bubble counter type, valves ect.?

Hi all, Just don't add anything like as <"much remineraliser">? You are going to add magnesium (Mg) with you fertiliser, so you only need to add a pinch of calcium (Ca) If you have added some carbonate hardness (alkalinity)? That would account for it. You rock looks like it might be limestone...

Thank you, @Commander Shepard ! There are online shops mainland Europe I use. I have checked some UK stores, but I live is Sweden and for all practical purposes it is just easier to order from mainland shops. I sent you a PM.

Beautiful! Noticed the old setup had a lid and a new one doesn't. Did you keep it this way?

Oh, and the internal filter and heater hurts my eyes! Will hide as soon as everything grows in, probably to the back left corner

Hi all 🙂, after a while, I'm back with the entire scape, 1 month or so in, which seems to be growing in OK. Settled on: cuttings from another tank: Heteranthera Zosterfolia, with some weird kinda echinodorus/crypt like plant (I honestly don't know), which seems to do.. horrible!(more on that in...

After reading this thread I started to look around strets for some botanical. And I have found one interesting seed pods. Foxglove tree or Empress Tree (Paulownia Tomentosa) easy to find in London parks and streets. I can not find if it is poisonous but I put one in my tank. After two weeks...

Too late, I have a filtosmart arriving today. But thanks for your suggestion 👍🏻

Bad enough collecting High pH test bottles without using the others at twice the speed