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Somethings been niggling me about what I wrote and so after checking I should amend to: doesn't contain gluten-containing cereals :) My westie did well on it too and unlike many others of her breed, never had skin conditions. If you do try it make sure fresh water is always available (probably...

I've found this very interesting, and it made me realise something. I've had dogs for 30ish years (I currently have a 5 year old cocker and a 12 year old toy poodle, both female, though I have had males before too), but haven't had a problem with grass burn for the last 15 years or so - not...

I know from experience with our previous dogs that a neutered male and entire bitch can have all of the fun with none of the consequences - although our westie used to have phantom pregnancies sometimes! Viv PS She's adorable!! :)

I bought one of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321094536483 off of eBay for my pond so not sure how well it would do in an aquarium but it does have very small leaves - tiny compared to the other lily's. Left to itself it's only supposed to have a maximum spread of 50 cm so pruning should keep...

I thought about doing that too but everything's growing well enough - I don't want even more plants to deal with! As it is I've had to divide the Japanese iris already and today I had to take off some dwarf rushes 'cos they were virtually floating free. I'll need to get another pot for them. I...

I thought I'd give an update on the garden - I was going to edit my previous post but couldn't see how to do it :( Anyway, here's a few shots going around the garden left to right: Things coming along nicely :) Biggest job this year is replacing the fence on the right hand side...

Hate it :what: and sorry folks but some of these 'suggestions' are disgusting - though hub would probably like them. I won't tell him!!! ;) Viv

Done. Good luck with your degree! :) Viv

This is an old tank from before I new anything at all about planted tanks. It had plain gravel and some play sand in and wasn't given anything in the way of ferts or carbon. Here's a closer view of the same tank at a different time. It was getting DIY Co2 and EI ferts in this one but had the...

Could you use a clay plant tray/saucer turned upside down? You can get coloured ones, or paint it yourself. A brilliant idea I came across the other day was painting outside pots with glow in the dark paint. A bit random but thought I share as I thought it was such a good idea :D Garden, and...

Garden isn't looking like much atm, although the fruit trees are flowering and the wisteria's flowers are forming. Anyway, here you go: left side: right side: It looks much better later in the year when the fences are all covered :) Viv

Ooo they look nice, mine is just the golden ball one. I've got 5 buddleias already but I might have to get another! Viv

That's true for the 'normal' buddleia but some of he others are a bit fussier. I've got several and the globular and variegated ones in particular aren't as rampant and don't seed themselves in the garden - actually neither has the white one :) Viv

That's good to know about the buddleia, I'll start keeping the old dead wood I trim off! Viv

Hmm sounds like a good idea. I'm also thinking about getting hubby to suspend baskets along that edge ( I'm sure he'll have fun getting to the middle :D), and putting some water forget-me-nots or something there. Should grow a fair ways up. That and moss growing from the top down should make it...

Thanks :) And I know, it could look good. My only concern has been whether or not moss would stay moist enough up near the top - there's quite big areas where it stays dry. It's got me thinking about ways to get other plants on there too though! I love this time of year. The fish are up feeding...

I haven't been on for a while so sorry about the delay in replying. This for the idea about the mesh and moss - I'll have to give that a go :) Viv

Yeah I did that with my vision 450 but assumed there had been a change in the 'design' - this tank is a lot newer even though both tanks are T5. I might contact Jewel just so they know they're causing people like us problems! lol Viv

I've turned the one at the back for now but I'll see about getting another reflector :) I don't understand why Jewel started making them this way :( Viv

Hubby suggested I do that with the reflector! I'm not keen 'cos I'd get blinded every time I fed the fish. I suppose I could do this with the tube at the back instead. I think we'll leave the ballast bar alone! lol Thanks for your advice :) Viv

I've got a Juwel Vision 260 that I want to reduce the light intensity on. Previously with other Juwel tanks I've just taken out one of the tubes but with this tank neither tube comes on if both aren't in. Raising the light unit isn't an option so I thought about putting a strip of tape along the...

I got my mesh from Homebase. I used some nylon butterfly netting over the top to hold the moss down and sewed around the edges. Very quick, very easy :) It took about two weeks for the moss to grow enough to start hiding the netting. Viv

What sort of mesh is it?I tried a solid plastic mesh at first and had the same trouble as you but then I used a galvanised steel mesh and it stays down - and flat - just fine. Viv

Thanks Mick :) I'll keep dosing as I am and keep an eye on them. Viv

Yep, that's what mine was looking like! Viv

I'm trying to clear something up about this plant. When I received it, it's tips were whitish and have stayed that way for a couple of weeks. I'm dosing iron 3x a week and it's growing okay. Some info' online confirms the tips should be whitish, another source said it should all be green. As...

I was going to say my Christmas moss grew like this when it was free floating and left to it's own devices :) Viv

So far only one of the baby kribs (about an inch long) has got behind it once, on the first day - managed to get out again too:) I think it helps that it's as wide as the tank and the plastic canvas is quite stiff so the fish would have quite a tough time getting around the edges. It's been in...

It's mostly Christmas moss I think as I had large amounts of this when I added some java to the tank, so there could be some of that in there too. As it grows I'll get a better idea hopefully :) Viv

lol okay, I will leave it and see how it grows :D Viv

Well I used plastic canvas as the back and the netting given to me by IanD to hold the moss in place - worked a treat! After I'd finished I wished I'd used more moss as I could see it was a bit patchy, but I suppose it will fill in? Anyway, here's a photo of the lower part You can see it's...

No I haven't, but I'm always on the look out for a new good read so I'll look it up :) l've just read Linkershim and now l'm reading A storm of swords (as The Axis of Awesome say "the books are always better" - and I can't wait for the next series!!!). Viv

As well as just about all of the series mentioned hub and me also watch: Southland, Elementary, Hannibal, Perception, Blue Bloods, House of Cards (Spacey is excellent as always), Downton Abbey, Hell on Wheels, Mentalist, 666 Park Avenue, Castle, Under the Dome, Person of Interest, Criminal...

I'm my disabled husbands full time carer. I also take my mum out to her stroke survivors group once a week and out for lunch on another day so that she gets out of her flat a bit. My girls are 18 and 20 now but I still seem to spend an inordinate amount of time being a long distance taxi driver...

I've just 'discovered' that pink ramshorns (thanks frothhelmet :)) eat BBA. I had a plantlet covered in the stuff that I put in the tank with these snails and they've completely cleaned all the leaves. Not a solution and may not be an option as part of your clean up crew but if they are I'd...

Thanks Johan :) Viv

I'm thinking about trying these plants: Najas Guadalupensis, Hygrophila Corymbosa compacta, red Cabomba, red Ludwigia repens and Mayaca Fluviatilis, and wondered whether anyone's got any experience with them and liquid carbon? So far the only plant I couldn't grow with LC was Pellia but it's...

Thanks Ian that's really good of you :thumbup: I'll measure up and send you a pm. Viv

I do like the idea of being able to 'melt' mesh together (as mentioned in the above link). Sounds like it would be less hassle. I'll see where the nearest craft shop is to me and see what they've got :) Viv

Thanks for the replies guys, I'll be having another go soon! Thanks for the info' about lighting/trimming Mick. I hadn't really given it a thought and my previous attempts didn't get that far. I can't have secured the moss down enough as bits kept coming free - very messy :( Viv

Can anyone give me a stop by step guide to putting a moss wall together, including what materials would be needed. I've had a couple of goes in the past but they were disastrous! I've got a tonne of Christmas moss growing in a mass in one of my tanks looking unsightly. Hubs says to throw it out...

Thanks for that Mick :) I've taken a photo of it already and will keep an eye on it. If it does open I'll take another photo and put it on here. Viv

Sorry, I did mean immersed - it is completely under water. Its why I was so surprised. So it probably won't fully form and open unless I move it. Oh well. Viv

I've had wendtii brown for years - virtually since I got into tropical tanks. They've always grown well whatever tank they've been in ie high or low tech. I've got some in one of my shrimp tanks and I've just noticed its got what I assume is a flower stalk! Is this common? Its a first for me...

You could always buy online. I've just bought some fire reds from Sharnbrook shrimp and not only did they arrive alive and very healthy, there was detailed acclimation instructions (including tubing), there were also two more shrimp than I had paid for!! Viv

Thank you! That's a definite possibility :) Looking at it's water requirements it may not be with me long but we shall see! Viv

I've got a feeling it may not be a true aquatic plant but as I've never seen it before I have no idea. Can anyone shed some light? Viv

I agree about shrimp only tanks being the best way to see your shrimp at their best. Saying that though I have kept them with rummy nose tetra, black neon tetra and harlequin rasboras without any trouble - the shrimp were out and about all time just as if there weren't any fish in the tank...

I haven't finished reading replies yet tso this might have been said already but betta splendens will also eat red cherry shrimp. I had one in a 60 l and put a few shrimp in as I thought they'd be okay - lots of rocky nooks to hide on. The fish managed to get just about all of them :( Viv

The only plant I've had trouble with when using liquid carbon is pellia. Everything else - including vallis (which still grew and reproduced rampantly!) - was fine. Even mosses. I've got hc in a small tank that's dosed with liquid carbon and that is also growing well. I've never spot dosed it...

Thanks for the comments :) It's taken a while for my fish to come up to my hand to feed because I was plagued by a heron for a while. One of the best parts of my day now is getting up first thing and going out to feed them. That and seeing all the 1 and 2 year old's hanging out in the shallows...

I'm another who has had no trouble with vallis and dosing aqua carbon (from AE) :) Viv

Not sure if I've shown my pond before. It's nothing compared to some of the beauties I've seen on here but it's mine and I love it :D Its about 13 ft long x 5 ft max width and 4.5-5 ft max depth. This is how it was last July: We added a waterfall-type thing at one end after this photo was...

Okay, as promised here's a photo: Viv

Thanks for the replies :) I realise it's only an inert substrate but I also didn't want to be changing it out after 6 - 12 months. and liked the sound of the nutrient exchange (is that the CEC? :oops:). It also has small 'grains' with smooth enough edges to not bother the corys or loach. Anyway...

I bought a bag of eco-complete about 2 years ago and it was 100% black. Recently I bought another 6 bags and it has orangey grains in it along with the black. Is this due to a change in the substrate? Plants and fish seem happy with it but I was wondering what the difference is. Any ideas? Viv

I tried having interesting user names when I first started going on forums but I visited so rarely that I kept forgetting what they were! So now it's just the shortened version of my name (never used in 'real' life lol) - even I can't forget that!! Viv

I must be married to a saint! Whenever I've had a bit of a flood (and there were two or three times in quick succession once :crazy:), he helps me mop up without any recriminations :D Viv

I'm not sure what the protocol is for linking to other forums but this is my first port of call when dealing with algae: The Tropical Tank • View topic - Algae Types & Cures It's not definitive but I've found it a useful place to start :) It doesn't mention light as a cause for hair algae so...

I'm not a regular visitor to ukaps and often go for weeks without even looking in.Sometimes I just don't have the time. Having said that it's a great forum. I know I can pop in any time and be amongst people who share my interest in fish and fish keeping. If I have any kind of question or...

Well, in the end I ordered as many bags of eco-complete as I can afford (6) and will go from there. Fingers crossed! Viv

We've pretty much decided to build a shorter base frame and just use the top of the original cabinet to sit the tank on. Problem sorted and it means I can put it against the wall opposite the sofa, underneath where the projector screen is. I'll finally be able to look at it straight on instead...

Oh :( Thanks for letting me know. I'll get some shorter ones and see how I get on. At least I won't be planting anything too fiddly! Viv

Mmmm I was after something longer than that DrRob, up to twice as long. Claire are yours long or the more standard 25-27 cm ones? I have trouble reaching to the subtrate of my Vision 450 even with a step up. Now I'm going to plant it up I need something that will make it a lot easier. I've seen...

Anyone got any recommendations for good long handled planting tools? I tried to find the ones I saw on here but I'm not having much luck :( Viv

Okay, I'll work it out that way. Thanks :D Viv

How does a bow front affect the calculation? I've got a Vision 450 that I'm going to use eco-complete in. Should I measure using the widest point or the shortest? Thanks :) Viv

Are you 100% certain you don't get any sun at any time? My living room has NNE facing windows but for about half an hour in the mornings a band of sunlight reaches the front left corner of one of my tanks even though its set back from the window by about the same as yours is. As well as...

How about zebra loach? I know loach will generally eat shrimp too but my zebras don't seem to bother with the rcs that hitch-hiked into my big tank on some spare moss. Viv

I had 6 cories in my planted tank that were fine with EI and liquid carbon. During the changeover to CO2 I lost two - and a fair few rcs too. I put it down to some problems I had with the regulator that made the CO2 levels sky rocket. I moved the others to my big tank rather than risk any more...

This tank looks gorgeous! A real inspiration for people like me who have a larger tank but haven't had the courage (yet) to really make it a planted tank as opposed to one with a few plants in. I'm getting closer and closer to stripping it down (nightmare in the making though as the inhabitants...

The tiger took about 9 months to do. It can vary a lot though as I do it in fits and starts - depends on what else I'm doing :) Foxfish I've read the magicians guild books and Canavans Age of the Five books but not the others. Might give them a go though :) I'm going to be getting a tablet...

Hmm, my hobbies are pretty tame compared to some on here! I'm an avid reader (particularly science fiction and science fantasy, but I like a good crime novel too) and movie goer. I like gardening and walking in the countryside with the dogs, but I suppose my favourite hobby besides fish keeping...

I used No planaria and while it killed the planaria it also killed the snails and about 50% of my rcs :( I was advised it might have been due to an interaction with something else in the tank but there was nothing except inert gravel, play sand and plants in there. I think if the need arises in...

Oh well nevermind! Maybe I need to get another tank going then :D Viv

As said really, I know some of you are really experienced and knowledgable shrimp keepers so would like you to tell me what grade of rcs these would be: I have no illusions about them being top grade or anything but I'm kinda hoping for sakura - maybe :) Viv

Yeah theres lots of plant cover at the top, especially to the sides. Its not looking hopeful though - I've only seen two today but one was swimming upside down :( Viv

Yep, also known as clown killies :( I don't think I'll see them much as they're in 180l but maybe they'll be okay. Just have to wait and see I guess. Thanks for replying Tim :) Viv

I went to Maidenhead Aquatics in Ramsgate today and came away with 5 banded panchax. I'd never heard of them before so had a word with one of the guys in the store. Told him about my tank ie water parameters, inhabitants etc and was assured that they would be okay. I've been looking online while...

I finally managed to get some blues recently. I got 14 about 3 weeks ago and I had another 10 from Fresh Water Shrimp that arrived on Thursday. I've been holding off of posting as I didn't want to jump the gun - 8 months ago I bought some yellows that all died over the first week :( These are...

Goody :D Add a few otos they're great little critters - I've had loads of fun watching the ones in my big tank this week as I've got a hugely fat female thats been T-barring (is that the correct term?) all over the place with one of the males. Doubt it will come to anything but still! :) Viv

On another forum I've been on someone else said they had amanos breeding in their freshwater tank. They put up photos of the shrimplets in the filter box. Apparently it was a regular thing for them. They were in the UK too, not the US. I've been trying to find it again but it was a while ago and...

All sounds good but wheres the photo's!! :D Viv

Those cardinals are stunning shrimp and I would love to try keeping them. My water is naturally hard and alkaline too, and a high temperature is an easy matter to sort out. Not sure how many I could get at the price though! Maybe only 4 or 5 so I'm not sure it would be feasible? Viv

I think dechlorinating is more for the benefit of filter bacteria than fish or plants ie chlorine will kill off the good bacteria we want in the filter as well any baddies in the water. I don't see why plants wouldn't grow in 'normal' water but then I'm no expert :) Viv

Looks promising :) Are you going to put anything behind to hide the wall? Also, have you got any ideas for disguising the filter? Interested because I've got a couple of small tanks with internals and I'm always looking for better ways to disguise them! :D Viv PS I'm sure you'll see the shrimp...

I've got the 2213 and 2 2217's and I've been very happy with them on the whole. Individually each one is pretty quiet - I can barely hear the smaller one, the larger ones have a low hum. The only times they've been noisy are when I haven't primed them properly and there was air trapped inside. Viv

I've got two assasins in my 180 with lots of rcs. The assasins aren't beeding but they don't seem to bother the rcs at all if thats any help? My clowns made short work of a zebra snail so I'm pretty sure they'd handle an assasin with ease! Viv

LOL very funny :D Viv

I'd be interested in 10 either this time or next :D Viv

You know mlgt, after looking at the rcs grade link posted up by hotweldfire, I wouldv'e said your shrimp look more like the Fire Reds! Viv

Hmm, these stripes don't vary at all and the shrimp are pretty well coloured apart from that. It doesn't show too well in the photo but this shrimp's got nice solid red sides and red legs. I actually quite like them :oops: I will definitely see if I can find out how offspring turn out :) Viv

Interesting. I wonder if I could remove a berried female and see how coloured her young are? Its the only way I imagine I could check her offspring. I've got a little tank cycling in the kitchen atm so I might give that a go when its ready :D Viv

A few of my rcs have a very distinctive stripe down their backs and I was wondering if this is a common thing? Viv

I don't know enough to give you the sort of advice you're after but from what I've learned having no CO2 makes you low tech. I don't think on its own it makes you 'Natural' or anything. I think these are more styles of scaping - might be wrong though! When I first decided to have a go at a...

Thanks for the reassurances :) Kris, its not hijacking its natural evolution - things rarely stay on track for long! Viv

I bought some of these online recently and they were green when they turned up. I've given them four days in my Vision 450 under T5 lights and still no sign of colour improvement. Can anyone tell me if this means they are just very young plants and need to mature a bit, or is there a chance I've...

LOL! I did wonder how long it would last and how you could get good distribution :) Viv

Anyone come across these before? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CO2-SYSTEMS-A ... 56478dda1d I was just looking around at stuff and saw this in a sellers shop. I've never come across it before and wondered how good it is? Viv

I love those Black Tigers! Viv