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Me too out of my depth

Hello, First of all I really love this forum and it helped me a lot in my aquascaping journey. However, i'm struggling to have a clear answer on a point : I read many times that the sweet spot of CO2 injection is a 1 pH drop. But, is that really achievable when using an aquasoil that buffer...

Basically, everything runs and grow's a lot faster when you run CO2. Therefore maintenance requirements increase as a result.

Hauling water is never pleasant, but is easier if you buy more of the 10L drums than less of the 25. You can carry and manouver 2 x 10 much more easily than a 1 x 25.

Aquarists, whether fish keepers, planted tank hobbyists,or just house plant, or gardeners are worldwide, so it's a great opportunity for us to help. I agree how this is is done is the dilemma. As example you dont want a captive breeding or growing programme for someone who may not be...

Given the title of the thread, I thought this was going to go the other way! Great little view that

I'm remembering now my reoccurring dream of leaving the tank lid open and all the fish just swimming up into the air and off down the street.. Seems to be less frequent now I have an open top tank 😀

As I as on this topic, it reminded me of this (very long) read. Covers aspects of oxygen, substrate (deep sand beds) and hydrogen sulfide. I found it quite interesting, albeit above my degree grade! https://aquariumscience.org/index.php/14-2-4-1-anaerobic-science/

You do know that Darrel is an advanced AI BOT right? Here is one of our members meeting @dw1305 for the first time. (For clarity, Darrel is the huggee, not the hugger).

It very much sounds like what you had came home with you - whether bacterial, transportation stress creating an outbreak or they were already on the way out and you got unlucky. Were they all happy and fine in the store? Had they been there for a while when you asked before purchase? It...

I’d suggest using RO or rainwater for that.

Unfortunately I think you are right. I am really torn on this topic. Cheers, Michael

Me too... Last time I went to my LFS I pointed it out to the owner and he said he just can't get good stock anymore... And I know he is trying to use good water - low TDS for soft water stock etc. and feed good live food from a controlled sources - Its really sad :( Darrel is one rare and...

Yeah light from Superfish not good as chihiros, but MD fishtanks has a lot of succeafull aquariums with that light. Filter goes directly to trash

I think the hobby has done a lot more harm than good for various endemic species from sensitive habitats. There are species that have practically disappeared from the wild due to the demand from the ornamental fish trade die to highly lucrative business for 'collectors' from the wild.

The only thing I would have done differently is wait till after the No Planaria treatment was finished and water-changed out before introducing new livestock. I don't know if it would have made a difference to the outcome but it would have ruled out a possible factor and an element of doubt, no...

The right mix of plants and fish will thrive in hard water. Don't expect to keep wild Discus or Apistos and fish from those kinds of habitats though. And plants like Toninas, Eriocaulons and Syngonanthus are definitely out of bounds, lol. Most 'non sensitive' fish will be ok once...

This is what I’m thinking, thanks. I think the other problem I have, and which is probably why I get algae, is less and less frequent water changes. I’ll be doing 50% weekly while the tank beds in (using old filters so fish-in cycling) so that should mean maybe 100L of RO a week will be ok, and...

Noted. Thanks.

Thank you so much! 🙏😊

Thank you very much indeed Michael. Two fish were dead when we got them home (9 miles from the LFS) They we’re quite nippy when being caught and the chap said he thought he might of crushed one so I assumed two were hurt during being caught for bagging. Noticed one dying on Sunday but there...

Hello, :wave: welcome to UKaps. 😀

To chime in on the question stated in the title: My only reservation with sand, fine sand especially, is lack of (or at least limited) flow throughout the substrate which indeed could cause buildup of toxic gasses if the tank is not well maintained. Cheers, Michael

Crypts and Vals tend to do well in hard water.

You've come to the right place! Dig in on our journals! Its a treasure trove of information and inspiration on aquascaping. Welcome to UKAPS! :) Cheers, Michael

Welcome to UKAPS! :) Cheers, Michael

I would go 60% RO/spotless and 40% tap and perhaps short a bit on the WC frequency / amount, but since you're running a CO2 tank - with a high metabolic rate - that may not be an ideal choice. Either way, make sure you don't burn out on the maintenance. Hauling 70 - 85 liters of water for your...

There should be no need to override anything, just entering the tank and dosing details it will hit your tanks target ppm. If the max target ppm isn't high enough it can be adjusted in 'Core settings' - although I wouldn't advise increasing it.

I often have dreams about tanks cracking or exploding. Not very fun!

Spotless water site not far from me… might be worth 50%tap, 50% spotless. Thanks, never heard of them!

Yeah, they would certainly be more flexible for moving the filter. I know people with Fluval filters have replaced the hoses with normal 16/22 hoses, so you would imagine it is possible the other way around if you get some decent hose clips, it would just be a bit of a faff. The inlet/outlet...

Rainwater has the benefit of being free (once you have storage installed). Also if you happen to live near a Spotless Water location that would be a cost effective alternative to installing your own RO system.

Thanks, Daryl. I have already got Helena snails (also called assasin snails). They too should dig?

Hi Thanks for the help i see a lot of people do not like Fluval hoses i just thought they might be good in our setup as i might need to move the filter for cleaning

Thanks both. I was indeed already put off by the thought of converting hardness to salt. I was thinking either some sort of magnetic filter, or an RO filter. As stated, my current tank is fine with CPDs, black emperor tetra, black neons and panda Corys. Most are 2 years old now and still...

Impossible to tell really but I suspect yes. They certainly don't seem to thrive to the same extent that Physella acuta do but I can also imagine them being more vulnerable to predation by the huge numbers of damselfly larvae in there. To be honest, I'm embarassed to admit this but I actually...

Hello @bbtom10 Wellcome to UKAPS! :) To make a meaningful dent in your high water hardness you will have to use at least 50% Rain or RO water - do not use water softened (ion exchanged) with NaCl (Sodium chloride pellets - table salt essentially). To exchange your level of Calcium (and...

If you’re thinking ion exchange softener that uses salt, then no, as it’s bad for the fish. Calcium and magnesium is replaced with sodium. Either live with the hard water, use rainwater as you suggest or use RO which you can remineralise with some of your tap water. Many people on this forum...

I did once have a fish version of this classic and I didn't even have a tank at the time.

I wish Superfish would sell the tank on its own without the filter, light etc.

Did you get this lamp in the end? any pics? I'm doing similar. Thanks!

Hi, I am about to upgrade from a 100cm 120L to a 4ft 288L tank and I’m concerned my water is too hard. I have 3 nano tanks and the aforementioned 120L, and they all report high Ph (c.8) and high Kh (c.18) but the most worrying is my general hardness, measured with a water monitor, is between...

@Zeus. How would I override the IFC calculator values to set my K2SO4 according to the following so that I get the correct PPM and amounts to add to the container:

Ah, I see. Thanks for the information. I think I'd rather go for the cheaper stuff then. It's easily accessible and good enough for this use case. Also, I agree with the findings regarding the Seachem one. I wouldn't put it past them to do simple repackaging, branding, and marketing. That source...

It does make me wonder if there was any correlation between the price of the fish and their health status and longevity.... not meaning to directly point the finger at the fish shop, but surely a possibility to consider?

Sorry to hear that, mate. When did the mass die-offs occur (i.e. did you wake up and find them) and was there anything you did before the die-offs (no matter how small?

I originally glued the moss. But some glue spots were visible on some occasions. Next time I would use threads to fix it.

Well, thats this evenings google food. What an amazing organism!

The marbling effect are snails egs... 🐌

Hi all, I'm pretty sure it is "Slime mould" Myxomycota. They aren't anything to worry about and will disappear just as mysteriously as it appeared - "White fungal growth" Cheers Darrel

Hi all, It is a possibility, it is probably more likely to be an indirect effect, rather than direct toxicity. There is honestly nothing worse, you tend to blame yourself, even when it is just "circumstances". That is probably sound advice, especially with the benefit of hindsight. I'd try...

Sorry about your loss :( Here are some common and less common causes to consider: 1. A spike in Ammonia (NH3) 2. A disease - perhaps from recently introduced livestock 3. A large swing in water parameters 4. Leaching compounds from substrate or hardscape 5. O2 depravation 6. overdosed CO2 7...

That’s the exact look I’m going for!! Scraper 90 with the white cabinet!! Thank you!! Your tank looks awesome!!

Growing in a small hang off fry tank with a couple of Galaxy Rasboras fry in it. Some sort of aquatic myceleum?

Got a bit of a mass die off of the Chilli and Galaxy Rasboras. Lost about 20 so far - Doing a large water change and putting the purigen in. Don’t know what’s caused it (No Planaria or whatever) Whatever caused it I’m pretty devastated I’m not going to lie. This hobby is awesome and cruel

Oh 😂😂 you are right!!! Can you tell I’m new to this?! 😂😂 thank you so much for answering 😊

Its good that there was no ill effect to the fish, but for piece of mind if there is a large air pocket or strong smell. I would probably suggest to perform a water change as I would assume some of the gas exchange would affect water chemistry perhaps. I understand in regards to feeding the...

Ideally they enjoy different water conditions but they could meet somewhere in the middle but its better if they dont have to. I would advise choosing one species or the other because gelius barbs are an amazing little fish that likes to be kept in groups, so a loner won't be living it's best...

Sorry, It looks like some of your substrate has got stuck to the wood. Eggs will be spherical and smooth.

Welcome! :)

Welcome! :)

Hi all, So that is K2OS4. The RAM of potassium (K) = 39.1, sulphur (S) = 32.1 , oxygen (O) = 16. To get the RMM is (39.1 x 2) + 32.1 + (16 x 4) = 78.2 = 32.1 + 64 = 174.3 and 78.1 / 174.2 = 45% , so near enough. When you 10g of K2SO4 you've added 4.5 grams of potassium and you need ~23g of...

Hi all, I wouldn't add any Otocinclus <"https://www.planetcatfish.com/common/species.php?species_id=105"> yet, they are <"sensitive little beasts"> and they really need a biologically mature tank. What @John q says. It is entirely up to you, but have a look at <"Nano Tank (ish)">. The thing...

Hi all, Traditionally it hasn't really enjoyed life in the UK, our climate is a bit too oceanic for it. Global Climatic change may change that as it is a tree that does well with a warmer summer <"Red oak (ROK) - Forest Research">. cheers Darrel

My front and back yards are covered in those leaves now :) ... we don't rake them, we just have them mulched down so they can fertilize the lawns. Cheers, Michael

Hi all, Lab. (technical or food) grade chemical are a lot more expensive than fertiliser grade, just because they are more refined. "Analytical grade reagents (AGR)" are an order of magnitude more expensive (and of higher purity) again. Unless you are making up standard solutions (to use with...

They aren’t eggs and I don’t know how to delete

Indeed it was, thankfully I added a lot of Moss to both of these small containers Worms in one and "Shrimpy Things" as the kids call them in the other

Hi all, That was always likely to be an issue once you had the Gobies. Water Louse (Asellus aquaticus) <"are great survivors">, but Crangonyx and Blackworms (Lumbriculus variegatus) are both highly palatable and <"cat-nip for most fish">. cheers Darrel

Hi all, What @Courtneybst says. I've used them as well (there is a tree close to my room at work) - <"Botanicals that last longer?">. They are easy to find at this time of year, mainly because we don't have many trees in the UK that <"reliably go red"> in the autumn. <"Liquidambar...

Hi all, I wouldn't have any worries about that, I'm sure the substrate is fine. If you were concerned some Malaysian Trumpet Snails (Melanoides tuberculata) might help I feed them to the Corydoras pygmaeus as well <"Microworm culture">, although mine might be <"Banana Worms">. cheers Darrel

Hi mlgt. THANK YOU so very much. Love your suggestions. Good to read that you have had sand this way withoiut problems for so long and that you have been able to uproot and redecorate without any problems. Regarding bubbles: During the first weeks I several times Iiberated trapped air in the...

WOW. it worked this time. .. and voila. Egeria densa is the dense, floating green plant. I regularily cut ist roots and keep it as shade to the anubias untill the frogbite have taken a bit more over but will kepe some as some of the more skiddish fish thrives in its canopy . :)

Hi Bradders. A most reasonable request. :) I have tried to upload but withut succes. I will try again. :)

Thank you, Darrel. Now I remember. I bought them as "micro worms". And they indeed are micro.

Thank you! I will pick up some more then :)

The fluval hoses are the weird black corrugated ones with the rubber end pieces for connection to the filter barbs, and there are several sizes. The rubber connecting pieces are not the same outer diameter as the actual hoses. Even if you could find one with the right diameter end piece to fit...

So I have noticed that since adding the Tank janitors and Gobies as well as increasing my fertilizing regime with TNC Complete (the one with phosphates and nitrates) as per directions on the tank that I have had a serious reduction in the growth of "Green Hair Algae's". My Amazon Frogbit and the...

Hi Darrel, thank you for the informative response. The easiest accessible Potassium Sulphate available near me list the composition as: K : 425 g/kg (42.5%) S : 170 g/kg (17.0%) Based on the formula you have given me, this one would give 35.27mg/l (ppm). Quite low compared to Niloc & GLA. I...

5 days in and nothings melting yet. Doing 50-60% water changes regularly despite doing a dark start method first. I’m going to give the plants a full 2 weeks growth to root in and settle before testing properly and changing water change schedule. If tests are good I’ll add amano shrimp and...

No worries. Another option is potassium bicarbonate as a 'kinder, gentler' way of boosting potassium and KH. If you wanted to add a straight-up base to increase pH (and thereby KH) more aggressively you could also consider a dilute solution of KOH. Once in the water column and equilibrated...

Small update I've lost 2 Gastrodermus hastatus and have just 3 left. 2 of these are quite big and round. There is is one that is small and also starting to look a little rough. Tail fin appears to be torn. A little scared to repeat what happened the last time so I've quickly set up another tank...

Hi, was there high winter mortality?

In that case probably not as Oase are 16/22, so 16 inside diameter and 22 outside diameter. if the outside diameter of Fluval is 17, then the inner is much less that 16.

@curlingmom - do you have a picture, please, so we can see what you are looking at?

Hello and welcome :)

Hello and welcome :)

For what its worth I have a 350l Rena tank that I set up 13 years ago with argos play sand. It is between 3.5-4 inches and there are times when I have rescaped and pulled out a thick root such as crinium or large swords and crypts in the back and there was some sulpher smell. but I was already...

Hi all, Grindal Worms (Enchytraeus buchholzi)? or the, much smaller, "Micro" worms? (Panagrellus spp.) cheers Darrel

https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/ifc-aquarium-fertilizer-calculator.63045/

Hi all, In @Zeus.'s signature, download from <"IFC Aquarium Fertilizer Calculator"> or from "Calculators" in the Menu bar. We also have a link to the Rotala Butterfly nutrient calculator <"Nutrient Dosing Calculator">. cheers Darrel

Hello there!

Hello there!

That’s good to know. I have some pieces sat in the vegetable patch I could saw into pieces.

It is the bark, the wood can be regarded as neutral and is fine to use. Although some bark may contain tannic and humic compounds, that could reduce pH in water that has very little carbonate buffering. If you take something like seasoned Ash wood (Fraxinus excelsior), or a coconut shell...

When do i find the ifc cert calculator

Should I empty all and start over? Or is it not as dangerous a set up as I am told? I have topped a bagged substrate with 2-3 cm. chiclid sand. (Do not remember the name of the substrate. It was a gift. Something amazonian-ish. Texture and color as wet: grey clay) Along the edges of the sand...

Hi all, Simple enough, you just need the RAM of potassium (K) and the RAM of chlorine (Cl) to give you the RMM of KCl. <"Potassium - Wikipedia">= 39.1 + <"Chlorine - Wikipedia"> 35.5 = <"Potassium chloride - Wikipedia"> = 74.56 and 39.1 / 74.56 = 52.4 % K and 100 - 52.4 = 47.6% Cl It is...

Will our fish die if we pull unknown driftwood out of a river and use it? Could boil it possibly? Also what does everyone think of ash? Seems like the wood is alkaline? But could soak it to overcome this?

Guess I better update this. So, it's a girl. After refusing food for a good while, she passed an unfertilized egg. After that, she went back to being a picky eater. So, she's still not gorging herself, but feeding is fairly regular now. I'll check with a vet at some point, and provide sepia...