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Thanks for sharing that explanation Darren, that makes perfect sense now. I'm pretty sure it has made a difference, so Mg must have been the issue. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Morning Clive, so according to the nutrient calc for 100L i should be dosing the following 1.5g KNO3 (1/4 tsp) 0.58g KH2PO4 (1/8 tsp) (or half of a 1/4 tsp as i dont have a 1/8 measuring spoon) 3.7g MgSO4 (3/4 tsp) im going more on weight rather than tsp's. i have small scale digital scales...

And constipation. Lol Ceg, I'll post Tomorrow with the Grams per dose (dry dosing) of each. It's a 120L tank I think I worked it out based on 100L of water after displacement (ish). Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

My excuse is I went from memory from 10 years ago which is when I last did EI. And forgot the Mg ha ha. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

ok just bought some and looking at EI calc i have added 3.7g. ill do this from now on when dosing other macros

ok so just off the shelf epsom salts yes? and how much to put in?

i think im dosing standard EI. KNO3 just over 1/4 tsp 3x per week KH2PO4 just under 1/4 tsp 3 x per week trace on middle days 2 days rest water change on day one and start again... pics below. growth seems good its just not as lush green as id like. we are only 2 weeks in so it might just be...

Hi, Basically I want to increase the nitrate in the tank and am dosing EI KNO3 and KH2PO4 can I simply increase the KNO3 or should I also increase the KH2PO4 to keep the ratio of ferts the same? ive got plenty of co2 in the tank and distribution/flow is fine, good growth but dwarf hairgrass...

Thanks guys that's great. I'll keep you posted on how things go over the next few weeks. Cheers for the input Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ok will do. Sorry to labor the same question but if fish are in discomfort is it because of the co2 directly or the resulting ph drop? Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Ok thanks ceg that makes sense. I'll carry on as I am then for a few weeks and observe the plants. If there are signs of low co2 I'll up the bubble rate. I think I was falling for the trap of getting too hung up on the readings. As a rule of thumb though what would be useful to know is if my co2...

Thanks ceg, Well at 4 bubbles per second I drop about 0.5 ph in 2 hours however at that point the drop checker is still green. And I mean an emerald green not lime green.. His is why I was concerned as I see a lot on here with almost yellow drop checkers, distribution is fine. Reading is the...

No fish in the tank yet but I have had numerous tanks for the past 10 years. At present the only other tropical tank I have up and running is a 100 gallon low tech semi planted tank with South American cichlids and 15 sterbai cory's. I've successfully kept high tech planted tanks in the past...

Hi John. The water company initially said the KH is 320. Which threw me as I was expecting something on the 1-20 scale. They then converted it and came back with 17.8. The guy in their testing lab that I spoke to said 320 (I don't know what that is measured in) is the top level of hardness that...

thanks guys. there are no ei salts or anything in there tanks just set up. im ignoring test kit results at the moment as i know im not getting 250ppm co2 its just thats what the readings correlate to. i know they are innacurate but didnt realise they are totally pointless ill leave it as it is...

Hi All, im trying to work out the level of co2 in my tank. however the water here is very hard. ive been in touch with the water company and they said the water is KH 17.8. so on that basis im aiming for a PH of around 7.2 to have 25ppm co2. however when my test kit (so shoot me down in...

sorry, fixed now.

thanks for the comments guys. here's the video... (change settings to HD 1080P or its blurry)

Hi All, Well I'm finally at the point of planting the tank. Let's just say it's been a busy day in the office, but not the kind of work we usually do! I did the planting and my colleague Calum kindly brought in his DSLR to take some stills. Plants arrived from Aquaessentials in good condition...

thanks chaps, some good options there. i took a glance over the food in the LFS and there is literally a whole aisle of it. i cant mess about with brine shrimp its an office tank and dont have time for all that palava. but i agree would be a good option if i had the time and suitable space...

Thanks Darrel, i have read that, i think i might try it next scape with more submerged hardscape so i can plant it emmersed. ive just ordered the tissue culture plants, - HC x 5 - Elocharis Mini x 6 - Alternathere reineckii mini x 2 should arrive tuesday, so next update will be more...

hi all, quick question. once my tank is up and running properly ill be adding cpd's and shrimp. ive always fed tetra foods tetramin pro color and tetramin pro algae (on alternate days) not that i expect it matters much but are there any better foods i should be using? also what do shrimp...

darn, ive spent all day looking for a miniature climber i can fix to the side of my mountain... :sorry:

cant see pics, they look like broken links

looks fantastic, great work

ok thats decided then ill go with something else. thanks ian for the tip, its not that i didnt trust your judgement but i was thinking is it worth a go to try and break the run of failure. i would still like to try it out but maybe in a spare tank later on. this one really needs to work so no...

in the light of day and after thinking about it further I'm on the fence again. I am willing to give it a go but I've read a few articles on growing UG this morning and it seems the following are the issues - - doesnt like nutrient rich substrate - doesnt like nutrient rich water - sensitive...

Morning Wisey, these are the cables supplied with the iquatics rail. you get one set as standard and the other they threw in the box free of charge when i told them i was using the rail to attach to a TMC rail and tiles. in not sure which set is the standard and which is the thrown in set. the...

Sod it I'm going to give it a go. I'm never one to shy away from a challenge. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Oh I forgot to mention, the cable attaching the rail to the hanging bit isn't iquatics, Alastair kindly sent that with the tiles. I'll take a pic of the supplied cable from iquatics tomorrow and post on here so you see what you get out of the box. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Thanks for the advice Ian. You've now got me in a quandary do I go for it and challenge myself or is there really no point if the substrate isn't suitable. Are there any cases of it working well planted in new Amazonia? If not there's no point and I'll rethink. I am certain on the Hc, planted...

lights are now set up on the tank (thanks Alastair!). two TMC 1500nd tiles with aquaray controller. ive programmed them to come on for 8 hours with a 60 min ramp time so full power (which is set at 30%) for 6 hours with sunrise and sunset for the first and last hour of the photoperiod. not...

Hi, im in the market for some tools. I've been trawling the internet for wave scissors (the bent ones) and some straight planting tweezers with a fine tip. budget up to £20 for each of them (unless something is particularly worth paying more for. there are quite a few options for the wave...

Hi Mate, lights should be here in the next hour fingers crossed, thanks for sending them anyway not your fault they are taking ages to get here. plant list is simple. Utricularia graminifolia for main carpet plant with Hemianthus callitrichoides on the mounds and growing up the rocks. i...

still waiting for the lights, the courier has decided to take their time...hopefully they will arrive tomorrow. i will post a pic asap for you mate.

Not to hijack but what is advised to use for the PH test. I thought test kits were the devil incarnate! Although obviously it is key to know what the PH is. I have just set up a new tank and will need to get a grip on the PH behaviour but at present have no way of testing it. whats the cheapest...

cheers guys, hot water would work but i made the pipes so tight and perfectly fitted to the tank, through the hole in the cabinet etc i cant actually get hot water to them. if i could lift them out and dunk them that would work fine. however i managed to re do it from scratch, i had just enough...

ok so in my haste to set up my tank ive twisted the pipes. i have clear ada tubing going to the lily pipes, i fitted the tube to the filter first then to the glasswear however i have somehow fitted them off centre. hard to describe but at rest the pipes are 90 degrees to the position they...

Thanks victor, that helps clear things up, much appreciated. Although the Elaine does look wonderful in your pics it doesn't look as dense as Hc. Is that correct or hasn't the carpet in those pics matured fully? Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Ok thanks, I have it in my head that Hc Cuba is my best option, just throwing the question out there unless I'd missed a better option. Thanks for the suggestions Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Regarding the lawn edging, rather than ironing it's easier to simply dip it in boiling water, see my journal for pics. I used that method today, worked fine Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Not after anything finicky. It needs to work first time, this is a tank in my office. My trial and error days are long gone. Had my fill of riccia over the years. I need a well rooted plant that will spread through substrate and over rocks. Not float away and need redoing every couple of...

Going on google image pics Marseilles crenata aquarium search it still looks bigger than Hc Cuba, more like glosso. It needs to be tight and compact for the look I'm after, is it really smaller and more compact than Hc. Sorry to doubt but once I've chosen the carpet plant I'm committed. Need to...

Not keen on glossy variants either sorry, done lots of tanks with that years ago, want something different. Thanks for the ideas though Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Just googled and if that's four leaved clover then not too keen, looks a bigger leaf size than Hc. Am I looking at the wrong thing? Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Hi wisey, The hanging system I've used is the 600mm version. My lights should turn up tomorrow so I'll take a pic when set up. I ordered from iquatics over the phone and told them I wanted to attach to tmc tiles and rail. They've put two additional clips in the box free of charge so I can attach...

It's a medical recruitment business ha ha. I just like planted tanks. I may buy a pot or 2 of Hc though and chuck it in. Just to see how it goes Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

ill be using the lab grown plants so not much in the way of bacteria and james (TGM) advised against it if using aquasoil as the ammonia will cause issies with the plants. im on the fence to be honest. playing it safe but it may not last long.....

quick question, im looking for a very dense low growing carpeting plant for my new tank (pics in journal uploaded today.) i was thinking HC but is there anything else i should be considering? its a shallow tank so i want low profile growth to keep the sense of scale. suggestions on a postcard...

oh yes, the rack. I didnt consider that. oh well, thats an issue to deal with on another day ha ha. this 3 week wait is going to kill me. i keep standing in front of it looking at my creation of er mud and rock.... its getting boring now only a few hours in. itchy feet already.

Hi Everyone, Some of you may remember my journals from way back in 2006/2007 when I went a bit planted tank mad (Jimbooo's Jungle Journal 1,2,and3, the step by step riccia article and the plant maintenance article) all initially on fishforums.net then over here when UKAPS first established...

I will use it all the time once planted but I'm not planting for a few weeks. I could set up the fe, reg and connect it to the diffuser now I was just being lazy as I don't need to turn it on for a few weeks. Thanks for the advice I'll connect it all first in that case. Sent from my iPhone...

Stupid question maybe but I've just set up new tank, will be running it in for a few weeks before planting but will have filter running. No need for co2 yet but my up diffuser is plumbed into the filter hose. If I run the filter but with no co2 hose attached will the diffuser leak? It's on the...

Fantastic tank and journal dom. Lots of things here I haven't seen or thought of doing before. Very refreshing. The potential of this tank is huge. Keep it up. Sub'd Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

To be fair I just bought a load of substrate from TGM for a new setup and Jim advised to hold off on planting for 3 weeks 70% water change a week until week 3 to get the ammonia down. He said he uses this method when he's not being filmed and not under pressure to chuck it all together quickly...

Tank came back today after being painted and I'm pleased to say it is optiwhite. They had numerous tanks in the lorry out for delivery and most were float glass, the difference is massive when compared together, mine has a light green tinge the others are very dark green. Panic over but thanks...

You're welcome. I've been out of the planted tank scene for a while but just setting up a new one next week. I think I will have a read through my own guide to refresh my memory ha ha.

Thanks guys that all helps loads. I think I've fallen into a trap expecting the glass to be totally clear without any tinge of colour. To some that may sound daft but when you've never seen it before if you are expecting clear non green tinged glass and you see what I saw today you think...

thanks nathaniel, i feel better now. that pic looks very similar to mine in terms of edge colour. the same green tinge i saw this afternoon with mine. greeny blue i suppose rather than green (im a man and talk in primary colours only my wife would call it aqua blue or something probably which is...

thanks mate a pic would be great if its the same mm cheers

10mm glass on mine, order confirmation from supplier reads as follows. Tropical Tank 1010 x 300 x 410 (length x height x width) 10mm glass Braceless Black background Optiwhite front and both sides Clear silicone i only saw it briefly when they put it on the stand on top of the ugly grey colour...

yeah its the pilkington glass. its just that on the suppliers website they have pictures of normal vs optiwhite next to each other. normal has green edges, optiwhite is clear. unless the photoshopped marketing pictures are backfiring in this instance... whatever.. i guess theres not much i...

yeah that helps. ive just heard back from the company now the driver has got back with the tank and they assure me its all optiwhite and they will bring a pane of normal glass to compare it to when redelivering. however yours looks blue ish and mine was green. oh well, whatever... i cant...

Hi all, i have just taken delivery of my new tank. should be optiwhite glass front and both sides, normal glass back panel and painted black on the back. well it wasnt painted so i sent it back to be sorted but also noticed all 4 panes are the same type of glass. question is have they used 4...

Ok cheers, water here is very hard so that's probably the reason I didn't do it last time. I haven't run a proper planted tank for 8 years or so and have forgotten most of the detail behind ei etc..

yeah thats great, thanks

im about to set up a new tank 120L "shallow" with high light and co2 injection. i wasnt going to go the EI route which i did on my last tanks years ago making up liquid mixes etc but ive changed my mind. i will be dry dosing and have ordered KNO3, KH2PO4 and trace mix. i havent used MgSO4...

just covered with substrate, you want slight blurring of the line between substrates or it will look too clinical. you will get some mixing at the surface but you can always syphon out the top layer of the join and redo every few months when the rear creeps forward over time.

personally ive had issues with that exact problem the tank in my profile pic had sun on the right side pane. i put some black background plastic card against it to stop the problem initially, then after a while i just kept that curtain closed. however if you are happy to clean the glass every...

ive used this before http://www.homebase.co.uk/en/homebaseuk/lawn-edging---1000-x-9cm-793162 cheap enough and you can cut it easily for length and height. helps if you iron it between two tea towels to take the wave out and stop it springing back into a spiral.

im awaiting delivery of mine on the 14th August 100x40x30. ill do a journal with step by step pics for everything. keep an eye out for that unless you are moving on with this project sooner than that. i have always shown the full story in my journals, highs and lows so to speak and im sure this...

got it and reply sent, thanks mate

ok pics arent working?? thanks mate. in case im being dumb i cant see a PM. where do they pop uo on the forum? ive not been on here in years and its all changed.

If you've got any pics I may be interested, pm me with how much you want for them. Cheers

Tank is 100 cm x 40 x 30 deep. Would any of those be suitable?

Sounds like a plan. Thanks I'll look on eBay now

yes you can get reflectors, the issue is ive blown the budget on a new optiwhite tank, braceless and open top. new eheim filter, glass pipes, ada substrate...not bought rocks or plants or fish yet and then just realised i need another £400 for lights!!! a mate pointed out i have a perfectly...

Thanks Darrel, the main issue is i want to use the Juwel Lighting unit that i already have. that cost me a round £200 a little while ago and theres no point in wasting it. however its 18cm wide (2 x 54w t5 tubes 900mm long) the issue is gutter pipe isnt wide enough to fit the unit into. i need...

Hi There, After going round in circles looking at over tank hanging lights ive come to the conclusion that for my tank (100x40x30) im going to have to spend over £150 to get average lighting 2x39W t5 or £400 to get high light with a 4 tube t5 system. LED is the same, £400 ish for two small...

Ahh I see now (slaps forehead!) that's great very useful thanks

I'm confused, what am I looking at?

right then, i think im getting there on the hardwear. settled on the eheim 350T filter mainly because it has a heater and will fit in cabinet whereas the hydor in line wont with a jbl filter (and if it did it would be in a weird folded type pattern but i want straight tubes, no kinks etc. so...

Ha ha. Really? I haven't looked into what Ada actually advise although as a rule of thumb over my 10 years of keeping planted tanks ammonia = bad = algae so I'm happy to get rid of it before planting and lighting it up. I'll have the filter running and heater going and hard scape in but that's...

I spoke for ages with james Findlay, green machine about the set up and he said if he's setting up a tank in the shop without the constraints of being filmed he always runs for 3 weeks before planting. The ammonia released from Ada substrate does the fish less cycle but he said to run in for...

The only other lily pipes I found were poppy glass type but as they slow the flow I assumed this would be counter productive. They're the co2 art ones £38 I think for intake and outlet set. Not the end of the world if I need to change them for something else later on. The tank will be hard...

I'm getting clear pipe from green machine when I order the filter. What's the Perspex for though?

hmm only issue is everything visible has to be glass. (just to be difficult - sorry!) you can get glass spray bars but not sure how good they are - and as im inpatient and ordered the reg, bubble counter and inline reactor yesterday i put lily pipes on the order as well. ill see how i get on...

Hang on a minute - im an idiot!! its not 140cm long its 101 cm long. length 101 depth (front to back) 41 height 30 although hydor eth300 initially made me punch the air in joy at a solution i have another issue now. i would have to go for the 1901 to account for flow loss and that filter...

i will need a heater. my office has no running hot water, just a plumbed in boiler like a tea urn type thing. i use that for water changes but its a bit hit and miss what temperature i get. ok so heres the dilema, i like the jbl 1501 greenline however the tank is shallow remember and wont have...

just looked at the 1501 and looks great and cheap too. the only issue is from what i can tell they all come with EU plugs and will need an adaptor. im not keen on that as its in the office and dont really want an adapted plug running 24/7

looking at Eheim 350T (1050lph) plus removed the need for thermometer in tank. can i use that with an inline co2 reactor? that filter is around £300 so other options around that price (or cheaper of course) are welcome....

on the filter front... 124L tank capacity, less substrate, rocks displacement etc probably around 100L actual water in tank. so 10x turnover means i need a filter turnover of 1000lph correct? any suggestions as to the best options for the tank.

im not dosing EI in the old school sense, might use ADA ferts might go tropica tpn+ not sure. i will certainly use a nutrient rich substrate as the tank is in the office and fert addition will probably be a bit hit and miss. certainly not proper EI as i havent got time for all that messing...

thanks Jordi, you are right the issue is going to be the water circulation across the whole tank. i am planning on using mainly carpeting plants though and mosses etc, little if any stem plants. if i hardscape correctly i will have a clear run of open water around the whole tank with some rocks...

Not ottos then, can you get a clearer pic? Hard to tell

Look like ottos to me

Thanks guys, may explain countless headaches I've had ha ha.

I do want it fine, I've used eco complete on my 40 and 100 gallon tanks and it's a bit too gravel like. This tank is going to be using very small plants like Hc etc so want a fine grain substrate. Amazonia powder is £50 a bag and after talking to james at green machine he said I'd need a bag of...

Elos came in a lot cheaper than Ada when using powersand and aqua soil combo with base layer powder. I think I priced it up at about £250 for the quantity I'd need. I forgot to add in 2 bags of terra black so that's about £120 ish. Still half price of Ada. Thanks for pointing out I need more...

Hi All, i am expecting delivery of my new tank in a couple of weeks and as im starting this tank from scratch i want to make sure i buy the best possible equipment i can without spending ADA type money. im sure there are a lot of people asking the same questions on here but if i can list what...