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Best I can do at the moment, I'm afraid. It's from an old Malawi tank I had.

Unfortunately not as my current display tank is empty. I checked through my gallery for pictures of my old set ups but couldn't find any with that sand pictured (apart from a couple of dry hardscapes I was playing about with). Funnily enough I have a few pictures of when I used the darker sand I...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TM-AQUATIX-PREMIUM-SWIMMING-SILICA/dp/B07FFDVFNG/ You can find it a bit cheaper on ebay. There are two variants that come in this grain size, one is a fairly dark brown, the other is much lighter. The lighter one is what you want; it's very clean as well.

Just get the sand Darrel linked you to at the start of the thread. I've used it (from different suppliers but the same stuff) on so many tanks for many years. It's inert, very clean, doesn't compact, isn't sharp, and is heavy enough not to be blown around. If you check Ebay you'll find it a few...

I've read so many conflicting reports about aquatic compost. Quite a few people have complained that it has driven up their tds and ph, etc. I'm considering using it but I need to keep the water soft and acidic due to the fish (wild-caught blackwater species).

I started the fishroom makeover today. I ended up going with CF45 in 10mm and it seems ideal. Still got 5 racks to do, though!

Too late to edit my (upon second reading) redundant question! So you went with 10mm of CF45?

I've come away from it thinking I probably won't be using it, to be honest. Did you end up ordering 5mm? My issue is I'm not buying this for a show tank on a stand. I'm buying it for my fishroom which consists of tanks with foot prints of 60cm x 60cm, 120cm x 60cm and 1800 x 60cm. So I'm not...

I've actually had a sample pack delivered today but I'm still not sure which to choose!

Please let us know your thoughts once you've received the sample. I've got a whole fishroom to deck out!

I just received my refund via the PayPal resolution centre this morning. He tried that type of nonsense with me, too. Very odd.

Yep.

Almost exactly the same experience here! The only difference is when they asked me for more money I told them I just wanted to cancel the transaction and asked for a full refund. They keep going quiet for up to a week at a time and then when I do get a reply it's to ask for more time. I've...

Hi guys, I'm after a list of plants that will do well at around 15 degrees C. I expect my best bet will be Java fern and moss, etc. Any ideas welcomed.

Obviously, the pH has a rather large bearing on the lethal concentration, too. The pH of this tank usually sat somewhere around 7.8 but we had stopped testing some time before the huge spike took place. In any event. The water changes had the desired effect of reducing the ammonia level...

You're wrong. Do some research on the species I'm talking about. Perhaps it was a faulty reading, and the true level of ammonia was much lower but given the facts: - Two 8" predatory fish, in 3'x1'x1' tank along with their fry. - No filtration at all. - Very little in the way of plants. - No...

I believe it to be more of the latter, in general. Although I know some of the dwarf species are sensitive to sudden changes but will happily sit in more ammonia than the highest possible reading on a standard test kit. I have found that fry and juveniles of the medium-sized species react well...

I wasted loads of time trying to clean it before giving up and chucking it in. I wouldn't advise bothering as it seems to clear pretty quickly after being disturbed.

Channa generally react badly to water changes. Even small ones. They can sit in unimaginably poor water quite happily. They don't require filtration, etc. Large water changes just make them fight, in my experience. I only change small amounts as infrequently as possible, with crossed fingers.

More pictures would be helpful but based on that picture alone I'd say they're both male. Does the one on the left have bright blue spots inside the large black blotch on its side? If so, it's female.

Have a read of this thread: http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/par-readings-what-are-good-readings.26134/ I'm sure it will prove to be helpful.

I think I'm right in saying it isn't particularly important for a low-tech set-up. Less is more, if you get me. It's important not to have too much light. You should be much more concerned with achieving the proper distribution of CO2 and nutrients. I'd say chuck a single tube of T5, or an LED...

I love predatory fish, and almost all pufferfish (not a fan of the lurkers, though). I think that's a great choice. Much more interesting than just another shoal of rasboras or tetras.

I have a mix of tubes and flat pieces. So what's the least visibly obtrusive method of preventing them from sinking?

Wow, thanks for all of the replies, guys! I'm really looking forward to getting started. Please keep the suggestions coming, if you have any.

Thanks for your reply. The tank is 24" tall and the water line should be between 12" and 16" depending on the season. That shouldn't be too close, should it? I was planning on drilling some holes to make it easier for some of the plants, but hadn't thought about doing so for HC. How close...

I'm in the middle of setting a tank up for some Channa spp. They love floating cover and they're great jumpers so I'll be lowering the waterline significantly. In order to fill in the space and provide some cover, I'd like to grow some plants on top of floating cork bark tubes. I usually just go...

Cool! I'm sure you've found your way here already, but if you haven't you should check it out: http://www.ukaps.org/forum/forums/el-natural-low-tech.27/ Any idea on the fish you'll be stocking yet? Most round here seem to regard that as secondary to the plants and scape, so no worries if you...

So what do you have in mind, Jaybles?

Is the first species you're talking about Mikrogeophagus ramirezi? I don't know of an Apistogramma ramirezi. If that is the species you're referring to, they should get on quite well in such a set up. Just be mindful that they're not harem spawners so your two extra females will only serve to...

Thanks, Darrel. I don't suppose you'd be able to recommend any from the list you linked me, that will not outgrow the 12" tall space I have for them? I'm aware that some of these plants may need winter dormancy periods, etc. So a heads up on any that are likely to be high-maintenance would also...

The tank is 48" x 24" x 24". It has chunky brace-bars along the back/sides so an open top is out of the question. The water line will be filled about halfway, leaving roughly 12" of space to fill with plants. I have glass covers but don't necessarily have to use them - therefore I'm not strictly...

Actually, if you have a read about on here and other forums you'll find many posts from people saying exactly that. The other common one being to buy a filter that is rated for tanks twice the size of your own. All of this is besides the point of course - which was two 2217s will be plenty on...

It's not, though. I've had two 2217s on a 450 litre tank that was packed full of 4" mbuna. I had roughly 40 of them in there and they are messy fish. People say you should aim for 10x turnover but that is in part due to certain brands of filters only really supplying 50% of stated flow. I've run...

I meant 'optimal' in the sense that any combination of filters with a larger capacity and a higher flow-rate would be better. I really don't see the problem. You're using two quality filters rated at 600 litres each. You're over-filtering. You can add more flow in the form of powerheads or...

Yeah, perhaps it isn't optimal - though I don't see the problem - but to say two 2217s would "barely cope" with a stock on a tank that size is nonsense. As Big clown has pointed out, the flow doesn't drop off much on these filters, either.

I've had success with plain gravel and sand in the past, too. I just wanted to use something a bit more nourishing this time as Channa really like it densely planted. The easiest thing would be to tie Anubias spp. and the like to wood but I'm hoping to avoid that this time.

I have the same unit you're asking about, OP, and I'm very happy with it.

How much of a pain is it to clean this stuff? I'm looking at using it in new set-up but the inhabitants will likely dig a bit so I'll need it to be completely dust free before it goes in.

Do the above comments regarding dustiness mean this would be a bad choice for fish that like to dig? I'm not talking about Corys here - I'm looking for a good substrate for Channa stewarti. They tend to dig a bit once sexually mature. I had them in a tank with a soil base and they dug it up and...

Brilliant. Going to be placing an order shortly. Thanks, guys.

How quiet is the e1501?

I can't think of anything other than perseverance that will help you, I'm afraid.

I've taken to mixing mine with soil as an under-layer, capped with gravel. The plants have gone nuts and it stops the horrible clouding at the beginning of establishing the tank.

I'm now looking for decent clip-on lights for small tanks that are for viewing fish only. Any ideas?

Either idea will work fine, I'd have thought. Just remember it's important to have a nice, circular flow.

Thanks for that ebay link, SuperColey1. Very helpful.

I just use black gravel in my shrimp tank. I'm on London tap water so don't need to muck about too much.

As above, really. Old fashioned way of polybox, fish bags, plenty of air, and heat packs if required.

Amazing work; well done!

I've not got anything to add on the biotope front but I can say that I agree with the opinion that most Pelvicachromis spp. will do well as a pair in a 60l (assuming it's a 2' x 1' foot-print).

That last attempt is sublime.

Bit different to you guys but because I tend to keep mainly African Cichlids, I've come to love the look of algae in a tank.

I have two. First one is soil, second one is just anything inert with JBL mud balls pushed into it. I've had surprisingly great results using those.

I never match the temperature going back into the tank. Just treat the tank for the whole volume with Prime, and then fill from the cold tap. If it's really cold then I sling some hot water in as I'm filling.

Welcome and good luck. You've come to the right place; I've found this forum to be very helpful.

A mate of mine had his horizontal and it burnt out within 6 months.

You need to soak it again if you can still smell bleach.

I can't fault Aquaessentials.

Aqua Essentials strikes again...

All right, guys? I can't believe it has taken me so long to find this place. I'm probably past the height of my planted tank craze now, in all honesty. So in that respect I've probably found this forum too late. However, I am in the process of setting up three planted tanks - so the timing...

I am in the process of setting up two 18" x 12" x 12" shrimp tanks. They're both inside the cupboard under my big tank so the light units don't have to be aesthetically pleasing at all. I plan to have mostly low-light stuff with just a couple of terracotta pots full of dwarf sag, nothing in the...

I doubt you'll have problems shifting the fish. Just do a quick search on aquaristsclassifieds and stick them up at a competitive price. Or as others have already said, attempt to trade them at your LFS. How big is this Anubias, then? I'm buying up as much as I can to go into my Channa...

That's a cracking price, to be fair. I made my own out of hozelock materials, and just stick a cheap pond pump on the end that goes into the tank. I can do a 50% change on my 450 litre in half an hour, while sitting down. I'd never go back to buckets.

I'm gutted I didn't think of this when I was over there recently (or the other two times previously). I suppose it wouldn't have gone down well on a stag-do but it's not like you're there everyday.

It's a shame there aren't more handy apps for fishy stuff.