Search results for query: *

Hi there, I have a 200L planted Discus aquarium and am considering getting a HMA filter for the Discus… and it wont harm the plants either ;-) I was just wondering if anyone has one and what you do with the filter between water changes… do I drain it or leave water in the filter and flush out...

I am not jealous at all!! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I use the Eheim automatic fish feeder, been using it for a year now non stop as I am away from home Monday to Friday and the wife didn’t want to be ‘responsible’ for killing my fish. Cant complain it has really worked well and still on the original batteries that I put in when I first got it...

Pics are Fine through tapatalk on ipad [emoji6] Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Just some updated pictures... pretty sure I have a male and female... Think this is my male, he keeps chasing the other one has bristled and is larger And this is my female (I think) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Just a update, things are doing well and plants are looking great... Echinodrus rubra - really picked up saince doing the rescape and adding the Osmocote Echinodrus ‘rose’ Echinodrus sclüteri ‘Leopard’ (the bigest plant in there) and in the back and around it is Echinodrus bleherii...

Just an update, of the three 1cm juveniles I got two have survived one who is growing a vigorous bristle beard and one who isn’t, Ill try and get some pictures of them this weekend Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Would it be possible to have a closer look at you cabinet design/build? Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Today was pruning day... Before: Bucket full of leaves... notice where the 10L mark is... there were allot of leaves to remove! And after, even after removing all those leaves it still looks similar: At least the lower plants now get more light, it does look allot less overgrown now...

Not the best by a long shot but I love my newly rescaped jungle themed tank Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Aqua-Oak 200L Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Have you managed to plumb it all in? Hows the reactor working out for you? Jakes Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Just some updated full tank shots... plants are filling in really well. Their colours are also starting to pop especially the red leafed variants... next weekend when i have time ill take individual shots but didn’t have time this weekend before I had to leave for work. Sent from my iPad...

Haha yes... I knew the plants would take over but I never thought they would settle in so quickly... And to be honest I really like the leaves everywhere look, also like you said the fish love it, there has been spawning going on, fry don't survive, if the shrimps don't get the eggs the fish...

Just an update, Three days after doing the re-scape i returned to the house just to check, i am currently on a course away during the week and the wife wont open the filters so thought Id swing by to check. Well good thing I did, there were loads of suspended matter in the tank that the filter...

Just a little update, Since the replacement filter has been installed this tank is doing extremely well. Just look at how clear the water is in the pictures. I have actually turned the flow DOWN... the pools Beta was blown all voer the place, the filter now runs at about 50%. Sent from my...

A little update, As you can see I have removed the Hamburg-Matten filter. The reason for this is because the little pump that I used to run the filter with was just clogging far to frequently. The system is designed to use a air-lift tube which also draws the water through the foam pad...

Day 2 at 22:29 All done, the fish have been placed in the aquarium and the filter reinstalled. I have also planted the last of the plants, some left over stem plants and also the new Sagitaria carpeting plants. They are part of the 1-2-Grow range from Tropica plants and well... a hand...

Day 2 09:34 This is where we are at this morning: There where 4 uprooted plants that had to be replanted and the wood decided to go buoyant during the night Si is now weighted down with a rock and some plant weights: EVERYTHING is covered in a fine particle dust from the substrate but that...

Nice tank I wish I had the space for a beast like that! As with the other comments on here your sump is massive for what is needed. Great if you’re we’re going to keep Rift Valley cichlids or a marine aquarium but for a hi-tech planted setup a little of a Achilles heel but not completely...

Hey Alto, I’ve been reading up allot regarding the Osmocote and went light on the application for exactly the reason you mention. I have a whole bunch of stem plants ready to go in but the water was to cold for me to keep my arm in the water planting all the stem plants so will do the rest...

Nice, if there is one piece of advice I can give you regarding keeping plans alive is just be patient, someone once told me that in this hobby we are keepers of water, the fish is just a distraction. If you keep the water parameters inline you should be fine. It took me a while to find the...

Time now 21:19 So as you can see I have managed to get the plants in, I still have some stem plants that need to go in but after the tank was filled the water was so damn cold I could barely keep my arm in the water. Now that the water is in there are three plants I want to relocate as their...

It’s 16:24 This is where I’m at also I have trimmed all the massive root systems and got all the new plants de-potted and ready for planting I’m taking a break for dinner... kinda worked through lunch while I mull over the hardscape... I do like the two areas one dominated by wood and the...

Currently 14:38 Finally caught all the fish and cleaned the aquarium, i have two buckets full of old substrate: I’ll be using a sparing sprinkling of Osmocote to reinviguare the substrate but also purchased a bag of JBL substrate to augment the sbstrate For hardscape i have two pieces...

So its 12:14 Most of the fish have been put into temporary bucket accommodation: Couldn’t catch them all because the plants were in the way so all the plants have been removed: Leaving me with a bit of a mess... in there there are two pleco’s, 8 danio’s and 6 ammano shrimp... ill...

This is my current setup it hs been running for about two years now and since then it has been ‘surviving’. The wife and todles has gone skiing for a week and I have the opportunity to do a re-scape on this aquarium. You can see some additional plants that I have purchased to augment and create...

So its time for a change. The scape is two years old on in that time the raided sections in the two corners have gone decidedly flat. I think I will restart with a new thread on the rescape but still have to decide on that. In preparation for the change I have gone away from T5’s and trying...

The tank has been running for three months now. The filter itself consists of two sheets of 'corrugated' foam, a coarse and fine one. I placed them so the corrugations interviewed essentially making one thick foam filter. This was due to the fact that at the time I couldn't get any foam...

Thanks, yea when I started this tank I really didn't know what filtration system to use then I came across the Hamburg Matten method and so far I am pretty impressed. Usually from what I found online people run it as a air powered system but I didn't want the noise from an air pump as the tank...

Thanks guys, I'm an old fart and like to leaf through books, I know if I want decent information that the internet is the place to find it... if you search properly, but sometimes sitting down on the sofa and just reading a book... on fishes is one thing I really enjoy. Thanks for the...

A little update The tank now houses two snails, a Plakat Siamese Fighter and 6 Corys. The plants are doing great and I added a piece if wood to give it a little edge. The tanks is setup as a little peninsula system and I reall like it its a great distraction from 'school work' as well...

Hi There, When I started in this hobby in the late 80's I got this book as a Present in the early 90's: Handbook of Tropical Aquarium Fishes by Herbert R. Axelrod (Author), Leonard Schultz (Author) It was a great book with 150 pages covering the basics including a little on plants but for me...

Just a little update, the tank is running nicely can't complain been up now for 19 months now, i dose Colombo 'complete' fertiliser once a week and do a water change once every two weeks and clean the filter alternating weeks. Ive added a Fluval U2 internal filter (all i had on hand) to...

Hey guys, I am on a long course which requires me to be away from the home from Sunday night to Friday night... it sucks but it came with a promotion at work so yin-yang... I have a nice aquarium at home which is happily chugging away... I should probably update it as I haven't done so in a...

Damn would have been great if I was closer could you update this thread with some pictures? [emoji6] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hi guys, A few weeks ago I was given two tiny Pleco babies that a friend of mine managed to spawn. Normally it wouldn't be a problem to ID but he has about 6 different varieties of Pleco so I was hoping someone could help with a ID... Your help is appreciated Sent from my iPhone...

I didn't start with a gold fish but the next best thing Guppies and Platties! My first foray into the hobby was when I was 7 or 8. In the local mall there was a fish store in the corner, I used to love going in there and just look at fish. Then eventually after saving up paper round money and...

Great setup not jealous at all!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Nice scape, I'd agree with your summation that it is tannins, you could run some carbon to remove it or as you are planning to do regular water changes it will dissipate eventually. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Looking good! Will be interesting to see how they settle in the scape Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Cheers Darrel, I do have to clean the filter every other week due to flow rates dropping. Ill look into a pre-filter that can fit over my intake and give that a go. Jakes Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

So I have been running a fairly basic filter insert setup for a while now and thought I would post it here for comment/discussion. I stopped using any chemical filtration a while ago up to that point i used a phosphate sponge and activated carbon. The filter is a AquaManta EFX300 rated at...

Hey guys, So next week I am going away for a month so I did a serious pruning session and also collapsed my Son's 20l Nano and moved his fish, filter and decoration (big old chunk of wood) into the main tank. The idea being that they guy wo will be looking after the tank while Im gone can only...

What an anZing little tank, it is pretty much a quarter in dimension to my aquarium but it just looks so so good!! Well dine mate! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

How effective is the powerhead/ceramic diffuser setup in getting CO2 dissolved? I use a inline diffuser on my return from my canister personally. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I like your slate wall idea!! I may have to nick that for my re-scape ;) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Cheers Mate, that is a very simple idea but i like your thinking behind it, especially in Freshwater systems. Some local stores always push their wares and never really tell you that you can actually get by and have great success by keeping it simple! I'm personally currently running my...

Ill be interested in a more detailed post of your sump and your hollow cube filter if you have time [emoji1] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hey I agree, your tank wont be fully cycles just after three days there is something dodgy with the test... just leave it a few weeks then slowly start introducing fish a few at a time, which I'm sure you already knew [emoji6] Cloudiness will go eventually just be patient [emoji1] Sent from...

Can we have some stats/info on it? [emoji6] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Well thanks for all the info on T5's, i was not expecting this much discussion [emoji1417]. I guess in reef-keeping the spectrum and intensity of light is more important to Corals than a planted aquarium! My corals used to suffer under a old Actinic tube but once I replaced it the corals were...

Im using a Hagen 'Glow' T5 twin tube ballast also only a year old. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

So i knew from reef keeping that fluorescent tubes need changing at-least once a year if not every 8 months. Got a new tube for my Set-Up and decides to do a side by side comparison: They are 39W Fluval Power Spectrums top one is 11 months old and the bottom one is New... a picture paints a...

You aren't as long as the room temperature isn't too cold you should be fine for the plants, obviously the warmer it is the better plants will grow. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hey guys so it's been a few weeks since I replanted the set-up so I thought I'd do a quick update. The new plants are: Hygrophila corymbosa Echinodorus grisebachii 'Bleherae' Echinodorus grisebachii 'Tropica' Gymnocoronis spilanthoides Clinopodium brownei Oldies but Goldies - the...

If you are using the 'dry start' method yes it will. A quick search threw up this: https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/lots-of-dry-start-method-questions.25295/ Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Planting with a empty tank is just a little easier than trying to get a buoyant plant into the substrate sometimes... in my opinion anyway... I've done both methods and both works :) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

As you can see my Gymnocoronis spilanthoides is reaching the surface... i have a glass cover with a hood so I cant let it grow and further... what should i do with it now? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Good evening, So i didnt have time to pick plants but really wanted to get the tanks sorted so I ordered a 'box' of plants from Aqua Essentials for a 25L tank and now my aquarium looks like: Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks for the info very helpful indeed! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hi all, I set my tank up un December last year but had to leave home for a few month leaving the wife to look after the set-up, she continued dosing ferts and feeding the fish as per my instructions Well I am back and it looks like this now: I have ordered some plants from AquaEssentials...

Hey guys Ive been away for some considerable time and the tank now looks like... As you cam see the Java Moss has completely taken over and overwhelmed allot of the plants. I have some plants coming to redo the scape this weekend. Just have a question regarding the substrate. I was just...

Thanks guys, i dont have the space or 'willing wife' to run a specific aquarium for that so i guess they will just go into the food chain... Or filter ;) I had a look in the shrimp section of the forums which was interesting and very much a educating experience regarding the raising of baby...

So today in one of my many sitting and staring in the tank sessions I noticed this: Wasn't to sure and waited it out and she eventually came closer to the glass: Her swimmers are chocker with eggs... Damn un planned pregnancies... No idea what to do now anyone have any advice. I was...

I recently had a outbreak of white spot, it is gone now but i dis take drastic measures just to be safe. Removed the shrimps to my quarantine tank and raised water temps to 28C to speed up the parasite lifecycle. I treated the tank with a Pond Treatment which worked to great success I'm not at...

Halley, i once got told by a old experienced shop owner: "A hungry fish is a healthy fish". Its all about finding that balance i have reduced my feeding of my aquarium to three times a week and even now considering reducing it more! I constantly see my rainbows nipping at the plans eating bits...

I wouldn't worry about the plants to much, crowning plants will sort themselves out In my limited experience i have found that the plants will take what space they need and spread to get the light they need. Have you thought about ditching the pictured background? Maybe have a solid colour...

Looking good i am very much interested to see how this turns out!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'm liking this surface skimmer where did you get hold of it?

Hey yes if you go to the journals area and look for "Jakes New Aquascape in the making" ill add a link when i get home :) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hey everyone, Sorry for the long delay in updating my blog. Life just caught up, now Im catching up [emoji6] I had to go away for a few days which resulted in the tank not getting the TLC it deserves and also I came home to fund a outbreak of White Spot, luckily I caught it in time and it is...

I like it allot! Goed gedaan!!

What a great idea! I may or may not be giving it a go ;)

Nope they are about 3cm from the surface of the water currently, the tanks has a class cover over it so they are "as low as they can go" [emoji38]

Hey guys , So Im currently running twin T5's with arcadia reflectors. I have one Fluval Life Spectrum and one Power Spectrum. My plants are doing well just i think my 'baby tears' could do with a little more light. The tank is 45cm deep with the lowest plants sitting around 42 from the...

Well it's been just over a month now and I am having a great time with the scape, the plants are making me wonder sometimes and some are thriving and others are well so so! Ludwigia palustris 'green' These guys are doing great they shot up 10-15cm in 7 days, I've trimmed the tips of some of...

Day 26 Well there has been some changes. I had to remove the C.demersum because as fast as they were growing they were loosing leave just as fast and it was messing the tank up no end! In its place i got these beauties: Names escape me now but ill edit the post with the correct names...

I have the 3ft AquaOak and love it!! Id do the box of plants... It would be a surprise and you may end up with something you like you never thought of!! Unless you have a plan ... Which I don't think you do haha [emoji6]

14 Day Update The aquarium has been running nicely now, i have added some Ammano Shrimps and Three Dwarf Otto (Otocinclus affinis) to deal with the algea that is starting to show. I have also reduced the lighting to 7 hours instead of 8. The algae isn't bad but thought id make small changes...

I like your collection of rocks, I recently did mine with the same type and I found that by using the natural lines in the rock I could 'line them up' kinda like a natural geo movement if that makes any sense. I think I had about 20 different styles and in the end I went with what the wife...

CO2 Atomizer Installed and shrimps doing their thing! Well the little wonder has been installed and I must say I am impressed so far, we will see how it goes on over time and I will keep you updated. I had to reduce the CO2 flow slightly because it looked like a soda stream solution due to...

7 day update!! Tank has been running nicely for a week now and there is some good and some bad as can be expected so ill take you through the plans as they progress: H.callitrichoides I expected them to melt right away but turns out they are doing quite well!! H.triparita Proudly sitting...

Thanks, I'm glad you like it ;) Yea i must admit I was a little dubious about this diffuser but three days in it settled in nicely. Initially there was a 'leakage' of larger bubbles where the ceramic and rubber seal met, you and just about see it in the other video. That issue however has...

Drop Checker colours This morning: Last night: I tried ti get the two taken from the same spot with the same lights on and to my eye the morning one is darker... It is easier to see in person I promise [emoji39] Jakes

Alto, Thanks for the comments, what looks like C.lyrata is in fact H.triparita, they look very similar actually but H.triparita will be a fore/mid-ground plant. Once it settles i will be training it flatter allowing the Pogostemon erectus behind it to fill the back with bushy goodness. Regards...

So what exactly do I have in there? My pictorial representation ;) A) Hemianthus callitrichoides (Baby Tears) (Green dots) B) Hydrocotyle triparita (Pink dots) C) Pogostemon erectus (Orange dots) D) Pogostemon helferi E) Ceratophyllum demersum Red F) Bolbitus heudelotii G) Echinodorus rubra...

Hey guys! I finally had the time to get somewhere and my order of plants arrived today :) All the goodies from AquaEssentials Everything unpacked and ready to go!! The first ones are IN!! Time to fill her up! And there we are!!

Another update: Went to B&Q and got some dence foam underlay to replace the damaged polystyrene. I decided to do a double layer of the underlay giving me a 10mm base. I also took the opportunity while the tank is off the cabinet to fit the black backing. I didnt take pictures of the process...

Yup, the instructions says to use the supplied polystyrene, cork or high density foam. I thunk ill go and see what the wonders of B&Q has to offer me to replace that styrene with better high density foam... Any excuse to go to the 'Man-Shop' [emoji3]

Well all filled and so far so good no leaks I'm also taking this opportunity to run all my electrical gubbins. Ill keep it like this most likely until sunday because i have these bad boys I'm trying to decide how to place them. Usefully the towel can act as my 'tank' [emoji6]

Alto, Yup it came with the tank, so you'd say get better quality base/absorption material/foam? I guess if i go to maidenhead Aquatics they will just give me a different piece of the same stuff [emoji52]

So i noticed this... The polystyrene on the base doesn't really go all the way to the end a section about 30cm long and about 1cm wide isn't complete. Should I be worries about this and get it replaced with a piece that dits the whole base? Does B&Q do polystyrene?? [emoji848]

Ok boys and girls next step is the leak test, new tank and all and sure its a waste of water but it is IMHO a necessary step!!

Yup all true and valid points but due to the lengths of the cables and the positioning of the access hole it didn’t quite work out inside the cabinet. The cabinet is about 15cm from the wall and the ballast is well within reach and only secured with velcro strips all along one hefty tug and it...

So to give a little plan for this. I will be doing a scape which will flow from the rear corner onto a 'beach' of reddish sand to the front. I have Colombo Flora base for the rear and JBL Sansibar Red sand for the 'beach'. My CO2 System consists of a Colombo 800Gr cylinder with a regulator...

Hey guys, So I had a space... Which my lovely wife filled with: And then I went and spent some more money... and took over the lounge.... I did some cable Management from this: To This: However I have to wait... this is a spankers new tank and all.. So I have some...

Hey Guys, After a 13 year break from Aquatics my wife bought me a 110cm tank for Christmas... well this Christmas, last Birthday and the Christmas after that! I used to keep a whole variety of aquariums when I lived in South Africa but since I moved across to the UK and working here there and...