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I've just read the devastating news that Filipe lost his battle with cancer. He was a truly inspirational Scaper and such a nice, genuine guy. Taken way too young.

I'm curious to hear if any of you have any aquascpaing regrets? Wether it's a piece of hardware you regret buying, or a type of fish/plant you regret adding, or another aquascaping related decision you made. My biggest regret was adding fissidens moss when I setup my tank. No matter how hard I...

I can't resist a plant from the reduced bin!

This stuff works well, but i'd be very careful using it inside the tank as you don't want to accidentally dissolve the silicone holding that tank together!

I always turn mine off during feeding. I say "turn off", but it actually has a "feed" button which pauses the filter for 10 minutes.

I went down the same rabbit hole, and am using a Jecod DCP-2500, which is an adjustable DC pump, aimed more at the reef/sump market. It's not completely silent, however the sound it does make is quiet and inoffensive when compared to the Eheim 2217 it replaced. I'd compare the sound to that of a...

This has solved the issue for me. I ended up removing the bottom stopper and fitted a pre-filter in it's place, which allows far more flow through the bottom and stopped the skimmer bouncing issue. The only time since doing this that the skimmer has bounced, is when the pre-filter became very...

I'd agree in that it looks female. Well done for finding her :)

I'll like a post regardless of the date it was posted. Personally if I get a notification to say a post of mine from x years ago received a like, it pleases me to know the post is still being read and appreciated.

Like others here, I have used thick bleach when I haven't had any of the thin version to hand. As long as you give everything a good rinse in water with dechlorinator then you should be fine.

Moss and hair grass are so difficult to keep apart. I have the same situation and have contemplated ripping the hair grass out and replanting new. The sand looks really nice!

I've not had them myself but could it be Planaria? Planaria, are they an issue?

I wouldn't bother cleaning/baking the substrate. I'd just stick it in the tank and maybe mix in a few broken/ground up root tabs to give it a nutrient boost.

I went through the same conundrum before purchasing my 60p, and haven't regretted my choice at all. I've not had any issue with stability (if anything a 90p would suffer more with evaporation due to it's larger footprint?) Ideally you'll want to stick with small/nano fish as they'll fit in with...

Has anybody considered using a UPS with their aquarium? Might be a worth while addition when you consider the financial (and emotional) investment our aquariums are.

I've been running the Qanvee for a couple of years and haven't had any issues with it, so i'd probably buy another one and save the money.

Seachem Prime. It's so highly concentrated one bottle lasts a long time making it great value for money.

I do this and it seems to work well. I don't sufferer with a build up of CO2 in my reactor, however I do get a small amount of bubbles making it in to the tank.

The 2217 I bought a couple of years ago was really noisy, even when on a foam pad! No amount of changing impellers/shafts or shaking it to dislodge air made any difference. I replaced it in the end with a custom setup using a marine pump, water filter and hard plumbing.

This could be the issue. I added a CO2 reactor (water filter/cerges type) to the Eheim 2217 I was using at the time, and it just didn't have the power for it to work properly.

I have found Ottos to be fairly robust as well. In my several years of fish keeping I've only lost one and have several, all +2 years old still healthy (and quite substantial in size now).

I started a culture myself a couple of weeks back. I have two of those rectangular plastic takeaway containers you get, containing the cultures. I add a couple of dry cat biscuits every other day (they soak up the moisture from the substrate). I've already been using the worms as food, as the...

Same here, only because it coincides with the kids having gone to bed who otherwise would try and "help" haha. Can't say i've noticed any issues performing maintenance during the photo period.

I'm really enjoying the Scarlet Badis I recently added. For such a small fish they have a ton of personality!

"the pH drops one point at the end of the day" You want to be aiming for a pH drop of 1, before the lights come on.

Best of luck with the Vivarium, if it's anything like this tank it's going to be impressive! I'd be interested in some of the Buce (assuming it's snail free..)

@Alex Papp Impressive! I only run my 600S at 70% on my 60p for a fear of algae.. maybe I should try turning them up a notch.

Two Twinstar 900s? Seems like a lot of light, that's likely contributing to the hair algae issue. Looks like the carpet was doing well.

A huge percentage (something like 80%) of Soy produced goes for animal feed. The rest is used for a variety of other uses (including meat free alternatives for human consumption). The destruction shown in the video wouldn't exist if the demand for meat wasn't as high as it is. The sad thing is...

On the filters I have seen or owned, the pump is after the filtration media. So as the filtration media gets dirty/clogged, it will restrict the flow of water to the input side of the pump. So in theory the pump must be able to safely handle a certain amount of restriction on the input side...

Third bullet point from the bottom "Do not use in Aquariums". There are special 100% silicone sealants available specifically for aquarium use.

What is the reason for chasing a specific PH? You would be better off starting with RO water and adjusting it to your specific needs than buying bottled water.

Nearly a year and a half has past since the last update! The aquarium has moved house during this period and unfortunately some of the wood was disturbed, changing the appearance of the scape some what. It's also now viewed from a different perspective, so I set about removing the Rotala as the...

On my Ada60p using a CO2 reactor at quite a high injection rate (can't actually count the bubbles) a 1.5kg is lasting about 2 months.

I use a 1.5kg cylinder from Adams Gas as a FE doesn't fit in my cabinet with everything else. Co2 Gas Bottles | Food Grade Co2 Cylinders | Co2 for Hydroponics There's nothing wrong with using an FE, you put the pin through the handle to hold it closed. They're just not the most aesthetically...

It dawned on me this morning that the potential CO2 shortage will be a problem for those of us running high tech tanks. I know many of us use out of date FE's, the supply of which is unlikely to be affected in the short term. Those however that don't use FE's, do you keep any kind of backup for...

Looks like a female to me! I was lucky and managed to pick up a pair from a local independent store, one of which has similar markings to yours. On one of your photos you can just make out the dark bars the females occasionally display (they seem to be able show/hide them on demand).

Welcome

As the tank is low tech, I can't see a reason to not have a high amount of surface agitation 24/7? On my high tech tanks using a CO2 reactor I run a high amount of surface agitation 24/7. Dennis Wong did a great video on the subject and is well worth a watch!

Thank you. It is a type of fern, "Bolbitis heudelotii". I find it grows quite fast and takes over the tank quite quickly Bolbitis heudelotii - Tropica Aquarium Plants Heres a quick (bad) photo I took before a maintenance session when everything was due a good trim. It gives you an idea of how...

I removed the bottom piece and fitted a pre-filter in it's place. It allows more flow via the bottom opening which solved the issue. Only when the filter gets clogged does the skimmer start bouncing. See attached. NB: Photo taken after a water change, the DC isn't normally blue with the light on.

I use a 20" housing, it's quite narrow (image attached below). I discarded the filter that came with it, and ran a tube down the middle (think it was 25mm). As I ran the internal tube all the way to the bottom of the housing I needed to cut a few holes in the tube with a hole saw. I'm getting...

I tried them briefly, however the colour temperature wasn't very pleasing (too yellow in my case). If you tried RGB strips with a suitable controller that allowed you to dial in a better colour it may look better.

Thank you for the quick replies, it's good to know what I'm dealing with. I'll have a read of that thread @dw1305 thank you.

Would anybody be able to identify this unusual plant/growth? It grows around/among the area where my hardscape breaches the surface, often growing among the plants attached to the wood (Fissidens, Hygrophila pinnatifida). The amount you can see in the photos will grow in about 10 days. I wasn't...

From this thread it seems the 600 has the same issues you're suffering with using the 850 head Oase BioMaster Thermo External Filter That thread put me off buying a Biomaster completely, ended up going down the DIY route instead.

Since moving house my 60p sits next to a radiator in the kitchen and hasn't had any issues. Most of the heat goes straight up from a radiator, so I don't think you should have any issues.

Sorry for the delayed response. I found the drawings on this forum in another thread, I'm sure they've been produced for the 90p as well.

I have had great success with Glyphosate based products such as "Rosate 360 TF". I only bought a 1l bottle as you dilute it a lot due to it's concentration (25ml with 1l of water).

Thanks for the heads up, really appreciated 👍🏼 Can I ask what you paid?

I have an Eheim classic 600 (2217) that rattles to varying degrees, even with a new impeller and shaft. I don't think the newer ones are produced to the same standards as they once were.

Whenever I have had a sucker pop off, the Lily pipe just drops in to the tank. I think you're over thinking it a bit too much 👍🏼

None of my local stores even stock males, and couldn't tell me if they'd be getting any. I watch this thread with interest as I'd love a pair 👍🏼

From my experience it has no affect on BGA. It does kill off BBA though, turns it pink.

Thanks! The Hygrophila Pinnatifida is attached just below the water level. Everything else just naturally attached itself over the past year.

I'm having success growing Hygrophila Pinnatifida, Rotala Rotundifolia and Eleocharis Acicularis mini emersed. All of which either grew out of the tank naturally, or a cutting was missed during a trim and started growing.

Time to invest in some sturdier water containers!

Yes, from what I've read adding too much changes the dkh of the solution, affecting how it works.

I only add a couple of drops of bromo blue to 4k solution, it generally seems enough.

I can only reiterate what others have said regarding no issues being open top. I top up maybe a couple of litres over the period of a week (tank at 22c), not enough to be an issue. No mould issues, no smells and no issues with chemicals (we have candles burning most evenings). The biggest...

I use a glass scraper with a razor blade in the end for the majority of glass cleaning duties, and a tooth brush to clean the silicon. I only use a pad to clean around the water line, as my previous tank had scratches caused by substrate stuck in a pad.

If you've noticed a reduction in bubbles, change the FE for a full one. As you say it'll potentially cause you algae issues.

It's not completely empty, so you should still be seeing bubbles in the tank. I change mine when they hit 0psi. There's no harm in changing it over if you have another full bottle.

I used one very similar from Decathlon when setting up my 60P. Personally I wouldn't think it's an issue as the weight of the tank will compress it all to an even level.

Based on lighting choice and running CO2, the rule of thumb is you need filter(s) that provide around 10x turn over. Which for an AS900 would be about 2000l/h. A single BioMaster 250 is 900l/h. You could run two BioMaster 250's, one at each end which would provide a nice circular flow.

Yes, the inlet skimmer is the 16mm type. I did have a 12mm inlet with an adaptor to begin with, but the filter kept pulling the skimmer under water.

I have an Eheim 2217 hooked up to a 60p. The 2217 has a 16mm inlet and 12mm outlet. I have both inlet and outlet mounted on the same side of the tank, which seems to work well and provides a circular flow. The inlet is tucked away in the stems, which doesn't seem to have a negative impact. The...

I witnessed the exact same thing. As soon as the temperature went up, the glass developed a film of green algae quite quickly.

I have no real complaints about my nearest MA stores. Some members of staff are more helpful/enthusiastic than others, but the tanks and livestock all seem to be well kept.

Prime is incredibly concentrated, with 5ml treating 200l of water. For the price it's worth doing even if you are using another form of filtration.

I tried a few different types of filters, with and without paper, along with several different types of super glue. The results were always a bit hit and miss.

Continuously pump a warm bleach solution through the hose to "clean" it (Pump and open end of the hose in the same container)? Then pump through a fresh water to give it a rinse?

Scape is looking great! How are you getting on with the new filter? I was thinking of getting one but saw a couple of threads where people had issues.

That suggestion was purely to clean the sink with before using it to clean the dragon stone :)

Give your sink a good clean with hot water and washing up liquid, then a good rinse with cold water. I regularly use my kitchen sink for cleaning glassware, pipes, rocks, trimming plants etc. As long as you start with a clean sink and rinse the items well, you'll have no issues.

I've already been down that route. Unfortunately the local Adams Gas agent only sells/exchanges bottles, they don't do on site refills.

Does anybody know anywhere near Northampton/Wellingborough that will refill CO2 FE's? I have got a few empties now and it seems wasteful to keep buying new ones.

I had the same issue with my Eheim Classic 2217. I resorted to buying the inflow and outflow separately from eBay.

Wear gloves and work in a ventilated area, it's very strong stuff. Good luck!

I haven't found a stronger "limescale" remover than this stuff, I use it in the bathroom on our taps and they come up like new. I haven't used it in an aquarium though. https://www.screwfix.com/p/zep-commercial-calcium-lime-rust-stain-remover-1ltr/8679f

I trim mine occasionally, mainly because I get the odd clump of moss starting to grow if I don't remove it quick enough. I grows back fine every time.

I keep a dozen Ember Tetras and haven't had any jumpers. I lost a guppy, and the Amano shrimp would occasionally climb out. This is an open top tank that's brimmed. Are you running CO2? Also what are your water parameters, frequency of water changes etc? Could be a water quality issue maybe?

I ran reef pi as a lighting controller for about a year. Never had any issues with it, and the only reason I'm not using it now is because my new light came with a controller. I'd happily use it again if I wanted more automation.

Great idea. I'd be happy to send a selection of trimmings when you're ready.

CO2Art. I have never had any CO2 issues using their equipment.

I used an All Pond Solutions EF-150 on a little 27 litre aquarium without any issues. The pump is very weedy and far better suited to a small tank like this, and not the "up to 150L" as quoted! https://www.allpondsolutions.co.uk/ef-150-400-l-h/

Thanks for the replies, most appreciated :)

Are there any fancy goldfish keepers on UKAPS? My father keeps a few large fancy GoIdfish and is also a fan planted aquariums. The problem is he isn't experienced in keeping aquatic plants, and keeps buying varieties that the Goldfish enjoy eating! Are there any plant species that they're less...

Could be cyanobacteria? It gives the water a "pond" smell.

Watching with interest, as my H'ra goes pink the as it reaches the surface, but never red.

Looking good :)

@Dolly Sprint 16v How did you get on? I'm in the same situation and have a couple of large Blyxa Japonica slowly taking over :D

I have been using Tropica Soil Powder for a while now, on a few different tanks. Yes to begin with the odd partical did float, however it was never a problem after the first 24 hours. One of those tanks was bare soil for months and the water was always clear.

Absolutely stunning setup :) really looking forward watching it evolve. The one thing that makes me slightly nervous is the branch just sticking around the corner of the wall. I can imagine somebody accidentally brushing against it :eek:

It does have a habit of getting everywhere when it's growing well!

You're going to want as much insulation as possible, which you might struggle with if you go down the "off the shelf" garden building route. I'm not a builder (very keen DIY'er..) however I would start with a couple of courses of blocks/brick, then build a timber frame using CLS. If you opt...

Thanks for the update @LondonDragon 😄

The fibre cement sheets only contain a small amount of asbestos. Providing you dampen them and don't break then up, they're easy & safe enough to remove with basic PPE. Our local recycling center take them, you just have to call them in advance. The only requirement is that they're securely...

I have a very similar concrete garage and if I was thinking of doing as you are... I would knock it down and start again :nailbiting:. Mine occasionally leaks at seams between some of the sections and also where the panels meet the floor. The roof designs isn't great and lets in driving rain...

How about cutting down the Lily pipes?