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  1. Chubbs

    Fish for a 19L with shrimp?

    If you have low flow, a small group of Ember tetra would be ok. These guys are tiny!
  2. Chubbs

    Twinstar..what is it?

    Yes, as mentioned it’s a cool gadget and is better looking than an air stone, but for the price you could buy lots of air stones
  3. Chubbs

    Twinstar..what is it?

    If that were the case i’d Expect to see pearling more evident as Tank would be saturated. I wouldn’t recommend paying full price for one, but it is a nice gadget and the ‘smoke’ it creates is pretty cool. But all of the product claims, don’t apear to be true at all.
  4. Chubbs

    Twinstar..what is it?

    I have one and have seen no benefit. But it’s a nice gadget.
  5. Chubbs

    Co2 2hr rule myth

    I think other posters are infinitely more experienced I just share my own findings. To me it makes sense to do it that way and it works great for me. Quite a lot of Plants don’t actually need much light to flourish and even ambient day light can be enough. Then add into the mix overly powerful...
  6. Chubbs

    Co2 2hr rule myth

    There’s another post somewhere with a similar issue. I suggested basing it on when the plants open, rather than when your lights come on. As another poster has said that typically, you avoid having the tank in reach of natural light , because you loose ‘full’ control. I still stick with the 2...
  7. Chubbs

    Surveying Caridina cf. Babaulti experiences

    Sorry, but where do you buy shrimp from?
  8. Chubbs

    Red Plants vs. Green Plants

    Are you able to dim your lights? I’d dim to 40%, then slowly increase 10% each week until you see plants growing well and no algae. That’s how I reached my target.
  9. Chubbs

    Red Plants vs. Green Plants

    Don’t change anything, see when they open and then adjust your CO2 (most people suggest having this start 2 hours before lights on) in your case 2 hours before the plants open, then wait a few weeks see what happens, as plants are slow to adapt to change. Keep in mind this whole 4 or 8 hours...
  10. Chubbs

    Red Plants vs. Green Plants

    LEDs are incredibly powerful, I have to keep mine at 70% for my front light and 50% for my back light. Tiny bit higher and I had algae issues, now all is well. Reineckii, I have found very difficult, however, since doing the above mine are now flourishing. They can be slow growing in the wrong...
  11. Chubbs

    Dried fish foods

    I soak the food and have had no ill affects, so if it is true, it must be either incredibly slow or minimal. I don’t own a lab so can’t say either way, all I know is it works for me :D
  12. Chubbs

    New Custom Aqaurium Woes

    Fill it up with water and see if it bows. Keep measuring end width vs middle each day to see if there’s any move that, whilst you’re sorting this out.
  13. Chubbs

    Dried fish foods

    If you make the mistake of buying one that’s too large, do as I do when there are babies in the tank, i pre soak the food in a small cup of tank water. After a couple minutes it’s soft enough for them to tear chunks off of it. It also has the added benefit of sinking faster if you have Corys.
  14. Chubbs

    240ltr high-ish tech tank

    It’s all growing in nicely now, still having trouble filling in the left hand side, just not sure what would look nice there. Right hand side has filled in nicely and all equipment is virtually hidden now.
  15. Chubbs

    Amazon Sword's leaves growing out the water

    It’s good for it, it will have more access to light and CO2 now than submerged leaves. The leaves grow from the base, so it will still grow new leaves underwater, these will likely just grow quicker than before. Sword will still take nutrients via roots and water column. Mine currently has 2...
  16. Chubbs

    Dried fish foods

    It’s the addition of garlic that made me buy new life in the first place as I was scared my new fish at the time would get ICK. Been using it ever since and my fish look lovely. I’ve not tried other foods, so I can’t say if they’re more vibrant now than before. As mentioned, my tub is 120g and...
  17. Chubbs

    Dried fish foods

    Amazon? Most UK companies will ship to Netherlands from a couple of Euros.
  18. Chubbs

    Dried fish foods

    The new life spectrum micro is great because they’re small and sink. So my Corys, Tetra and even SAE and shrimp can all eat the same food. Gouramis will vacuum the stuff up, but it lasts ages. I’m nearing a year on my current tub and I’m not even near half full. I only feed my fish once per day...
  19. Chubbs

    Help needed please, many thanks

    You seem to either have a really dirty tank or lots of diatoms, cant really see in the photos,?which suggest its a new tank setup? HC is quite slow growing so anything like diatoms or alage blooms will really hit HC hard as it won’t be able to grow new leaves fast enough, when it’s current...
  20. Chubbs

    New Fluval Roma 125

    Bought the same pack! With the exception of what looked and felt like a common garden weed (had to throw it away, was just ugly and spikey) everything else is pretty decent. Quality on my recent purchases from there haven’t been good though, I now buy else where.
  21. Chubbs

    Dried fish foods

    Dry food - (new life spectrum micro, algae wafers, algae shrimp mix, dried worms etc.) I store in the tank cupboard and will keep it there until it’s empty - literally all lasts for years, as only feed once a day, with the odd weekly cucumber or courgette. In the case of the former, it’s in an...
  22. Chubbs

    Filter media for high tech

    Have standard foam and a handful of ceramic rings on each layer (FX4 filter). The plants and bacteria covering the surface area within the tank do a lot of the filtering. Haven’t tested my water for ages but when I last did everything was zero (expect nitrates due to ferts). Unless you...
  23. Chubbs

    DOOA

    You can get a Red Sea reefer tank, with built in plumbing and sump - the ultimate setup for a planted aquarium (I.e my dream setup :D) for not much more than this little tank. I think ADA are kidding themselves if they think it will kick off at those prices, admittedly, that’s MSRP and you won’t...
  24. Chubbs

    Regulating CO2

    I think diffusers are different then as Mine runs at just 2bar, perfectly well. It’s a rhinno bazooka 80mm diffuser. I can raise it up to 4, but what is the benefit?
  25. Chubbs

    DOOA

    Yes agree. Was going to mention biopod. The best thing todo is wait. This is a niche within a niche and is a very immature market at the moment. They’ll be loads of products like this hitting the market over the next 12 - 18 months, especially via kick starter. The biopod is and looks amazing...
  26. Chubbs

    Regulating CO2

    Have you thought about flow /distribution of the CO2 as this can have an equally drastic impact.
  27. Chubbs

    floating plant recommendations

    Duck weed, i was sent some accidentally but I’ve let it grow. it’s tiny grows pretty quickly and the roots aren’t so intrusive. Larger roots are nice in open top rimless tanks. Where as in a topped tank, they’re less attractive in my view. I have high flow and surface agitation. They move about...
  28. Chubbs

    The 3rd dwarf gourami is about die

    Buy aquarium salt, dose per instructions and keep the water temp stable and around 25-27c until they heal. Same happened to me About a year ago with two breeding pairs of dwarf Gourami.
  29. Chubbs

    Neocaridina Shrimp and substrate

    When doing a water change the only thing I’ve found they don’t like is vast temperature difference. Otherwise I’ve gone as far as 80% (had to change a tank connector) with no issues. But a temp change and I’d loose a couple within an hour. So now when refilling I have it slightly lower than tank...
  30. Chubbs

    Neocaridina Shrimp and substrate

    Only had Stratum in my tank for 6 or 7 months now. It was difficult to plant some plants at first but after a couple days it eases off. Now it’s no different to planting in sand, the lightness is still there but no where near as awkward. Two things I must stress, don’t mix it and DONT wash it...
  31. Chubbs

    Neocaridina Shrimp and substrate

    Fluval Stratum is what I have now but also had fluorite black sand. Both have been excellent for plants and shrimp. My favourite is Stratum out of the two.
  32. Chubbs

    Have you used Esha 2000?

    I think the cold water (dropped to 18 for a couple days) May have made it worse. The ulcers certainly seemed to be more prevalent. I’ll see how it goes now that the replacement heater is in. Thanks for your feedback on the medicine. It arrives today, so will get that in the tank as soon as...
  33. Chubbs

    Have you used Esha 2000?

    No idea how to investigate. No other fish have it. Tank is visually algae free and water is crystal clear... smaller inhabitants are fine, so unlikely to be bullying from larger fish. Weekly water changes. Filter is cleaned out once every one or two months, although this was done at the weekend...
  34. Chubbs

    Have you used Esha 2000?

    Thank you. Yeah I haven’t been back to that store, even for chemical or food products. Does the blue stain or does it disappear on it’s own?
  35. Chubbs

    Have you used Esha 2000?

    not sure if this is the right forum category, but unfortunately, I unknowingly bought some sick neon tetra from my local fish store, which had infected the rest of my school/shoal (which ever it is). Gradually loosing them over the course of the last year. Tried Prima fix, Melafix, Garlic, high...
  36. Chubbs

    Using Seachem Flourite Black Sand

    Be careful as it compacts easily, even with Corys, my substrate was solid within a couple of months in areas I hadn’t disturbed and started to stunt the expansion of my HC carpet and other plants. Otherwise, it’s a great substrate, dead easy to keep clean and looks stunning!
  37. Chubbs

    Plants leaves closing too early

    You’d be surprised how dim the lights can be for them. My light intensity is nearly half the maximum output at its highest point during the day and my plants are growing lovely. I think we’ve just been conditioned to buy stronger lights by the makers. You can of course have high lighting, but...
  38. Chubbs

    Floating particles in water

    They’re all blue. RC Hagen A248 Fluval Fine Filter Pad. I don’t know about a variant for your specific filter but you can buy big sheets of the stuff and just cut to size if you have the patience.
  39. Chubbs

    Plants leaves closing too early

    It will take time. If after a few weeks there has been no change then you need to reduce the high intensity period down as the additional light from a natural source is providing more than enough light for your tank. Also look at how much food you’re feeding the fish, how often you do water...
  40. Chubbs

    Plants leaves closing too early

    If the plants aren’t photosynthesising then the nutrient demand drops. meaning that any remaining nutrients will just go towards feeding the alage you want to remove. So you’d just be giving extra light to alage and wasting electricity.
  41. Chubbs

    Floating particles in water

    I bought from Amazon, Fluval make ones specific for the FX4 although cheap Chinese variants are also available.
  42. Chubbs

    Plants leaves closing too early

    Yes my tank has almost no alage and has 12 hours light but every tank is different, you need to find the balance for your setup. My lights are set to varying intensities.
  43. Chubbs

    Floating particles in water

    The particles in my tank have gone since adding a blue fine filter pad to the last stage of my filter. The white ones clog far too quickly and don’t last as long. Where as the blue ones tend to be indestructible.
  44. Chubbs

    Input on equipment and other newbie questions

    The JBL diffuser is a giant plastic spiral tunnel. This will quickly be engulfed in algae if your tank is not balanced and be a nightmare to keep clean. You just don’t need it, you can buy lovely small glass ones with ceramic discs to create micro bubbles. Rhinnox do some nice ones including...
  45. Chubbs

    Who else gets weird looks from their partners..

    Mine often tells me she doesn’t understand my obsession. But she does often comment on how beautiful and natural she thinks it looks but in general she thinks it’s boring. I just don’t tell her when I’m Changing things about until after I’ve done them. Another rule I have is never tell her how...
  46. Chubbs

    Floating particles in water

    Did you try adjusting the flow? You want to create a swirl so that aerated water from the top of tank is pushed down towards the bottom, lifting any waste particles towards your filter inlet. If your circulation pump is pushing water away from the inlet then the particles are less likely to make...
  47. Chubbs

    Plants leaves closing too early

    if Your plants are opening before your lights are on then the indirect light is obviously more than enough. Try moving it by the 4 hours you suggest but you might find you need to shorten it or reduce the light intensity, especially during summer months.
  48. Chubbs

    EI, macronutrients schedule

    Best not to mix micro and Trace. I’m under the impression that these react with each other and change / restrict what’s available to the plants. Some of this can be avoided by buying all in one solutions. For example TNC complete. you can triple the recommended dose to achieve EI levels. This...
  49. Chubbs

    Input on equipment and other newbie questions

    You’ll waste a chunk of your budget on the JBl CO2. As @Edvet said, dual stage solenoid is the one to go for. Safe and saves a lot of hassle and gives great control when paired with a simple plug timer. CO2 kits can be a great way to get all the equipment you need at a good price. For example I...
  50. Chubbs

    Stem Plants That Don't Require Regular Replanting

    My tank is full of stem plants. I trim and replant the top to make it bushier. But I don’t remove the bottom half of the plant. I’ve had some of my plants for over a year and they look great, so not sure why you’d throw away a perfectly healthy and rooted part of the plant? Bylxia Japonica is a...
  51. Chubbs

    CO2 Regulators

    Had mine for over a year and it’s been faultless.
  52. Chubbs

    CO2 Regulators

    Check CO2 art and CO2 supermarket. I bought mine as part of a pro kit and it came with everything I needed for £120 from CO2 art but that was before they were bought out / moved to Germany.
  53. Chubbs

    CO2 Regulators

    I have a dual stage regulator and if it breaks will be replacing it with another dual stage. If money is tight get a single with a solenoid. The solenoid is a must, the dual stage / single is more about more control. If you’re using an FIre extinguisher a dual stage is better in my view. If your...
  54. Chubbs

    240ltr high-ish tech tank

    It’s addictive :D there’s just so many nice plants.
  55. Chubbs

    240ltr high-ish tech tank

    I already have more coming lol
  56. Chubbs

    DIY bypass for Co2, will this work?

    Unfortunately with the UP atomiser there is no where for the clips to grab onto otherwise I would.
  57. Chubbs

    Air exchange into aquarium through floating plant

    My experience with floating plants is that they don’t like to be wet / submerged (with the exception of their roots) for any extended period. Any that we’re submerged by my filter flow, went brown. It didn’t die completely as it would sprout new growth but the old growth was gone and would...
  58. Chubbs

    DIY bypass for Co2, will this work?

    Thank you oh wise one! Think I’ll just give a second building an attempt, but won’t glue anything this time :D
  59. Chubbs

    DIY bypass for Co2, will this work?

    I would but I don’t have a gas torch. And would I not be better off buying new parts than a gas torch in this scenario?
  60. Chubbs

    DIY bypass for Co2, will this work?

    Is this what you feel would be best then? As I think I’ll order the parts over the next couple days. Again, thanks for your help.
  61. Chubbs

    DIY bypass for Co2, will this work?

    Ok so looks like I’ll just buy the parts again lol thanks Zozo but youre listing skills and equipment I do not possess. I’ll change the 90s to 45s but I still like the idea of valves for easier maintainance and cleaning of the pipes and reactor. Shall look at the pipe shop like for the parts.
  62. Chubbs

    Empty fire extinguishers

    I use Adams gas as well. I used to use a FE but had trouble recycling them. So moved over to just a standard gas canister with Adams. I find it much easier and you have more control over the pressure.
  63. Chubbs

    DIY bypass for Co2, will this work?

    Is there anything that will undo the solvent cement? :D
  64. Chubbs

    240ltr high-ish tech tank

    So I’ve added quite a few more plants to finally get my jungle look. The Blyxia sprouted so many off shoot plants that I could spread it around The tank and then had to throw away about 5 of the left overs because I didn’t know what else to do with them. New plants: + bacopa compact + bacopa...
  65. Chubbs

    DIY bypass for Co2, will this work?

    Thanks for this. The in pipe is from my pumps outflow. I don’t have the cabinet depth to use Zeus build. But I may give your amendments a try. Thanks for taking the time to help and for the picture. I appreciate it’s over complicated but it had to be a certain size, height and width to fit...
  66. Chubbs

    Win free stuff...

    Can we enter via here, as I don’t have a YouTube account?
  67. Chubbs

    DIY bypass for Co2, will this work?

    That’s fine my filter is an FX4 on a 240ltr tank and I also have a 1600ltr circulation pump. Restricting flow isn’t an issue. Just wanted to make sure it would still diffuse the CO2 :D @Edvet Where can you buy pipes like that?
  68. Chubbs

    ADA aqua soil Amazonian turned to dust???

    Are you sure it’s not just particles covering the sides? Some of the beads/pellets will do that with a small amount of pressure but a whole tank is odd.
  69. Chubbs

    DIY bypass for Co2, will this work?

    i probably should have posted this before gluing it, but before I start drilling and cutting my cabinet. Will this work? Needed to create a 16/22mm bypass for a CO2 reactor as my FX4 pipes are 25/32mm and go directly into the tank via an under mount. The two cut of valves are so that if the...
  70. Chubbs

    Birstall.co.uk - Plants

    I went the other day and saw that my local one had completely dismantled their plant tanks in favour of shelves of these. The range was actually quite impressive and some of the plants were substantial in size. 3 for £4.99 mix and match. Everything from crypts, mosses to hair grass. I’m waiting...
  71. Chubbs

    Sexing my Brittlenoses

    Thank you, I didn’t know what type of Pleco it is. It was sold as just a Bristle Nosed Pleco. So that’s excellent information I didn’t have before.
  72. Chubbs

    Sexing my Brittlenoses

    I was told only males have bristles. The above is my female and she’s not got any. But that may have just been for the type of Pleco I bought.
  73. Chubbs

    Floating particles in water

    I have the same tank and the same problem. Although I thought my particles were small splinters of wood. Oddly I have an FX4 on my Roma as I found the 306 too weak. I also have a circulation pump on the opposite side. My idea was to use the filter outflow to push water at the top of the tank...
  74. Chubbs

    Algae control advice

    I tinker with my Tank on an almost daily basis, Always trimming, moving plants...or like this week, adding new plants. It’s part of the ‘fun’ for me. But I no longer obsess over the filter, it’s strickly once a week WC, and then filter clean when it either starts to show reduced flow or the...
  75. Chubbs

    Algae control advice

    In my experience, most of what’s been suggested by others has worked wonders for me. My bog wood used to be covered in algae, anubias leafs would be covered, it was horrible. Tried all sorts of clean up crew and chemicals, nothing seemed to work. It got so bad I used to give my filter outlet a...
  76. Chubbs

    Hundreds of tiny snails on Driftwood

    Do they eat bog wood as well? I often see the snails on my bog wood and not on my plants.
  77. Chubbs

    Baby Sakura

    is there anything I should try to feed them? I already make sure that there are catappa leafs in the tank. Should I place these where I’ve seen some of the shrimplets or place them anywhere and the babies will sort them selves out?
  78. Chubbs

    Baby Sakura

    Already covered the inlet, unfortunately being a community tank the other two suggestions aren’t possible. I have provided lots of hiding spaces though and plant coverage. I’ve also been reading that they like hiding in plant roots, so I’ve purchased some floating plants which arrive this week...
  79. Chubbs

    From This to This!!!

    From this: December 2016 To this: June 2017 To this: August 2017 To this: December 2017
  80. Chubbs

    Baby Sakura

    Hello UKAPs, I have just found baby Fire Sakura Shrimp in my tank. I can only find two at the moment, but as they’re so tiny and my tank so heavily planted there could be more. Is there anything I can do to help them survive? I already add soyabean powder and catappa leaves but just a bit...
  81. Chubbs

    Strange Little Plant

    Very true and yeah I’d wait to see what you’ve got. Just let it grow. They can pop up anywhere. There runners can appear on the opposite side of the tank from the adult plant. Quite amazing really. Same is true of Tiger lotus. I forget what type I have now, but the baby plant usually looks...
  82. Chubbs

    Surface foam / bubbles

    What livestock do you have? Gourami and Betta (same family I think) create bubble nests. The nests can actually resemble more of a bubble bath though, getting an inch or so thick, where as yours is quite flat.
  83. Chubbs

    Bucephalandra Flower

    Perfect, thank you.
  84. Chubbs

    Critique my hardscape Newbie Setup

    Will the rug be part of the final scape as well? Joking aside... I like the rocks, so me personally I wouldn’t want them covered by too much stuff as I’d want them to be a feature in there own right. I would put the Anubias between the rocks. There roots and Rhyzome can become unslightly so I...
  85. Chubbs

    Bucephalandra Flower

    Just bought some of these. What sort of conditions do you have for it to flower like that? Is it planted? Tied to rock? Tied to wood?
  86. Chubbs

    New planted 200l Fluval led

    Used to have an in tank filter years and years ago. Real hassle to keep clean. Canister filters are god but if I had the cabinet space, I’d go for a sump.
  87. Chubbs

    45cm Liquid Carbon Office Tank

    Agreed. The sponge is pretty dense, pre cut and lasts ages. It won’t fit a standard 25mm outflow though. For that I use pond filter sponge. You can buy a cube from amazon for about £3 and there’s a tubular insert/ cut out. That’s the bit I use. Works a charm. Much larger so doesn’t clog as easy...
  88. Chubbs

    How/Where did you hear about Ukaps.org?????

    Googled planted aquariums, tropical fish tanks etc. Kept coming up with American forums, which is fine, but had hope to be able to share experiences with local fish geeks. So added ‘UK’ to my search term and this forum popped up. No one I know has a proper tank, so this has become a great...
  89. Chubbs

    New planted 200l Fluval led

    I think we’ve all been through the same. My current tank is just a year old. I’ve changed the substrate three times, plants countless times. Had rocks, removed rocks... it’s part of the fun I think.
  90. Chubbs

    New planted 200l Fluval led

    Just out of interest, why?
  91. Chubbs

    New planted 200l Fluval led

    Lol loved the battleship I’m not brave enough to do something like that. It’s transforming into a lovely setup.
  92. Chubbs

    Floating plants and surface agitation

    Could reduce the height and add an air stone (or two depending on tank size) this will provide general but ample agitation and not impact on your flow at all.
  93. Chubbs

    10 years in the making

    I use the same company for my 6KG CO2 tank. Very impressed with service and price from local supplier. Was using 2.5 fire extinguisher from Amazon but this is far better value and as you say the tap allows for full control. Where as the fire extinguisher is either 100% open or closed. looks...
  94. Chubbs

    Moved house.. new set up and diatoms

    Perfect thank you. I had diatoms for about three weeks. Tried brushing my rocks with a tooth brush and water changes. Always came back. Then I just left it and about a week later it was gone.
  95. Chubbs

    Can you go low maintance with co2?

    Just dose very little if at all and stock smaller fish like Tetra. A higher capacity filter will also help. Plants are natural filters anyway. So heavily plant. Thing like anubias, amazon swords, crypts etc.
  96. Chubbs

    240ltr high-ish tech tank

    So my new carpet is growing ok. I thought it would grow faster but I guess I was wrong :D I also seem to still have some HC growing. Which is really annoying because when I want it to grow I can’t get it to, and when I try to remove it, the. It grows lol I’ve also bought some new plants to give...
  97. Chubbs

    Hi there

    Not experienced that before, sorry. If in doubt, remove it.
  98. Chubbs

    Hi there

    not Sure what it is from the photos, but shrimp eat biofilm. Although biofilm is usually non descript i.e almost invisible to the naked eye (In My experience). If it’s on the surface of the water then it’s likely mould growing off of waste and particles at the surface. Surface bio film is...
  99. Chubbs

    Moved house.. new set up and diatoms

    Diatoms are one of those phases of a tank. Out of all the things that can take over a tank diatoms are actually the least annoying because once they’ve eaten all of the surface silica they’ll start to die off and this can be days or a week or two, but they will eventually go. You can brush and...
  100. Chubbs

    the correct numbers for the tank

    Ottos are great I have 12 in my 240ltr tank and barely see them. They’re beat in an eatabliahed tank as they seem to eat algae and biofilm and have ignored all my attempts at feeding them algae eaters, cucumber and courgette. They also appear to love shade, often sitting on the underside of...
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