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Not the blue!

Cant fault the customer service from Dave. Second to none. Plus what I’ve been sent is better than I could have hoped for. Thanks Dave.

Perfect. Thanks muchly.

Is there an ideal temp for plants?

Probably a silly question, but I’m presuming the water I put into the tank needs to be roughly the same temp as the tank water?

I bought a dual system from co2art. I agree that their customer service is excellent! Karol helped me out. I told her the system I was desiging and she told me every piece I’d need. Also very prompt at replying to email.

My original idea was to use an RO and tap water mix so I could keep things like Cardinals, but following advice on here regarding captive bread fish not minding hard water etc. etc. I’m thinking I may just use tap water. (My tap water figure from the water company is around 11 KH.) With that...

Make your own. Get a Philips Hue LED strip to fit your size of tank. Probs cost average £40. Put it behind some frosted backing sheet. You can change its colour to anything you like then. All through the app on your phone.

Love it!!

I was thinking maybe using plastic chopping boards? They are good safe so I presume they won’t leech anything into the water. And they should last longer without breaking up like styrofoam/polystyrene?

whats the general consensus on this? Is it necessary to protect the bottom of the tank from heavy rocks? Are they inert in a tank? If so, can you recommend a good cheap supplier?

Perfect. Thanks!

Hi, I see ADA and Tropica both come in soil and powder. I can see that the powder is slightly smaller grains. Is there any benefit to one over the other in real world use? What are most people using? Ta.

How do I manage the EI dosing when I’m doing 50% water changes every day? Do I dose daily after the water change? Ta.

Can anybody answer this one please? Ta

What is the plant in the second picture? Ta.

Good point! I started with woody herbs which are pretty bullet proof.

Hi, So I’m getting closer to delivery of my custom built tank. (137cmx46cmx46cm). I have my CO2 setup sorted, subrstrate, lights, ferts, hardscape on its way and a fair bit more knowledge than I used to have, thanks to the peeps on this forum. So now is the next challenge. I need to decide...

I think you’re correct that 1 would be the easiest. I was just wondering if there would be a benefit to flow with number 3?

I don’t have access to a stand drill sadly. I see Eheim do a black semi transparent modular one. That may look ok as I think I’m going to have my back panel black anyway.

Welcome!

This looks pretty good. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Invero®-Europe-Converter-Socket-Adapter/dp/B01NH5MNDP

Not sure what you mean there Edvet. Could you elaborate please?

Ah yes sorry. It’s 137cm long. I see JBL do a modular spraybar so was going to use that I think. Or is that a bad idea?

Hmmmm. I have some lava rock knocking about somewhere..... Cheers

Loving that moss. What do you have it attached to?

The reason I asked this question is because my intention is to start with my light dimmed, but with the CO2 at 1 point drop, then slowly increase the light until I get good growth. Ta.

Nice that mate. What’s the plant at the bottom in the center? Covering the substrate? Ta

My setup will have 2 filters, so 2 outputs connected to a spraybar each. Both outlets will have its own CO2 feed - as per ian_m’s diagram. I was thinking of one of the following setups for the spraybars. 1. Each spray bar half the length of the tank. Both at the same level on the back glass...

Hi. I know that high light levels, with too little CO2 and poor distribution leads to algae and melting. On the other side of the coin, when you’re first setting your tank up, if you have your CO2 dialled in to a 1 point drop at lights on and good flow, but your lights are too dim or have...

Also, I can see that AI have 2 lunchtime goosenecks. 18” and 12”. How do you know which you need? Thanks again.

Oh, and is 1 Arcadia enough? Thanks

Hello peeps. So I’ve been choosing lights for about a month now. Getting bored! Decided not to go for the Kessils and decided against a custom built light in the end. So...... Any opinions on these 2 lights for my setup. 3 x AI Prime FW Or 1 x Arcadia Classica OTL 1200mm. My tank is -...

New tank mate. That will go all at once at some point. You don’t want that much water on the floor. Trust me!

I love it tadabis! I do agree to try to change the ratio slightly though so it’s not as symmetrical. What is the plant closest to the front at the bottom either side? Beautiful plant!

Cheers all. Couldn’t have asked for better advice. Think I’ll make a trip to the local quarry soon and see what I can find.

Is your filter pre cycled?

If you decde to collect your own rocks, how would you be able to determine if they are aquarium safe? I gather limestone is a no no. Is there anything else to look out for? I love the aquarium rocks for sale online, like dragon rock etc, but I’d prefer to be able to see them before buying...

Water over 92 degrees C will kill any and all.

So are Tropica and AS that tough then? I’d read that they were “silky smooth”?

Good points to consider Zozo. Ta.

Hair grass for my first scape the I think!! Thanks.

Thanks Tim!

I really didn’t know this. It kinda puts me off doing a carpet. Especially smas I’m getting going. What are the species George refers to that don’t require this? Ta.

So I’ve read loads about aquarium soil recently and I think I would like the boost it gives the plants from the get go. Also the colour is nice. Regarding ADA vs Tropica. Is there anybody here that has used both that can give me a real life experience review of the 2? My main concern is it...

Do you get lower watt heaters if you have 2?

Or, use a T piece to split the CO2 feed after the single needle valve?

Just looking at your diagram again. Can the CO2 not jus be fed into one filter to save the cost of another needle valve etc?

They do extend but they’re but the correct size one is something like cm too short. I do like the idea of the moonlight viewing. I used to do something similar with a table lamp 20 years ago. With some fabric on it.

I see you’ve got the diffusers on the outlets there. I see a lot of people also put them on the inlet so the filter acts as a reactor. I take it I can just do that mid to this setup also? Cheers

Yeah they’re nice lights. I’d have to work out a way to suspend them though.

Perfect Ian. I hadn’t considered running costs until now. And that looks pretty easy to maintain so ticks all the boxes. Ta.

Are those jbl filters easy to clean?

That’s a handy little diagram there Ian. Thanks very much.

Wow 4 of those twinstar would be expensive! Arcadia Classica are cheap. Not sure how good they are like. I could get 4 of those for the price of one Kessil or AI.

Cheers mow. I’ll have a butchers now.

I’d like a pendant but I’ve no way of hanging it, and none of the universal brackets I can find are long enough. Well I did find one, but it’s not something I’d be happy to have in my lounge. I’m not really a DIY’er so making one isn’t really my thing either. Wish I’d stuck to a standard...

I’d be happy to suspend lights, but I can’t hang from the ceiling. The A80 do look promising! I possibly may get 2 x A160 and get an A80 to go in the middle to cover the extra 6 inches. Save a few quid then. Thanks muchly.

Sounds like a plan mow! There are sooo many variables that I thought I’d just start off really slow, with low intensity and see where I end up. Hopefully not the Algae Forum. ;) I think I’ve decided on getting 2 Kessil A160 or 2 AI Primes. My first scape is going to be setup so that most of...

Is that just the 1 a160 you’re running on that rank? Cheers

Are they a bit flakey then?

I did look at twinstar, but they don’t fit my tank which is 54” long.

I don’t really have a favourite at the moment between led and tubes. I’d happily get either. I do like the controllability of leds. Especially being able to dim them. Finding the PAR values for leds is proving a bit of a pain though to be honest. I’m considering either Kessil a160we tuna...

Cheers ceg. So if I’m reading that correctly, 1 x T5HO needs to be just over 25 inches from the substrate to be in the blue zone? My tank is only 16” deep. I’m struggling how to work out what I’d need to get going by that graph. Could you give me s pointer please? Thanks again.

Can’t see them for sale anywhere in the uk though!!

I’ve just come across this: Looks promising as the rubbish WiFi controller has been replaced.

I can’t suspend lights unfortunately. I’m considering getting Fluval 2.0 lights instead at the moment. Probs need 2 of them. Too many descisions! :crazy:

So let me see if I understand this setup. My filter - the one used as a filter - has the inline atomiser on its output line, then this line after the atomiser, feeds into the input of the filter being used as reactor? Cheers

Nice that. Where did you get it from?

I thought learning about CO2, flow and ferts was complicated! :banghead: Without a par meter, how do I work out the light intensity at substrate level? Seems I should be aiming for 50 micromols? Is it trail and error trying to get that?

Thanks both. The price on the qube is tempting. I’m thinking I’m going to need 3 lights either way.

Spot on. Thanks peeps!!

Another question. When you devote a filter to act as a reactor, is there anything you need to do to the filter? Like add media to slow the flow a bit? Cheers

Cheers Zeus. My tank is 285 litres so quite a bit smaller than yours. I was planning on a spray bar. Any suggestions on a filter I can get x 2 of that will do the jobs I need?

Thanks for a great response Zeus. Do you think it would work to have a fx4 instead of a fx6 running through a spray bar, then use a APS EF 2 as a reactor on a separate line on another spray bar. That would give me well over 3000lph at a reduced cost. Would I need the CO2 coming out of both...

Just seen a flow diagram of your setup on anther post Zeus. Can I ask why you linked the 2 systems together instead of just running the APS on its own as a reactor? What is the benefit of the Fluval and the APS being linked together by your bypass? Cheers

Cheers Ian. Zeus. I read your entire journal last night and couldn’t see where you said about changing to 16mm without loosing flow on the fx6. I’d been on the forum all night though so there’s a good chance my brain had melted. Could you point me in the right direction please? What page...

Thanks Ian. I’ve just been reading up on my water supply and got hold of the averages on the water hardness through the year. It varies from 6 to 12. That’s seems like a big swing to me. Is that normal? Is that too big a swing to go solely by TDS? I understand now that I only need to be in...

Yeah that sounds like more trouble than it’s worth!! So back to trying to work out what filter to get. Any suggestions for a filter that outputs around 3000lph that has standard size hoses? Cheers.

Thanks tam!

I would like snails and shrimp. What dKH would you recommend I aim for to keep Cardinals and shrimp/snails all happy?

What would a high nitrate be tam? Mine says 5.42. Cheers

Ha. You posted that as I was writing my question. I think I get it now! Finally. The red wine isn’t helping like! I’m thinking I’m going to be using a lot more RO that I previously thought! I take it TDS meters are pretty accurate then? Unlike pH pens?

Badly asked question on my part there. What I was trying to get at is how I choose a value for microS. Darrell says 100 microS, but that it’s not a magic number. Is it that 100 microS (60ppm) is a known safe value for TDS? As in enough to provide some hardness and buffer?

That’s a good point. Thanks. It would be easy to do 50/50 to get 6 dKH for my water (being 12 out the tap) then check the microS so I can match it each week. Or should I be aiming for 4dKH? I’d like to keep cardinals and other fish from South American region.

Thanks as always Darrell

Coor blimey! That took a while for me to get my head around I think. (I’m getting old). So if I understand this correctly, I use my quoted figures from the water company and I make a known ratio mix with RO and tap water to give me a microS figure, I then know what my macroS is for that given...

Tank dimensions are: 137cm x 46cm x 46cm I’ve read that these are pretty bright lights but there isn’t my info on setting them up from the manufacture which doesn’t help.

Couldn’t have asked for better answers! Thanks both.

Sorry I should have said about setup. I’m going for a high tech tank with led lights. I only mentioned wpg because the manufactures seem to always list it, and I’ve only seen a few list the par values, but as I don’t have a meter to test it in my actual setup, it’s not that helpful...

Cheers Darrell. Excuse my lack of knowledge, TDS is new to me. So if I aim for 100microS is that just giving me the correct TDS so I know what my ratio for RO/tap water is? Can I extrapolate my KH/GH from it? By that I mean is there a direct correlation of 100microS to KH/GH? When you say...

Article not arctic!

:banghead: Now you’ve really lost me?? I know what it stands for, but that’s about it. Is there an Arctic or of post on here that explains it? Cheers

My tank will be 284 litres. Will a Fluval fx6 be able to create enough flow with a spray bar? It’s rated at 3500 lph, which obviously is more than the 10x suggested here, but I know you have to allow for restrictions of your decor an the plants themselves.

Pretty much the fish I’m going for Ian. Do you keep your water on the soft side?

How do you work out the watts per gallon for a set of lights? I searched the forum but can’t find any info. Thanks

https://www.co2supermarket.co.uk/ Was wondering if their kits are good and worth the money? Can anybody explain to me the difference between the single and dual stage systems? Something to do with CO2 dumping? Are pH controllers worth the money? Or do they have the same problems with accuracy...

Good points. I don’t want to limit the scapes I can create, but 3 of these lights ‘ain’t cheap! Has anybody got experience with the Fluval 2.0 lights?

That’s a lot of water movement Ian. How are your fish doing?? What fish do you have out of interest?

Hi. Cheers for the info everyone. Ian, my water isn’t soft, it’s hard. KH is 11.76. Finally found it on the water company site. And thanks for the rough ratio mix for hard water and RO. That was going to be my next question. That’s some Jedi mind tricks there! :thumbup: Darrell, cheers for...