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Adding ethanol to a tank seems like madness to me. Ethanol is cytotoxic i.e kills cells. Seems to me you risk killing your tank bacteria with risk of associated ammonia spike when they die. Like all things it is about dose and amount of exposure but I think caution should be applied before...

My thoughts were even if it did not reduce nitrates it another high surface area surface to act as a biological filter. I was avoiding floating plants because I didn't think the reduction in light levels would be a good thing. But I might rethink that. Any suggestion of floating plant to use?

Don't really have anything to compare too. Plants are growing but I wouldn't say rapidly.

Thanks for the information. I was thinking of replicating the API test kit method which I believe is based around the chemistry you have described above http://stuff.iorodeo.com/docs/nitrate/api.html. I was more interested in the principle of using "cheap" everyday materials to build a working...

Hi, I wondered if anyone here had tried to use some of the homemade spectrophotometers and https://spectralworkbench.org to measure nitrate or indeed other colourmetric assay rather than a test kit. I am thinking about it but its quite a big project so before I start I wondered what I might...

Day 45: Now have a tank full of fish! I added some guppies and some bents tetra. The puffers are doing OK but I do wonder now how they are going to do with their tank mates. Before I added extra tetra and guppies the puffers were taking the frozen brine shrimp well. Now the other fish seem to...

I used it to setup my recent tank. I certainly seen an effect on KH / DH from it. Takes my tap water from GH 12 KH 7, to GH 6 and 3 before weekly water change. Too early to say if it will continue (tank setup in Dec). I didn't rinse before use and saw no clouding of water. I don't think it made...

Hi, Time for an update: My tank has been up and running now for 31 days. Here is the latest picture (just after water change so a few bubbles on tank front) The plants are progressing as you can seen. I haven't chosen to cut them back in anyway yet. I guess I was surprised by the different...

Finally I have setup a youtube channel and will post video there:

Is that hair grass?

Looks good

Looks like I have a direct comparison to follow too ;)

I have the 57L version. I think its a good tank, easy to maintain. I would say block the water inlets top and bottom (I did it with filter foam at bottom and floss at top. I had shrimp go straight in top (I had already done bottom). Doesn't seem to affect the flow from the water pump. Early days...

Another question I have not yet started any fertiliser for plants. I have plans to do that when the tank is cycled with daily dosing of Evolution Aqua theaquascaper. Sound good? Penciled in for 1 month. That's when I plan to add more shrimp and a few tetras.

When I have a bit more time I think I will monitor pH through the day to see the affect (if any) passive CO2 diffusion from the System 60 setup. Currently I fill to 150mL each morning at same time lights go on. Lights are on 6hrs currently.

Here is a photograph of tank taken 5th Jan 2019. Please to report new growth on most of the plants particularly the Rotala rotundifolia. I am still struggling to root the Monte Carlo. Any tips for planting that securely? Couple days ago I added back a second driftwood and attached Christmas...

I have setup my smart plug using Alexa Routines. You now can set a time and an event on/off etc. Working well for my LED lights. Also can voice instruct to turn on or off as required.

Here is a summary of water chemistry measurement for my newly setup tank. I think things are going to plan. Some may be critical of my addition of shrimp so early in nitrogen cycle but I am keeping a close eye on them. They seem for now happy and OK. Interesting to see drop in KH and GH (I...

Hi, I am newly returning to fish keeping after I would guess a twenty year gap. Its surprising both how much has changed and at the same time how much remains the same. I am in the process of setting up a 57L Fluval Flex. Change no.1: I don't believe this style of tank existed twenty years ago...

Hi, New to forum, so please excuse me if this is answered elsewhere. I am looking at setup of a low tech planted tank using Fuval Flex 57L. The LED that come with say LUX 2450, Watts 10.8, dimensions of tank 41x 39 x 39 cm. I have seen posts that minimum Lumen per litre 10-20 moving higher for...

I can see how people may attempt to modify pH which they believe is effecting fish or plants. Surely a buffered system (with high ionic strength) will return to the pH pretty quickly to a pre-determined set point. Phosphate buffers at around pH 7. Bicarbonate higher. Injections of CO2 might...

Attached is water report from Affinity Water. It shows a hardness value of 330 (units mg CaCO3)/L) and Calcium value 132 (mgCa/L) . These two values may derived have same route value since difference between 330 and 132 is same as difference in formula weight (100.09 CaCO3 vs 40.078 Ca). In fact...

I suspect the water company reports reflect the test methods in place. I have not worked for water company but have conducted analysis for bicarbonate (HCO3). I don't know what current methodology is but a quick google seems to imply they still use the traditional titration method for alkalinity...

Hi, I am new to this forum and finding it interesting this discussion on GH and KH. I am a analytical chemist by training so I think I know a little bit about water chemistry. My question is this: It seems to me that KH should be kept high if you want pH stability since this is a buffer. However...