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I've kept a group before with rummys and the beckfords kept to themselves. Always sparring. Great fish.

I am thinking green neons, rummynose, Cory Adolfoi, Beckford pencil fish. But tbh, I just like the aesthetic of a black water tank.

Thank you for the replies. I will be adding katappa leaves for tannins and may use some red bush tea for colour also. I will have little or know plants at the beginning. Perhaps some Brazilian pennywort or eleocharis later on. My priority is the fish and I want to give them soft acidic water. I...

Hi all, I am about to set up a black water tank for tetras and Corys. My tap water is rock hard however. So, I'm going to use RO and remineralise with seachem replenish to get a nice low GH and seachem trace. Will my water then be ok for fish after cycling or would I need anything else? Thanks.

Thanks for the replies. I think I will try the eleocharis. I'm not to worried if it doesn't work though. Would just like some green in around the leaf litter. Will post some pics later.

Hi all, I am setting up a black water low light biotope style aquarium with leaf litter. It will also have fine sand and low light. Is there any small grass like plant that would survive or grow in my tank. I'm sure I have seen videos of biotopes with sprigs of grass in leaf litter and dark...

Hi all, I am setting up a black water tank and using RO water mixed with hard tap water to create a tank of about 100 TDS with pH around neutral or slightly acidic. My RO water is pH 6.8 and I mixed some tap water Ph7 and TDS 400 to get TDS 100. On putting this water in the tank the pH rose to...

Here is a water quality report for my area if anybody understands the metals content. Thanks for the replies so far. One website says 80 to 450 TDS is fine.

Hi all I am setting up a black water Amazon style tank but would like to keep Amanos. I am using RO water mied with my very hard tap water and aiming for TDS of around 80 to 100 with Ph of around 6.8 to 7. Will Amanos be okay in this water/ Thanks for replies.

Cheers. Done it

Hi all. I just switched around needle valves on my cylinder. Now the solenoid won't open. The cylinder gauge shows that there is pressure in the regulator at the moment. It it safe to unscrew the reg in this state?

Hi all, I am looking for a recommendation for a nice foreground plant for my low tech tank. I have a gravel substrate (unipac fiji course). I am thinking staurogyne repens or similar?

Thanks for replies. I have been doing a bit of research and reckon I could grow most stems with the help of flourish excel. But I now plan to use Cardimine lyrata as a feature pant along with mosses and bucepelandras. Hope to post some pics soon. Cheers.

Hi all, switching to a non co2 low light tank soon as have less time for maintenance nowadays. I will use my old ADA ammazonia and wish to plant a stem that will do well. Light will be provided by a 21w fluval aquasky. I will be using flourish excel. Would hygrophilia polysperma or bacopa...

Yhanks for the replies guys. It was a bit difficult as I was using stainless steel intakes and outlet pipes. I changed the inlet to an Eheim and poured water into the inlet hose with the taps on the filter closed. When I opened then the filter primed. I think I'll change to the Eheims as it...

Hi all, I have set up my new scape and am anxious to get things moving along. However, my JBL 1500 filter wont prime. I have upgraded to the new upper basket and have ensured its aligned correctly. I have removed the distribution plate as per instructions. Now the filter will not prime. I have...

Stunning tank and great photos. Well done.

Okay. So I binned the premixed solution and am using a 4dkh water and 2 drops of an old ebay bottle of test liquid that came from China. I must say that I now have a green drop checker. I have ordered a fresh bottle of pre mixed solution but I now believe that it was the fault of the test...

I have changed the drop checker solution but I am now wondering if it has a use by date. Anybody know?

Hi guys. Thanks for replies and sorry for long delay in getting back here. Have been busy in work. I have since gone back to my old bubble counter (due to im's comment above) and changed the tubing in case of a leak. I am quite happy there is no leak. I am now at about 4 bps as I was on my old...

Hi all, I changed my reg last week to a co2art dual stage reg. Now I cannot get a green drop checker. I am using a original Up Aqua inline diffuser on my 200L tank. I used to always get a green DC with about 3 tp 4 bps. Now its constantly blue. I have checked for leaks and all seems fine. I can...

Hope they get up and running again. They have always been good.

Hi, how has this been going? What about the bubble size. Cheers in advance for reply.

Cheers guys, I will give the excel a try. Will try to update with photos later.

Hi all, I am planning on a re-scape and want to re-use a couple of large redmoor pieces. However, they have some black beard algae on the upper portions and I was planning on giving them a good clean. I would appreciate any tips from anybody who has experience cleaning redmoor. Is there any...

Personally, I prefer the JBL filter. It is very reliable and quiet in my opinion. The last Eheim I had which I think was a 350 model was impossible to prime. A friend of mine had an Eheim a few years ago which you could connect to a laptop and programme different flow rates. It was greatly over...

Hi, there are a few suppliers on ebay. They sell normal silicon hose which comes in various diameters including the standard filter sizes of 12/16 16/22 etc. These hoses are the same as the green or brown ones that come with aquarium filters except they are clear and have no branding. They are...

Hi, tap water does not cause algae. Algae problems can occur for many reasons. Some reasons are too much light, poor ferts regime poor circulation, poor maintenance poor co2 circulation/amount/injection method etc etc., In short, there are many things that may cause algae but using tap water is...

Hi, very nice setup. You may find it difficult to keep the soil from spreading out onto the sand when you flood the tank due to the steep slope. Also, there is a limited area of soil with access to the lights above but you probably have taken account of this with your planned planting. The...

Hi all, it seems some Riccia has taken hold in the rear of my tank in the soil. Its ADA Amazonia. Not sure how it got there but I suspect it became tangled in some eleocharis and rooted itself. The moss is thriving for the last couple weeks. I know its supposed to be attached to stone or wood...

Lovely tank. Well done.

Hi, I highly recommend Amano shrimp. They are veracious algae eaters. They generally won't uproot grasses, at least in my experience. If you don't have algae problems, throw in the odd algae wafer to keep them happy and away from your plants. I also highly recommend a school of Siamese Algae...

Thanks for replies guys. My water had the same staining even with rock and plants only so I know its not the wood. I do get good growth with Ammazonia so I really don't want to get rid of it but will if it will mean I can finally get crystal clear water. The purigen did nothing for me. I also...

Hi all I am having a problem with yellow/brown tinge to my tank water. I am using 2 9L bags of Ammazonia in my 200 L setup and no matter what I do the water still stains. The water will clear after a 50% water change but after a couple of days the colour will return. Its not too noticeable from...

Hi thanks for the replies guys. I should have said my tank is 200L. There are two good size pieces of redmoor. Having researched this product a bit more I really need to know if I should get the 100ml or 200ml bag. Its quite a costly product so I just want to get what I need. Cheers.

Hi all, I am going to get some purigen to clear up (hopefully) some greenish water in my tank. I think its caused by the redmoor wood which has been in there for about 6 weeks but still seems to be releasing tannins. Anyway does anybody know how much I should put in a JBL 1501 tray/ Thanks...

Hi, I attempted a DSM with Monte Carlo in ADA Amazonia and the soil burnt the monte carlo. I believe it is because of the large amount of ammonia leached into the plants when the soil becomes moist. There are others on here who have achieved success with the DSM and Amazonia but they are more...

Welcome to the forum................Fran in Offaly.

Hi, its ironic you posted here today as I have spent the last few hours re-planting this tank. The tank has been dormant for the last couple of months with just water and soil in it. The previous scape worked out okay in that the carpet of monte carlo grew very well and was over two inches...

Thanks for the reply. I was hoping to crack on with getting them in the tank. I suppose I'll have to have a good look at the stems. I have seen a You Tube video where there are some very small plants attached to the wood. I'll try to find it and post it here.

Hi all, have just purchased some Ludwigia mini super red in an in-vitro state. I want to attach it to a redmoor tree scape I have set up. I was wondering if any forum members have any experience with this plant. I may use super glue but am worried about the visible white residue ruining the look...

Hi, sorry to hear about the shrimp loss. Are you de-chlorinating your water? You don't mention it. Also, you don't need to double dose if you are using EI. Just start off as normal. New plants will take time to acclimatise anyway so there is no point in adding extra ferts. Also you might...

Really like this tank. Well Done. The colour of the wood, rock and sand all work really well together. What type of rock are you using?? Cheers.

Very nice tank. Make sure to keep the monte carlo trimmed as it will grow very quickly. Mine lifted off in one large chunk when I stopped trimming it.

Hi, I run 2 over my 100x45x45 at 65%. 8 hours with 15 minute ramps. Lovely carpet of monte carlo and no algae problems. About 25cm from surface.

Hi, nice selection of stones. I have used seiryu stones lately along with Aquasoil and monte carlo. The best advice I can give you is to think 3 dimensionally. Remember that if you have a sufficient depth of soil you will be able to place any of your stones at any angle you wish. With your...

Hi, I've used that seller and my entire tank is full with in vitro plants I got from him. Very happy with quality and quantity.

From the first photo, your substrate looks very shallow. Those swords can have hugh roots. The plants may be suffering as the roots cannot grow as normal! You don't mention your ferts dosing regime. This may be something to consider.

Cheers for relply. Good to hear the affinis are hardy species.

Hi guys, I am planning on adding some ottos to my new set up as soon as the nitrite drops to zero. My LFS has otto affinis for sale whereas I would have to drive a good bit further to purchase otto Vittatus. What are the differences between these fish and which are best for algae eating? Any...

Hi all, I currently have some pogmostemon helferi in a foreground corner of my tank which has quite strong flow. It is not doing well and I'm thinking of uprooting it and replacing it with a similar low plant which may cope with the strong flow better. Seeking suggestions as to a suitable plant...

Hi Simon, you have done well with the rock you have available but as mentioned above, this slate may look a bit two dimensional when the tank is up and running. You seem to have created a rock wall to keep the soil away from the sand. I failed with this myself as any small gap in the wall will...

Fantastic piece of wood. Best of luck with the new project.

I had a pro 3 and could never get it to prime properly. Got rid of it and got a jbl 1500. Much better filter. Eheim are over priced IMO.

Hi, thanks for the lengthy response. I have no fish or shrimp in at the moment and have already used "GREEN AWAY" treatment on day 3 but had no effect. I'm afraid the filter media is new so this will not help the situation. I am going to leave the lights off for a day after the next water change...

Hi, thanks for reply. Not sure if I'm using too much light at the moment. Have two TMC aquarays at 35% about 20cms above surface. Four hour photo period for days two and three and five hour period for days four and five. Not sure what to do now. Can's afford a UV at the moment as the budget is...

Hi and welcome, Fran in Tullamore.

Hi all,, I have my tank flooded for the last three days after a three week dry start. Since filling however, the water appears very green . I have already done a large water change (around 80%) but no improvement. Am running a JBL 1500 filter with sponges and bio rings. Also using ADA amazonia...

Hi, check out this chap who used plastic chopping board for some very heavy seiryu stone. Must not have anti bacterial coating however. Cheers. http://aquatic-art.blogspot.ie/search/label/3ft - Cove

Interesting read. Sorry to hear about the plant loss. I hope you get things up and running again soon. The tank was very beautiful and I'm sure it will be again soon. Great sucess for a first planted tank. Best of luck.

Ahh yes, makes sense. Thanks for reply. I'll just try the fogger inside a botle of room temp water and see how it goes. Cheers.

Cheers. I think I'll go with the fogger. I wonder if I put it in a plastic bottle with the top cut off and a aquarium heater set to about 24 degrees would that spread mist of that temperature around the tank??

Hi all,, my emersed tank is up and running for the last couple of days but I'm worried about humidity inside the tank. I have been misting twice a day with dilute ferts and no problems so far. However,, I'm worried about the temperature and humidity. I have mini pelia and monte carlo on there...

Thanks for all the help. No going back now!!!

Hi, beautiful piece of redmoor. It will no doubt present a challenge to scape due to its size and the size of the tank IMO. Perhaps some ferns attached to the centre of the wood with low carpet to the front and taller grasses to the rear. Best of luck with it. Cheers.

Hi and thanks for the replies. So, I will spray the mosses and other plants with liquid ferts. I will check out the seaweed based root stimulators on line and might get some. I agree and am aware that its the large amounts af ammonia in Amazonia that causes burn. The mulm idea seems sound to me...

Cheers guys. It looks like I will need a bit longer so. I might just keep going with the DSM for 6 weeks which will then take me into a period where I will be able to dedicate some time for water changes after flooding etc. I was wondering how to provide ferts to the plants during DSM. How about...

This hobby of ours has got me through some tough times in my life and I know the aquascaping hobby would not be what it is without this very gifteed man. He will remain an inspiration to many for a long time to come. Rest in Peace Mr Amano.

Hi all, I will be starting my new project next week with in vitro plants and plan to use the DSM. I plan a carpet of Micranthemum monte carlo and will be planting into normal type Amazonia, hence the DSM as I fear planting such small roots into amazonia would cause each plantlet to float away...

Hi Lee, I agree with the above poster. The strength of the light and the photo period will determine how fast/slow your plants will grow. Your T8s may be enough. You should concentrate on getting co2 and other issues correct first before worrying too much about light. Have a look at this sticky...

Just in relation to the drawing above, I think I read somewhere that co2 cylinders must be placed upright. Not sure if your drawing was meant to be a literal plan but just thought I'd mention it. Cheers.

Hi, yes that's very helpful and thanks for your time. The red beam certainly does show up quite visibly and I'm worried this will show up on my seiryu stone and be quite off putting. If it does, Im the sort of person that will focus on the red beam each time I look at my tank and ignore the...

Hi and thanks to you both for your replies. My tank is a 200L 100x45x45 and will have co2 injection. I can see from Big clown's set up that there is a blue hue to the shots and I must say that the shrimp look very good in that light. There seems to be a yellower look to IvanF's. I'm leaning...

Hi all, I've decided to put a couple of TMC tiles over my new tank and am trying to decide whether to go with the 6500k version or the colour plus. Does anybody have a video or photo of the colour plus over a planted set up. Can't seem to find anything on youtube or elsewhere. Any help appreciated.

Ahh modesty. Beautiful aquascapes. Well done.

Thanks for update Julian. Sorry to hear things are not going well but at least most of the plants survived. I see you are using the dry start method. Its a method I know nothing about at the moment but I think I'll carry out some research on it. I personally plan to plant all my in vitro...

Cheers guys. Will go with my plan I reckon.

Great looking scape so far. Planting choice sounds good. I would personally place a light cosmetic sand at the front of the tank, probably the length of the front of the tank, to add an extra colour dimension. Best of luck with your project.

Hi all, I will be starting my new project very soon (once new cabinet arrives) and was planning the following outflow setup:- Up Aqua inline diffuser on outflow pipe and followed by Hydor inline heater and then into JBL nozzle. This setup will enable be to have the tubing at the rear of the...

I was thinking of getting some powder just to cover the area in which I want to place micranthemum monte carlo but as mentioned the budget is exhausted. I might stretch to a 3kg bag if I can arrange a postal delivery when the wife is out;)

Cheers. Feeling less worried about it now.

Thanks for reply guys. I plan of planting heavily at the start (like Julian's shotgun approach) so am hoping the majority will stay rooted. I reckon I'll just keep replanting. I have had success with planting in vitro into gravel before and am just concerned about them anchoring in the...

Hi all, will be starting my new tank shortly and will be using Ada amazonia (normal type). I plan to use in vitro plants due to the cost. Has anyone any experience planting in vitro in this soil. I'm concerned the shorter root structures will not remain anchored. Any advice appreciated.

Fantastic looking tank. Well done so far. That avatar of yours looks familiar!!!!

Also, bear in mind that your filter is rated at 1200lph (I think) and ideally you should be aiming for about ten times your volume i.e 2000lph hence the need for a second filter. Cheers.

Hi, you are definately going to have dead spots with your current set up. Ideally, you may want to add a second filter and use them to run two foot of spray bars each. You would have to go inline and split the co2 flow which would mean 2 of everything i.e. diffusers, bubble counters etc. All of...

I see. Am now looking at the new Up inline which it appears come apart to allow easy cleaning. I did use the old model for a while and found it quite good. I may stick with the inline option. Just wanted to try the in tank ones for a change. I think I have viewed Takishi Amano's videos once too...

Thanks guys. Was just concerned about the reduction in flow if using an inline plus the added hasstle of taking an inline off to clean it etc.

Beautiful looking tank. Well done.

Thanks guys. Think I'll go ahead and purchase a bazooka.

Hi all, am collecting equipment for my new project and am looking for a good quality in tank diffuser. Needs to have a good dissolve capability i.e. small bubbles and be a glass type. Don't like the look of bazookas etc. Might go for an do!aqua one but they are very expensive. Any suggestions...

40 to 50kgs you say. I better start saving my pennies. Thanks for reply and providing a great scape for others to enjoy and learn from. Keep up the good work.

Looks great. Can you tell me roughly what was the total weight of the stones used as I'm thinking of ordering Seiryu by mail order and need to know how much to order to create a similar style layout. Thanks Stu.

Thanks for reply. Will consider purchase after some more research.

The aqualighter looks interesting. Anybody know if it would work in the UK without problems???

Hi, try iquatics and allpondsolutions, both available on ebay or through their own websites. Several reviews available online if you search.

Hi and thanks. I've seen the bigger JBL filter but the hose size won't allow me to use my hydor inline heater. I really want to keep as much equipment as possible out of the tank. I do have a tunze power head, I think its the smallest one they do. I reckon I'll try the single filter and mess...

Thanks guys. Tim, what outflow configuration do you use? Spray bars? I like the idea of all outflow through a single lilly pipe but would consider using rear mounted spray bars if necessary.

Hi all, starting a new rimless braceless 100x40x45 which will be 180L. Plan on using a JBL cristalprofi rated at 1400lph with a lily pipe at the side of the tank facing the opposite end. I reckin with substrate and hardscape, working volume would be around 140L. Going to use an inline UP...

Hi Ian and thanks for the reply. I rekon I will use jubilee clips on my heater and diffuser and also have bought a tube of Lsx from Amazon and will give it a try. Cheers.