Search results for query: *

Thanks Tim Yes that's the plan, a short break first, time to collect some ideas, hardware etc and I'll crack on with something new. Time for me to get back on here.[emoji3] Sent from my LG-H850 using Tapatalk

The end I know I've not been around for a while and can only apologize for this, family life and work has been somewhat more important of late. The tank has unfortunately been taken down due to a leak we spotted last Sunday morning, the base was sodden and we were lucky that it held I suppose...

Cheers matey, yep all good not been slacking just need to find more time for myself to join in on here again. So much more to learn Sent from my LG-D855 using Tapatalk

Sent from my LG-D855 using Tapatalk

Hi all, Sorry I've not been around much lately, just busy family stuff, kids and work. So, it's 15 months now since I started tinkering with the dark side and so far it's been great. As expected, I lost a few stems transplanted from high tech but the garden's grown now. Minimal water changes...

Sorry Lindy, missed your post.... Well I started with the spray bars about an inch under the surface and there was too much water movement for the floating plants so I eventually settled on where they are now. I have great water movement still, even above the spray bars and never have any scum...

Hi all Just a quick pic as it's now 6 months since i set this up and it's filled out nicely. Started dosing ei at 10% 2 weeks ago as thought it needed it. Cheers, low tech rocks[emoji57] So here we are now 6mths after i found the dark side

Thanks Troi, its such an improvement on my high tech with regards the health of the tank in general. I was constantly fighting bba and mild green spot algae, running co2 through both spray bars i was using a 2kg FE each month and with the depth of the tank and it having a bowed front getting...

Cheers for the comments everyone, tam i do have some black card i bought meaning to try as a background i must get myself in gear and sort it out[emoji1] So it's been a while now since i started this and i can honestly say it's been great. No algae, my pest snails have vanished, shrimp...

Hi guys and girls, 5 weeks in now and all is great. Stems were actually trimmed by a couple of inches at the weekend, crypts to the right seem happy and have had no melting. No algae what so ever General growth is slow but im not bothered as long as the plants are healthy i feel I've started to...

I am mate, it's like an unfinished jigsaw still finding pieces. ☺

A couple of new additions arrived in the plant mail today from Lindy Tailor made for the left corner, another type of Aponogeton and a crinum which is now Bob's fave plant. Cheers Lindy[emoji57]

Sounds sensible, it's a similar size box of water to mine, I've a fixed hood and changed the tubes to 2 x 21watt but they're t5's and am on 6 hrs still just starting my 3rd week. Just do your water changes and grab some floaters and you should be fine

Cheers tim, i over prepped maybe, tried to make sure i covered everything and seemed in the planning stages for ages but I'm pleased so far although still crossing all my fingers

Just a thought, if you got a couple of bags of topsoil you could mineralise it in the oven, i finished mine off this way and its quick ish☺ No ammonia for me and 2 weeks in. I just bought 2 cheap value baking trays from argooos and went for it. It's the heat that mineralises the soil. You'll...

2 weeks in and checked one of my filters last night, wow that was dirty, red tinge to the sponges and the fine sponge was so heavy must be the soil and clay. I expect the other is the same but I'll look at that next weekend so not to cause any issues. So a few new bolbitus and narrow leaf into...

Sorry lindy, missed this, busy few days not been on. Cheers for the msg

Quick update pic after 8 days and 1040 litres changed so far Tree on the right has taken most of the melt although i can replace a few bolbitus this weekend to keep the plant mass up, I'll trim the ones i remove and see if they recover in my kitchen nano im using as a dumping ground for my...

Bob Also known as Gollum[emoji3]

Wouldn't have done it tbh without the help and guidance from yourself and others who have contributed to this journal. So a BIG thanks for getting me my mojo back[emoji1] It's good to have a new challenge ill enjoy trying to improve this set up as it evolves. Cheers Clive and his small...

Cheers wick[emoji57] To be honest when i first started planning the change from high tech i never considered dosing ferts, lack of knowledge on my part maybe. I could do with some sound advice as what ti do really otherwise i was going to see how things go with the dirt and go from there. Still...

The melt has begun Some crypts as expected and bolbitus so far but generally all doing not too bad. Before tonight's 130 litre water change my tds was 680, tap is 267 I'm not dosing anything at the moment so should i be overly concerned? After water change it was down to 460, I'll keep up the...

Wow I'm pooped How many hours i don't know but most of the last 3 days ive spent taking down and re scaping with mineralised top soil, some dragon stone and a couple of pieces of wood. Now I'm not an expert in placing items in an aquarium nor photography so excuse the quality of pics but this...

And so it begins Tank stripped down, taken all day. Quick play with stones etc The wood on the left will be slightly more elevated as have filled two media bags with the akadama i took out the tank today. Soil ready for the morning, cap and plant heavy☕

Dragon stone on route now☺ My tds from tap is 256ppm, before weekly 50% water change after dosing full ei it's 533ppm, just finished my last high tech water change as i have next Friday off work to strip the tank down and tds is 381ppm before adding any salts so my thinking is a bit of the old...

Back again, I'm looking at stones now, an ebay seller has a good selection at affordable prices and i have two or maybe three options. He has Manten stone which i know will not raise my ph and also some of this which will raise the ph My question is, should i stick to the Manten or is it ok to...

Cheers chaps

Oh ok i see what you're saying thanks, so there's no need to mix anything to help water flow through the soil layer then ? I'm only planning the advised 1" depth topped with pool filter sand. I will also be using the greenhouse mesh between these two layers of that helps. Cheers Clive

Here you are Big Clown, your stems at front just left of centre[emoji12]

Cheers guys, I'll get my assistant to give this a rinse tomorrow then, saves buying grit. I go fishing and have some small groubdbait riddles which has helped me get rid of loads of small unknown stones, just wondering if they would have caused issues with the tank if left in not knowing they're...

Slowly getting things in place, payday Monday so i can buy some manten stone and a few more plants. Quick question about areation of mineralised soil, I've resorted to baking the soil and riddled off any stones not finished yet but this is what it looks like now Do i need some grit and if so...

Even Mrs punkmummy likes my wood[emoji57]

Hi, thanks for this sciencefiction, I do have some new stems arriving from Big Clown so these will add some bulk to the planting from start up so i'll take it steady and watch daily, not yet ready still....soil still not dry enough for me, hopefully this weekend's heatwave may complete this...

Yes that's fantastic, I must read all that thread again later when home from work, some great food for thought. I have another noob low tech question please As I do plan on keeping any plants I currently have in my c02 enriched tank, wel as much as I can and at least for start up until I can...

cheers Wick, top stuff, I do prefer this plant tbh, slightly less uniform and maybe a tad shortter than tenellus, has a bit more character, it's on my hit list now. ta

Right then, i'm finally giving some thought to additional plants and possible layout, I really need some rock, I also need another payday and would rather have everything in place to set this harsdcape up as I initially want it rather than shuffle things around in just two weeks, so I may get...

Cool cheers for that, gives me something to muse about.. I've not decided on my scape yet, although I have a few ideas it will need to come together slowly as paydays are monthly;) so what stems I plant can always be changed at a later date, rocks etc can be added as I go but i'll hopefully get...

Cheers Ed.. Question on raising my substrate level without increasing the depth of my soil or cap. As I currently have akadama which will be coming out, could I use this inside a filter media bag? I presume the akadama wouldn't cause any anaerobic issues by being buried? this will be new to...

:clap::joyful:ha ha ha cheers chaps ok, I'll remain as Pinkmummy79, it makes no odds, does sometimes cause amusement and maybe confuses others Nice pic Ed, I would like to take up Troi's suggestion, would you mind me snagging this splendid likeness for my avatar?

Hi everyone, sorry I've not been on for an update for a while, to be honest apart from waiting for the postman not much has happened yet. So, i havent yet taken down the 260 high tech as there are a few bits needed still and thankfully the c02 hasn't run out yet I now have pool filter sand...

Under 2 weeks to go (ish) well i want to change before the existing c02 runs out so i can keep as many plants as possible and algae free. So been busy and ordered 2.5 k of powdered clay, some dolomite and muriate of potash, soil just needs drying a tad to riddle off any unwanted stones etc. Sand...

Cool, thanks this is what I was hoping for, I might start this weekend and prepare this ready for adding the powdered clay when I get some Plant list next :)

More rain, i'm just now going to manage to get 35 litres of top soil mineralsied in the next 4 weeks (my date for changing over when my c02 runs out). in the last 4 weeks i'm only managinging to be drying my soil for the 2nd time. I must look at Baking especially if I'm going to need a couiple...

Again, many thanks Troi, you're a valuable asset :) I presume the above substance seals the substrate due to it's smaller partical size not allowing any flow of nutrients etc? I'm down to two options then as I see it, retain the akadama as a cap and save some pennies or spend a little on the...

Thanks Troi much appreciated, smaller would look cleaner/nicer maybe so good to know I'll order that getting sorted slowly but desperate to do this right. Cheers

found some pool sand 2-5mm size £22 delivered for 25kilo http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HIGH-QUALITY-SILICA-BASED-FILTER-SAND-GRAVEL-FOR-POOL-POND-FISH-TANKS-/121425618721?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&var=420362627145&hash=item1c4587e721#ht_2005wt_1069 would this be ok? I presume it would be more...

found the mesh link now :) I see what your saying about the colour of the cap being covered etc, my experience with the akadama is that it's a very light substance and stems easily lift out by themselves especially with little depth to plan into, sand would be a better option I think for...

so, project low tech/soil tank is in full swing... i'm 3 weeks into topsoil mineralisation and due to the general lack of sunshine in Somerset i've only managed one wet/dry cycle, it's been mostly wet. Currently have 30 litres spread out on a tarp on the lawn :)my small assistant Bob is...

With all this rain it's difficult to dry the top soil in the garden, after a week it's now wetter than when I first spread the 35 litres our on a tarp to dry. May have to bake it in the over Sent from my LT30p using Tapatalk

So I've taken on board advice and suggestions and in readiness for changing to a lower light set up with soil, no pressurised c02 I have made a couple of initial alterations to the tank. Water change last night, I'm still currently running c02 as am in the process of mineralising soil, I've...

Cool, sounds like a plan to me, I can think about plants and layout in the meantime, lower wattage t5's ordered today so ball rolling now;-) Sent from my LT30p using Tapatalk

:):)What a fantastic reply Sciencefiction Thanks for this, most helpful, I actually have an unopened bag of Homebase top soil at home, would mineralizing this for a month prior to going into the tank give me less issues with transferring the fish back in, my thinking that if so, once it has...

Hi Edvet, I definately decided on a low tech approach. I should use the existing tank and filters and not get carried away with additional shrimp nano's, this can be another project for another time. So, I need to check my light unit tonight to see if it will still work with a single tube...

Hi and thanks Henry, I understand you about the smaller high tech tanks not being a definitive success, sorry my intention is to go low, quite low, probably soil based, maybe hob filter, aquaball or similar but more low tech, sitting looking at where the existing tank is, if we had a nice unit I...

Well here's a couple of quick snaps, sorry I don't have a better camera but my phones ok, so you can see the tank size. The past 18 months have been a blast and certainly a quick learning curve with all my info gained from ukaps :-) Time is precious with small children in the house so many...

Hi My 260 l fluval vicenza is curently set up in high tech mode running co2 through 2 x UP inlines (2KG FE) and dosing ei daily, I also spot dose liquid carbon daily as have ongoing BBA issues which I have been unable to eradicate for the past 12 months. So I am now considering either the...