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Re: Auto Dosing EI with a dosing pump (diagram and calculati Than again, if Saintly automated his tanks he'd have time for loads more and he'd COMPLETELY blow away the competition...

Re: Auto Dosing EI with a dosing pump (diagram and calculati Aah! That might be just enough to get me to commission my unused SP3000 for autodosing, LD. Only problem is, how will I endure the ridicule from 'I do it all by hand' Saintly!

I've just set up a Tunze Osmolator in my c 200litre open-topped tank - just to offset evaporation. It works great. It has two switches, a float like the one mentioned in the first post of this thread, and an optical water level sensor. The sensor switches the pump on and off, while the float...

Hi Tom Could you show or describe how a sump system would work? Does it have a header tank, pump and float-switch to top this up? Cheers Paul

I've not set up my SP3000 yet, although these last posts makes me wonder whether it's even worth bothering. Interesting alternative suggested by Tom Barr - http://www.google.com/products?hl=en&sa ... a=N&tab=wf

I've got a 200+ litre tank, and I've just done 2x50% water changes in under an hour, using London Dragon's DIY water changer, which you can find in the List of DIY Projects thread in this section. I use a Maxi-Jet 1000 for this, and it's a breeze.

Really good, James, that all makes sense to me. I'm looking forward to getting this sorted. [Paul in Kendal now feeling wholly reassured]. :thumbup:

That's very reassuring James - thanks. I got all my powders from Fluidsensor - I'm assuming with their Trace and my very soft water I'm still OK to make up an all-in-one solution? Was it the chelators that caused you to switch to two separate dosings? Was the shift to two-minute pumping...

It seems a shame if I have to keep the dosing pump level with the waterline (and in view) rather than hidden in the cabinet. Sounds like the ferts reservoir will also have to be at a higher level, too. Do either of you know anyone else using this system, and whether they're succeeding or not?

Oh dear! I'm even more worried now. Does this thread need a health warning: "Great Idea, but may not work long term"?

Ah, that's a shame - I've just ordered an SP3000! Any idea why it's failing? Has the motor slowed? Have you tried fitting the spare peristaltic pipe (if you've got it)?

The Baron is right - they did, and they are. Not cheap, but worth every penny, I reckon.

Woop! Woop! I gottan aquarium! Can't post a picture, though. I'm using a Picasa Web album, but the HTML for 'embed image' is several lines long. I've tried pasting this, highlighting it and hitting 'Img', but it won't play ball. Any ideas?

Aargh! Waiting in this morning for the tank, pottering in the garden to pass the time. Come in to check no-one's waiting in a van out front to find a note on the doormat - they'd been and gone :jawdrop Still, I was planning a trip to TGM tomorrow to pick up lots of other goodies, so I'll be...

Ah, I dread the words "No pressure mate", cos I know EXACTLY what you mean :lol: I'd agree that with any sort of gardening, planning is the best bit, and yes, I've got a couple of layouts and planting plans in mind - both dependent on suitable hardscape, so we'll see what a visit to TGM comes...

Thanks, Baron. To be honest, it feels like I've seriously 'over-read' the subject, without (yet) putting any of it into practice. I'm just hoping the mass of info I've semi-absorbed settles down and I start to see things more clearly as I progress. The scariest bit is that, as I keep saying...

Thanks for the advice, Andy. Have you used a dehumidifier yourself in a room with an aquarium? To be honest, I'm going to hold back from getting the dehumidifier until I'm absolutely sure I need it. After all your trials and tribulations, Tony, I'm almost expecting it to turn up damaged - that...

...and comes to an end! :clap: :clap: My 100x45x55 Optiwhite and cabinet are delivered this weekend :thumbup: Funny, now it's finally happening, I'm getting all nervous :(

Ah - that's not quite what I meant, Clive! I've made my decision (start off with standard spraybars) and I'm sticking to it! After all, they're not half price for nothing - perhaps they're rubbish?!

Re: Ooh, ooh, Clive - AE are doing the glass spraybars half price now, down from £60 to £30. Any good? http://www.aquaessentials.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=180_310&products_id=768

Thanks for the suggestions, chaps, but both those are out for now - I've gone for the big Eheims (a 2080 and a 2180), so the Vortech (which seems a lot for no extra filtration) should be unnecessary, and I'm sticking with the 1000 Reactor. As you say, the wait begins...

OK, the order's in, deposit paid...

Thanks for that, guys. It looks like it needs to be either an expensive Cal Aqua inline diffuser or an Ed Seeley special, with twin spraybars stacked centrally in the tank. Then if the arty-farty side of my brain wins the internal argument with the techie side, I can experiment with lily pipes...

You may be looking forward to the Journal, Steve - but it scares me rigid! I could seriously screw up here :oops: Looking at various bits of 'CliveAdvice', I'm wondering if I should be looking at a couple of absolute monster filters - say two 2080's. That'd clear the 10x hurdle no problem...

Thanks LD - with that I reckon I've got the info I need to get stuck straight in to DIY-dosing. Once again the UKAPS community comes up trumps!

Ooh, and another thing, Ceg. In your dry ferts article , you state: - yet it's clear people are making all-in-one liquid feed for auto-dosing. How do they get round the adverse reaction you refer to? Sorry for what will surely be a(nother) daft question.

Thanks for that, Ceg. The double drop checker has just dropped off my list, for either a cheesy JBL job or the Cal Aqua Oracle. In that more 'brutal' thread, you refer to loss of flow via in-line reactors/diffusers - especially with the Aqua Medic 1000 on my list! Is there a more free-flowing...

So should I really be looking at even bigger filters? I'm guessing I'll be trying for flow-impeding jungly scapes sooner or later, and I'm sure I've read elsewhere on this Forum that the optimum flow could usefully be even greater - much greater - than 10x. Hi Steve, I'll have to see about the...

No, Tony - it helps a lot! But I'm trying to avoid the "we'll see" scenario - isn't there a way I (we?) can be confident our filters give us enough flow?

I was hoping to flatten out the steep learning curve by starting with TPN+, but I'll certainly look at dry ferts again, cheers. (Amazingly, I've not seen "Ferts" on any list of aquascaping abbreviations - you lot really do love the abbreviations, don't you?!) ADA Aquasoil and Powersand, I...

After George’s excellent presentation at TGM at the weekend, my missus caught me feverishly doing planting and hardscape diagrams last night, and said “The sooner you get this tank the better”! So I think I’ve finally run out of excuses for delaying buying my very first aquarium and...

See, fish are completely unknown territory for me. I can see the attraction of a nice orderly shoal, so the rummies reputation for that had me thinking along those lines. And I had an uncle who had well-lit neons in a tank in a purple painted hallway (yes, an arty type) that wowed me as a...

Oops, I've just looked at my own posts and realised I'd mentioned the neons and/or rummies already :oops: -so you're not psychic after all. But how about the size of that tetra shoal? In a 90x45x45 tank, how big should it be?

Shame you're all the way down in Nottingham :lol: My LFS is two minutes away - not much good, mind, but I reckon I could cadge some active filter media off them. But Kendal has no fishkeeping club, and LFS says no-one does planted tanks up here - got the impression they're just not interested...

I've already read through your journal, Ray (nice stand - :wink: ). Your experiences, as well as the aspirational stuff, are what makes this forum so incredible. That's not to say your latest pictures are anything short of aspirational, of course - but the mistakes you made and shared on the...

We have some double glazing (no condensation) and some metal-framed single glazed panes set in wooden surrounds(mucho condensation). I'm sure an open tank will add to the problem, but I'm going to assume that I'll be able to manage the problem either with a dehumidifier (good ideas as always...

The problem with the LFS suggestion is that all she'll notice are the puddles of water and the high humidity! We're down to London over Xmas so I'm thinking of taking her to the London Aquarium - if that doesn't wow her, nothing will! And bribery might work - I'm going to suggest some...

Task 1 - persuade my other half I can get a tank Task 2 - make sure she NEVER finds out how much it all costs! :wink:

Sounds good. What about the tank itself? I'd like Optiwhite glass, which I think means I have to go with Aquariums Ltd or Aqua Essentials. But are there any off-the-shelf systems that are made in Opti-white? I guess the Juwel tanks are not, but perhaps another manufacturer does use it? If...

Don't know about substrate yet - I'm picking different elements of the job, and trying to get my head round them one at a time. I'd like a dark substrate that doesn't need top-dressing (not quite the right term - my outdoor gardening roots are showing).

Yeah, I've been trying to keep up with developments, and it's obvious maximum desirable flow is getting higher all the time, while manufacturers use pretty optimistic flow figures. Plus I'd like to have an external heater and reactor, which will reduce flow (I think?) As a total newbie it's...

The Tropica article suggests the surface area of the tank should be no more than 2% of the room's floor area, plus the air/water temperature difference should be no more than 5°C. I'm looking at putting a 90x45x45 tank (yes, I'm being guided by your ace article Mr. S!) in a 12m² room, with a...

Thanks for the advice, Mark, I'll have a look at the Tropica site. I can see that a hood, a condensation tray or cover glasses would help, but getting ADA-style glassware neatly past them might be tricky, and I'd lose the minimalist look of an open top :(

Oo-er, my first post. How do you control condensation on a rimless tank? I love the look that George and Co. achieve, but I'm concrned that if I go with an open topped set-up, my (single glazed) living room windows will be running with condensation, which will ensure my Significant Other aborts...