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Hi all, Just use a horticultural fertiliser <"Solufeed 2:1:4 and Solufeed Sodium Free TEC or Solufeed Coir TEC Combination">. This is the nutrient breakdown. I'd just use an "all in one" fertiliser mix, but at a low dosage rate. If your <"plants are nitrogen limited"> they aren't going to...

Hi all, You can leave them both in if you wish. Have a look at <"Is expensive bio media worth it?"> & <"Replace biohome ultra with foam?"> "Activated charcoal" stops being "activated" but is fine as a <"biological filter medium">, same with the <"ADA Bio Cube">. cheers Darrel

Hi all, <"Same for me">. cheers Darrel

Hi all, They honestly look quite different - <"Hydrocharitaceae | NatureSpot">. You can see the leaf whorls in Elodea spp. in the link. If you find a plant that <"looks like this">? It is Lagarosiphon major. cheers Darrel

Hi all, "Curly leaves" is the easy way, but there are differences in the number of leaves in a whorl etc. The linked posts cover it in some detail. There are moves to legalise species that are unlikely to be invasive in the UK, but I'm guessing that "unlikely" could become "more likely" with...

Hi all, I'm sure that is fine and I wouldn't have any reservations about adding fish. I understand that as well. Caution is never a bad thing. If you can wait a few more weeks? I would. Yes, that is sort of the issue. That is why "plant mass and time" works, there isn't any ambiguity...

Hi all, We really don't know what causes any "algae" outbreaks. We think of <"BGA"> as a single entity, but there are hundreds of different species of cyanobacteria, some associated with <"low nutrient situations"> and some with eutrophication. Have a look at <"Fighting algae in a two year old...

Hi all, You just have a reasonable mass of plants in active growth, at that point the tank is fish safe whatever the test kit tells you. Normally the problems lie in the other direction <"where people write"> something like "I cycled my tank and my test kit results were perfect, but just...

Hi all, I'll be honest I'm never going any decisions based on what a NO3- and/or NO2- test tells me. You might be interested in this paper that has come my way via my "day job" <"https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jchemed.2c00381">* *Gawanker, S. & Masten S. (2023 ) "Development of an...

Hi all, They definitely look a bit pale, but that might just be the light "washing out" the colour in the photo? If they really are pale green? You could try going back to a "complete mix" and see if <"they green up any">? cheers Darrel

Hi all, It will depend a little a bit on the tank, but I usually give mine a swoosh around (under the tap) <"every couple of weeks">. Our <"water supply"> (in the UK) is <"relatively lightly chlorinated"> so you don't need to worry about "sterilising" your sponge <"Cleaning filter sponges in...

Hi all, <"Tropica Premium"> doesn't contain any nitrogen (N) or phosphate (PO4---). Because these are two of the nutrients that <"plants require most of"> and because of this we usually recommend a fertiliser that does contain them. I'm going to say that may well be where your problem lies...

Hi all, Algal spores are universal in non-sterilised water, so as soon as you create suitable conditions they will grow. cheers Darrel

Hi all, Welcome to UKAPS, Unfortunately this is <"quite a common finding">, but I'm going to say you are now in the right place now. When you have time read through: <"What is the “Duckweed Index” all about?">. In terms of plants have a look at the <"Tropica Easy"> range, they are likely...

Hi all, The problem is that it will return, if conditions remain suitable for it. Cyanobacteria, diatoms etc are pretty much universal in freshwater, they will always be present in your aquarium, but most of the time at a level low enough so that they aren't visible. cheers Darrel

Hi all, Welcome to UKAPS They are <"Ostracods"> ("Seed Shrimps"), a kind of Crustacean a bit like a Daphnia <"encased in a shell">. They are entirely harmless and very common in shrimp tanks etc. cheers Darrel

Hi all, They don't exactly stunt, it is just that the growth of Tomatoes etc. is sub-optimal at ambient CO2 levels. You can definitely get local depletion of CO2 in glasshouses, this is because they are (to some extent) sealed structures. If you make sure that PAR, water and nutrients are non-...

Hi all, Via the holes, they reproduce pretty freely and the young ones are very small. I look at them as a definite plus in the planted tank, and they also <"evade predation"> much more successfully than Crangonyx. cheers Darrel

Hi all, PM me. They will definitely end up in the tank. cheers Darrel

Hi all, Where are you located? Are you in the UK? cheers Darrel

Hi all, <"Crangonyx psuedogracilis">? much safer than Hyalella. <"Asellus aquaticus">, absolutely fits the brief, but is a trifle <"aesthetically challenged">. They would work and are "cat-nip" to most fish. cheers Darrel

Hi all, I think a lot of people enjoy the initial buzz of high tech., but realise that low tech. <"can be just as satisfying"> and much <"easier to manage"> when life intrudes. This was about ponds, but the same applies to tanks. cheers Darrel

Hi all, Welcome to UKAPS. It is very likely to be. Have a look at <"Curly Waterweed | NatureSpot"> & <"Curly Waterweed » NNSS">. I'm originally from nr. Kington. cheers Darrel

Hi all, I still think we are in <"Apples and Oranges">* territory, because we are comparing a dense medium (water density ~ 1000 kg/m³) with a much less dense medium (Dry air at 20°C and standard atmospheric pressure (1.013 bar) has a density of 1.204 kg/m³.) <"Air Density">. *edit what...

Hi all, I use the same sponges as <"pre-filters on canister filters etc">. Once it is wet all <"mechanical filtration media"> is <"biological filtration media"> as well, <"if that makes sense">? cheers Darrel

Hi all, They sell them as 4" x 4" x 4" cubes etc. as well, I just buy the big ones (it is cheaper) and cut them down to size. I think these are good, they are all based on on the ones that Stephan Tanner (<"Swiss Tropicals">) sell in the USA. I've got a <"lot of time for Dr Tanner"> -...

Hi all, Yes, you would, but I use these <"big sponge blocks they sell for Koi"> etc. They are £10 for a 12" x 4" x 4" sponge with a 1" central hole 3/4 of the way to the bottom of the sponge <"Consistency Deficiency">. They are really just a gimmick, the <"prime metric in nitrification"> is...

Hi all, It is probably preferable to using sodium (Na+) based salts. Even though sodium isn't toxic to plants, they don't have a requirement for it either and it could build up over time. Potassium (K+) and ammonium (NH4+) have the advantages of being plant nutrients. Even "sodium build...

Hi all, Either will do, the finer sponge will need cleaning a bit more regularly. I like <"Eheim Substrat Pro">, but not if I have to buy it. <"Could you do this?"> It will give you a lot more sponge area. cheers Darrel

Hi all, You can. Ideally you need to thin the Moinia pretty much every day and the easiest way to do this is just to feed the fish. You should, they are very prone to <"boom and bust">, have a look at <"Feeding daphnia with crushed fish flakes">. cheers Darrel

Hi all, Because they are sensitive fish, and eat a limited range of aufwuchs. You would need a huge tank to generate enough natural food for them. They will graze on <"structural leaf litter">and I would definitely offer them some. They often don't recognise Algal Wafers etc as food, but...

Hi all, They are <"Fragilaria (Synedra), a filamentous diatom">. I'd keep manually removing them and <"they should go away"> as the tank matures. I know it is difficult, but you really need to concentrate on plant health and not the algae. The test strips may or may not be right, but I...

Hi all, That looks like plec (Loricariid) feeding damage. You have a choice of plecs. cheers Darrel

Hi all, That was a lot of people's reservations about having a planted <"quarantine"> tank. I'd just come from it from a different direction, the question is: "What is the best environment for your fish?" and the answer is "an established planted tank with good quality water and a variety of...

Hi all, I'm guessing eventually that UKAPS will go the way of most / all <"the other forums">, and just be replaced by <"the drama of FB">. It is a shame, but I'm not sure there is much you can do, other than make the most of UKAPS (and other <"bona fide"> sources) while they still exist. I...

Hi all, It will be interesting to see what happens, because I'm a rainwater user I don't have any nitrate NO3- in <"my base water">. The same is actually true of our tap water, it is relatively low in NO3- . I've just got some Phyllanthus fluitans (thank-you @simon_the_plant_nerd and...

Hi all, I understand that, it is entirely up to the individual aquarist. If you are a plant it really doesn't make any difference how much an ion has cost, the potassium ions (K+) from APT3 are exactly the same as the K+ ions from Solufeed 2 : 1 : 4. For small tanks it makes much less...

Hi all, I'd just dose a lean dose of a complete fertiliser. If you are happy with <"APT 3">? Use that. The only thing that looks "wrong" it <"is the cost"> and that is back to the <"World's most expensive water"> contest. This is <"Solufeed 2 : 1 : 4"> at £14 for a kilo of dry salts. In...

Hi all, That is brilliant, they don't flower very frequently and then it's curtains, so it is along time before you get another chance . Cheers Darrel

Hi all, I'd definitely put them in the tank, I don't like "breeding boxes"or bare quarantine tanks. I particularly wouldn't keep a bottom orientated fish, like a Corydoras, in a breeding box for any extended amount of time. When I say "extended" I mean more than a day. I quarantine new fish...

Hi all, The females are attracted to light, so you <"occasionally get them in fish-tanks">, even inside. Most Mayflies need really good quality, highly oxygenated, cool water, but the one species (the <"Pond Olive">) is a lot more <"tolerant of warm water"> etc. cheers Darrel

It is a swimming Mayfly Nymph, almost certainly the "Pond Olive" (Cloeon dipterum). This one is harmless, but fish really, really like them. Cheers Darrel

Hi all, I'm <"really not sure at all"> about that at all. I think we are probably in <"Apples and Oranges"> territory, but I don't actually know. @hax47 or @Andy Pierce are probably your best bet for a definitive answer. When you don't inject CO2 it is back to <"Henry' s law">, and the...

Hi all, That is why I chose a floating plant for the <"Duckweed Index">, it removes one variable. Plants always have access to <"426 ppm of atmospheric CO2"> and it never runs out. cheers Darrel

Hi all, They look <"OK growthwise">, but I can't really <"tell how green they are"> because of the light colour. cheers Darrel

Hi all, Obviously <"I'm UKAPS biased">, and <"not an entirely objective commentator">, but that is one of the great advantages of UKAPS. We don't have <"anything to sell">, we have a very extensive <"library"> of past threads and a lot of members who've <"seen it, done it and bought the tee...

Hi all, Nerites don't tend to graze plant leaves very effectively, but they are <"good on hard scape"> etc.. Snails like <"Physella acuta"> & Planorbella duryi are more effective at getting to "difficult to reach" places <"Algea id, root of cause and how to deal">. People don't like Tadpole...

Hi all, It really, really <"p*sses me off"> - <"Its a miracle!"> All you can do is what you've done, give an <"honest appraisal of a product">. If all <"sponsored content"> and <"infomercials"> were labelled as such? It would help. cheers Darrel

Hi all, It isn't a nutrient deficiency symptom, the green algae (Chlorophyta) have the same <"basic physiology and photosystems"> as all the mosses, ferns and higher plants (clade Chlorobionta). I would regard them as all <"plants">, you just have "plants you want" and "plants you don't want"...

Hi all, Not really, but I only have <"Hygrophila corymbosa"> and normally they've gone from submersed to emersed, before flowering and dying. I've always had a few still submerged, and they seem to tick over from year to year without any problem. I bought the original plant ~20 years ago. I...

Hi all, <"Definitely"> cheers Darrel

Hi all, That is the problem. Because of where I live (hard water and not many fish shops) I don't often get <"temptation placed in my path">, but if Pier Aquatics or <"Aqualife Leyland"> (Aqualife Leyland | Leyland) were close to hand............ cheers Darrel

Hi all, Thank you, that is perfectly explained for me. cheers Darrel

Hi all, You need <"some dKH"> (carbonate hardness) for your Cherry Shrimps <"and Snails">, but you can ignore anything you read or are told about <"pH stability"> or <"nitrification and pH"> etc. These are written by people who don't know what they are talking about or <"have a product to...

Hi all, It definitely has "disinfectant" properties <"Liquid carbon dosing">. Stronger concentrations are used as a general biocide in hospitals etc. <"Stability of Glutaraldehyde in Biocide Compositions">. @Andy Pierce may be able to shed more light on its mode of action? I assume that is...

Hi all, That looks absolutely fantastic. cheers Darrel

Hi all, <"Cuttle "bone"> would work, and you can substitute the "crushed coral" with <"Oyster or Cockle shell chick grit">. Generally it is a lot easier to add compounds to water rather than to try and take them away. In terms of snail shell attrition, what do the older shell whorls look...

Hi all, We have a thread <"APT Fix">........... @jolt100 says cheers Darrel

Hi all, Sleight of hand really, they have nothing to do with CO2, or any form of Dissolved Inorganic Carbon (D(T)IC). The vendors make use of the fact that some of the long chain carbon (C) compounds are similar to some of the intermediate compounds found in photosynthesis. If you look at...

Hi all, It is not very useful, but "very gently" would be the answer. I might be tempted to let them grow a bit before you tried to attach them? And then tie them on, but with cotton, rather than nylon. I'd be wary of <"cyanoacrylate super glue"> (while they were still very young and soft). I...

Hi all, They often grow out of <"rock walls">. Cool, shady and damp, but not too wet? If it is Pteris cretica it is a lime-lover, I'm not sure about the other species, it is quite a big genus. Have a look at <"The sails">. cheers Darrel

Hi all, I'm <"pretty sure that is right">. Probably not entirely hardy. cheers Darrel

Hi all, Exactly the same for me, the <"the coffee not the froth" >and that has <"cut straight to the chase"> and is also a perfect summary of the <"Duckweed Index">. cheers Darrel

Hi all, I'd honestly concentrate on that one. cheers Darrel

Hi all, I honestly don't <"think it matters">. From a purely personal point of view one of the reasons I want to <"understand the chemistry"> is that it allows me to answer questions about the <"Duckweed Index">, <"fertilisers">, <"cycling and nitrification"> etc. with accuracy and without...

Hi all, I would always "grow my own", rather than using dry powdered yeast, straight from the packet. The problem with sugars (mono and di-saccharides) is that they are among the <"low hanging fruit of microbial substrates">. I think that is why adding a small amount of hay works <"Results...

I only speak English, and I'm not even very good at that. A lot of potassium compounds will be bases, it really depends on the conjugate base and acid. I know exactly what you mean, I'm not very good at chemistry, despite having science degrees. I'm also not very good at fish keeping, despite...

Hi all, This is <"Azara serrata">, it is easy as a semi-hard wood cutting, and has a lovely "fresh green" leaf, but usually it doesn't flower very well. I've let it grow this year (it flowers on "old wood"), it hasn't been frost browned, and it has flowered really well. Cheers Darrel

Hi all, I think the problem is that to get enough yeast cells in the water to feed the Daphnia, you are balanced right on the edge of tipping over into polluted conditions, which then kills them off. Yeast can give you short term boom, but in my experience, always shortly followed by bust...

Hi all, Honestly dry salts are the answer for larger volume tanks, it really is a "no-brainer" - <"Solufeed 2:1:4 and Solufeed Sodium Free TEC or Solufeed Coir TEC Combination">. You can argue about aesthetics etc with lights and filters, but with fertilisers every potassium (K+) (or...

Hi all, Apologies for that. There is some discussion in <"Confusion concerning 0dKH and nitrification">, but again not very user friendly. We are in the German language and the "K"s but "Karbonate", not "Kalium". Potassium (K) is an alkali metal, but whether a salt is basic, neutral or acidic...

Hiu all, We <"have a thread"> ............ It allows you to sell two products, a <"premium" and a "specialised">. I'll be honest I've got a <"pretty jaundiced view"> of the sellers of most <"Aquarium products">. Have a look at <"Algae support"> and linked threads. cheers Darrel

Hi all, None of those should add any dKH, or alkalinity, although the "Epsom Salts" (MgSO4.7H2O) will add dGH. The CO2 should <"outgas fairly quickly"> back to the equilibrium CO2 level. cheers Darrel

Hi all, I've seen a big Cork Oak (Q. suber) near Sidmouth, and apparently there are <"even bigger ones"> in Devon and Cornwall. You more usually see the hybrid between Turkey (Q. cerris) and Cork Oak , the "Lucombe Oak" (Q. x hispanica). We have one on the Campus (a Lucombe Oak)_ and it sheds...

Hi all, They filter particles by size, so anything the "algae" sized is ingested. Spirulina powder is a good one If you add some hay it will keep the culture ticking over. I'd definitely avoid milk (and yeast), but paprika and gram flour (chickpea) work quite well. Cheers Darrel

Hi all, The daisy is "Mexican Fleabane" (Erigeron karvinskianus) and I'm assuming that the tree is a Cork Oak (Quercus suber)? Cheers Darrel

Hi all, Water Mint, (Mentha aquatica). Cheers Darrel

Hi all, You can silicone oil (for sewing machines etc.) as well as grease. cheers Darrel

Hi all, You have to look at the water repellent hairs (trichomes), but if they <"look like little egg whisks?"> They are Salvinia "auriculata" group. I'd guess that most of the Salvinia plants, sold under a variety of names, are S. auriculata s. l. Same for me, but I mainly do small volume...

Hi all, I think you have some <"iron (Fe) availability issues"> and also that @simon_the_plant_nerd is right. cheers Darrel

Hi all, It just makes <"life a lot easier">, all you have to do is have a <"reasonably large plant mass in active growth"> and then keep it that way. All <"the measuring"> and <"heavy lifting"> is done by the plant / microbe biofiltration. I'm probably absurdly proud of the <"Duckweed Index">...

Hi all, No, you don't. If you aren't going to have plants? You still <"need to cycle the tank">, but once you have a reasonable plant mass? You don't. Have a look at our thread where we talked to Dr Tim Hovanec - <"Dr Timothy Hovanec's comments about Bacterial supplements">. We now know that...

Hi all, That sounds promising. I probably would carry on with water changes, but you can definitely lessen their frequency. It shouldn't make really any difference in their time to reach microbial maturity. HOB filters actually have the advantage of a greater gas exchange surface area. Both...

Hi all, I've only passed through the airport a couple of times, and both times the weather was wet and my first thought was "wow, it is incredibly hot and sticky". cheers Darrel

Hi all, That is quite a lot of salts (ions). The bogwood won't make much difference, the TDS meter is measuring conductivity and non-ionic compounds don't add electrical conductivity, although they would add ppm TDS if that was what we were actually measuring. I'd definitely stop adding...

Hi all, I'd guess the water has got too soft for them. It has rained a lot in the last 18 months, which will have washed all the limestone (calcium carbonate (CaCO3)) dust from both roofs and the atmosphere. I measured the conductivity of the water from the water butt at home recently (not a...

Hi all, That sounds promising. This whole area is a bit of a mess, because dKH kits actually measure alkalinity etc. Interesting that they use calcium hydroxide. Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is the normal alkali, just because it is / was cheap and fully soluble etc <"Has Caustic Soda Become the...

Hi all, You get a much wider range of fish in Trinidad and Tobago than you would in the other <"West Indian"> islands, because T & T are a (recently) detached part of the S. American mainland, in the same way that Britain and Ireland are detached parts of the European mainland. cheers Darrel

Hi all, That is one of the advantages of a fertiliser <"designed for hydroponics etc."> it has to "work", or the company that made it, and the growers who used it, would have gone out of business. Have a look at <"What is the “Duckweed Index” all about?">. cheers Darrel

Hi all, I had the <"same problems with them">. A lot of people <"have done much better">, so it is definitely sub-optimal growing conditions. Try a <"bit more nitrogen (N)">? cheers Darrel

Hi all, Welcome to UKAPS, You can use a <"horticultural fertiliser">, as long as it doesn't have too high a proportion <"of ammonium salts">. Have a look at <"Solufeed 2:1:4 and Solufeed Sodium Free TEC or Solufeed Coir TEC Combination">. cheers Darrel

Hi all, I think normally the cure is worse than the pest. I'd guess that the Shrimp attacking species are an absolutely <"tiny proportion of the total"> and that 99% of people who have <"visible Flatworms"> have species that are pretty benign. I think it is the same problem for both...

Hi all, That is good to know. I wonder if they are to do with being in spawning condition? I know that male Cyprinids <"get tubercles on the head"> when they are in ready to spawn - <"Nuptial tubercles - Wikipedia">. cheers Darrel

Hi all, They might be <"Rhabdocoelas flatworms">, they are much more resistant to pesticides. You can tell than and Tricladia apart, if you look at the head it is a point, rather than an arrow. <"Fenbendazole, planaria calculating dose.">. You could also try a <"Planaria trap"> or <"What are...

Hi all, With the proviso that I have <"zero practical knowledge of carpet plants>", but you need to retain as much plant mass as possible at the moment. Personally I'd leave it a couple of weeks and then give it a fairly light chop over. "Ease of removal" is one of the real advantages of a...

Hi all, That partially explains it, Ramshorn Snails etc. would make short work of it. Interesting. cheers Darrel

Hi all, That was my guess. If you want to harden it a bit you can add some <"Oyster shell Chick-grit">, it is really cheap and does the job. Unfortunately <"pH is a much misunderstood parameter"> and requires some interpretation. I'm guessing that there were processes in your old tank that...

Hi all, Do you have any snails? cheers Darrel

Hi all, Yes, diatoms. cheers Darrel

Hi all, Do you have really soft water out of the tap? You should be able to get figures from your water supplier, but because you live in Scotland it is quite likely that you get soft, low conductivity water out of the tap. Assuming you that is the case? Then <"pH will never be stable"> and...