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Tinytoms first attempt

Tinytom

Member
Joined
24 Jan 2020
Messages
35
Location
Sheffield
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Morning, I’m currently sat on a 2 year olds seat staring at my newly bought and set up aquarium, reading through the forum for inspiration and I thought why not start a journal.
So here we are iv had a small 60L juwel for around 5 years now where iv been more into the fish than scape but recently iv got more into the planted side and some of your guys aquariums really inspired me to try my best to create something beautiful.
Iv ended up with a 80cm opti white bought as a full kit including filter, co2, heater substrate and a rock style ornament.
I got everything set up last night and after a trip to my 4 closest LFS I ended up at Maidenhead aquatics in welbeck farm shop who were brilliant, really nicely stocked shop too.
Iv got my first few plants in there and a load more being delivered Monday.
Just a couple of questions I’m struggling to get my inlet skimmer to float I can manually put it at any height but it just won’t float no matter what its almost as if the filter pull is too strong.
Also the filter is pretty noisy is that usual for external? It’s an APS 1400 unit iv only had internals before which you really can’t hear.
anyway here’s a pic of the tank and looking forward to keeping you all updated as it progresses
 
Hi Tinytom
I’m struggling to get my inlet skimmer to float I can manually put it at any height but it just won’t float no matter what its almost as if the filter pull is too strong.

The surface skimmer shaft needs a little trim as its a little too long
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the pipe is going down to the red arrow, when fully down if it goes no further than the blue line it should resolve the issue and the surface skimmer should/will work correctly
 

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Hi Tinytom


The surface skimmer shaft needs a little trim as its a little too long
View attachment 130944


the pipe is going down to the red arrow, when fully down if it goes no further than the blue line it should resolve the issue and the surface skimmer should/will work correctly
Makes perfect sense I’ll cut it down tomorrow. I didn’t realise you needed to!
 
From your latest pic you can see the the inlet is virtually covered completely by the inlet surface skimmer inner tubing
View attachment 130946

Which will be reducing flow/turnover quite considerably
I know I was on my way out so haven’t cut it down yet. That’s the only position I can put it in where it’s not pulling air down from the surface.
If I lift it so the tube is above the hole it sucks pure air down from the surface almost like the filter is too strong
 
I've just set up a tank last week and have a similar surface skimmer inlet, is it the aquascaper glass pipework set? I have found that i have to run it with the slits totally open otherwise it will randomly suck the skimmer in every now and again. It does skim in the fully open position and seems not to work so well when some of the slits are closed off. Also turn the filter off and try prime the filter a couple of times then turn back on, that seemed to help me.
 
Iv raises the water level this morning right up to within 10mm of the top of the tank and it’s made the slimmer float now and the bottom of the pipe clears the return hole but it’s still managing to pull air down into the filter, do they always do this?
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I've completely struggled to get mine working at all tbh. Maybe just me but mine either sucks air in or it's stuck in position fully open at the inlet. I'm actually tempted to ditch it as it seems way too fussy and my smaller shrimp seem to find their way down to the filter!
 
So disaster has struck today.
I managed to sort the skimmer issue a combination of trimming the tube and upping the water level so thanks for the tips guys.
Today I came home to find my light (APS own brand LED) is full of mouldy water and not working, I bought the set up second hand from eBay but it hadn’t been used at all, everything was brand new.
Also the APS external filter is noisy as hell and I don’t think I can live with it anymore.
Question is when I call all pond solutions tomorrow will they take any responsibility for the warranty side of things or won’t they be interested because I didn’t buy the kit in the first place.
Next question is what to replace the light and filter with, reasonable budget. Under £300 for both would be perfect
Any advice?
 
For that kind of money u could get Twinstar 600E/EA, EA is adjustable and probably better for you, and get a decent canister for the rest of the money, i think that Oase Biomaster 250 would fit the budget, not thermo version, or something from eheim like Classic 600.
 
Iv been on the online chat to all pond solutions this morning and they did not want to know.
At first they said the light is only splash proof, iv never spilt any water on it’s full of condensation.
Then they said it’s only suitable to be fitted with a drip tray underneath ????
Then last off they said it can’t be condensation on an open top tank, they won’t be replacing or refunding.
Terrible customer service, Iv ordered a twinstar 600ea from aquarium gardens, safe to say I’ll never shop at APS again
 
What is the rock you've used in the tank please. I really like the shapes and the colour.
 
Good news, the twin star arrived today, it’s all set up and I don’t think iv lost too many plants after 2 days without any direct light.
There’s loads of dead leafs etc floating around so a big water change is in order.
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At first I wasn’t too happy with the light, it sagged down on its hangers but I changed the tank mounting sections around so the legs sit inside and it seems better. Typical iv got an 800 tank and the light is 600 so it’s right on it’s outer reach. Looks good though and hopefully it’ll get that MC carpet spreading
 
The 600 should be fine in my opinion. I don’t get why lights have to stretch right to the sides when they don’t stretch right to the front and back!
 
The 600 should be fine in my opinion. I don’t get why lights have to stretch right to the sides when they don’t stretch right to the front and back!
I don’t mind there being a gap at the ends but the brackets were sagging and it didn’t look right. They’re a lot more level now iv swapped the sides over.
Be careful you dont photon blast the plants to mush with the twinstar :arghh:

Did you get a controller for the light unit ?
No I didn’t get a controller iv just got the light on a timer. I may get a controller when I decide what filter I’m getting this APS unit is making a right racket. APS won’t help me out because I didn’t buy it from them, I got it with the tank from eBay. Brand new and un used but I’m now the second owner, even with the original receipt they won’t help
 
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