Recent content by stujo

Thanks for your replies, guess its just one of those things that happens and we live with it. Yes Stuart_B I read the same about using some form of oil in the bubble counter as it was more viscous. However, I wasn't prepared to risk it and maybe finish up with oil in the tank. Progen, I think...

I am using a Fluval 88g bubble counter in my Co2 system. I use a 2kg FE, with regulator, needle valve etc, through the bubble counter, then a splitter into two separate CO2 lines, supplying two glass diffusers, each placed just below the inlets to each of my two Eheim 2217 filters to mix the...

thanks for quick reply Iain. I haven't had a leak as yet but have seen posts where it says the nitrile washer should be replaced each time the FE is changed. As I seem to get through a 2kg FE every two months or so I was just thinking ahead!! I do a soap test each time to check for leaks, so...

Hi - haven't posted for a while as things have been going pretty well (tempting fate here). Could somebody please advise where I can get a replacement "main" washer i.e. the large one between the regulator and FE. I have used the existing one for a few changes now and would like to renew it...

You can also minimise risk by having a CO2 compatible plastic straight through connector in your CO2 tubing just above water line where it cant be seen. To clean diffuser, "split" the tubing at this point, remove this section of tubing still attached to diffuser and clean diffuser with bleach...

I am soon going to totally strip down my tank and use new substrate, plants etc. Can somebody please advise a good way to totally kill off all BBA, other algae and "nasties" in the tank and on wood etc. Although I will soak/stabilise my new substrate well in advance I need to try and achieve a...

Hi - thanks for your reply and this makes sense. Yes I do use dechlorinator when changing water. I was in fact splitting a big area of crypts as they were outgrowing themselves, hence the rather large substrate disturbance. I have got ottos, originally had six, but can can only find three...

I have a 200l well planted tank which has (or had) had been running pretty well for a year or so now. Substrate is Akadama with JBL Aquabasis Plus below. Pressurised CO2 and EI dosing. Filtration 10x (rated) plus 2 Koralis. Lighting is about 1.8 wpg. Filters cleaned regularly, substrate...

I personally think that the "figure of eight" configuration as suggested by Gfish (unless I am misunderstanding his suggestion) i.e. having the spraybar at one end of the tank and intake at the other end of tank for each filter will cause the flow for each filter to be fighting/restricting the...

Hi - did you say you had tetras in your tank. I have read many times that if a shrimp is small enough to go into a fish's mouth it will end up as a meal. However, believe me when I say that tetras (well at least neon tetras) take great pleasure in attacking smallish (in my case 1cm) shrimps...

Hi - Not sure what adverse comments you have heard about Akadama, I am using this without any problems and really like it. It does need rinsing well as can be a bit dusty, but other than that it is good. Although Akadama is good for absorbing nutrients from the water column, in my case I did...

Hi Clive Thanks as usual for your comments. It was already on my list to look at extending my spray bars. Is it possible to buy longer ones or do I simply have to add/connect up a piece of suitably drilled tube - should I make it one long spraybar served by both filters or keep them separate...

Hi Clive, Thanks for reply. I got info from a post on another forum about reducing PO4 for helping with BBA, however, did not think about the adverse affect on the Rhizo and GSA. I can follow a tip given by George Farmer and use a small brush to carefully paint Excel over the BBA when it is...

I am struggling just a bit with BBA which is growing only on my Redmoor Wood. With the exception of a minor amount of Rhizo and an even smaller amount of green spot algae everything else is growing/going extremely well. The tank has now been setup and running for about 8 weeks. From reading...

Thanks Clive for taking the time to write a lengthy reply and again I have learnt a lot. I have never previously used CO2 and I have to say that so far I am quite amazed at what is happening in the tank regarding plant growth, because even though I read a lot beforehand I did take some of it...