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Hi, I am running a 4ft planted tank and I am using a Fluval Fresh and Plant 2.0. LED I went for the 36" to 48" fitting however this appears to actually be too small as the LED lens is actually about a foot too short, which I guess I should have worked out! The thing is it now means that edges...

Hi Guys, I am hoping for a bit of advice / reassurance. I have just setup a 240 litre aquarium, this tank was setup on Saturday., 3 days ago I am aiming for the lower tech end of the spectrum. I am using eco complete substrate in my planted areas, natural gravel in the none planted parts...

I will replace the bottle. I have replaced everything else so I guess that makes sense. The lighting period type and intensity haven't changed. It's a zed light led light that was bought brand new three months ago. The light period is 8 hours co2 on 2 hours before lights on and off two hours...

Hi stu, Yeah I have changed the drop checker fluid several times. The bottle of solution itself was only opened about 3 months ago when the tank was started.

Hi, I seem to be having trouble with my co2 system. All of a sudden I seem unable to get my drop checker to change colour. Prior to going into hospital I was able to get the drop checker to change at a drop of a hat and really easily. Unfortunately I had to spend sometime in hospital and the...

Oh right, thanks for the reply. I think I should point out that currently there is only enough water to cover the shallowest parts of the substrate. I am using shrimp king active soil as I hope to break into the shrimp side of the hobby. I was told that I should keep the substrate damp. The...

Hi guys, It's been a while since my last aquarium but the bug has bit me and I'm just in the process of setting a new one up. With all the excitement of everything ariving and getting everything started I have made a bit of noob mistake. I have placed my rocks in and built a bit of a mound...

Hi, A friend has asked my what plants she can keep in a coldwater goldfish tank and to be honest I couldn't think of any other that what I put in my pond, most of which would not be suitable in a small 60 litre tank. So other than Elodea Densa are there any others that would be suitable for...

Hi, I would just like to know all the pro's and con's concerning RO and Tap water? I have always used Tap water before however, I have branched out in the Marine world where RO water is almost mandatory. Therefore I have purchased an RO unit. 1p a litre (including the waste water) v's 75p for 5...

I would avoid corner tanks or any tank that is not a straight square and/or rectangle except for bow fronts for an entirely different reason. The reason why I wouold avoid such tanks is try to get flow and distribution setup in these tanks is always extremely difficult. I speak from experience...

Hi Guys, I usally do my water changes on a Sunday, however I have become ill and with other medical conditions means that I am going to be unwell for about 2 weeks or so and I won't be able to complete my water changes. I swear I am not here for sympathy lol. Unfortunately there is no one...

Well I managed to do the pH profile today and its below. Following the theme of getting things wrong! just after actually starting the profile I realised that during the tank relocation yesterday somehow the CO2 valve got turned down. The drop checker stayed a darker than normal green today. So...

Hi, Guys, Its been a while, I have been trying to get everything sorted and to run a pH profile. But I kept running into trouble. Well I tried to do a profile last sunday but I ballsed this up by accidentaly calibrating my pH pen to my tank water! For those of you who are familar with the...

Hi Guys, Well I finnaly got round to cleaning and getting rid of all the dead and rotting leaves today. I pulled out the cardinalis and got rid of anything that wasn't healthy. When I was doing this I also noticed that at the very bottom of the Lindernia right next door to the cardinalis and...

Hi Clive, Thank you so much for the detailed and informative response I really appreciate the time you have spent replying. Lady luck was with me I have just won an auction for the Hanna Combo PH/EC/TDS/TEMP pen for under £20! I love it when people make speilling mistakes in their titles it...

Hi Clive, Thanks for the reply I have read the thread you posted on your reply. I think I am missing your point, for which I apologise. Are you suggesting that I should invest in some testing kits/equiment? Mainly GH/KH and pH tests? I am assuming that we are trying to find out the pH drop to...

Hi BHU, Thanks for the reply. I think I have now sorted the video privacy settings now so hopefully the video can be seen. I have no pH readings as I took Clive's advice about no testing. I have been unsuccesful in trying to locate PAR readings for my light. PAR readings seem to be very hard...

Hi, I am trying to grow some Alternanthera Cardinalis but it is struggling. Nearly all of the bottom leaves have completely melted away. The stems also look like they are melting too. The leaves nearer the top most appear to have some melting around the edges as well as holes. Here are some...

Hi, This is just a matter of curosity and I am in noway concerned about it. I know the flow and distribution is about spot on (All plant all locations sway in the breeze) and my drop checker is very light green sometimes yellow (no livestock) But I am just wondering what is going on within the...

Okie Dokie, thanks for the help.

Thank you Clive. I wasn't trying to be obsessive about the agitation. I was just trying to find out how important it was and if a reduction in agitation would cause any problems with the delicate aquarium balances. I am growing increasingly weary that changing one thing can at times disrupt a...

Hi, Me again. I'm a little unsure just how important surface agitation is? I was under the impression that surface agitation helps with gaseous exchange and to help deplete the CO2 during lights off. I currently have high surface agitation but it does NOT actually break the surface. I thought...

That's a really great idea why didn't I think of that? Thanks Tam, I think you have saved the day!

Ok thanks for the help Ceg. I need to try and come up with a way to shade the Anubias and not the plants at the rear, where the cardinalis. If not I guess its bye bye anubias. I am thinking that if the shade of floating plants will not cause the Staurogyne then I think that will be best as I...

Thank you Ceg, I thought as much regarding too much CO2 but I was just covering all bases. I thought it was going to be more an issue of CO2 instablilty while I try to hone into the CO2 "sweet spot" I have just got to get my thinking cap on and think about how to shade the Anubias and not the...

Thank you Ceg. As to the CO2 what would the issue be? Is it a case of too little, too much or something else CO2 related?

Hi, I just setup my tank and it is coming up to two weeks old. I have attached some Anubias Nana Petite and Bonsai to a piece of manzantia root. The Anubias Nana Petite looks like it maybe struggling. Nearly all of the flower stems have died of and I have just noticed that on one leaf there...

UPDATE: Well I am now one week on and things seem to be going well despite some of the set backs. The set backs being that the original filter broke and I couldn't control the flow properly meaning the plants were being uprooted left, right and centre. The integral heater also failed meaning...

That's great, thanks for the info.

Hi, I understand that it is desirable to keep the PO4 and cheleted Iron seperate otherwise the PO4 could cause the Iron to precipitate out of solution, but I was just wondering how much time would be the minimum for this danger of precipitation to pass? I ask because I am going away on an...

Thanks for the suggestions. No, a sump with a wet dry tower is not basic and beyond what I can implement on this tank, perhaps on a bigger tank. So back to the drawing board. Thanks again for the suggestions.

Hi, I have now got my aquarium setup and running, however as with all great plans I have hit some teething problems. The main problem is my external filter. It has an adjustable flow however it periodically just switches up the flow to the full rate which is simply just too strong. Max flow is...

UPDATE: Well the plants are in! They all arrived this morning and I couldn't wait to get them planted. I have spent from 10am this morning to about 11:30 tonight working on it! Preparing the plants, getting them ready to plant and then setting up all the equipment. My heart broke though when my...

Hi Steve, All good plns change! I too am now happy with the plants I have selected and I think they will work well together.

Hi Steve, Thanks for getting back to me. Yes that does answer the question. Thanks. I was asking as I was reading an article that seemed to be suggesting adding shrimp at startup, which to me didn't seem right assuming that the ammonia would just as harmful to shrimp as it would be fish if not...

UPDATE: Today has been much better!. The plants have now been ordered wahoooo!!!!! They are due to arrive tomorrow. The excitment is really building now, I can't wait. There has been yet another last minute change of plans. In other words it was cheaper for me to add an extra plant than it was...

Hi Red, How long after filling you tank did you add the Amano Shrimp?

UPDATE: Well, it's been a little disappointing today, but its's my own fault! I decided to have a rethink about the plants I want to keep and decided to completely rehash my plans. I am no longer looking to do a HC carpet, as there are some doubts about it. I think this maybe better for the...

Nice work! I hope I can acheive something as good.

Hi Tim, Thanks for the encouraging words. I am not sure if this would change your recommendation or not, but the bottom of the tank is not actually at the top of the black band at the bottom of the tank and that below that mark there is already about 4cm of substrate. I went with the 3cm soil...

UPDATE: Well there is not that much to report today, all I have done is rinsed and put in the sand to finish of my substrate. I am concerned though as I found the sand rinsing to be really rather easy. I have been reading some absolute horror stories online about how people have taken forever...

Hi Edvert, Aye this is definitely going to be a challenge. I personally wouldn't pick a tank of any other shape other than rectangular or square, however as they say, one should not look a gift horse in the mouth. I say this as I had a corner aquarium before and that proved to be difficult in...

Well I am assuming so. I took my inspiration from this thread: http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/the-soil-substrate-planted-tank-a-how-to-guide.18943/ I know from personal exprience about the mess that can be caused by moving plants in a soil substrate. So I thought this sounded like a good...

Hi, Well I have read a few journals and have enjoyed doing so, so I thought I should perhaps write my own. I have kept aquariums before but never to the level I am aspiring to achieve with this tank. I want to use this tank as a warm up to a much larger aquarium (pending a house move sometime...

Hi Chka, From my understanding, and I am sure others will correct my if I am wrong, the ADA soil should really be considered more like a storage container rather than a nutrient source. That's where the CEC level (Cation Exchange Capacity) comes in, i.e. how much of the nutrients your ADA soil...

Hi, I have been reading many threads concerning the measurement of CO2 concentration in a tank. Unfortunately I am still a little confused about the matter. On one hand I get the impression that all one needs is a drop checker and as long as it turns Limeade green, you have enough CO2 and of...

Well the new light has just arrived. I was going for the simple just 2 x PL 11W ligths, however the ligth I have recieved is not what I have ordered. Apparantly there is a manufacturing problem and I have been given a free upgrade to an Aquael LEDDY Sunny Light. The specs are 6w, Temperatture...

Hi, I was hoping to use an external flow with a variable flow rate from 300-1610 l/ph, however this is looking less likely now so I have a question about acheiving the right flow rate. I understand that I am roughly for 10 time aquarium volume per hour. I have a 60 litre aquarium so I am...

Thanks for that Ceg I appreciate your input. Andy - Lol! I would rather people think I am weird than boring!!!

Hi Andy, I knew someone would pick up on this. My logic is that omitting an entire componet rather then reducing quantiy of components fits in with being simple and easy. I got the feeling from some of the expert posts on this thread that some people are over complicating what should be a...

Hi Darrel, Thanks for the information. So if I am reading that right, basically try the normal EDTA and if it doesn't precipitate out of solution, bingo everything is ok. If it does precipitate then that is not too much of a problem either as this precipitate will not contain every single atom...

Hi, This thread has been a very in depth and informative read. I think I have now understood the basics. From what I have understood EI's basis is to provide non limiting nutrients to plants and it does that by supplying the nutrients in an "abundance". Abundant nutrients ARE NOT going to...

Thanks for the response. I appreciate it. Yes, odd shape tanks are the bane of my life, but this tank was giving to me for free, so as they say you shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth. That being said though if I can overcome the shape barriers I think it could look good. Thanks again.

Hi, I think after reading this thread that I just about understand the flow and distribution needed in a plant aquarium, however I still I cannot really workout how to implement adaquate flow and distribution in my aquarium. Fluid dynamics was never really my strong point. I think the biggest...

Hi, Thanks for the replies Big Clown and Vink. I appreciate and will get busy reading. Vink, I am assuming that by you adivsing reading "EI Dosing Using Dry Salts" that you would recommend that method to making up a solutions using the dry salts? It is just trying to dose 1.82 grams of...

Thank you for the response, although the response of "prepare for a 15L algae farm" with all due respect is not helpful, nor does it answer the question. Which was what kind type of light would be recommended for my proposed setup? I kinda feel like a school kid who has got their homework wrong...

Hi, I an new to this forum and forums in general, so my apologies if my etiquette is not quite right. I have been given an Aquael Hexaset 60 litre aquarium. It is hexagonal shaped (which is proving to be a very difficult shape!) holding 60 litres roughly 15 gallons of water. I would like...