• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

Search results for query: *

  1. JMorgan

    Inspired by: Tom's Bucket O' Mud

    I'm admittedly biased but I pretty much ALWAYS think that plants are a good idea, - and as Darrel's photo above shows, Lake Tanganyika isn't an exception as far as mother nature is concerned . I was only saying that if your starting point, your tap water, is on the softer side and you want to...
  2. JMorgan

    Green stringy algae problem

    I've been having problems with what looks like the same stuff. I've been pulling it out for months - which I suppose is a positive in the sense that it tends to adhere to itself more than to plants and rocks, so if I grab enough of a clump, (visually at least) a lot of it comes away quite...
  3. JMorgan

    Inspired by: Tom's Bucket O' Mud

    I might be wrong but if I recall correctly I think Tom (unwittingly) used a substrate that had some lime in it which leached into the water making it harder than intended. However I might be confusing this with another project. I mention this because otherwise there's no reason to assume that...
  4. JMorgan

    A few shrimp questions . . .

    I'm sorry I don't remember the exact description, I think it was Lucas Bretz talking on one of his you tube channel live streams a few years ago. But yes I think the pebbles were resting on substrate, so when he tore down the tank, he found they'd dug out the substrate to some extent . . ...
  5. JMorgan

    A few shrimp questions . . .

    One quick tip I thought sensible came from a bloke who successfully combined shrimp with moderate sized fish, i.e. fish that would definitely eat shrimplets but probably not adult shrimp: He established the shrimp first using a pile of roughly walnut sized pebbles as a 'hatchery/shrimplet...
  6. JMorgan

    Awesome Ram Video

    Glad I spotted this as I was just about to create a new thread to share it :) Dave's videos really are of exceptional quality and I think UKAPS members should do all they can to support his work. I strongly recommend watching ALL his other videos, especially the more recent ones with the...
  7. JMorgan

    Polyether vs Polyester/polyethylene foam filters (minor rant)

    Taking the last question first, I believe there are heaters available that have a PCB design that effectively ensures they fail by not working, rather than working constantly. Also a bloke I know in the USA who runs a lot (typical of the American hobby) of large tanks (100+ USG) had a disastrous...
  8. JMorgan

    Salobras River Pantanal

    Sorry if this has been shared previously but it is a real treat so grab a cuppa and enjoy
  9. JMorgan

    Bit of a warning with superglue

    yes and I've heard of fish getting themselves trapped in fishing line and nylon sewing thread and injure themselves on zip ties . . . there's nothing absolutely safe and we just have to do our best to learn where possible. Quite recently I added some catappa leaves to a tank that just had rummy...
  10. JMorgan

    Maxing CO2 in Low Techs

    Understood, but with a bubble-nesting species I want to keep any water movement very gentle indeed, especially at the surface. Hence the idea to have, on the one hand a fairly efficient uplift to draw water through the matten filter, and then return it almost as inefficiently as possible, to...
  11. JMorgan

    Maxing CO2 in Low Techs

    Having just read through this thread, well skimmed through to be honest, I kept noticing the oft repeated statements about dwell time and size of bubbles, small being better etc. That reminded me of something I saw recently, which is probably very well-known to many here, but which intrigued me...
  12. JMorgan

    Polyether vs Polyester/polyethylene foam filters (minor rant)

    With a proviso/reminder that there is NOTHING magical about Poret branded foam, it is just standard polyether foam with an inflated price tag! Please refer to my earlier posts re 'Poret' vs polyether vs polyethylene...
  13. JMorgan

    Bit of a warning with superglue

    Something I've seen being used a lot with woodworking is superglue plus an 'activator'. A typical use is with templates for routers: You attach masking tape to the bench and masking tape to the template, then you put superglue on one strip of masking tape and spray the activator onto the other...
  14. JMorgan

    How do you remineralize your RO water?

    I have nothing very scientific to offer, but here's how I join the dots: First of all thoroughly aerating water isn't going to hurt anything, so why not? In theory the carbon block part of an RO system should sort of the chlorine, but then there's variables such as how long ago it was changed...
  15. JMorgan

    Are nitrates bad in planted aquariums?

    Just to add - rummy noses can also get a kind of shiny greenish blob of colour on the top of their heads, especially when they're happy. I mention it because in certain lights it can be quite startling, and having read stuff about how sensitive these fish are to water quality my immediate...
  16. JMorgan

    How do you remineralize your RO water?

    OK I'll chip in because I used to use remineralised RO on some tanks before I down sized the "fish room" - I still have the gear because I like having the option, but I typically use tap on my two larger tanks and a tap and RO mix on my two smaller tanks. I'll also top off the larger tanks with...
  17. JMorgan

    Where to buy in the North East.

    I'll start with being negative to get it out of the way. Local to me are Ferrybridge Aquatics: The staff are friendly and they carry a wide range of dry goods, but I haven't really got anything more positive to say about the place. They've won multiple 'awards' and aren't shy about advertising...
  18. JMorgan

    low tech CO2 - passive diffusion

    Thanks for the replies - I suspected it might have been discussed previously, blame my poor searching skills! Thanks for the links to the other thread :) I've not been very actively engaged with the hobby due to pressure of work the last few months and haven't really had the headspace to get...
  19. JMorgan

    low tech CO2 - passive diffusion

    Sorry if this has already been discussed - I did search for "passive CO2" but couldn't find anything, so here goes: I recently stumbled across a video showing an aquatics shop in San Francisco, "Ocean Aquariums" (misnamed as all freshwater!) where the owner does things a little differently...
  20. JMorgan

    Good review article on ammonia oxidation

    Thank you for the precis Darrel - and for your many other posts over the years and more recently on the 'bedside' thread you linked to above. I've been extremely busy the last few months, my aquariums have been receiving minimum maintenance rather than my being actively engaged with them. That...
  21. JMorgan

    A Guide To Crystal Red Shrimp

    I've just come across an article on CRS keeping in a back issue of Amazonas magazine March/April 2012. The article is by Kurt Mack and has some excellent tips. For example using daphnia as "guinea pigs" to test that wood and plants are safe and insecticide free before introducing them to a...
  22. JMorgan

    Tropic Marin Remineral

    Although I'm no expert I thought I'd chip in as no one else has replied as yet. As a yellow variant of what is basically a cherry shrimp I don't think you need to be too worried. Just remineralise to get close to what they're used to in their previous leaky home. At the end of the day its just a...
  23. JMorgan

    A Guide To Crystal Red Shrimp

    Thanks for the detailed reply Finn. I suspected as much, but having no direct experience with CRS didn't want to assume anything. In fact when I read the intro, I thought Aha! crystal red shrimp, super inbred type with extremely limited gene pool and near to useless immune system . . . maybe...
  24. JMorgan

    A Guide To Crystal Red Shrimp

    I've heard elsewhere of CRS keepers saying their nitrates are kept as close to zero as possible - just wondering how this fits with growing plants? Presumably you don't add any regular ferts to the water column? What about root tabs? Thanks for the interesting article. I don't plan of keeping...
  25. JMorgan

    Do we really need that much fertiliser ?

    Thanks Darrel - I do understand the broad principle, but I also think I'm probably missing a few clues that other more experienced people would think of as obvious in 'reading' the health of my frogbit. Now I've seen the picture above re Iron deficiency I have another snippet to file away...
  26. JMorgan

    Do we really need that much fertiliser ?

    Hi Darrel - though I think I've read most of what you've posted about the duckweed index, I wonder if I've missed some info where you've possibly commented on how one might interpret different 'symptoms' as seen with Limnobium ? For example in one of my tanks the majority of the Limnobium...
  27. JMorgan

    Heron proofing pond

    That's a really helpful photo Kipper. Gives me some good ideas for next spring. Thanks :)
  28. JMorgan

    CO2 choices and decisions ???

    Well I wouldn't take the liberty of publishing it, but matter of factly in combination with valuable contributions from other members, I do now have quite a collection of copied and pasted documents which I often refer to and together they add up to an invaluable resource for which I am...
  29. JMorgan

    Heron proofing pond

    From Wikipedia: The grey heron is a large bird, standing up to 100 cm (39 in) tall and measuring 84–102 cm (33–40 in) long with a 155–195 cm (61–77 in) wingspan. A sparrow it is not! The point is that I had this thing set up all summer with its sensor aimed (unintentionally really it just...
  30. JMorgan

    Heron proofing pond

    My pond at around 2.5 feet, isnt deep enough for me to guarantee my shubunkins will be OK through a Yorkshire winter so they're over-wintered in an IBC tote in my shed, however I think winter heron deterrents are a different ball game largely because few of us in the UK are going to go sit by...
  31. JMorgan

    Heron proofing pond

    We have a pretty small pond set into a raised 'patio' area within 2 metres of the rear of the house and over looked by several windows . . . far too close, or so I wrongly assumed, for herons to approach. We were lucky in that we lost only one fish before realising what must be happening, and I...
  32. JMorgan

    Acrylic aquariums

    What we really need, and I speak as someone fiercely resistant to pretty much every other American cultural import I can think of, especially having just endured another b****y Trick or Treat Halloween, is a nicely British (i.e. Imperial Gallons not litres!) version of their dollar a gallon...
  33. JMorgan

    Adding gas to low tech tank?

    Thanks to Ian_M, Clive and AWB for the clarification.
  34. JMorgan

    Adding gas to low tech tank?

    Is it not possible to use CO2 in a way that provides a moderate amount ? I mean assuming all other critical factors such as consistency, circulation/dispersion etc. so as to promote some increased growth, but not the fantastic growth rates associated with high tech tanks where people seem to...
  35. JMorgan

    What’s wrong with my plants?

    Being "bulb" plants lilies have enormous reserves stored in the bulb - once this runs out the lily will struggle unless it can replenish itself - do you have root tabs around it? How are you otherwise adding ferts to your water or substrate?
  36. JMorgan

    What flow rate for trickle filter?

    I thought I'd update this to describe my experience with the trickle filter: Sadly for now its back in the box, though I plan to use it very soon over a 1000L IBC tote I'm setting up in my shed to over-winter my goldfish as their pond is a little too shallow at 2' to be absolutely sure they'll...
  37. JMorgan

    GH Boost

    My experience was it didn't help enough . . . I put one quite large piece in a 60L cube I keep quite soft, tannined and at roughly 6.8 pH 120ppm for a betta and his cardinal tank mates before I added a couple of nerites. Their shells started to noticeably discolour quite quickly so I moved them...
  38. JMorgan

    Three stripe Cory catfish lost tail

    Corydoras generally do better with more meaty stuff - frozen blood worms, brine shrimp etc. I'm not saying they won't eat an algae wafer or that it will do them any harm, but if I was trying to bring a cory back into condition I'd try to spoil it with some blood worm - after lights out when the...
  39. JMorgan

    questioning local fish store

    I'd love to be more supportive of my LFS's but as I've learned more over the years I've sadly discovered that many are just going through the motions and a lot of the advice I've been given in the past has turned out to have been either simply wrong or unfounded opinion or a justification for...
  40. JMorgan

    GH Boost

    Damn that's me stumped at the first hurdle! ;)
  41. JMorgan

    Pre filter for AquaClear 70

    Finally got there - I'm often baffled when things are too easy . . . A very far cry from rimless opti-wotsit iwagumi masterpieces ;)
  42. JMorgan

    Pre filter for AquaClear 70

    *grins* I'll take your very large, very DIY, big green sponge with a distinctly wavy seam and raise you a wet&dry trickle filter with contrasting "gutter" DIY LED lighting :) edit Hmm trying to get photo inserted
  43. JMorgan

    Pre filter for AquaClear 70

    Sewing! Of course! One of the many things I love about this hobby is the inventiveness and amazingly broad range of knowledge and skills used. Somehow while I've been merrily tying my anubis and java fern to wood for years, I never quite made the leap to using thread or fishing line to sew foam...
  44. JMorgan

    Pre filter for AquaClear 70

    Hi Robert . . . all I can suggest is that you look at the Eheim prefilters or maybe just attach some foam on the intake? Kockney Koi does a range of foam prefilters made from pretty decent quality foam - the link above is just the only one I could find quickly and I do not vouch for that...
  45. JMorgan

    Akadama - A cheap substrate

    Thanks Marcel - appreciate your point of view.
  46. JMorgan

    Akadama - A cheap substrate

    Because my fish room's costing quite a lot in electricity and I'm already running a 20W air pump on a closed loop which supplies air to all the other tanks. If I can get to a point where one 20W air pump is doing all my filtration I'll save quite a bit - over the course of a year since its all...
  47. JMorgan

    Polyether vs Polyester/polyethylene foam filters (minor rant)

    Hi Colin - good find! Is it possible to stick sheets together? I assume you'd lose a little porosity, but not very much if it was just spot glued . . . we all know super glue is fish safe, but wonder if this actually holds longer term? That said 75mm is a pretty good thickness - I've only seen...
  48. JMorgan

    Akadama - A cheap substrate

    Hi Marcel - you seem to have a lot of experience using akadama in the same low tech set up I have now so I'm aiming this at you, (but of course I'd value input from anyone with direct experience) - have you any experience of using akadama with an under gravel filter? I've had this 200L tank...
  49. JMorgan

    Polyether vs Polyester/polyethylene foam filters (minor rant)

    No I haven't as yet had much luck - that said I haven't been trying terribly hard - things like installing bathrooms and boarding out the attic being just a tad higher on Mrs M's priority list than fishy related things. It would seem the way forward - when I have time to wade through the...
  50. JMorgan

    What flow rate for trickle filter?

    I really should know better but I thought to pop in to homebase this morning because I knew they were having a sale. Since a sale at homebase just reduces some items to being very expensive instead of outright extortion I didn't have high hopes, but was gobsmacked to discover that in combination...
  51. JMorgan

    Flow and Floaters

    My seven tanks are all in the same room so I run most of them on air driven filtration running from one of these EV20 - which is an amazingly quiet pump for its power. Even so since its doing the work of the half a dozen plus smaller pumps it replaced (and is much quieter than them collectively...
  52. JMorgan

    What flow rate for trickle filter?

    Many thanks - I added this filter to my basket so long ago I think they must have added the bit about pump LPH since or equally likely I'd just forgotten. I've got a number of pumps to experiment with but it seems a useful guideline to just aim for whatever strength pump fills the spray bar...
  53. JMorgan

    What flow rate for trickle filter?

    I've just got an above tank trickle filter for my Roma 200, which is actually 175 litres.The tank is quite heavily planted with swords, crypts, java fern and anubias - nothing demanding - is low/medium light with akadama substrate and has a bunch of corys, tetras and a pair of angels. Having...
  54. JMorgan

    Do I need to cycle a planted tank

    Don't put the sponge filter into the betta tank until you add the fish. Or buy an identical sponge filter to add when you start up the tank and then just swap the sponges over when you add the fish. I don't recall if I've said this here so forgive me for repeating myself if I have. My personal...
  55. JMorgan

    Polyether vs Polyester/polyethylene foam filters (minor rant)

    Hi Marcel - thanks for the wasserflora link. Ive had a quick look and its great that for once someone is saying that the sheets are polyether. I haven't seen some of the air driven filter brands they have elsewhere and I always live in hope that some of those might be polyether too, though I...
  56. JMorgan

    Polyether vs Polyester/polyethylene foam filters (minor rant)

    I wrote to them some time ago - they really only supply manufacturers, I don't remember the amount exactly but their minimum order was around £500.00 which I guess might even make sense if you were building a large fish room or opening a store, but not for half a dozen aquariums :)
  57. JMorgan

    Polyether vs Polyester/polyethylene foam filters (minor rant)

    Having spent many hours of fruitless searching I'm hoping that someone here can point me in the right direction to get hold of some decent quality polyether foam/sponge filters. Possibly in Germany or the Netherlands? Roughly 18 months ago I quite suddenly needed to expand the number of tanks...
  58. JMorgan

    AIO for low tech DIY

    Hoggie - thanks so much for your detailed reply. That makes a lot of sense. Despite bearing a distinct physical resemblance to a plank of wood, I had just about managed to figure out how to measure out the 48g in two lots of 24 . . . ;) it just seemed odd that there was such a large proportion...
  59. JMorgan

    Switched to EI - What went wrong

    Very usefully succinct summary Darrel - Thank you
  60. JMorgan

    AIO for low tech DIY

    From this thread: https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/all-in-one-macro-micro-fertiliser.42410/ Can anyone please confirm that James' TPN (3) formula is correct? DIY TPN+ (3) 48g Potassium Nitrate 2.2g Monopotassium Phosphate 17g Magnesium Sulphate Heptahydrate (Epsom Salts) 0.5g E300 Ascorbic...
  61. JMorgan

    What my angels are doing?

    Hi Madhav The breeder boxes I used hang outside the tank, this makes observation very easy. As it happened my daughter is very into Warhammer models and I'd bought her a set of modeller's magnifying glasses for her birthday. These are fantastic for observing the fry. Though they come setup...
  62. JMorgan

    What my angels are doing?

    I think Mick was talking about there being not ENOUGH oxygen in the water as a consequence of there being too many fry in too small a volume of water. When we did it, through two batches of fry, after they outgrew the breeder boxes and were transferred to grow out tanks, I was massively...
  63. JMorgan

    What my angels are doing?

    I have two breeding pairs of angels - breeding in the sense they lay eggs regularly, but non-breeding in the sense that neither pair seems to have the right genes for proper parenting behaviour for the whole duration. I have a 12 year old daughter who shares the hobby with me, so a year ago...
  64. JMorgan

    Live food cultures

    Speaking of cats . . . they are the only real problem with using measuring cylinders, not being the most stable of objects! I put mine inside a heavy jar to cat proof it :) Thanks for the dry grass / hay tip - off to bung some in right now and rehome a pond snail or three :) The daphnia...
  65. JMorgan

    Live food cultures

    Re Vinegar eels - I have mine in a two litre pop bottle from which I pour a a little bit into one of the larger of these Link: http://amzn.eu/4bdrhGy Though the measurement isnt the teeniest bit important, the shape of the measure is very handy as you then pop a bit of filter floss in so it...
  66. JMorgan

    Frogbit shows problems even with Ei dosing...

    If you've only had it two weeks then YOUR water is growing the healthy nice green new stuff. The fact that its obviously producing new leaves I would have thought is a good sign. I'd ignore the older leaves that weren't grown in your tank, possibly they're dying off as a kind of "melt" type...
  67. JMorgan

    Frogbit shows problems even with Ei dosing...

    Looking at your photo the newer smaller leaves look really good - its only the older ones that are tatty. I dont know what that means, but I'm aware that frogbit seems prone to "mechanical" injury in that its happiest being very stationary but when its being moved about by a filter out put it...
  68. JMorgan

    Dipping the Anubias plants - chlorine or H2O2?

    API's Erythromycin will kill the cyano - google Vitamin Grocer in the UK. I use this routinely as part of my quarantine regime along with other meds for parasites, so can say its shrimp and invert safe in my experience. I should add that Ive not had cyano type problems but understand that this...
  69. JMorgan

    Diatoms...... i know! i know!

    I do like your willow whips - can you say more about how you do that? Presumably same basic idea as folks that grow bamboo in HOB filters? Does it make a difference where you cut them? Do they go down to the substrate? As for diatoms - I had a massive problem following a DIY experiment with LED...
  70. JMorgan

    montmorillonite clay for shrimp tanks ?

    Darrel - just to clarify: Are you saying that chemically and functionally (in the aquarium hobby) Montmorillonite clay and Calcium Bentonite clay are identical or so similar as makes no difference? I just want to double check as this is what my reading on the subject tells me - it being more...
  71. JMorgan

    Do I need to cycle a planted tank

    Hi Darrel - not sure if you were aware as its not so obvious to find and navigate to, but there's also a few papers he's published listed http://www.drtimsaquatics.com/resources/library-presentations/scientific-papers cheers
  72. JMorgan

    Nano Walstad tank startup

    Sorry just started reading this journal as I'm definitely due another DW tank, but I'm aware this post was from years ago. Even so I thought I'd relay some excellent advice I was given on otocinclus, which is: They were eating in the wild before capture, so there's a strong argument to get your...
  73. JMorgan

    Do I need to cycle a planted tank

    I think its sad that there should be talk of "siding" with one side or another - clearly there are various methods that have the end result of an aquarist being able to introduce fish safely without fear of them being harmed. The first couple of tanks I set up a few years ago, I used Kleen-Off...
  74. JMorgan

    Tom's Poco Pozo

    Hi Tom - just read through most of the last 22 pages and just wanted to add a few words of appreciation and gratitude. I'm sure youve inspired many people with the beauty of your natural aquaria, (this and others) but personally I'm still more inspired by the fact that youve created a mini...
  75. JMorgan

    How to know if your tank is cycling...

    Exquisite understatement. Thanks for the smile.
  76. JMorgan

    Do I need to cycle a planted tank

    There's an interestingly eccentric but very nice bloke on You Tube called LR Bretz (Lucas) with a fish room with 100+ tanks. He's been gradually removing all his filtration (excepting airstones and circulation pumps) over the last few months having realised that given healthy plant growth, it...
  77. JMorgan

    MR16 - DC 12 Volt COB LED spot on TC420

    Hi Marcel - thanks for the further detail. I'm pulling together a parts/shopping list for the project, but with Christmas looming, for some strange reason Mrs M insists that the child's Christmas presents take priority . . . I find it odd, but have been reliably informed that this isn't all...
  78. JMorgan

    MR16 - DC 12 Volt COB LED spot on TC420

    Marcel - thank you so much for going to the trouble of documenting all these steps - I'm hoping to make something very similar happen. Noticing that the power transformer is wired between the 240V mains and the TC420 do I need to purchase what they call a "dimmable" transformer? It seems to me...
  79. JMorgan

    external filter outlet cover

    Despite having a fluval 406 on one tank I recently fitted its intake with an Eheim prefilter - they go for about £10 on eBay. I did have to bodge the pipe work a bit to get things to fit together. Though most of my filters are simple internal sponges, where I have HOB types these also have...
  80. JMorgan

    Akadama - getting it stable quickly

    Thanks zozo and Nelson for your replies. Zozo what you say makes a lot of sense, but it wasn't what I'd understood before I bought it. I'm definitely not someone who is regularly rescaping - though I like my tanks to look nice I'm more a "plants as living filters for my fish" guy, so as long as...
  81. JMorgan

    Akadama - getting it stable quickly

    I just realised I hadn't updated this! The Black Bonsai Soil linked to above is completely useless as it floats. The fine grain moler is OK, but much too light in that it is easily disturbed and throws up clouds of dust. It's also pretty impossible to rinse clean of dust as it seems to break...
  82. JMorgan

    Tweaking James' RO remineralisation formula?

    Just a quick update having finally found the time to put this into practice. I made up a table with amounts of salts for 100 litres and 1000 litres, then got 1 litre of RODI water and weighed out the amounts for 1000 litres and put them in the litre of water. So now in theory I had a solution...
  83. JMorgan

    Tweaking James' RO remineralisation formula?

    Thank you so much Darrel - your stock solution suggestion is so much more practical than trying to keep the mixture dry! Again I really appreciate you sharing your knowledge and understanding so generously.
  84. JMorgan

    Tweaking James' RO remineralisation formula?

    Just to check a few other things: 1) Can I mix up the ingredients in the correct proportions (multiples of James' formula) and store them together without problems? 2) if yes, would it be a good idea to add some food grade silica bags to the container to soak up some moisture? 3) Given its now...
  85. JMorgan

    Tweaking James' RO remineralisation formula?

    Fantastic Darrel - I really appreciate you taking the time to explain all that. Thank you! Thanks also for the link to the Yorkshire Water page on the nitrate plant. I've actually visited the nature reserve but had no idea that plant did that! I will follow up to see what the figures are in...
  86. JMorgan

    Tweaking James' RO remineralisation formula?

    I received a great deal of help here a while back and have been getting along quite nicely with using my tap water at about 10 to 20%. However the problem I have is that I have an RO reservoir of about 100 litres with an automatic cut off when its full. That means I have to chuck out 10 to 20...
  87. JMorgan

    Angels everywhere!!

    I've got myself in a spot of bother in that when one pair of our angelfish spawned and I removed the leaf to a hang-on breeder box, 11 fry made it past the wriggler stage and are now growing out nicely in their own tank. So when I removed a second leaf a few weeks later from a different pair...
  88. JMorgan

    Akadama - getting it stable quickly

    OK well I have some of the Fine grain moler/ Terramol bonsai soil on the way, but not the Lapillo since nobody had anything to say about its constituents in time. However I did order some of the Black Bonsai Soil basically because its black(ish) and therefore interesting aesthetically. Also I've...
  89. JMorgan

    Akadama - getting it stable quickly

    Hey Marcel - thanks for the reply - Its more of a substrate change on an established tank & filters: I was planning on moving already cycled sponge filters with the fish and putting a load of filter squeezings into the substrate - also all the plants would go back in, plus some more from other...
  90. JMorgan

    Akadama - getting it stable quickly

    James' tutorial mentions adding quantities of ferts and just leaving it for a week, but I have a three day window to get things done and will then be very busy for a while . . . hence the time pressure. I'm basically asking if its possible to get it stable in 48 hours or so, so its safe to...
  91. JMorgan

    Understanding adaptation to no Water Changes

    Many thanks for all the interesting and informative replies and links to previous discussions/threads. I'm all for low maintenance, but having planned on doing regular water changes I was more than a bit dismayed to read that I should be minimising fluctuations of CO2 by avoiding water changes...
  92. JMorgan

    Understanding adaptation to no Water Changes

    Hey Troi - entirely possible! But that's the problem when Google searches are as likely to turn up dross and gems :) Given that even a cursory glance at your thread promises to answer many of my questions and make my OP questions entirely redundant (for which I am extremely grateful!) please...
  93. JMorgan

    Understanding adaptation to no Water Changes

    To recap what Ive gathered so far: When plants have to deal with 4-8ppm CO2 typical of water without any CO2 injection, they produce more of an enzyme called rubisco (Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase) to help make more efficient use of the paucity of available carbon in the...
  94. JMorgan

    Rocks

    A tip I picked up from the DIY Joey bloke on you tube - take a knife with you and scratch the rocks. If it skitters off the hardness of the rock compares well to the hardness of steel. A very quick and easy test that eliminates the worst offenders (assuming you don't WANT your water's TDS going...
  95. JMorgan

    RO DIY Remineralisation for Low Tech- "dirted" tank

    Thanks again Darrel - I love to learn, especially the myth busting stuff that helps me avoid shelling (forgive the pun) out for ridiculously expensive products. On that subject, if Seachem Prime neutralises nitrites and nitrates as well as ammonia, chlorine and chloramine how or why does it not...
  96. JMorgan

    RO DIY Remineralisation for Low Tech- "dirted" tank

    Thanks Darrel - I'll definitely get some. I'd also like to know how long it takes to have some effect - presumably its going to dissolve quicker in softer water and then slow down over time, but roughly how much per litre to put in for cherry shrimp and how long before the TDS changes level out...
  97. JMorgan

    RO DIY Remineralisation for Low Tech- "dirted" tank

    Ian - thanks for the advice. I do add Prime because of lead pipe concern. Darrel - Thank you very much - I'll make up a batch of RO and do some TDS measurements as I add the tap. When changing TDS for stocked tanks what are the recommended increments/timescale with which the TDS is raised or...
  98. JMorgan

    RO DIY Remineralisation for Low Tech- "dirted" tank

    Thanks everyone - really appreciate the advice. The reason I got the RO unit in the first place was that I was told that this area is notorious for pretty extreme fluctuations in nitrate levels. When I was measuring more often than now, my tap water was often above 40ppm nitrate and higher and...
  99. JMorgan

    RO DIY Remineralisation for Low Tech- "dirted" tank

    I will be slowly converting my existing tanks to a dirt substrate (aquatic soil/peat/red clay) as I am very pleased with how the plants are thriving in the one I have. I'm not remotely "purist" re Natural/Walstad method fish-keeping and perfectly happy to dose the water column if it helps my...
  100. JMorgan

    Soil Substrate or Dirted Tank - A How to Guide

    Troi and sciencefiction - many thanks for the advice and suggestions. Been very pushed for time the last day or so but will follow up over the weekend I hope. cheers Julian
Back
Top