Search results for query: *

I made my own solution with sodium thiosulphate and add 5ml to each 100L change water, along with front loading macro ferts before use, costs next to nothing.

Worth a look, the main issue is that the water going down the airlift is mechanically clean to prevent clogging from below. That can be the return from a canister or simple a foam pad on the intake side of powerhead. It would spread the output across the footprint but may depend on your choice...

Reading through this, the only thing I can see in your favour is that there is silicone on the outside. That would only normally be applied to a repair. HTH

Right, this may not suit what you require but, for good throughput without lots of flow, have you considered reverse-flow UGF? Powerhead ( or canister filter ) down the airlift, all return up through the footprint of your tank, excluding hardscape. I bet you could push a fair bit down the...

OK, here's a pic of the underside of an older leaf and pics of the roots. I called it Limnobium following this Just for fun thread. cheers

Not on this pic but they are there , I'll att. a pic of an upturned leaf and roots later if it helps.

Morning. Update. For the past few weeks my Limnobium has flowered almost daily, they don't last long though. I think this is because I removed the younger plants and kept just one large, mature plant, instead of the other way round. Normally this splant would have been replaced before now. No...

I keep Ramshorn snails and I don't catch them eating, not even the soft underside. No expert, of course but my Limnobium used to do that, leaves didn't last very long, stopped when I started front loading NPK.

How did you progress with this? I now front load Nitrogen , Phosphorus, Potassium and Magnesium at water change and just add Urea and trace daily across the week. Details here. Prior to this what I noticed with Limnobium was that just as it was starting to take off, I'd do a weekly w/c...

OK, well, with regard to oxygen or any other gas exchange, maybe I get away with it like this. The tank, 200L NET is run by one pump in my DIY filter. ( Think parallel sump) The pump is unfettered and returns up to 1000LPH at MAX setting. All this water returns to the filter over a weir, it has...

Darrel, I followed your lead. I'm pretty sure that front loading helped, plus the addition of Urea and Solufeed trace across the week which I touched on previously in a not very scientific way! You're dead right though, floaters are the miner's canary! I didn't mention photoperiod or lighting...

Found a sweet spot after a long time. I now front load KNO3 and KH2PO4 at 30% W/C. 1/4 Tsp of each into 60L + 1Tsp MgSO₄ , Tap already has 25/30ppm Calcium. Topped up with a daily squirt of Urea and a splash of trace. Tank TDS hovers around 210 over the week. After W/C indicated Nitrate is...

I have to say I'm particularly pleased with my Limnobium at the moment. Deep green with 3 inch diameter leaves.

United Utilites, very lucky, our lovely soft water comes mainly from the Cumbrian fells as far as I know.

I spoke with a lady at UU who assured me they don't use chloramine so I could probably let it gas off over night as I mineralise, heat and turnover via powerhead as I do now. I could get away with not using it but it's such a small dose, 5ml per 100L I may as well.

I contacted United Utilities about this and they assure me they dose only chlorine.

Yes. Nees very little. That's what I'm using without incident although I do prepare change water the day before. I cribbed it off a Koi keepers forum.

I just started using this after Prime ran out. I found this online. Screenshot of my particular mix for 100L W/C. I used the Prime 500ML bottle and dosing cap and added enough ST to match what I needed.

Iron and or magnesium would be my guess. @dw1305 is the expert on this Seconded

For some reason I cannot grow it submersed, it just rots away. I have no clue why except, of course, that it has access to plenty of CO2 and more light.

Thanks all for the replies. I really wanted to know if it was correct that it will "degrade" once in solution? Given that I only use a small amount, would I be better to mix lesser volumes or just ignore this? The article was from Aquarium Science giving a rundown of SeaChem products. cheers

I should have said 3ml of solution daily, not 3ppm!!

I meant this one.

Using this clc I add 6ml to 200L Net tank daily.

Thanks, I made up a solution of 10g into 1000 ML and been drip feeding it to aprox 3ppm per day in addition to my usual ferts and saw a big increase, at least double the surface area, maybe more, of new Frogbit leaves, also send runners further afield than usual, I thought exploiting the extra...

Hi all i just read that Urea must be dosed dry as it "decomposes" if you put it into solution. Can anyone confirm this, please? TIA

What about Hawthorne? I use the leaves so I reckon the wood will be OK?

If a picture paints 1,000 words. I don't grow it in the substrate, tetras and barbs like to spawn in the root mass.

Hi, could anyone point me in the direction of a starter culture, please? TIA

I think it's more to do with water drops on the leaves causing "lensing " burns damaging them. Floating them in a corral does no harm if you want to keep them in a specific area, allowing light penetration etc.

Agreed

Well, yes, they add Caustic soda, ( Sodium hydroxide ) to your drinking water to avoid acidic damage to the supply system. Sounds good dunnit?

A good point, I use garden hose and it all looks the same to me. I did however end up with one length that, if hot water was passed through it, smelled very strongly of TCP? This went into the change water, I could taste it and you could smell it in the room too. Swapped it for another...

This looks useful, thanks https://www.electroschematics.com/hdd-bldc-motor/

Thanks all for the replies and link. I wonder if something like this would work? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/373433482918?hash=item56f25ebea6:g:JcgAAOSwd0NgBzO2 I do wonder if there's a universal colour coding for the U. V. W. wires as it must be imperative to get them in the correct sequence. I...

Thanks for your reply. I’ve used PWM before to regulate conventional motors but some, Iron cored armature motors don’t like it unless it’s very high frequency. They can get hot and buzz. So do brushless PC type cooling fans. What I’m struggling with is the diagrams that I’ve seen for BLDC motors...

One for any electrical wizards out there. I’d like to replace the control box that is wired between the pump and power supply ( 20 presses from full to minimum ) from a TMC12V DC brushless pump with a rheostat. This would be simple with a conventional motor but brushless dc motors have 3 wires...

Me too!!

If you would like some floating Ceratopteris, PM me. I need to remove some.

A word of caution here if I may? If you end up buying RO from a LFS don't assume that that's what you get. A mate down home counties way had all kinds of problems. I told him to get a TDS pen, his alleged RO read 120ppm! Then he was adding minerals on top. Double what my tap reads. He now gets...

Keen to know how the Goby fares and how you feed?

You could add Calcium chloride and Magnesium sulphate yourself to reach your desired GH. Add it to your change water. Spec on Rotala Butterfly | Planted Aquarium Nutrient Dosing Calculator Add KH if you must via Potassium bicarbonate. I may be wrong but I think Aquadur contains Sodium...

I use Alder cones, Oak, Hawthorn and Beech leaves and------

Ceratopteris gets my vote but I've never seen it for sale in this form. PM if you'd like some plantlets.

Does anyone else think it's barbels appear somewhat reduced too?

They would be Rooibos, Red Bush, teabags. I use them myself occasionally along with Alder cones and Oak / Hawthorn leaves.

This may or may not suit your needs but I just bought a TMC reefpump 1000. Granted, it's hidden behind my HFM but it is absolutely silent, honestly pretty much the best fishkeeping item I ever bought. 20 flow steps and a 10 minute feeding break. lots of flow in my 200L Net aquarium. HTH

Looks more like a damselfly nymph to me.

Speaking of which! This is the same plant as in the pics. I love this. Slightly off topic, the root mass is such that, although floating, it is now the favourite haunt of my Kuhlis.

I'm pretty sure that I read that Ceratopteris is eaten in it's native land.

I'm pretty sure that Supercoley on here used Solufeed in his LushMax AIO mix.

Yes, they do get very hot driven flat out. Heat is a killer of LED's. I run mine, white and warm white (10watt each x 12) at a maximum 50%, not including ramp up/down and they are cemented to a substantial heatsink.

The "full spectrum" ones that I got give out a very pink light, not dissimilar to a "Grolux" I didn't use them in the end. I think they give out a lot of Red/Blue. Cheap enough to buy and play with, though.

Try a large, cool, softwater change. Emulate a storm. Works on Cories and numbers of amphibians!

Totally agreed, I don't intentionally breed fish but I hate to see "modified" fish in any form, colour, balloon, long-fin etc, problem is that whilst folk buy them, they'll keep being produced.

I got six, including one male Dec 2016. Used to spawn but male died after one year but I still have 5 females. Plus I've never target fed them!!

Thanks all for your help.:)

Thanks for that. Thing is I don't remember altering lighting. Perhaps I reduced surface cover plants. Trouble is, the light is a DIY LED hack-up from Chinese parts so I have no idea re. PAR etc but it is programmable via TC 420. Also, doesn't seem to affect all leaves. Maybe turn it down a bit...

Afternoon all I've att a pic of my Java fern growth. It started out as bog standard fern which has been in tank around 3 yrs. Lately the leaves have shot up from the rhizome as a thin narrow leaf about 8" then goes tri-foil! I'm guessing light or ferts. Outlined in the pics. Anybody got any...

Nope, pump only. Take from tank, over weir, through large HFM, return to tank. so pump only. Filter would be easier but why pay for some load of plastic you don't need? Looking for something like a powerhead that can be mounted outside of tank. Reasons later;) TIA Cheers

Afternoon All right, a bit of an experiment going on here, so I'm looking for an external water pump. 1k /1.5k litres per hour, must be near silent as the tank's 2 feet from my chair, looking for lowest wattage per throughput. Needs to be external and as vibration free as possible. Spotted a few...

At least with the Frogbit you'll be able negate any possible CO2 issues.

Just an add-on. If the same regs apply to extinguishers as to SCUBA bottles, on re-test, any failures will be destroyed!

I got mine refilled by WalkerFire @ Preston. Pre-arranged re-charge while-u-wait, went to trade counter but I'm pretty sure the bottles must be in test. HTH

This may or may not help but I dose micros after the gas has dropped pH to below 7. I have water of 1.5d KH. I don't know whether it helps or not, I just follow my nose plus what I've read!!!

I think in the wild they are usually most abundant adjacent to sewer outfalls, in contaminated sediment, not sure I'd want to get too involved in that. Either way I reckon you'd need heavy organic feed. As a kid I used to buy it from LFS and had to trickle feed fresh water over it. If not it...

One of the key elements in a RDSB, as distinct from an "in tank" one is that the water is filtered and mechanically clean so that the RDSB remains free from any sediments. Also that the bulk of the flow is across the sand rather than directly through it, which takes place at a very much reduced...

Deep substrate becomes anoxic, nitrate is converted by denitrifying bacteria into N2 which escapes as gas. Deep sand beds have been used in marine aquaria to remove nitrate, even extreme ones like RDSB, Remote deep sand beds where a large vessel was filled almost to the top with oolitic sand...

I keep Frogbit and Ceratopteris as floaters and I've found that when they get too dense they actually "retain" surface bio-film. Normally my surface water skims off over a weir into the filter but dense growth can prevent this. HTH. Cheers

Evenin' I keep Ceratopteris but cannot grow it submersed for some reason, I guess it was grown emersed at nursery? It does make a great floater though. Alternative that looks similar might be Hygrophyla difformis?

Agreed, but my tap is usually around GH3, KH1.5 so not much carbonates to shift. Also agreed the temp diff. could be the reason. I'll pay more attention next time, it was merely a casual observation at the time.

Funny you ask this just now. I pretty much know the usual, low TDS of my tap water. Recently when preparing change water I used the combi to warm and the TDS was "indicating" higher than the supply water!! I have no idea what went on but water gained TDS at the hot tap. There will be an...

Have you considered Ceratopteris. Not easy to buy in floating form, I just leave it floating and it changes to this form.

Just a thought. Their leaves are hellish spikey, might cause issues with deep flanked fish, angels, gouramis etc.

When I had them in my pond they rooted in the mud and seemed to sink lower in the water during the winter then float at the surface in summer. How this will affect aquarium use I don't know. As Mort has said they can get very big. When they reproduce by sending off plantlets you could use them...

I havn't deep cleaned my current tank in its 3+1/2 yrs. flow is sufficient to carry any detritus over the weir where it's filtered out. When I used to clean substrate in other systems, this was the best tool ever and it's home made. Cheap as chips. Airlift tube from a U/G filter plate, reduced...

Chloramine is deliberately aimed at "hanging around longer". Utilities supply us with drinking quality water, not fishkeeping water. Can't you do what I did, speak to your supplier directly, ask the question?

I have to say that the whole point of keeping any aquarium is to view it, surely, otherwise what's the point?? To that end, I have it lit, as do probably the majority of " 9 'till 5" keepers, when I'm at home. I doubt whether the exact time is relevant to fish or plants, more likely to be...

Does your tap water have Chloramine or free Chlorine? My supply has free Chlorine which gasses off. As such I prepare my change-water, 40% ish ( Heat, adjust GH etc) the day before and use it the next day untreated. Chloramine, of course, will need pre-treating.

My tank is placed in a gloomy corner of the room so very little ambient light. My DIY Led lights ramp up until 15.00 and ramp down from 21.00. so 6 hours on a permanent timing regime. I'm totally convinced that the fish benefit from this regime. They know almost exactly when food will appear...

I too have done this in the past!

When I used to breed Newts, Triturus alpestris which were fully aquatic, I kept them outside in glass tanks which did indeed freeze on all sides occasionally. The newts didn't mind and neither did the tanks show any ill effects. HTH

Thanks both. Looks like Limnobium then. I agree it looks a bit pale greenish. I already dose Lushmax, (same as James' All in one ) at 10ml per 200L daily. I'm also keeping an eye on TDS as all my fish are soft-water. Bit of a tightrope between one and the other. I also raise my tap change water...

Afternoon all Just for fun I removed a bouyant floater of Ceratopteris thalictroides to see what fully emersed growth looked like, very different from the " just floating" form and different again from the submersed form ( which for some reason I am totally unable to grow, it melts away) Also...

Morning I too have very soft Lakeland tap water and think my plants do better when I boost my change water up to GH5 using Calcium Nitrate and Magnesium sulphate. I don't bother about the 1.5 KH. I dose fairly lean but daily with the last of my LushMax and inject CO2 to an estimated 15ppm using...

Ever played snooker in a darkened venue? The lighting shrouds deliberately limit light to the baize. Should work just the same for us? cheers Steve

Afternoon all gas users. Heads up for any one in the vicinity of Preston. I'm only 1/2 hour away. I just had 2x 5Kg + 1x 2Kg extinguishers recharged at Walker fire (UK). Roman Way industrial estate. The bottles were well in test and I had them charged "while u wait", after a prior 'phone call to...

Very soft for me.

My interpretation is that they prefer shady areas and don't bother other inhabitants. I keep mine with Pristella's, Pearl gouramis plus bottom dwellers without problem. I doubt that they'd like being exposed in a very bright tank without shelter and probably wouldn't look their best.

I have a group of 20, got them as a quieter alternative to Tiger barbs. As said above they are shy and males do colour up well. Mine spend most of the time milling around dense plants and under floaters. Tanks not overly lit either, nice to see them do what they want to do. Totally peaceful and...

I have three left from the 2 x 20 lots. Only one of these appears normal, time will tell, I suppose. Also I didn't find all the corpses so assume they either rotted away or the kuhlli's got to them. I have them with Pentazona barbs, Pristella tetras, Pearl gouramis, Ottos and kuhllis. None of...

Hi Copied this from reply to a previous thread. This may not help but over the last 3 yrs I've had 2x lots of 20 neons and almost without exception they've developed non specific issues. Some like yours, some gill cover issues, some with lumps, growths on fins, crooked spines etc. I never...

Only a guess here but I think the biggest risk(s) of using CO2 extinguishers are either A, the fire you're attempting to extinguish, or B. the CO2 itself.:nailbiting:

This is my method.

This is what I do. Works a treat!

When I kept native, (as in north Atlantic) marine aquaria I found that green alga, principally Ulva, and red alga, mainly Chondrus but also others from ELWS fared quite well if kept cool enough. Browns, on the other hand rotted away fairly quickly to the point I never bothered with them. These...

The one that near matches Lushmax is DIY TPN+(3) exept that the Lushmax volumes are double, into 1 Litre of water. HTH Steve

Evenin' I was buying Lushmax from Andy, Member ( Supercoley ) on here, but he's packed up. It works really well for me at 20ml per week ( 200L net, low DIY light, middling CO2 ) spread over 5 doses per week. He's still selling the trace packs, I think. I bought one of the last packs of complete...

This may not help but over the last 3 yrs I've had 2x lots of 20 neons and almost without exception they've developed non specific issues. Some like yours, some gill cover issues, some with lumps, growths on fins, crooked spines etc. I never medicated for this and no other fish were affected. I...