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Thanks guys - I know we’ve already addressed this in various posts so apologies if I’m evoking repetition. It’s hard to know what to believe online and who to trust, and I’ve found most of Pondguru’s opinions and experience to add up - just with the whole bio media thing like others have said...

I’ve always used alfa and with plants and over sizing filters and flow, never seen a need to get the ‘best rated’ surface area products as always a trade off with less flow or just plainly having vastly too much bio media for the waste produced. Interesting his points on pond guru and biohome -...

Old thread but seems a fair bit of slanging towards seemingly specific issues. Had my ultramax 2000 for 18 months it’s very quiet huge capacity and amazing flow rate. Water been super clean for months with no cleaning other than the neat top pre filter like oase has that’s easy to clean...

Sounds exciting :) Glad you’re getting all set up and ready! Can you put the plants anywhere in the meantime or are you having to use the small one for them? Haha it’s sad but I already miss the light, it’s been such a gem but glad it’s gone to a good home and the new one fits my 80cm well...

Hi there Call me silly but you seem to have allowed 10mm for the door and front piece over the other sides - is that right? 150mm + 590mm = 740mm? The sides of 714mm high plus the top and bottom 36mm that’s 750mm right? I get the fact your need more room - but that seems a little spacious vs...

Very light then - the sounds good! And Purigebnis always good and probably bette than floss - has to be recharged though which I’ve always found hard. Weeks of soaking still leaves some dark for me, even with thick bleach :/ little filter does help which maybe I need to sue lore and invest in...

Yeah lily pipes mate. I might seriously try the floss in the prefilter as it makes perfect sense to me given it’s there’s for convenience. Then just clean end swap that each week in like 2 mins. Cheers Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks man. Filter guards are a good shout I just always figured they’d get blocked super fast. Will look into it though. Is that because you don’t use floss? I know it’s not essential but I do find the water is much clearer with it. Any logic why making the prefilter more effective is a bad...

Hey guys How’s the filter going now? I’ve bought one partly for prefilter to save cleaning but the sponge is never dirty really - anybody swapped it for floss to rinse weekly on the WC? Taking the lot out every week kinda defeats the point if the prefilter access design entirely for me...

Looking good! I’ve got the Aquael Ultramax 2000 too and I was thinking of using floss in the prefilter. Anybody tried this? As we do WC weekly anyway makes sense to me as the course sponge is almost never blocked but the floss at the bottom always clogs making the prefilter kinda pointless for...

Similar to the one I did mate. It looks fine and will work well. In the end the hassle of using a hangon overflow, noise of the sump slurping and the sump sucking all my shrimps and bits in, plus the need for a pump cut off when the sump level drops (I flooded a couple of times) ended up...

Hi guys Got some manzanita in my small nano tank and been giving off mould for a few weeks now and been soaking and cleaning it a few times over. Noticed shrimp attacking it loads which is fine but in the last week lost two fish and loads of shrimps and not done anything differently to the...

You guys find has to keep being stirred too? Always find so much stays brown and or black. Edges bleach but that’s it. Activated carbon working v well for me too atm Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Sorry mate didn’t see this! Yeah lots - pics following! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Makes sense zozo nice input Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

None that I’m aware of but I’m sure if you could somehow work out what amount was being dispensed it would be doable. Trouble is people use different drop checker and solenoids like myself overnight too so that would only apply if it was on all the time and dispensing a precise amount. Saying...

Nice tank size :) I have one to setup too. Gotta weigh up what you want really. If it’s to keep maintenance very low then no CO2 is not always the best option as it can help keep algae down and plant health up meaning less problems. Light intensity and fertilisers will really allow you to...

Makes sense Jay cheers might consider it or use a river pebble type bed not too sure yet! TDS id around 150 in the smaller tanks and 190 now in the main one which is interesting. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

TDS was 140 in tank after an hour btw. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Fair enough mate yeah it’s very low. I think it’s less stable at that level which was maybe why the tetras were upset before. Want to ensure they are comfortable when they go back in. How’d you find cleaning your white sand in your other tank mate? I’ve got my Ada 90p to set up still and wanted...

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Wow ok mate thanks. Mine is 30-45 from the tap [emoji23][emoji1787][emoji1787] I’ve just buffed with potass Bicarb and it was 96 when it went in. Will test TDS in and hour and then tomorrow too. So Knowing my ph is 7.7 from tap due to additives making it an accurate is it worth testing at all...

Look awesome nice work! Do ferts affect TDS badly or just slightly? Wonder if that was making the water a problem before when I was losing the neons. I didn’t dose much this week as Amazonia has been new so figured it would leech. I basically want to keep water as soft as I can and keep ph...

Spot on cheers Jay. How’s your tank going? Yeah 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and 5ppm nitrates I measured yesterday with no water change for over a week so I think I should be all good! Cheers Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks mate appreciated. Hopefully will only get better as it grows in :) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Week update Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Cheers guys I’ll keep it updated in here then! I’ve got a meter so will keep checking and maybe check ph now and then? Really it just needs to be stable doesn’t it within the tank itself. I only planted it last week and it’s already growing in well. I added some more Amazonia to it but was...

Very thorough answer Darrel thanks. Kinda get most of that I think haha. Basically you’re saying my water is ok. Is it worth thinking about an RO unit that kinda not OTT but helps with water changes and making the water a bit purer? So just cycle the Amazonia with the usual tap water? Was...

This is it currently but it needs to grow in of course :) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Tank update as pretty delayed here haha. Replanted the whole tank and trying an Eheim Pro on here now - great flow and beading so fingers crossed! All the fish were put in a separate tank when I last posted and still 90% are alive in there and seem to do well. I want to ensure my water is kept...

Oh wow ok. Even when it’s lowered down like I did? Seals probably need a good clean too I’ve still got to do all mine. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Any ideas on best location for the pipes? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sorry bud missed this! It’s the 2080 I believe! I agree that duel intakes would be a good choice just the cleaning but it’s not a problem. Would best position be as normal do you think just two intakes or space them out? Odd there’s nothing online about layouts for this. I only have a 60p so...

Fair enough thanks alto haha. Couldn’t see where the air was coming from but like I said if the filter is old then it makes more sense too. Do you know if it’s worth using the two inlets or can I just use one and join them together? Most of the new ones only have one inlet I see? Makes sense...

Lifting the tub did already seem to make it quieter oddly enough. Still a bit confused where the air is coming from though so will take seals out and coat and reapply. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks both will take all seals out and clean and use silicone spray and put back and then look into that - thank you. Surely even level it shouldn’t be dragging that kind of air in though right? I mean where’s that coming from... I tipped the whole thing and drips did come out the edges of...

Trimming from the top are most red anyway so generally if you want to keep them as red as poss you keep cycling the tops. Mine have been way off the soil and done just fine floating before now so long as you dose ferts in the column and have good light / circulation. Hope that helps. Sent...

Hi guys Got this set up again but gargling a lot with lots of bubbles. Shook it a good while but nothing. Running some watered thin bleach threw to rinse built up germs etc before using Prime and letting air dry and use again. Question is do the bubbles suggest a leak do you think and can you...

Startup imbalance as Edvet said :) Co2 would help but without keep waterchanging and ensure a good flow over them. Less light will help plants adapt then you can increase but without actual co2 and not Glut you’ll be limited on light intensity. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Having been also fed up many times and had a nano tank for months with plants like yours, people told me the basics over and over as my light was fine and I began over thinking things. Your light seems to be fine - and eventually I got it right and could see it was quite straight forward: flow...

Thanks Sarpijk. He’s very active though dude, and I don’t see legions on his body or sores/film? Like I say - he’s been like this for a number of weeks but very coloured up still and eating well. Fins and body seems in order. None of the rest have it either? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hi guys Thought I’d thread this and see if anyone can shed light. Saw some threads on Planted Tank and Tropical Fish Forums about this and it seemed inconclusive - even genetic? The fish is isolated but healthy and active and feeding. It’s started to get a bit bigger so not sure what this...

Mine’s not big (80l + 30l sump) but I use a NEO diffuser in tank with a 5kg extinguisher by the return pipe so it blows it all around the tank. George Farmer is a strong believer that the bubbles in tank are of benefit to the plants too so I’ve been following that advice for some time with...

Got a fair bit on my decaying leaf matter too pal after disturbing soil too it makes things much much worse. I used a Glut spray 50:50 mix on the affected plants directly and left them 5 mins then filled the tank to help wipe it out and it went a reddish colour. Keeping up water changes made...

Hard to see really but not sure what it is :/ Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Moved fish to another plainer tank to monitor there. Seem more stressed in that one that the other from the move ha. I missed a neon so left him in the main tank for now. He’s the most active I’ve seen any of them in ages and coloured up well. I did noticed a white mark however on his...

Which fine but when it doesn’t rain in the summer [emoji1787] could be an issue. I’d need to test it though right and check for KH stability and then filter and ensure it’s not contaminated or full of germs if it’s been sat around for a while now? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yeah his post makes perfect sense and I don’t doubt my water is making things unstable. But there’s definitely a disparity in the last few weeks in how the fish have been and certainly the symptoms from NTD I can see, especially the wasting body’s. Very odd. I don’t think I’ll be happy until I...

It is going up yeah pretty oddly. Tempted to rescale the lot so I know where I’m at. Yeah naturally just the strongest left I think. No more since I last posted and all still eating. The more I read up on neon tetra disease the more I can see in common with them. I swear there was something...

Likewise. And stores claiming higher ground from not using inline filter systems to prevent disease, like where I buy from. Yet some of the inline ones I’ve visited have had killer UV setups going on which likely nuke more than any of their single tanks would. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I found one with tiny white little bugs on breaking the body down in my sump, and another after just a day with almost the body wasted away just as it states online. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Exactly the same with mine... Fish shop deny all knowledge but it certainly came from somewhere... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Does one fish swim off as if in a mood? I have observed this also and my Rummy Nose also have been exhibiting the same thing. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I suspect that I also have this in my tank too mate as I too have seen little white lump on and off, but not the wonky spine. Odd deaths of mostly these species has occurred, but I also lost an Otto the other day randomly which could be totally unrelated. I think from the other thread you want...

Would switching to RO help control things if I buffered it? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Going up in KH @sciencefiction - 3 drops today. So around 52ppm now Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks man I do want to. I’ve certainly been trying to do all I can for it which is why it’s frustrating. I’ll change the wire for something better and consider an inert replacement for the coral sand. Other than that I’ll do as alto said and get the dying fish out to monitor them, and...

Appreciate you are trying to help yeah. I’m just saying with all the comments I’ve had I can’t afford to act on everything without a good reason to, and you seem to be listing things that don’t fully make sense to me so I am trying to ask why before I just do things. Please also remember some...

I’m not saying I didn’t say that back then. But I am saying that a few weeks back, I have corrected that by adding another heater to the mix. Heat is stable, co2 is stable (or was, it’s been off to rule out me gassing the fish), flow is intense, and coral substrate was changed very recently long...

Good advice also appreciate it thank you. Perhaps it did go a bit far but I still appreciate people chipping in. And it did bring to light an issue with KH also. Surely buffering my water won’t hurt anyway, it will only help to make it more stable? As I’ve said lots now ultimately this tank was...

Why dump coral sand? Surely it’s only helping with KH balancing. I can’t stop water changes altogether though or the fertilisers and nitrates would become excessive. I understand drastic changes will upset the balance each time. I followed Jurijs and George Famers advice of 90% changes and to be...

KH of my main tank is up today to 35ppm now. I’ve ordered some Potassium Bicarbonate just in case I decide to use it to buffer the KH of my tap or rain water. I won’t got beyond 1g/25l either. It surely can’t hurt either way to ensure the water I am using it at least more stable. Sent from...

I’ll have another look mate thank you. I thought I had but perhaps not... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yeah I was autodosing but switched to manual for a while. I’ve stopped altogether currently but I think I’m going to lose all the plants too if I’m not careful. I have a very deep Amazonia in the back right though to counteract the other bits but you’re right the front is shallow. Yeah...

You think it could affect the fish? I mean it’s such a small amount and would take ages to pollute it when I’m changing so much. Odd though as it’s stainless steel. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have ultra soft water mate yeah. Where did you get my average Ph from? Was that my reading from the tank though? I mean my nano is pretty stable but ratios are different - more rock to water and more substrate to water ratios. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Will mix up a new batch again yeah - use your original ones you mean or? I will use a closed bottle. Yeah odd I have two bottles of it but if it’s sat in the shelves for ages perhaps? Not sure will use tap water next time... Fish still not right but other thread I have going we have realized...

It is yeah. No idea I thought that too. Rust was my guess but it’s stainless steel... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Good idea sparkyweasel. It was more to prove the KH was dropping further that’s all as it’s 1 drop already. Yes the API one does this. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Great cheers. I guess my tap water is also pretty near RO in terms of the GH and KH values - them also being so low too? What you’re saying is both would need buffering but rain water could be more stable? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This does make a hell of a lot of sense and thanks for sharing dude. You guys have all been ace in chipping in with this thread so I thank you all profusely and hope it can help others too. I’ll check KH in a few days again and repost here but it sounds like I need to start buffering my water...

So try buffering my water more then? What if the rain water is soft too Darrel - would still need buffering surely? Should I buy buffer or is using bicarbonate pretty much the same? Amanos are shedding too in the water column I noticed. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yeah fair point. It’s all in breeding isn’t it and not knowing where they came from I suppose. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

How would the KH drop to 0 as well? Is it worth me checking it again then in a few days without doing any W/Cs? Annoying that you can’t use less than 1 drop on the indicator though? That’s the minimum test amount isn’t it. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It is pretty strange. Even that it’s less than the tap water itself. Something is clearly lowering it. Still like Darrel said it’s pretty much exactly what the Neons should love if it’s never over 35 due to tap water going in at that and then dropping to softer conditions the Neons would be in...

I’ve just been reading up and apparently tannins in driftwood also lower KH. I am using a pretty large amount of bogwood in the tank. I wonder if that’s another thing adding to the adverse KH? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I tried not to go crazy and keep changing the water too often. I also added that activate carbon the other day so maybe that also lowered the KH? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I did the change on Saturday I mentioned mate. Other than that I’ve been doing 1 a week roughly 90%. The tank is making the water softer for some reason too, yet my nano is the same. Maybe the sump with all the nitrification? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks Darrel. Yeah I do have rainwater outside? I could just buffer the water too if that was what the issue seemed to be. I understood that Neons like soft water anyway? Which is bizarre to me. Yeah I saw neon tetra disease too and thought of that. Does that affect a Rummy Nose though? Haha...

Will try this tomorrow mate thanks. Tried to scoring something up but couldn’t find anything just yet. I’ve had fish jump out of my other tank too but usually from flow as it was small. I did up the flow on my return and that may have made the Rummy swim up and fly out the top, the tank is also...

Ok so I found the Rummy Nose, he jumped out the tank... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I’ve had problems with CO2 overdose too when a lid I used on another tank slid down and covered half the tank. I came back to the same and did the same, also avoiding loses from that scenario. It really doesn’t seem CO2 related as the fish today are behaving just as before and I’ve stopped it...

This is the tank behaviour today. Definitely a neon looking discoloured and separating from the group https://streamable.com/08w9v Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Haha it does make sense that they are like that to be honest. I just think back to how many unknowledgeable folk keep them with no issues, but I guess planted tanks do have waaaay more complications added don’t they. I have a few tubs for water changes I could use one of those? Water volume is...

The fact the Rummy Nose looked fine and is now dead too makes me more confused. Params are fine, no CO2 now since Thursday, and no ferts since Friday. So I can pretty much rule those two factors straight out, as the Rummy Nose were all swimming and eating fine as of yesterday. Now they are...

All fish are kinda hovering again today in the water column. Not sure what’s going on, as suddenly they seem a bit off again. I am now missing a Rummy Nose too after them all looking coloured up and fine yesterday, now I can only count 3 :( Gh and KH test kit on it’s way. Sent from my iPhone...

Cheers Darrel Co2 I turned off for a few days and still saw the fish showing those symptoms and the fact they seem to be almost going in succession. That’s the bit that’s puzzling me so much unless it’s just the weaker ones that go. The fact it is almost one a day is just bizarre. Would you...

Once a week too long you think? Should do even more frequently? Less is bound to help as you say but I could buffer. Amazonia not help with that I guess really. Will keep and eye on KH with test kit. What should TDS be ideally after half a week / a week? Odd thing still is that the neons...

Sounds good thanks mate you’ve been a great help. I’ll get some readings up ASAP once the test kits arrive. I suppose doing such large water changes would make sense of what you say. 40% more often probably makes sense, I just followed George Farmer’s methods. But he also tends to have small...

It should be fairly consistent mate as I’ve been doing the same water change routine for ages. TDS is Betta tank was 140 or so. But that was changed today also. Longest fish is probably the Harlequin Raspbora in the nano which is over 18months now. I did lose the other two of his mates though...

Yeah the only thing I’ve noticed is that bar like one Otto a while back ( which I put down to Pets at Home) all the other loses have been Tetras. I had 14 Rummy Nose and over the past three months gradually I’m down to 4 now. I had 26 neon Tetras as of last week and this week I’ve lost about...

Ok interesting. Just done a water change and added active carbon in for a few days so will wait to avoid too many changes at once. Still confused though as the tanks been running for months on this water and the deaths are a fairly recent occurrence. Wouldn’t a Ph test show if it’s too acidic...

Interesting. And co2 and a sump I guess could both further add to that? Lots of bio media in there. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Will order one now mate. How would that create the symptoms described though in only some fish? I’ve been running this other tank on this water for over 3 years and that’s had next to no problems :/ Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That is a good read alto. I can relate to some of those factors too. Super weird though and I think finding the right medicine will be the trick as SF said earlier. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Tests for usual params. Kh is the only one I’m missing Ammonia 0ppm Nitrite 0ppm Nitrate 5ppm Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks mate ok. TDS for tap water is 35-40 EC is 86-87 um/cm Tank is 115 EC - 225 um/cm Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ha sorry I know. That one I meant https://www.swelluk.com/seachem-paraguard/?gclid=CjwKCAjw1dzkBRBWEiwAROVDLMnltuem5wsWLYmKY5H-GXuULqqLSqtC-tyQl7UIEmbRBCSJaCGeIhoCnocQAvD_BwE I’ll look into whet you suggested. I saw that one only as I noticed the gill problem and thought it might be an...

Cool ok, so keep up water changes and possibly try a decent medicine treatment? Might use the Seachem one as all their stuff is solid for me so far. I may add my Chihiros doctor back in there too for a while and see if that helps too :) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk