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  1. OllieNZ

    Congo Swamp Monster (750l biotope)

    I would advise against hemichromis if you want a community. My pair dug like no tomorrow, were highly aggressive and were actively predatory. I busted the 3" female happily eating adult guppies. The X. nigri on the other hand were peaceful, quite active, kept them with fish as small as...
  2. OllieNZ

    Congo Swamp Monster (750l biotope)

    A very cool build. On the unusual fish front have you considered either of the following? http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/xenomystus-nigri/ Or http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/pantodon-buchholzi/
  3. OllieNZ

    What other hobby's do you have?

    Is suspected that may have been the way it was done but wanted to see if it was some sort of black magic moulding technique ;) Would vac forming over a single piece mould have been strong enough for the body rather than a 2 piece mould? True craftsmanship can't be rushed....
  4. OllieNZ

    What other hobby's do you have?

    I'm intrigued as to how the dimpled holes are achieved? if it's not a trade secret ;) It's something I do in metal reasonably often but have never seen it in wood.
  5. OllieNZ

    What other hobby's do you have?

    The top one is absolutely beautiful imo the tortoise shell back and dimpled sound holes make it a stunning piece.
  6. OllieNZ

    Air Driven Filters

    Another vote for the superfish. They're probably the quietest internal I've ever used. Aeration via air pump/high surface agitation/filter venturi will ensure all gases (including co2) remain in equilibrium with the atmosphere. There seems to be a couple of schools of thought on this..... No...
  7. OllieNZ

    Fertiliser may be affecting water analysis.

    Any chance you can post any peer reviewed studies that support that? I've read a few regarding acute nitrate toxicity but nothing about long term.
  8. OllieNZ

    "A Stock of Green"

    Love the simplicity. Beautiful otos too [emoji3]
  9. OllieNZ

    Stainless steel

    You forgot the the chrome and nickel ;) The reason stainless doesn't rust is down to the chrome content. When chrome "rusts" it forms a very hard and non reactive chromium oxide layer. It's this property that protects the steel against rusting. The higher the chrome content the more resistant...
  10. OllieNZ

    Running tanks in shed

    Heat the room to the correct temperature so the tanks don't need heaters. This will reduce evaporation/condensation.
  11. OllieNZ

    Planted tank... for catfish

    I always use gel type and try and get the surfaces as dry a possible before glueing.
  12. OllieNZ

    Planted tank... for catfish

    For a background you could try frosted vinyl backlit with an RGB led strip, you can then change the colour to suit with the press of a button (would also make nice diffuse night lighting) As noted catfish love to dig, my humbugs quite happily dig their own shelters under the edges of pieces of...
  13. OllieNZ

    Tv Series Your Watching Now?

    Another not on the list that's worth checking out is Lucifer, about a cop in LA who's partner is literally the devil and yes he does wear Prada.
  14. OllieNZ

    aikido in sainsburys

    Brilliant [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]
  15. OllieNZ

    Guess who's back..... Henry goes steampunk...

    Euro brace is the correct term in english [emoji106] How about adding antique finish brass angle on the outside of each corner (for looks only)
  16. OllieNZ

    Juwel heliolux

    I may be misunderstanding here, apologies if so. The problem is with the manufacturers of the light units themselves not the led industry as a whole. Led chips are produced in batches known as bins, the specs for a led are documented in detail and the bin number will get you the specs. This is...
  17. OllieNZ

    Juwel heliolux

    Are the multilux controllable or just on/off? Replacing burnt out smd leds is doable but not the most straightforward process. Assuming they're not potted they can be removed by heating the board just enough to melt the solder holding the led and pulling it off with a pair of tweezers. At this...
  18. OllieNZ

    Guess who's back..... Henry goes steampunk...

    I love some of these
  19. OllieNZ

    Guess who's back..... Henry goes steampunk...

    Good looking build [emoji3] I'd love a vintage wrought iron framed tank.
  20. OllieNZ

    Do you remove Filter Media?

    I'm also supplied by Thames water (Oxfordshire) and have never had an issue with the water quality. The hardness on the other hand..... Good for Tanganyikan cichlids but not alot else
  21. OllieNZ

    Water change methods

    Not as messy as you might think. I typically only use it on a first fill though.
  22. OllieNZ

    Water change methods

    Fill into/onto a plastic shopping bag. How much water are you changing at a time? I can do a 50% with little to no substrate disturbance during refill but my tank is 50cm deep.
  23. OllieNZ

    James ADA 60p Iwagumi Journal

    Excuse the crude photo shop but I think with the blyxia trimmed as is you've nailed your focal points. The peak of the blyxia, the dark area at the base and the position of the rock on the r/h side. The area of negative space on the r/h side adds rather than detracts
  24. OllieNZ

    James ADA 60p Iwagumi Journal

    Looks beautiful. I like the asymmetric shape of the scape. I vote keep it as is :)
  25. OllieNZ

    School me on substrates

    Hi All, I've been out of the game for a while now and have fallen out of touch with the latest products, advice etc. I'm starting a new cube geared towards crystal shrimp and was wondering what the best/recommended substrates currently are. I'm planning on low tech mainly mosses and anubis with...
  26. OllieNZ

    Acrylic aquariums

    Unfortunately you'd have to disassemble the tank to run it through the machine that bevels/polishes but the machine could easily take a couple of mm (or more as needed) off the each side so you didn't end up with a massive bevel and all sides remain the same height.
  27. OllieNZ

    Warning to Photobucket Users

    I hope you're well versed on 4x4 3 and 4 link suspension design ;)
  28. OllieNZ

    Warning to Photobucket Users

    This is what my photos look like on another forum
  29. OllieNZ

    Warning to Photobucket Users

    It seems to be being rolled out progressively, some users on other forums aren't having issues YET. The email I got this morning
  30. OllieNZ

    Warning to Photobucket Users

    Hi All, Photobucket have changed their terms of service and you now require a $399.99 USD/yr subscription (P500 account) to allow 3rd party sharing of photos (using the IMG code). If they haven't already THEY WILL replace all your shared images with a Photobucket message advising you need to...
  31. OllieNZ

    Am I still...

    How about us non European foreigners? ;) I think once the initial shock wears off it will be business as usual for the majority of us.
  32. OllieNZ

    10,000 posts

    Keep up the good work Paulo :)
  33. OllieNZ

    DIY Project Arcadia Stretch LED Dual Timer Installation

    Let us know how you get on :)
  34. OllieNZ

    Things just got a lot roomier!

    Lovely looking fish but you will find as they grow 3 cichlids = war
  35. OllieNZ

    Top 10 Qualifiers - UKAPS Aquascaping Experience Hardscape Challenge 2016

    Makes me glad I was too lazy to enter. Top sacpes all :)
  36. OllieNZ

    DIY Project Arcadia Stretch LED Dual Timer Installation

    The guy I did the second timer for had his psu go phut big style so we replaced it with a Mean Well APV-35-12 driver http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/led-drivers/7703908/
  37. OllieNZ

    any ideas on what fish this is?

    Definitely down to price I would imagine. Iirc when I have seen them they are pretty expensive especially at maiden heads
  38. OllieNZ

    DIY Project Arcadia Stretch LED Dual Timer Installation

    Done, please excuse the hand drawing. The timers I used had 4 pins, 2 for powering the timer and 2 for the switch. For this to work you need to plug the psu into the left end and the light into the right and leave both switches on the psu permanently on.
  39. OllieNZ

    DIY Project Arcadia Stretch LED Dual Timer Installation

    I'm out tonight, I'll draw up a wiring diagram tomorrow to show what I mean
  40. OllieNZ

    DIY Project Arcadia Stretch LED Dual Timer Installation

    I'd use the stock power supplies and make up a harness with the timers to go between the lamp and power supply
  41. OllieNZ

    DIY Project Arcadia Stretch LED Dual Timer Installation

    Would be fairly easy to in line the timers but I think finding matching plugs would be difficult. Sent from my SM-A300FU using Tapatalk
  42. OllieNZ

    DIY Project Arcadia Stretch LED Dual Timer Installation

    I'm not currently using it but it will be back in use soon for a different project. The power supply is not sealed in the first place so I didn't bother making any special effort to seal it. The wiring comes out a hole drilled in the side. The switches were removed to allow the timers to sit...
  43. OllieNZ

    How do you pronounce UKAPS?

    You dinosaur ;) U-kaps for me too
  44. OllieNZ

    Land Rover 90

    Heck no!!!! I'd like to think I've got a bit more common sense than that lot.... Do agree that swapping wheels and tyres can make a massive difference to looks and function.
  45. OllieNZ

    Land Rover 90

    Not yet. I've still got a few more mods to do. Need to sort out some heavy duty recovery points for the front. I've built a new rear bumper
  46. OllieNZ

    Land Rover 90

    My previous boss just bought a spanking new 110 already taken it back to have rust on the chassis dealt with [emoji23] Not as cool ;) but I bought this at the start of the year Still a work in progress
  47. OllieNZ

    rugby world cup

    Solid performance from both teams, well done to the All Blacks
  48. OllieNZ

    George Farmer At destination aquatics

    Make sure you get some pics up :)
  49. OllieNZ

    rugby world cup

    I'm surprised that you still have fingers left to type....
  50. OllieNZ

    rugby world cup

    First set of quarter finals over. NZ vs SA in the semi. Any guesses for today's games?
  51. OllieNZ

    smart fishtanks: bull or not? seems like it..

    I don't see why it cant be done. A lot of reef keepers use various controllers for all sorts, https://www.neptunesystems.com/products/apex-controllers/ This seems to be one of the most popular and can control/monitor all sorts of things.
  52. OllieNZ

    rugby world cup

    Scotland are through, good game against Samoa. Australia vs Wales. ... wow. Looking forward to seeing Ireland vs France to see who the all blacks end up against.
  53. OllieNZ

    rugby world cup

    This is something that I actually agree with doing assuming that your national championship is at a high enough level. If a player is willing to play nationally for less money for the prospect of being selected for the national team surely that's a good thing. It makes sure that the players...
  54. OllieNZ

    rugby world cup

    http://rugbylad.com/rugbyladblog/video-nigel-owens-warns-stuart-hogg-over-diving-with-brilliant-statement/ This made me chuckle. Sad to see England out.....
  55. OllieNZ

    rugby world cup

    I hope the All Blacks are watching japan and taking notes......
  56. OllieNZ

    rugby world cup

    Absolutely brilliant game to watch, not so brilliant for English fans but very well played by both teams. I think the all blacks really need to step their game up to have a chance....
  57. OllieNZ

    Anti-Virus software

    I don't see any major issue with doing this, all the browsers and search engines already "personalise" the advertising you see based on what you've been looking at. Cheers Paulo, I'll check this one out.
  58. OllieNZ

    rugby world cup

    Well done to Scotland. That bonus point will be handy, now lets see if they can roll RSA.
  59. OllieNZ

    rugby world cup

    How are those fingernails Hoggie?
  60. OllieNZ

    rugby world cup

    It's often about who can play the full 80 without slowing and think Japan showed they can go 85 against one of most physical sides in the game.... Being a kiwi I have no vested interest in either team but I've always had a soft spot for Japan. I was impressed with the level of discipline they...
  61. OllieNZ

    rugby world cup

    Anyone going to watch Scotland vs Japan? I think if the Japanese win they'll end up topping their pool, which will be phenomenal for Japanese rugby.
  62. OllieNZ

    newzealand scapers. ? How big is the scene?

    You'd need to look into the import laws as I believe there is an approved list of species allowed in and if it's not on the list then no chance, not to mention you will be fined heavily or even imprisoned for breaching them. The best place to start regarding any imports would be NZ MAF as they...
  63. OllieNZ

    Eheim Pro 3 - worst Eheim ever?

    No it is a solvent that will literally melt the 2 pieces of plastic back together. I'd be concerned about hot gluing something that could dump half my tank on the floor....
  64. OllieNZ

    Eheim Pro 3 - worst Eheim ever?

    I'd try plastic cement rather than hot glue, and as suggested silicone grease will be better for the seals. If you can get your hands on dow corning dc4 or equivalent would be good as I've found a lot of the cheaper stuff tends to be very runny
  65. OllieNZ

    What is this frog?

    Indeed. Although you're unlikely to die from a captive dart frog (the toxins come from insects they only eat in the wild) as one poor chap on one of the frog forums found out, they can still make you incredibly ill. I suppose the moral of the story is always wash your hands after handling...
  66. OllieNZ

    What is this frog?

    And if you get dead it's a dart frog ;)
  67. OllieNZ

    Eheim Pro 3 - worst Eheim ever?

    You'll struggle to get enough grip with normal needle nose pliers, if you haven't got vise-grips I'd try a set of normal pliers as they will grip better. If they are directly into the plastic then they should come out fairly easily without wd40, all the wd40 will do is make the screw more...
  68. OllieNZ

    Eheim Pro 3 - worst Eheim ever?

    You won't drill those out easily. The drill will want to wander off into the plastic, you'd have to use a very short drill and a drill press. There should be just enough sticking out to get a set of needle nose vise-grips on there and wind them out.
  69. OllieNZ

    Glass Lids

    Not any more sorry. Try searching for 0.9, 1.2 or 1.5mm thickness as these seem to be more common
  70. OllieNZ

    Glass Lids

    While they do the trick they're not perfect by any means and I wouldn't feel comfortable making them for others due to imo a lack of consistency. With the tools I have available I'd struggle to make them for thinner glass. They're pretty tough to get the bends consistent and took a bit of...
  71. OllieNZ

    Glass Lids

    I bought enough 1mm polished stainless strip on ebay to make 8 for a couple of quid.
  72. OllieNZ

    Glass Lids

    Is this what you are referring to? Then yes these are the brackets that hold the lid up
  73. OllieNZ

    Glass Lids

    Mine are just 6mm float in two pieces for my 120x45 definitely cat proof and cheap
  74. OllieNZ

    Sick Fish??.....and a Platy Bully!!

    Long poop can be caused by the binders in commercial foods. Giving them fresh veg for a few days will clear their systems but it would come back again as soon as you switch back to flake.
  75. OllieNZ

    Water changes without dechlorinator

    Can you easily get hold of pond dechlor? It works out cheaper for larger tanks.
  76. OllieNZ

    Is this hobby losing the plot?

    I also own it, it was one of my first aquarium books. Unfortunately some of the ideas in regards to setup and running an aquarium are a tad dated but it's still well worth a read and their studies they carried out in the wild are gold dust
  77. OllieNZ

    John Innes No3 safe ?

    I also have very hard water and never had any issues with it, even rescaping/adding more soil to a stocked tank with no problems.
  78. OllieNZ

    Eheim 16mm Suckers

    Drop them in a cup of near boiling water for a minute or so.
  79. OllieNZ

    Substrate for a planted hob?

    Sorry, I should have been more specific, yes it will be for emersed/terrestial plants that don't mind wet feet. It's going to be a diy filter with the water being pumped in one end and flowing out the other.
  80. OllieNZ

    Substrate for a planted hob?

    Thanks
  81. OllieNZ

    Substrate for a planted hob?

    Hi All, Since switching to plant unfriendly african cichlids (blighters keep digging up my vallis) I've been looking at the best way to get plants in the system and I've decided to build a planted hob, so what's the best substrate for this type of application?
  82. OllieNZ

    DIY Acrylic Light stand..

    Nice work. I'd be a bit nervous about the psu sat next to the tank though.....
  83. OllieNZ

    What exactly causes BBA?

    Try upping your phosphate dosing a touch, that should take care of the gsa.
  84. OllieNZ

    What exactly causes BBA?

    I don't bother either, syphon into the back garden and fill up straight from the hose. The theory is that unstable co2 = BBA. I'm not sure I agree with this in a low tech tank mainly due the fact the plants aren't adapted to higher co2 so the fluctuation caused by a water change has nil effect...
  85. OllieNZ

    What exactly causes BBA?

    Exactly the above. I know it will be some serious work (been there got the T-Shirt) but bulking it out with some fast growing plants and adding soil will definitely help. I think with the size of the tank and given sufficient plant mass two tubes would be acceptable. This was single t5 no...
  86. OllieNZ

    What exactly causes BBA?

    Just the basics: Size, lighting, filtration, wc schedule, stocking etc. If you're no longer getting new bba growth something you've done must be working. Also an FTS would be nice.
  87. OllieNZ

    What exactly causes BBA?

    I do recall the tank and very nice it was, sorry to hear about the light unit failure:(. How ever I would still suggest that both your tank and Darrel's are med-low light despite the actual intensity being provided due to the use of floating plants and in the case of your led unit the height...
  88. OllieNZ

    What exactly causes BBA?

    First of all please define high light(our opinions may differ). If you can please post par values from your tank. Also I'd like to see some pictures of the tank. (I'm a low tech guy too and love to see others work)
  89. OllieNZ

    What exactly causes BBA?

    They didn't attempt to lower the co2 compensation point, they found the minimum of both light and co2 and increased them from there. I'm not saying high co2 and low light will give you better growth than low co2 and higher light. Their experiment shows it doesn't. They don't state about any...
  90. OllieNZ

    What exactly causes BBA?

    I'll let him answer for himself but from what I've seen he uses alot of floating plants and very thick growth to keep the light levels low for his fish and is accepting of a certain amount of algae.
  91. OllieNZ

    What exactly causes BBA?

    Keyword.... May. Also it seems to suggest it's limited to certain species of plants. Assuming it's possible(I'm not say it isn't), I don't see why this would be a desirable condition to attempt to achieve in the aquarium as it would result in too little wiggle room.
  92. OllieNZ

    What exactly causes BBA?

    Not my understanding of it sorry. Light is always the accelerator, plants have a coping mechanism for dealing with lower levels of co2 and adding more light will just get you closer to the point where the plants won't cope but just before you get there your plants will grow well. Adding co2...
  93. OllieNZ

    What exactly causes BBA?

    Not quite correct, addition of co2 lowers the light compensation point of the plants allowing them to grow with less light.
  94. OllieNZ

    Resolved! tagging another member

    No worries sorry I couldn't be more helpful. If you get really stuck ping LondonDragon a message (if he doesn't pick this up first) he's the board IT administrator and will be able to answer any queries.
  95. OllieNZ

    Resolved! tagging another member

    I am using Tapatalk, I don't know if that has any bearing on the tagging function. As for the auto subscribe, not sure on that it may be worth going through your user control panel and see what options are available.
  96. OllieNZ

    Resolved! tagging another member

    @Akwaskape I've not subscribed to the thread so no reply notification, (I would have got one if you quoted me) but I did indeed get the tag.
  97. OllieNZ

    Resolved! tagging another member

    I thought you could. @LondonDragon would be best placed to answer this question.
  98. OllieNZ

    what type of algae is this?

    Otos would be a better choice than the bn. Imo 50l is too small for a bn, it'll be okay while it's small but it will get big.
  99. OllieNZ

    sugru

    It appears to be silicone and talc, I'd think once it's cured it will be environmentally neutral.
  100. OllieNZ

    Re-sealing a tank.

    Technically yes, but you can also do it with steel wool. Before.... After
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