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Not yet. I'm doing a dry start so no wet reading yet

Lightroom. Start here, don't go to photoshop first.

Andy at Tankscape has contacted me to offer a completely new power pack which complies with UK requirements. That will make me feel a bit safer having the unit plugged in and running permanently.

Just for information I have this light on a 30cm cube doing a dry start. Tested PAR levels today without water and measures 45 - 50 at substrate level. I'll update this post when its filled with water and I've tested PAR again. Bought from this site. UP PRO-Z 30cm 10x LED Hanging Plant Light...

Awsome model building. http://www.tokyogoodidea.com/bonsai-b

Mike I don't get a lot of light spill, the position is slightly higher than some may have. I have found this gives the best spread of light into the tank with a better spread. They are nice lights, easy to control intensity. I must get my proper camera out and get some better pics

RIP Malcolm I don't want to depress anyone but I thought as this journal documents the progress of Swamp Creek its only fitting that I should add RIP Malcolm, the cat wearing the jumper in the first photo of this journal. He was the first living creature in my tank! Unfortunately we made the...

Swamp Creek - moved to new site So I'm pleased with my new tank position. I get to sit on the couch opposite, look out into the garden or at my tank. The tank is plumbed into the mains via a mixer tap to get just the right water temperature. The tank is also plumbed into an outside drain...

Swamp Creek - new position for tank Hi Folks. An update on the tank which has not been rescaped in 2 years. I did a bit of renovating last year about this time and if I think back it was a very stressful dusty period. We decided to extend the lounge and create a new bedroom upstairs in the...

Re: My first pond (edit: 12 months later June 2012) Thanks for the thumbs up. I learned from planted tanks they need to have an easy cleaning and water change system. The one thing I did not do was install a top up valve. I assume that by this you mean to top up the water level? I still...

My first pond 12 months ago I had to change the waterfall from sandstone to slate as it was causing to much splashing and wetting the wood. the sharper finer edge of the slate is much better.

My first pond 12 months ago So I changed my mind about the waterfall area and decided to fill the depths of the lined area with pond filter tubes, cover with hessian and plant my plants in bags rather than pots. Also kept the soil levels low as I wanted these plants to feed off the nutrients...

My first pond 12 months ago So the liner is installed in the waterfall area and needs a trim. Trimmed liner and edged. Slabs down First plants in

My first pond 12 months ago This image shows where the veggie filter/waterfall will live and the waterfall inflow pipe + the filter drain pipe. Also bedding the pond in with some water. There is also an overflow drain you can see just on the right The patio is going down at the same time.

My first pond 12 months ago The sumps in and the pressure pipe glued into place UV filter installed with ball valves and waterfall pipe installed. I later moved the ball valve positions.

My first pond 12 months later (may 2012) The beast! as some have pointed out its overkill for 1000l but I'm coming at this from a planted tank bias. I love this filter.

My first pond 12 months ago - the build Hi folks Long time coming this post so be prepared for a picture heavy post. I took photos as I built the pond so I'll post them over a number of posts. I purchased a nexus easy pod + an aquamax Eco 4500 + a 175 x 125 x 60 cm preformed plastic pond...

Why don't you turn down the temp of the water in the tank? I'm not sure what you run it at but I try keep my water temp 22 - 25 C. I also set my room temp to never drop below 16C and max out at 22C. Works for me, I lose a bit of water but not enough to worry about topping up between water...

Re: Swamp Creek Mike that's a question I have asked myself over and over. Then recently I went out and bought and extra tile. I suppose I'm committed to them as I've spent the cash. I have often wondered if my problems are down to them, however I think they produce all the light needed, my...

Re: Swamp Creek Darren EI only doses for Mg if you add it as magnesium sulphate or Epsom salts. Normal EI relys on the magnesium in your water. Because I have rock hard water I thought Mg would be high but I cannot get info out of water supplier. Ca must be high given the state of my...

Swamp Creek Well 2 years on and I still have the same setup with a few tweaks to planting. I'm still finding it difficult, especially getting good growth at substrate level. I have recently made a change that has me very hopeful that it may have been a CO2 issue all along! (it's almost...

Search eBay for Epsom salts. (magnesium sulphate heptahydrate, mgso4). Use James C's calculators to work out how much you need. Add at water change. 4 tsp in 180l gives 11ppm. Target value is 5-10. I think I'm adding to much at 6 tsp per 100l of water changed.

Not sure of ppm dose but tank is 180l

Apparently ph and temp don't affect them but I think nobody really knows. In my setup I have plenty co2, flow, ferts, and little disturbance. I change 60% tap water twice weekly. Water is hard. I had a recurring problem, melts would occur until the crypts died. My solution. Add 6 tsp of Mg...

I would make sure your overall light levels are on the lower side, watts and hours. To much light + ammonia = algae So clean regularly and reduce light. Because you have no fauna I'd have high levels of c02 but remember Otos and shrimp help remove some algae. I'd use EI at higher than...

I had a problem with diatoms as well, started covering all my plants. I was looking at some tanks at Aquajardin in gloucester and it struck me how "bright" my tank was. I lowered my par to about 25. The algae cleared and I have raised the PAR to 30 Drop your par level further for a week or...

I have 2 tiles on a 90x45x45. They are about 25cm from the surface and I have the intensity set at 75%. I have a 30min ramp each side of a 6 hour lighting period. From previous discussions I think a PAR of 30 is considered ok at substrate. If there's one thing I've learned in the last 2 yrs...

Bjorn I have the same lights. My par is closer to 25 at substrate level. I'd reduce your lighting. Worse that can happen is things grow slower or slowly die. You can always turn them up slowly.

Tom stop encouraging inappropriate antibiotic use. I thought I had told you off enough the last time you suggested it. ;)

Its been weeks since I turned on my desktop computer.

The risks are small and there are more damaging and dangerous practices out there. I agree. I suppose my problem is the promotion of antibiotic use for aesthetic purposes in a fish tank. I treat infectious disease, sometimes antibiotics save lives, I don't want them misused by anyone even a...

I work with antibiotics. My colleagues and I get the blame when diseases become resistant to antibiotics. Hobbyists treating their tanks to clear algae is the type of reason why they remain on prescription in the uk. Most people don't understand the ramifications of inappropriate use. So where...

Position the spraybar below water but pointing towards surface. That creates plenty of agitation without any noise. As long a the surface is disturbed you'll get better gas exchange.

I knocked my thermostat during water change. Pushed temp up to 30 C for a week before I realised the evaporation was high and the water was really warm to touch. My plants suffered especially the staurogyne (old leaves yellowing) and some crypts started dropping leaves. Much better since...

Thing with the closed iOS vs Open Android is that the people who just want a phone that works and is fun to use don't care. Its the geeks (count me in) that want control and ability to modify things. Personally I find the quality of apple products astounding. Soon iTunes will be less of an...

Antibiotics are a prescription medicine for a reason. Your approach to your tank is a good example why drugs are controlled. You don't have an infection. BGA is a reality. If you manage your tank properly you can prevent it and there are ways to to rid your tank without antibiotics. Vets will...

Mate get yourself an iPhone 5 in a months time and you'll understand what a smartphone is really meant to be.

Be careful talking about importing antibiotics on a public forum. It's a criminal offence. Erythromycin might be widely available in the states but it's not in the UK. Not only as you point out do you get resistance to the antibiotic but you then empty the water back into the environment which...

Sorry, double post - see rant below

You need to remove the fish to an isolation tank. Buy a cheap 30cm cube and filter. Do daily water changes at first while the filter stabilises. Best to preload with material from current filter. If high nitrates or other water parameters are to blame you can eliminate them this way. It also...

Ghostworld I am appalled at your lack of empathy towards an animal. You picked up that brick because you wanted to use it given the opportunity. You managed to drop an 80kg dog with a brick. I see dogs that are in road traffic accidents that are still walking mate. Your sick mate! You need...

I used water. Still there a year later.

Buy the camera 2nd hand. There's some great cameras out there that people sell because they want the newest and latest tech.

You are better off shooting in raw mode if you want to post process your images especially if you have under exposure. My advice would be to try improve your background lighting. If you want to see some great tank shots look at Mark Evans posts on the forum. Trouble with jpegs is you have...

Gary. Brinkworth. 07980 263615. Abbey fire protection. He swops out 2 x 2kg fire extinguishers for a tenner each. Excellent service. Not sure if he will refill jbl canisters though.

I have the same question. But I'm moving a 180l about 10m. I'm worried I'd crack the tank if I dont empty it completely.

I'm surprised at how many rioters wear ADIDAS track suits! I think these people are scum. I also think this reflects how sick a large part of our society has become. It's not about politics, race or money. It's about a lack of empathy towards our neighbours.

Jim you need a rated flow from your pumps/filters of 4500lph. The pumps/filters will not perform at their rated flow due to the pipes, gravity (head), narrowing at inline equipment points. Perhaps a system with a rating of 4500lph will perform at 2500 or 3000lph, it varies depending on setup...

Joe. I have the same dilemma. I'm about to move my tank and and it would be more simple to combine my 2 loops into one. As you know I have a filter rated at 1700lph driving a spraybar with no inline attachments and a 3000lph external pump driving the main spray bar with a inline diffuser and...

Re: Swamp Creek Thanks Mate I've been meaning to update the journal for a while. It's been a bit of a journey of discovery for me. I seem to have solved my crypt melt and algae problems. I need a free moment to pen a proper post and I will soon. The crypt melt was solved by adding...

£2325.65 (include postage)

I'm run a vet surgery. My most recent innovation is doing laparoscopic (keyhole surgery) bitch spays or ovariectomies. It's a bit like a video game except that the patients are 70% less painful and the gear costs 40k (rented not owned!).

Never trust a pets at home. They are just the supermarket face of the pet industry. Maximum profit and lowest price paid to supplier.

Mark you can't use raw as a standard for entries as it produces a very flat low contrast, unsaturated, unsharpened image. This might be the pure unadulterated image data but it is not what your eyes are seeing. Your eyes see more contrast and saturation and better dynamic range. Even with film...

Try setting it to manual at full power and disable the computer. Are your pipes dirty. It measures resistance to flow and adjusts output accordingly.

Well I own a business and for the first time in my life I wish they would dissolve the monarchy. The monarchy has no relevance in a modern world, it's a fairytale elitist clique. What's most irritating is that in a middle of a recession I have to find the money to pay 13 staff members to...

I suppose the one downside is trying to clean the the larger diameter spraybar. The springs do cause some indents at the bend but it's not something that glares at you in the final product. I think it's easier to use springs than sand but I have not tried sand. Hope things turn out well for...

I'd like to be an engineer perhaps working in something like flow dynamics or anything that might get me a job with a team in formula one racing! Designing and building something with an almost unlimited budget.

Re: help setup my first pond Thanks Ed. Do I need to invest in a uv light? My pond will be in the sun most of the day.

Re: help setup my first pond Thanks for yor replies. I have been the my LFS and purchased some gear this afternoon. I appreciate that the filter is likely to be overkill but it should be easy to keep clean. I have purchased an nexus easy pod + an aquamax Eco 3500 + a 175 x 125 x 60 cm...

Re: help setup my first pond Is this a good choice in pumps? http://www.koi-zone.co.uk/Pond-Pumps/Oase-Pond-Pumps-sc-297.html I'd need the 2000

My garden is 570cm by 400cm. Not large. I have a pond planned. I'm removing the grass and am going to lay stone slabs down instead. I plan to use railway sleepers to make some raised beds around the outside of the patio. The pond itself will be a rectangular L130cm x w85cm x d45cm preformed...

I was wondering if anyone knows why my fish have developed long trailing poo's. They have been in my tank for 18 months and have only just started. I'm concerned they may have some nutrient deficiency. I feed them a commercial pellet food and the odd meal of frozen bloodworm etc. can anyone...

I'm no expert but there is not enough potassium and no phosphate so these still need adding. Obviously no micros either. I'm not sure if you add it to a liter or not.

So using james's dosing calculators I can add 4 tsp Epsom salts to my tank at every water change. That should give 10 ppm in my 200 l. Would it matter if I changed 50% 4 times a week say and added this much mg at each change? Dosing normal EI Levels will keep my npk at optimum levels. How...

I have had some algae problems, currently GSA and BGA. My CO2 and flow is fine - UP atomiser on separate 3000 lph powerhead circuit in addition to the 1700 lph filter. Spraybar. 200 l tank. Dosing EI for 300l. I have plants that show nutrient deficiency and crypts that regularly melt their...

http://ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=14128 see my post on using copper tube bending springs.

Thanks George and Tom that's very helpful. I'll start with 10 ml per day of each.

I see George is adding 6ml daily to 60 liters with an inert substrate. So for ei levels in a 200 l would I need 120 ml macros divided over a week with a 50 % water change once weekly to achieve 30 ppm N?

So Tom how many mls of nitrogen would you add for a 200 l? do I need to add phosphate?

I've just received some of these ferts to try. I looks like the instructions which are german say that the nitrogen needs to be dosed at 1 ml per 50 l daily. The micros are 1 ml per 20 l every week. Am I translating this correctly? It seems you guys are dosing much higher levels. Would...

I thought you had an external pump driving the spraybar. I have an external powerhead driving the spraybar with co2 connected to this system. My filter is on a separate system. 3000 LPH pushes the bubbles right down onto the substrate. I'm not sure the koralia will help push the bubbles down...

That's the one. I think you will be fine with 4000 lph attached to that atomiser.

It should work and is the way forward. My tank is 90 x 45 cm. I have a spraybar running the length of the tank and I have better flow now than ever before. The flow is driven by a 3000 lph pump which is separate to my filter. You don't need ten times filtration, you need 10 times flow. The...

Your lucky to live in NZ mate. There's a quality to the life out there that I feel I miss in the UK. If it were allowed it would be great to get a camera underwater in the springs.

I'd like some advice on trimming this plant (top right). I know I have 2 options either uproot and trim the base or top them. So far I have trimmed some of the stems and replanted them but I'm looking for an easier way to manage them. Do you think I should just cut back 50% and see what...

I've been to the South Island of NZ 3 times. I have a great excuse as my family moved to Auckland years ago but I live in the UK. It's an awesome place but then there is amazing countryside everywhere in the world if you just go look for it. I could live the rest of my life in the North of...

Re: Swamp Creek Thanks George and LondonDragon that means a lot coming from great scapers as yourselves :thumbup: I'm still having problems with my crypts melting. I've been told it's just down to co2 but having changed to the UP Aqua atomiser and increased my flow to more than required I...

Looks like I could spend a day there. No chance of snorkelling I bet. I got as far west as Totranui beach. Kicked myself ever since for not going all the way. Nice pics, feel free to post some more. How much water comes out of the spring?

I 2nd the eheim external range. I have a compact 3000 + UP atomiser and they work a treat. There's even a 5000 version.

Can you link to the you tube videos?

Re: Help White spot Metronidazole is used for saltwater ich, not sure about freshwater ich. Nystatin is an antifungal so not certain of its usefulness but still looking into that. fenbendazole has potential - I have seen it described as being used with shrimp to clear planaria etc - BUT - I'm...

Re: Swamp Creek A video. just have to get that hair grass growing

Re: Help White spot John will the fish and shrimp survive 90F? All the treatments I have researched will be toxic to your invertebrates. 80F will not kill the parasite you need to go to 90F. This is from a University help sheet "Temperature manipulation is also an effective way to control...

Re: Swamp Creek UP Aqua atomiser installed. I've seen a big improvement in flow. I think I'm imagining things but the bba algae on some leaves seems to be turning into "pepper corns" if you know what I mean. It's only been about 4 days.

That looks fantastic Andy. Just keep your co2 higher than you think you need it and only put livestock in once you know you have the plants growing. It's difficult to respond to problems when you need to try keep fish alive at the same time. I have battled algae due to poor co2 distribution...

I have Ada tweezers. Not worth the money in my experience. I prefer the jbl tweezers I have. Somehow they are more successful at leaving the plant in the soil after planting.

"The restrictions preferences are located under Settings > General > Restrictions > Allowed Content (In-App Purchases) OFF. When this is activated, in-app purchases is turned off." Complaining to Apple has led to a refund for many parents who have suffered this fate. I assume your kid bought a...

It's from the guardian website - follow the link and there's more amazing photography like this shot. Sorry should have put this in the photography section http://gu.com/p/2m457/iw

http://gu.com/p/2mnny/iw Poor creatures

Actually this photometer looks interesting - NPK, Mg, Ca. ok its pricey @£450. Are these accurate and useful?http://www.hannainst.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=1207_1263&products_id=1863

What do you think of this analyser Darrel? http://www.hannainst.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=1694_1730_1759&products_id=1854

Can overfiltering remove npk from the tank?

pm'ed Dan

I have the 1000 model. TGM swooped it out for me when the nipple broke off. It was very easily damaged. I have not had a problem with the new model as I have never tried to remove the co2 tubing from the nipple again. It dissolves well but I've ordered an UP atomiser after reading reviews here...

Nikon D200 with Singh Ray ND filters. I have a 2 and 3 stop hard and soft ND filter. So that's 4 in all. Bought them online from the states (http://www.singh-ray.com/grndgrads.html). Excellent quality. I think I was using a 17 - 35mm f2.8 lens. Thanks for looking.

Thanks mate. This from the other side.

Re: Swamp Creek I use Excel daily, about 10ml in 200l. I'll work on my CO2. Cheers.

Re: Swamp Creek Its an interesting read. I don't think I appreciated how complex the science could be. So I should be able to grow almost anything in my water as long as I follow basic principals of high optimised flow, EI or equivalent, Light at an appropriate PAR and as much CO2 as my fish...