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Hi all, After reading this thread I decided to buy a new ceramic for my atomiser (as I'd noticed the bubbles had got bigger and thought it could probably do with a clean). I followed all of the advice and this morning was saddened to see that less CO2 seemed to be around the tank - I was hoping...

HI All, Is surface agitation imperative to help getting the right CO2 balance? Every time I get the CO2 right / Ph drop of 1 before lights on, my fish do not behave normally. Every time they are alright, the CO2 and ph is not. The only thing left to try is to increase surface agitation. But...

Do you think it improved your diffusion rate?

Are there any problems associated with putting the diffuser on the intake to the filter? Does it affect anything inside the filter? It just seems that I can never get the balance right on the ph drop at lights on - whenever I do, the fish don't like it. So I am thinking the diffusion needs to...

Folgatesafety on ebay is the one I use. £18 for a refurbished 2kg bottle. Will send to your door for about £12

Ok, great - that explains why I haven't had a problem so far! Does anything happen to the FE/gas in it? Does the water get through the reg into that?

Hi all, I'm finally moving to a FE set up - taken me ages, I know! My question is - what help does the check valve (on a bubble counter) have? I haven't been using one on my old DD set up as the bubble counter wasn't in a good position to be of any use. I've read it stops the back flow of...

Hi, I wonder whether this is a problem? In the last week or so the top leaves of this plant have started curling. Is this a problem with anything that will cause other plants a problem? I dose ferts using the EI method currently. The only change in recent weeks is that I have uppsed the...

Ok, so I took readings yesterday, although I am only using a standard, test tube-type test, so I'm afraid my readings are all quite difficult to get. Tank water left out over night was about 7.8 At 11 am (as gas goes on) it was about 7.1-7.3 By lights on at 1pm it was about 6.4-6.5 I'd say...

Thanks guys. I am pretty sure this is an issue with the diffuser (probably linked to poor maintenance), so last night I installed a new, better inline diffuser which made a huge visual difference - the mist was very fine compared to the other one and less seemed to immediately escape at the top...

As always Ceg, thank for your time and answer So you are saying I need to take two ph readings in order to work out how co2 is dissolving? I will take a video at the wake if I can because the flow is good. The dissolving may be an issue I suppose but using an inline diffuser, it has never...

What does it mean (if anything!) if crypts develop small holes in older leaves?

Ash Thanks for the tip! Do you dose frets or have high light? Strange how mine doesn't do much despite these! Paul

Hi all, I have consistently had some difficulty with this plant. Is it easyish to grow? It seems to do quite well when I leave it in the pot, sending out runners etc. However, the leaves are very thin and shorter than usual. They tend to look quite 'straggly' - certainly not like it is in...

Thanks for your reply and summary Parotet - without wanting to be patronising, you have written an excellent summary and all learnt very fast by all accounts! My difficulty is that easy growing plants grow well but other ones die within 2 weeks of buying. And everything on here has advised it...

PS. Also, can anyone tell me if the PH pen checkers or similar (shown below on ebay) are worth buying? Are they accurate? I would like to do more detailed hourly tests like Parotet did but I only have a broad colour based test kit (0.5 increments) and my LFS doesn't have anything more...

Hi everyone, Interesting discussion. Thank you Parotet for starting it and giving such detailed information. This is something I have been struggling with for a while! A year ago I was also given the advice to try and drop the PH by 1 point by the time lights went on. I was struggling to...

Hi, A while a go I made my own spray bar using advice from this site. I used clear acrylic and it worked well. However, I couldn't come up with a way of closing the end, so I just 'crimped' it using the heat gun. I desperately need to clean it now and keep that cleaning up regularly. Any...

Yep no problem here is the pic. I found them in my LFS. It's not one I go to very often - reef and river in morecambe. It's about 30-40 mins from me but if you absolutely can't find any I could try and pop back at some time to post to you (can't remember how much they are). I did struggle to...

OK, well I've only managed to take sporadic readings over the weekend but I still think I have a bit of a problem with diffusion. Yesterday was looking positive with it dropping 1.0 within 2 hours of the last post above. However, today I took a reading just now at 3:30 and it was still only...

Thanks for everyone's help last weekend. After reading all of these, on Monday, I set the tank up as follows: I upped the light (back up to 25% - not quite to the 30% it was at the beginning of this journal). The CO2 injection period is now shorter and slightly higher than before - coming on...

Thanks mate. It does just feel like the CO2 is doing nothing with the amount being pumped in. Any ideas how I could go about cleaning the UP atomiser, maybe that's an issue with the diffusion. I will also try increasing the injection rate as you say and shutting it off earlier.

Just going to write down from memory what happened over the last 2 weeks to get to these dead plants. I bought the plants 3 weeks ago today. The first week, the lights were on 17% and I increased CO2 a bit. All looked ok. In the 2nd week I dropped the light down to 15% and gradually...

No more PH readings yet as I've just done my weekly water change so the CO2 and lights have all been put back 2 hours. In the meantime, I have upped the lights back to 25%. Here is a pic of what was left of the Ludwiga, just in case that helps anything! deadplants_zpsffce09c3.jpg Photo by...

Final piece of information I've not yet posted is that my CO2 switches on at 09:30, approximately 2.5 hours before the lights start and about 3.5 hours before the lights reach any level of intensity

At 18:30, the PH was the same as the last reading between 6.7-6.5 I took all readings from the same places - two readings each time (every time they were exactly the same) - one from the bottom, left and the back and one from the bottom towards the back in the middle of the tank, near where...

Looking back myself at the previous photos, even the older plants I have (which always grew) are now doing worse than when I started the re-scape. The Bacopa, Giant Vallis have both died back. Which leads me to believe the light needs to go up and I need to improve water quality again, which has...

Quick photo - not good quality - but shows the slight change in layout of bogwood to aid flow (sorry couldn't get it to embed): UpdateofTankMay_zps12847bf8.jpg Photo by hudsonpd1 | Photobucket And a short video here - again not good quality - but trying to show the flow of CO2 down the front...

OK, missed a few hours being out but next reading for PH taken at 16:30 (4 hours into photoperiod) and its about 6.7-6.5

Hi mate, OK, I got a first reading for PH - apologies if I post quite a lot while I do this! But first reading is about 7.0 The lights have just come on (12) but dradually ramp up over 2 hours. So not really bright yet. I will take another reading in a couple of hours when they are on full...

Clive, Many thanks for your continued interest and help. The basic layout of the tank is the same - I adjusted the bog wood as I figured that was blocking the flow to the back and also sending it off in strange directions. So I changed it to have more of neutral affect. The lights are the same...

Why do you think you need to suspend the light further away from the water? How do you think that is affecting things? Glad you said it was bloody hard work too! What is your litres in there - about 180l?

Tim - btw on your 90cm tank how deep is it? And what light are you using? And how much CO2 are you getting through?

Interesting what you say about the impact of increasing your water changes helping new plants......maybe it is my water quality having a detrimental affect.

Hi Tim, Many thanks for taking the time to reply. All advice and help is gratefully accepted at the moment. I don't think flow is my issue (even with the pipes) - since I upgraded the filter to the Fluval FX5 and built a spray bar the fish have been living in a near-washing machine cycle! I...

I'm sooooo frustrated with this plant growing that I am so close to just giving it all up! 3 weeks ago I decided to buy a load more plants because I thought all of the advice I had received would mean I could finally crack this. No luck, I'm afraid - £30 worth of plants and now they are just...

As always Ceg, thank you! You did mention the co2, I know, it was just in another post somebody had said their's lasted ages in a 180l and thought I must have a leak! Anyway, thanks for your help. Especially on the hair grass - cant remember where I heard that!

Can anyone help with my remaining frustrations?! 1) dwarf hair grass doesn't seem to grow very well? Why could this be? 2) co2 - I get through 500g bottle a fortnight - is this normal for a 200l tank?! 3) HC - cant get this to even stay down, let alone grow! This latest attempt I planted 4 pots...

Thanks hoggie...........I think! Can you suggest or recommend any for me?

Does anyone know where I can get hold of one of these? I desperately need to sort out a FE solution for CO2 as I'm now going through a 500g bottle every fortnight with my 200l tank! My wallet can't stand much more of this! Thanks! Paul

Hi Oddn0ise, Sorry it has taken me a while to reply - I've not been on the board for a while due to work. I kind of re-scaped using the same base layout - here is my journal for it Re-scaping my 200l tank | UK Aquatic Plant Society I haven't taken any pics for a while but I will soon...

Does anybody know why my Dwarf Hair grass doesn't grow well in my main 200l tank? Is it because I have quick a high/powerful flow over it? I inject CO2 and I thought it was supposed to be fairly easy and quick to grow? It looks ok for a while and then goes brown from the tip down, especially...

Hi Tomfish, I am injecting CO2 through an inline diffuser - the UP Atomiser - and then through a DIY spray bar across the back of the tank. Seems to work well, but you are right, as I've begun to increase CO2 further, the 500g is not enough. I need to find a solution to this fast! But with work...

Thanks for the reply Clive. I'd never considered that having CO2 drop checker at lime green might not be enough - everything I'd read seemed to suggest you get it to lime green and - hey presto! It works. But now you've pointed it out, it makes perfect sense - the more light there is the more...

OK, so no algae bloom and all appears ok. But an update on plant growth reveals I'm still not quite 'there'! So some plants are doing well - the Sagittaria, the Hygrophilia, the Bacopa, the Amazon swords and the Crypts. But others, such as the Hair Grass, the HC (which all came out and died)...

Thanks Clive. I think you are right - as always, good balanced advice that brings us back on the right track! I've cleaned the filter and dropped the light back to 30% and increased the CO2 a notch. Will review over the next week. Thanks Paul

Thanks Clive ive just changed the lighting back down to 30% but I put it at 40% because I thought the red plant and others were high light loving and would need more light to bring out the red and encourage their growth? Am i wrong? or will the 30% light with plenty of co2 be enough? i was...

OK, so its been a few weeks now and no sign of algae but I think I'm going to need some help getting some of these plants to grow! No algae bloom as expected and the hygrophilia plants and the Bacopa are going well but the other news ones I added seem to show new sprouts at the top but then...

Thanks everyone for their replies. On reading my last post again, I think I confused you with my question! I was trying to ask (not very clearly!) whether anyone has ever left their stem plants at the back with the weights on and in their pots? I left them like this so that I could easily move...

A fee days in and no major algae bloom as id feared - yet! This might be a silly question but is there any need to plant all of the stem plants at the back left? I mean, ive left them like that for now so that i can re arrange to find the best balance, but could i leave them permanently like...

Thanks for your comments. I was going to throw the big anubias and fern away as i dont know any people locally who'd want them.

So I took out the Anubias and the Java Fern - and how surprised I was to see how large each had become! In taking it out I wrecked the layout as the wood came out too! The roots were so well engrained on the wood they both took some removing! I removed various other plants and moved the hair...

So this weekend, I go around to buying some new plants and re-scaping a little. I took a shot beforehand of the tank - warts and all! - and have posted it below. The tank has looked better at various points over the previous 18 months, but this is it immediately before I re-did it. You will...

Hi Foxfish, I fitted the UP atomiser by using using a DIY piping arrangement with a 'y' splitter, splitting the flow across two pipes - one with the 16/22 pipe and the UP in that side. The other with 25/32 pipe. Then a 'y' splitter brings them back together and into the Fluval pipe. And now I...

Hi Dan, Thanks for your advice. I think I am struggling to master that element - especially for foreground plants! I am also struggling to understand how to balance 'grouping plants with similar leaf structures' vs 'contrasts of colours/textures'. Your comment about Repens for example - I was...

Hi All, I wonder if anyone can offer any advice/improvement on my plant selection for my new plan for my tank. I've just started a journal about it at the link below but I wanted to highlight in this topic area which is related to aquascaping and composition. Thanks! Paul...

OK, here is my planned layout. This is the plan as seen from the top. The hardscape is pretty much there already. The brown in the middle is the bogwood. The grey are stones and the two other shapes are caves/flowerpots for Apistos. What do you think? Does the plant composition look good? Any...

Clifford - I hear you! I haven't even raised the idea of having an FE outside of the cabinet with the 'planning authority'!

Right, having scattered random questions over the forum, I have decided I'm going to re-scape my current tank! In another forum I asked about emptying it and starting again, but I've decided that all I really need to do is re-consider the plant stocks and where I put them. So I'm going to up...

Thanks but I think it is more to do with the gas exchange. Before I introduced the bar, I moved the drop checker to what looked like the wosrt part of the tank for flow and it did change to lime green by the time the lights were on. Afterwards it is now blue and I think the flow has improved in...

OK. thaks Clifford. I didn't think you should but wanted to double check before either I gave up on the idea of using one or tried to re-think the cupboard again!

Mike, here is the pic. Not sure if you can see, but it has little notches along it so you can adjust for the size of pipe. It's kind of like a rubber ring that wraps around the pipe. Does that make sense? Found it in a fish shop, not all that local but Reef & River in Morecambe! Its not my...

Great idea re the tape and getting the right number of holes. I think I've got a bit too much water movement at the moment though because of how the bar is fitted. I agree its probably a good thing about O2 exchange (and I'm probably caring too much about my wallet than my fish!)

Thanks Mike. I will try and work out how to get the pics into the board! Not cracked that one yet! Your tank is just a tad smaller than mine (1m) so useful to know you had ridiculous flow too! I have just altered the outlet on the FX5 to reduce the flow a little for now. I guess I might make a...

Can you put a CO2 bottle on its side? i.e. lying down? I'd like to swap to a FE but the 2KG bottle I can find is JUST too large (with the reg etc) to fit inside the cabinet. Can I lie it down or is this dangerous?

Hi All, Right, so this weekend I finally got around to making my own spray bar. As a result, I have some follow-on questions! 1) Do you all find that you need to use more CO2 as a result? My drop checker has not been the same since I put the spary bar in yesterday. Its not go to the same...

Hi Mike, Thanks for your pointers. I managed to make and set up a spray bar this weekend and I even managed to find some nifty sucker clips - they are clear plastic and can be made to fit different sizes of tubes. I'll try and get some pics for you if you want. By the way, how big is your...

Mike, I have just read your reply after posting a question the DIY forum just now! Can you talk me through your spray bar set up? The rest of your set up sounds very similar to mine! I also have an FX5 with an UP atomiser fitted using a similar approach to yours. I'm not trying to make a spary...

I'm sorry to start yet another topic about DIY spray bars! I can find plenty of relatively cheap Clear Acrylic tubing on ebay that comes in the size I need - my Fluval FX5 has hose of I/D of 25mm and the best pipe I can find is clear acrylic of I/D 24mm. All other PVC pipe that I can find as an...

If I manage to grow a healthy carpet of plants, are Corys ok to keep? Just wondering as these are fish that like to feed off the bottom and wondered whether they were still suitable with carpeting plants?

Great, thanks Hoggie! Having never used one before, is it just the size of the threads I need to measure to get the right one then?

Anyone got any advice as to how wide apart the holes in a spray bar should be? And how frequent they should be? Ceg, with all of your experience, how will this impact the velocity? My tank is a 1m long and 50cm deep. I have a FX5 filter which I am going to fit a spray bar to. Will this get...

OK, for a while now everyone has suggested using a spray bar to improve flow and get flow down to the carpet plants. I have a 200l tank with a FX5 filter an inline diffuser. The tank is a 1 metre long and 50cm deep Currently I have one of my FX5 dual outlet heads pointed down which forces the...

BTW - you haven't made a spray bar have you? That's what I'm trying to do now!

I found it online after ages and ages searching for the right fittings I found the 'Y' fitting on ebay: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 0259630019 I used Eheim hosing to fit onto this and then used a reducer on one side to reduce to a smaller dia Eheim tubing. Unfortunately I can't...

Hi, I've got a FX5 on my 200l and its fine. The flow is a bit powerful from the outlet but if you can fit onto a spraybar then it will spread the flow around more evenly. I am thinking about making a DIY spray bar to fit. I have already adapted my own piping to fit an inline atomiser. I used a...

Does anyone know where to get one of these so that I can swap from using DD disposable bottles to FE refillable ones? I would really like to do this so that I increase my CO2 injection without having to worry about money! I understand that they aren't made anymore so I'm struggling to find...

Oddn0ise, I've just read the beginning of your journal and had to ask you directly back straight away - with your wealth of experience, do you think I should totally gut it and start again? Your old tank looked great anyway, so I'm a bit baffled as to why you gutted yours and started again...

Thanks Oddn0ise, for your comment. I haven't started yet. I was actually wondering whether I needed to now, as I thought I might be able to gradually overhaul it bit by bit, by uprooting some plants and replanting new ones. Adding new gravel where I wanted to change shape etc. I've read...

What is your current rate of CO2 in terms of bubbles per second? How much CO2 do you get through a month?

Thanks Adam and tim for your comments. I will see if there is a DD adaptor otherwise might just try the JBL one and hope that works the same. I'm sure it will......

But do the valves fit any regulator? Because they are bigger tanks, I wondered whether the tops would be different sizes?

Thanks Jackrythm, how large is your tank in litres?

I know this topic has probably been asked many times.....but can I get this to work for me? I bought the DD aquarium CO2 system and then swapped to buying the CO2 cylinders from Machine Mart to save money. They are the same sized cylindars just with different lables! I then found a supplier on...

How do I add pictures?

Thats great help - especially the points about B&Q and the trays with cling film. Foxfish, re filter, that had kind of skipped my mind! So thanks! I was going to clean it out the weekend before and then leave it filled with aquarium water while I made the change, thinking that would keep the...

Hi! Can somebody help give me their experience and suggest the best way to go about breaking up an existing set up and creating a new aquascape. Away from inspiration, what are the practicalities of doing this? Has it ever been covered in PKF? It should be, if it hasn't already......! - I...

Foxfish The fx5 does come with 25mm pipes - i had to do some very clever diy pipework to fit smaller tubing, splitting the pipes with a 'y' fitting and adding inline diffuser to one pipe before joining them back with another 'y' and back into original tubes!! Paul

Ollie Thanks for your suggestions. I will get you some pics later. The algae is bba i think. I will drop the light a but further and agree that i could prob increase co2 a bit more. I was trying to keep coss down! I know what you mean by gpm and flow - my nano is doing well withiut co2, low...

OllieNZ, CO2 diffusion is by inline diffuser. The FX5 filter has a double output nozzle, allowing two directional output which helps the distribution and does power the CO2 to the front bottom although as I say the Sword plant does get in the way and there is a dead spot in the middle back of...

Great, thanks guys. I did wonder if that might be best. The video link helps too!

TO OllieNZ, thanks for your note, appreciate your suggestions. I have a drop checker already but to be honest, this has seemed to imply that I had enough CO2 even at 1.5 bubbles per second. Now its 3, it still looks ok and the fish seem fine. Would you increase the CO2 further? The distribution...

Ah sorry, too fast typing for my own good! I AM using an inline diffuser - I swapped to that about 6 mths ago. Re Ferts, I'm mixing them following the EI method as found James' Planted Tanks site. So rather than buying branded pre-mixed, I'm buying the base elements and mixing them to his...

I returned to the hobby (after a 20 year absence) last year, about 18 mths ago. Since then I have struggled to get the 'balance' right in the tank to get the plants growing and algae irradicated. I've not got bad algae but its present on older leaves and I can't get the plants to 'pearl'. My...

Quick question, how do you manage to plant this?! I ask because I have bought several pots now and I struggle to keep it in the substrate! With such a small root structure the fish and the shrimps seem to move gravel to uproot it before it can take hold properly! Also, what conditions does...

Hi All, I think I may have some Cardinal Tetras with early white spot. I also have one neon which may have neon tetra disease, although I can't be sure. For white spot, I've read about 'no light' treatment and also chemicals. I've taken a lot of time to get to grips with plants (and am still...

Thanks for your reply. Can you give me a quick link to the topic you posted and had answered?

Hi All, I've just got some EasyCarbo, mainly for my new 20 litre tank, as I wanted something easier than Co2 injection. I have two questions; if I go away for a day or 2 days at a time (as I travel with work) and miss dosing, will I trigger algae (due to low or unstable CO2 levels) as with...

Hi, I don't know where to post this but I'm interested to get recommendations for the best introduction into Nano Aquariums? With an aquascaping slant to it? Also, what other books do you recommend for aquarium plants/aquascaping? Which is your favourite?

Hi Foxfish Thanks for your comments; yes I suspect the plants haven't fully adjusted to the new ferts and better flow just yet. And good point about the flow; it is a hell of a lot better than previously but im still adjusting slightly here and there as some parts seem very strong flow and...