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  1. altaaffe

    Anyone know about Arcadia LED ?

    Thanks for the info guys, just came across them for the first time this weekend. I've only used T5 above plants so far but I know what you mean about the TMCs, I've got a pair above each of my non-planted 180g's and those provide more than enough light for them. Guess it'll be a pair of T5s then.
  2. altaaffe

    Anyone know about Arcadia LED ?

    I'm looking about to see what lighting I can put above my 60litre and came across the Arcadia Eco-Aqua LED tubes. Has anyone come across these ? If so are they any good for planted set-ups?
  3. altaaffe

    Nick16 signing out....

    Have a good time at Uni but you don't have to have fish to have a scape - what can they say if they look in and only see plants ? :wink:
  4. altaaffe

    "Prairie Lands"... job done

    Re: "Prairie Lands"...The return Wow - as you say, you don't really get a perspective of how deep the slope is until you see that end shot. Looking good though, and I hate waiting for plants too.
  5. altaaffe

    Moved House - The Restart

    Thanks all. I was in a quandry as to what to do with the 700 litre tank on it's own. I have a load of C.Moori fry in there just now and was intending in keeping my adults in there with a few fry but I have recently had requests for Syno Mutipunctatus so the dolphins are back in with the cats...
  6. altaaffe

    Moved House - The Restart

    As requested by Paulo, a couple of updated pic on my tanks. This was the way my planted set-up went, the rocks I just threw in before planting and I kind of like where they anded up once the dust settled so they've stayed there: Mid April: Growing in: And a week ago, got a few plants on the...
  7. altaaffe

    "Prairie Lands"... job done

    Re: "Prairie Lands"...The return Looking forward to it Mark, you're starting to make that bug itch me again too.... now where did I put that fire extinguisher ?
  8. altaaffe

    From This to This!!!

    Turning into this: This: Into this:
  9. altaaffe

    Breeding Celestial Pearl Danio (Danio margaritatus)

    I mainly fed them on Hikari first bites and a crushed golden pearl food but I stopped breeding them almost a year ago so I can't remember where I picked that up from, seemed to do them good though. I also used to put in crushed peas now and again.
  10. altaaffe

    Breeding Celestial Pearl Danio (Danio margaritatus)

    I used to breed them in a hi-tech planted set-up with lots of Blyxa. I didn't do anything particularly different for them in there I had about 30 in a 180 litre with Amano shrimp. They would constantly be driving each other through the mounds of blyxa and I would just syphon off water after...
  11. altaaffe

    Cryptocoryne Riparium

    That is an absolutely stunning shot. Must admit - I love the shock of that red but I suppose it does tend to draw your eye in and away from the rest. I should imagine that kept lower it looks much better ?
  12. altaaffe

    Aquascaping on TV

    I totally forgot this was on TV, thanks for putting the link on George, the tank looked fantastic by the way and what a good plug :clap:
  13. altaaffe

    My discus tank

    Absolutely stunningas it is, but as said above - something to help the transition from the back to the carpet. Maybe some more Pogostemon or some Staurogyne. Or even wood with fern / mixed anubias
  14. altaaffe

    Journal 2 . Finaly, 4ft 238l CLOSEING down today 1st May

    Re: Journal 2 . Finaly, 4ft 238l updated 24th April Like the tank Chilled - looking good :thumbup: As for breeding the shrimp, I set up a 60 litre using sea water ready but then was overtaken by events before I could finish the project but I was using this article as a base...
  15. altaaffe

    Digital Switch timers...

    Those that I want to come on at the same time, I just plug an extension into. Cheaper option if they are all at the same time.
  16. altaaffe

    200-liter Riparium Setup for Synodontis Catfish

    Absolutely stunning and even as a propagator, I'm jealous !!
  17. altaaffe

    60cm Riparium

    Man, have I missed being able to see these posts over the last few months. Looking forward to seeing how this goes and trying a little of it myself on my tanks too.
  18. altaaffe

    Moved House - The Restart

    Re: Moved House - Hello Again Thanks for the welcome back. Yeah, unfortunatley, with the fish dramas, I didn't have the time to get planting it on the weekend I moved it and it melted very fast after I left it floating at the top of a tank. As for the tanks, I had 9 running at the old house...
  19. altaaffe

    Moved House - The Restart

    Just thought I'd drop in and say hello again. I moved job last October and was in temp accomodation for 4 months, bought my new house now and set up my latest tank project. Stripped each of my other tanks down bit by bit but then had to do one big move due to timescales. Unfortunately, I...
  20. altaaffe

    Enough rain for you?

    I've just moved to Cumbria and have just had an offer accepted on a house. Was visiting it regularly over the last few days to make sure all was well but know of one that was due to exchange contracts this week only to find the house under water. I'm living in Workington just now, and it is...
  21. altaaffe

    how do you arrange the filter media in your canister?

    I think a lot depend on preference. I run 2 filters on my Malawi tank, set up as the manufacturers suggest. One is Tetratec, the other, Rena. Tetra has large mass at the bottom to capture big lumps and them sponge above, Rena goes the other way. The Rena requires more frequent maintenance...
  22. altaaffe

    Am i paranoid?

    Chilled ... paranoid ... probably. Hyper ... I suspect most definitely. Enjoyed my swap with you & if I could get home and distribute some of my Staurogyne reserves, I would. looked at some of the plants you had up recently thinking I might hace swapped for St. but I'm not there at the mo...
  23. altaaffe

    what car are we driving?

    I have now returned to the world of normality, after having a Diahatsu Charade GTti (which was fantastic) and gave me the bottom tax band when that was brought in for cars less than 1.1l .... and then a Clio 197, again awesome especially on the moor roads in the North of Scotland, I have finally...
  24. altaaffe

    Discus - Tap Water?

    Have to admit my wife wants discus too, just in the process of moving to Cumbria where the water (much to my surprise) seems to be much softer than that up in the North of Scotland so HMA filter it will be for me too.
  25. altaaffe

    is it better to remove ammonia "immediately" or...

    It's a good question and made me think for one. I'm about to move house and set up my tanks all over again. But I think I'll seed a filter on my Oscar tank for use on a hi-tech tank so that it will be searching for every last bit of ammonia it can get from the the off - hopefully this way I...
  26. altaaffe

    Emersed HC Using Compost & Propagator!

    Nice to see, I had it growing like a weed in a tray inside the lid of an aquarium with the return from a filter spraying into it. For substrate I used a betta breeding mat which is a bit like filter floss. In fact most short stem or low growing plants we use have loved this set-up. Got about...
  27. altaaffe

    Where do you guys work?

    In my last 2 weeks of employment in the RAF and then I'm off to pastures new
  28. altaaffe

    Anyone replaced a ballast on a Juwel Rio 180

    Got these guys on my favourites now thanks to your legwork :thumbup: Had both of my 2x 39W luminaires blow their ballasts within a week of each other (probably why they were reduced when I originally bought them). Repaired one this week with a new ballast from National lamps, perfect.
  29. altaaffe

    Staurogyne Flower

    LOL, just posted in your topic, give us a pm and I'll get some out.
  30. altaaffe

    Staurogyne Flower

    Had a double lamp failure on the trays that I use for the propagators above my Oscar Tank so put aquarays above them. The light obviously agreed with the Staurogyne that was dircectly below it as it has started to flower, plenty more buds too.
  31. altaaffe

    A new Addition!

    Very nice. Must be depressing for you though - seeing another glass box in the room with no water, fish & plants in it. :lol:
  32. altaaffe

    Galaxy Rasbora

    My experience with them so far is that any heavily planted tank sees them very happy indeed. If you get them used to seeing you in front of the tank they will eventually start to come out while you're there. As for breeding, I started with them using minimal CO2 and adding no NO3 or PO4. No3...
  33. altaaffe

    New Cars... Good MPG?

    I've got the new Megane Coupe 1.5 diesel (106bhp). I've done around 2500 miles in the month that I've had it, most of it motorway and it's giving me 53mpg. When I measured it seperately for a trip down the A9 at 50-60 mph the rate went up close to 60mpg. The bumf they give you advises that...
  34. altaaffe

    212-liter Riparium

    I'm looking forward to this one with particular interest, any chance you could list what plants you are using? Do these have any ferts added here and is the lighting set up at the level you are proposing to use once set-up? Cheers, Al
  35. altaaffe

    It's been a while... back with a view to setting up a low-te

    You're right to think it's not right, whilst demasoni may get away with a 3ft tank, most mbuna are looking at 4ft+, and certainly not 40 litres. The lure of cichlids I understand only too well. My wife was mad as hell at me when my Oscar, Murph, got "relegated" to the dining room and a planted...
  36. altaaffe

    Ashes Final Test

    This batters paradise of a strip isn't looking quite so hot now and hard to imagine that there is only one specialist spinner in the whole 22 players selected.
  37. altaaffe

    time to retire from UKAPS

    Seems like every time I take time out from the site I come back to see thoughts of somebody leaving. Guess I'll have to make sure I stay on all the time :lol: Good to hear you're not going anywhere though - this site has expoded into life thanks to contributions from people such as yourself...
  38. altaaffe

    Diana Walstead style tanks

    Have to admit, I have experimented on this side of things, with a quick strip down and restart straight away (due to time constraints) basically for a future large project and I'm pleased with the results. As Dusko has said, I did suffer from a little algae at the beginning but it soon cleared...
  39. altaaffe

    Waddington Airshow 2009

    Aaahh ... the mighty Tristar - great aircraft to work on, I miss them.
  40. altaaffe

    Superglue and plants?

    I used superglue for the first time a few weeks ago to attach some large Anubias to wood and it has held firm with no problems and new growth. I used the Gel here as it is easier to put in place for the plant.
  41. altaaffe

    Tetratec filter leaking :(

    Gald to hear all is ending well Aaron :D
  42. altaaffe

    Tetratec filter leaking :(

    No, I had spares which came with the filter when I first bought it - I just cut the old ones off and put new of the same type in. Basically those 2 seals are all that stops the water coming back up between the pipe inlet and its receptacle in the head and tracking back down into the space that...
  43. altaaffe

    Tiny Bristlenose plecs - how hardy are they?

    I ripped out a load of rocks from my Mbuna tank a few weeks ago and wondered what that was wriggling about on the floor where the rocks were. Turns out I had several fry probably smaller than you are describing which had climbed aboard the rocks. I scooped them up (after they had been out the...
  44. altaaffe

    Tetratec filter leaking :(

    When you take the head unit off (filter head including pump) is it full of water Aaron ? If so the little O rings that you can see in your first pic caused the same problem for me, I replaced them and have had no problems since.
  45. altaaffe

    Tonys 'Peacocks Crypt' - The End

    Re: Tonsers 200L Optiwhite (now featuring hardscape !) Just read this from start to finish as well - absolutely fantastic. Next you'll be saying it only took you a few hours and you were happy straight away. Really though, first pic I saw, I thought - WOW
  46. altaaffe

    Once upon a time at the riverbank - Final update

    Re: Once upon a time at the riverbank 125Ltr :oops: Can't believe I managed to miss this one, must admit I've only been skimming the site for the last couple of months. Tank's looking great and those corys look fantastic. I've just tried supergluing for the first time - what a difference it...
  47. altaaffe

    java plants customer services

    I've had some HZ from them and like yourself, it wasn't in the best condition. One thing for that plant though it can take a real beating and still come back very healthy and lush once it's planted
  48. altaaffe

    Duty calls

    That's away quick again George - you upset somebody ??
  49. altaaffe

    Which substrate and plants would be best for low maintenace?

    Are you gonna be doing CO2 ? I've found in my lotech, several plants did die off but along with a host of trumpet snails eating the decaying plant bits, I left it there, I did net any that came to the surface. Are snails an option for the tank or would the puffer go raking around for them and...
  50. altaaffe

    my planted tanks

    Asolutely stunning, I'm sure I've seen several of them featured elsewhere as well.
  51. altaaffe

    Which substrate and plants would be best for low maintenace?

    For the low maint I take it you do mean no CO2 as well. In which case I'd have to disagree with Aarons list of possible plants. It's only a 180 litre I run, but for lo-tech, I have used soil under normal gravel. I'm running no CO2 and lighting is 60W T8 on for 8 hours per day. I've been...
  52. altaaffe

    ID This Piece of Kit!

    I'd go for a bit of FOD damage to one of the blades you were inspecting on that turbine shaft
  53. altaaffe

    forum members

    I don't know you personally John, however, I do know it will be a great loss to the site if you do leave. I, for one, hope you reconsider.
  54. altaaffe

    Cherry Shrimp versus a Koralia Pump

    Like others, I've suffered losses to a koralia pump too but was looking at cutting sponge to fit around the pump case. A coarse sponge like those used on filters should do the trick IMO.
  55. altaaffe

    Plants pearling on WC day only

    We've had a few experiments between us and one that stuck out for me was the effect of having plants above the water line for even a few minutes. Most of us will have some of the plants emersed for a substantial time at water change time which gives the plants the opportunity to 'gulp' in a...
  56. altaaffe

    320l Discus tank, becoming planted !

    Wow, is all I can say, that really is coming along well. I am one that does like the effect of the roots coming down, I have it like that on my Malawi tank and the fish seem to appreciate it a lot - I'm sure your Discus do too.
  57. altaaffe

    osaka 260l,first planted tank.

    Looking good Naz, I know what you mean about moving plants around too, I'm terrible for it and it's normally straight after you say "There - I'm happy with it now"
  58. altaaffe

    Sorry...another ID needed

    Ludwigia of some nature
  59. altaaffe

    what do you think of this reactor?

    No I just used standard 2" pipe which I got free (was an extra offcut)
  60. altaaffe

    what do you think of this reactor?

    I thought about one a while back but wasn't convinced with all the openings at the top together and that couple with the strong Euro and high postage persuaded me against it. So I built my own instead and got 2 for less than one would have cost.
  61. altaaffe

    Headache with water change system

    Personally, I pre-condition my water to the correct temp and add my NPK, etc, first in two 50 litre bins. I then use a water pump and single hose to refill the tank from them.
  62. altaaffe

    Nursery Update

    Thanks All. They're all about 4 years old now, bar the one right in the middle of the first shot which is actually a Boesmani / Lacustris hybrid - I didn't have the heart to euthanise it just because it was a hybrid after all it had managed to survive and it is only ever going to stay in this...
  63. altaaffe

    Nursery Update

    It's a 2 metre tank giving around the 700 litre mark.
  64. altaaffe

    Do We Definitely Need CO2?

    I don't see why you would need the CO2 injection if the plants are being grown emersed. They should be able to get all the CO2 they want from the air if they are grown emersed as long as it's not an air tight seal being put on it. I have been growing plants emersed now with just the water...
  65. altaaffe

    Nursery Update

    I created a nursery system at the top of my Oscars 2m tank which I now successfully grow a number of plants. The tank is covered with 2 perspex covers with 2 luminaires each of 2x39W T5. The 2 trays are lined with Betta filter matting which the roots seem to like and the water is the return...
  66. altaaffe

    Anyone aerate their tank when lights go out??

    I have done in the past but find no need to do so now that I have a second spraybar agitating the surface, also my CO2 is on a solenoid so is off at night. DC is blue if I look in the morning (ie - before CO2 on again). This way I feel I get maximum oxygenation at all times with the trade off...
  67. altaaffe

    sams nano

    What a great idea, well thought out.
  68. altaaffe

    Just been told off in Customs.....

    ROTFLMAO :lol:
  69. altaaffe

    Anyone else share the same plant buying habits?

    I refuse to buy more than 1 pot of whatever I'm after now and just propagate my own from that pot.
  70. altaaffe

    all planted,just hoping it grows.(need a name now)

    Re: all planted,just hoping it grows. Agree with all the previous comments & think this is going to look really good as it grows in.
  71. altaaffe

    Mike's 1st Journal

    I can only re-iterate the plaudits that everybody else has heaped on you. Looks like a lot of great thought has gone into this set-up & it looks great as a result.
  72. altaaffe

    Word of warning

    I do the same, have a cover made from 2mm perspex cut to size for the equipment. Also stops the parrot going for a bath !!
  73. altaaffe

    White leaves P. Helferi

    I'm currently using AE dry powder.
  74. altaaffe

    White leaves P. Helferi

    I had the same, upped my trace and it cleared. I will add that I was cutting back to see how little I needed to put in.
  75. altaaffe

    UKAPS Members Photo Album

    Thousands of photos on this hard disk and only 1 with me in it in the last 5 years !! Must let somebody else hold the camera now and again. Here's me and my mate Dexter.
  76. altaaffe

    A Few Pics from my Low Tech Tanks

    Nothing wrong with those at all :D I've just broken down a 180l of mine and trying to do the same sort of thing.
  77. altaaffe

    Please ID this plant :)

    Is it Siamensis?
  78. altaaffe

    Superman's Replant - 180l - Crypt's Causeway

    Always a shame to rip down a tnk but CPD's seem to love Blyxa, mine can't leave it alone.
  79. altaaffe

    happy birthday to me.

    I'll take it Sam. Was about to say is that a Rena aqualife 120 when I realised. Nice tank though and looked good there too, got my Malawi set-up in my Rena 120 x 50.
  80. altaaffe

    the best way of adding co2 to a 300L

    As said by Sam - at least CO2 was being added. How many of us wondered why our plants were suffering in the beginning? I added DIY to a gravel only community tank my wife had as an experiment and the plants flew up, once they broke the surface no more problems - although Vallis growing to 90cm...
  81. altaaffe

    Some feedback please!

    As a first attempt, it looks great to me. Probably could do with something to help break the rock line up at the front left but I like it !!
  82. altaaffe

    saintly's first ever iwagumi (no laughing)

    Looks like an argument between husband and wife in that first shot - you could call it a nature scape !! :wink: I'm going to have to get myself a smaller play tank now - that'll please the wife - I might start with you're first Iwagumi as an inspiration after she gets going.
  83. altaaffe

    Lily Pipes V Sprinkle Bar "UP DATE"

    Re: Lily Pipes V Sprinkle Bar Having used both I prefer spray bars now, diameter of the holes on the bars is important though, I've got a spray bar where the holes are too wide and nothing is comes out of the end of the bar.
  84. altaaffe

    Osaka 155

    They are very good looking tanks IMO, you probably need more plant mass in there though. I've got to keep the missus happy too, I've promised to reduce my tanks from 9 to 5 when we move house, what she doesn't realise is that 2 of em are going to be 1000l :lol:
  85. altaaffe

    ID my algae please.

    Must admit, I've only had it mildly on one set-up. So I don't know about CO2 but this was a high light set-up that unfortunately couldn't get the maintenance it needed when I was sent away unexpectedly. I would suspect high light as the main culprit along with a source of ammonia, either from...
  86. altaaffe

    I have a couple of annoying glitches on my PC

    Had the same as well, went with sepaparate CD & DVD drive in the end and solved it but 2 x DVD was a no-go for me and didn't spend the time to find out why. I've now only got single DVD with everything being much faster though.
  87. altaaffe

    60cm makes a comeback

    Always terrible to see that hard work being sent backwards. Incidentally, I had a serious case of mush when a large extra dose of excel got into the tank.
  88. altaaffe

    ID my algae please.

    Yep, BGA. As said - if you remove some it smells strongly (I think an earthy type smell) Water change, 72hr blackout & further water change will tackle it.
  89. altaaffe

    Group shipping buy for Manzanita driftwood from Tom Barr

    It must be worth you guys that live close getting together and sorting out a batch. Makes me living in the far North seem even more isolated. :lol:
  90. altaaffe

    Peace @ UKAPS, please

    Well said George and good to see some positive reaction too. Must admit I missed all the fuss with computer problems. Is that a recent promotion ?? I'm sure you had Cpl tapes on the last pic I saw - if so many congrats.
  91. altaaffe

    Carpeting plants

    I've gone Staurogyne on my latest replant and it's coming along nicely. Once it grew to an inch I cut the top off and planted it next to the original. In no time at all, I have the front covered, it bushes out lovely once chopped and it doesn't grow too fast once established. It also looks...
  92. altaaffe

    Are you an Iwagumi fan?

    Have to say, I've always liked them but as long as the tank looks good, Idon't mind whether I'm looking at Iwagumi, Jungle, Dutch or whatever. Incidentally, liked the pic you posted of your glassware George, nice little demo of a vortex and not a straight through flow as suggested in another...
  93. altaaffe

    65Liters

    Loved that first shot - must admit, I don't think I could have brought myself to rip it apart. What type of birds are those you've got. I used to let our parrot (Dexter) out with me when I did the tanks until I found him ripping apart a load of plants I'd laid out ready to plant. :evil:
  94. altaaffe

    "Spooky woodland" - oatfish's tank

    Looking forward to seeing this one grow, the fissidens you sent me is looking good as well by the way.
  95. altaaffe

    BBA

    Thanks, I've got the bar horizontal now to give it a go, plants are obviously being "thrown" about less now. I'll see how we go from here.
  96. altaaffe

    BBA

    I've switched from diffusers to DIY CO2 reactor a short while ago and have started suffering from BBA in a couple of areas in the tank. The way things went, I ended up with a dose of it on the rocks and then it spread to a few plants that had been subjected to the strongest CO2 flow from the...
  97. altaaffe

    Tetratec external filter leaking problems

    I had all my problems before the redirect and got instant service from the original number, so no, sorry.
  98. altaaffe

    1600 Gallon 5 meters long planted behemoth

    LOL, looks absolutely stunning Tom and sure to give many others a few ideas to put into their own tanks. I know it has for me !! :D Al
  99. altaaffe

    Bristelnose Plec

    As with above, I've had juveniles in with plants that have left them alone but they were provided with fresh greens daily. I've got a couple in tanks with some "gash" plants and they have been munching away on them. Wide leaf plants can be targets for most plecos too.
  100. altaaffe

    Tetratec external filter leaking problems

    I know somebody from another site who was redirected and was put through to Germany. They sent him out a whole new head unit, which arrived damaged. After ringing back and complaining about it, he got a whole new filter sent through. Took some perseverence & patience on his part though, with...
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