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  1. Trevor Pleco

    ID please, is this mini bolbitis or standard ?

    cool thanks, must be either young plants or carefully manicured and trimmed, as my standard size bolbitis always ends up being massive plants when in a Co2 tank
  2. Trevor Pleco

    LED lighting options for big planted tanks ?

    Hope this is not the case as I was told later last year by ATI themselves in Germany that a FW version was in the pipeline ..
  3. Trevor Pleco

    LED lighting options for big planted tanks ?

    I gather from ATI that the freshwater planted tank version of their Straton Pro LED for reef tanks is coming out shortly and might be available in the UK already ?
  4. Trevor Pleco

    LED lighting options for big planted tanks ?

    Value Length Imperial 4.75ft Length Metric 1449mm Wattage 26 W Lamp Size T5 Lamp Base G5 Fluorescent Equivalent Wattage 49W Luminosity 4000 lm Colour Reference 840 Colour Temperature 4000K Colour Tone Cool White Voltage Rating 230 V ac Series ST5HO49 EU Energy...
  5. Trevor Pleco

    LED lighting options for big planted tanks ?

    Many thanks for the feedback here, I was initially tolled the ATI units could not take the LED T5s, but I'll certainly look into this again. It might be because it's a dimmable unit and this is not compatible with the LEDS ? The other major issue I have with the unit with living in South...
  6. Trevor Pleco

    LED lighting options for big planted tanks ?

    I've enjoyed the ATI Sunpower T5 x6 80w unit for many years on a 1.8M planted Co2 tank. However, given that our local electricity costs having tripled in recent years not to mention the dreaded load shedding debacle here where we loose power several times a day for two hours at a time, I...
  7. Trevor Pleco

    Twinstar..what is it?

    I had four of them in a 780l tank, as I say I was happy with the performance and they created an impressive bubbly high tech show, not that I was after this, lol. Some diffusers lasted just over a year others 18 months if I was lucky. I replaced all the diffusers once, but after that lost...
  8. Trevor Pleco

    Twinstar..what is it?

    Worked for me, but is a short lived product with the hassle of having to replace the diffuser too often, even when looking after it meticulously. Not sure why the gadget and wires are bright white which itself is a magnet for algae and go green first ?
  9. Trevor Pleco

    looking for aquascaping advice

    Xmas moss should attach easily, simply super glue it to the larva rock and keep cutting it back when it grows upwards. Glue small little pieces, say 10mm or shorter, all over the place for a quick head start. Co2 obviously encourages better compacted moss growth which you can shape with...
  10. Trevor Pleco

    Advanced Soil

    ok so no Advanced Soil users out there ?
  11. Trevor Pleco

    Advanced Soil

    I was just reading Georges' review on Advanced Soil, seems most favourable. I was keen to try out the shrimp soil version in a couple of new tanks. With the product having been available for some time now for testing, I was wondering if any of the shrimp or planted tanks folks had any further...
  12. Trevor Pleco

    Fish room insulation

    lol, have not heard those lyrics for a couple of decades !
  13. Trevor Pleco

    Fish room insulation

    Great pic down memory royal navy lane ! How does that song go again .. Mad Dogs and Englishmen go out in the Midday Sun or into the snow wearing a T-shirt ! :)
  14. Trevor Pleco

    Fish room insulation

    ok we are starting to get close to winter here in the Cape rather than autumn so a nip in the air at night with temps dropping to 10C at a push, so not too bad. Trying to keep fish room temp at about 22C, tank heaters currently off and no condensation on the ceiling yet so your theory is looking...
  15. Trevor Pleco

    Fish room insulation

    Many thanks for this further info and advice, most appreciative. Will give it a go and let you know. I was wondering whether there was any point adding a fan for better air flow to reduce condensation, but presume this might be counter productive with increasing evaporation and not reducing...
  16. Trevor Pleco

    Fish room insulation

    Great advice @KipperSanie make sense, many thanks ! I was always under the impression that it was the contrast of the warmer room and the tanks with their water volume generating humidity vs the cold outside and lack of insulation that was causing all the condensation ? This must be causing...
  17. Trevor Pleco

    Rummy nose vs cardinals Iwagumi

    maculatus shoaled for me in small tanks .. great little fish with character and lived for ages 4+ years
  18. Trevor Pleco

    Rummy nose vs cardinals Iwagumi

    Rummy nose can be plant nippers and imo perhaps a little big for that scape/tank :) Red embers shoal nicely and are a bit more original than the ubiquitous cardinal. I started off with 20 in my big tank they have now multiplied to over 70..
  19. Trevor Pleco

    Fish room insulation

    Just dug out this old thread on insulating your fish room, winter is fast approaching here and I thought this year I better do something to save on electricity. The other issue I have in midwinter is the ceiling condensation, as each morning it's raining and the ceiling is completely wet with...
  20. Trevor Pleco

    dwarf baby tears or monte carlo (ID pls)

    I have a ton of MC in my tanks and it does not look the same as that...
  21. Trevor Pleco

    IAPLC 2015

    Well Done Stu, fantastic to be in the top 100 again ! I dropped down this year to 134, but not as bad as I thought it might be....
  22. Trevor Pleco

    Fish suggestion

    Lemon tetras can nip and males often try and dominate each other. I would go with a bright shoal of 30 little ember tetras, they would also compliment the red of the rummy nose, neons and cherry shrimps..
  23. Trevor Pleco

    Amano RIP?

    Hugely sad news, the world will certainly be a poorer place without his genius, but his legacy and creations will live on ... RIP
  24. Trevor Pleco

    shrimp and UGFs

    Sure I agree I have not bought one for 25 years :) Just to be clear this is not a scaping tank, but purely for keeping and breeding shrimp with some moss and pellia added. There seems quite a bit of positive talk using UGFs for shrimp breeding particularly in the east and the benefits of...
  25. Trevor Pleco

    shrimp and UGFs

    I know this has been discussed before here, but I wondered if there were any recent thoughts and experiences with using UGFs and an active substrate such as ADA in shrimp breeding tanks ? It would just be a normal UGF plate with air stone, covering about half the tank base. I was thinking of...
  26. Trevor Pleco

    Is heat patch really necessary ?

    interesting thoughts on the heat pack, being from a warmer climate one of the main concerns with freighting shrimp internationally was trying to keep them cool so that cold packs and breather bags were the order of the day...
  27. Trevor Pleco

    Introducing shrimp query

    if they survive I doubt you will see the shrimp much as they will be hiding to avoid being breakfast... I'm not sure which shrimp you are talking about, but amanos would stand the best chance given their size and attitude..
  28. Trevor Pleco

    CRS setup. Is there anything I have forgotten?

    might not be too important, but crypt roots I gather are not great for CRS if they are exposed to them, so make sure they are buried..
  29. Trevor Pleco

    AGA results 2014

    Ok this is how it works... just the top ten tanks are placed and awarded in each category as in previous years, while the remaining scapes in each category are simply positioned in order of their size/volume smallest first... so a bit confusing. For example the last tank in the big tank...
  30. Trevor Pleco

    AGA results 2014

    Thanks Mark, some truly fantastic scapes there ! Can I take it that only the top ten tanks are placed in each category as awarded and that the remaining order of scapes is completely random and is not in order of their ranking, well that looks to be the case ?
  31. Trevor Pleco

    London Zoo.... back stage.

    the copperband looked quite thin to me ..
  32. Trevor Pleco

    Scaping contest at Fawlty Towers ...?

    I would appreciate any reasonable explanation to this ? :) Presumably Ronnie is not a UKAPS member..
  33. Trevor Pleco

    London Zoo.... back stage.

    Vey nice insight,Iain. I'm sure Luis would be keen to see how the piranha planted tank has progressed.. I thought they had removed most the vallis and had rescaped with lots of wood, anubias, bolbitus and so on, somewhat confused ?
  34. Trevor Pleco

    IAPLC 2014 results - updated page 1

    my effort this year .. Magical Mountains of Babylon Rank 72 (Winning Work) 760L / 200gal
  35. Trevor Pleco

    Amano dead after 4 days

    Amanos are pretty hardy, so something must be very out with your water ?
  36. Trevor Pleco

    Best bio media for flow

    I think Clive usually opts for his plastic toy soldiers :)
  37. Trevor Pleco

    DIY led fixture nano tanks

    Have you thought of making your own.. 5630 or 5050 strip LEDS work well and mounted on aluminium tracks as a heatsink ?
  38. Trevor Pleco

    Plants that like strong water flow

    depends how strong, Bolbitis heudelotii enjoys it..
  39. Trevor Pleco

    Can you name this scape?

    ''Swordonia''
  40. Trevor Pleco

    Lilaeopsis brasiliensis not staying in substrate

    yes some heavier chunks of gravel be it temporary over the rhizomes would help..within say ten days or so it should start to get a hold of things.
  41. Trevor Pleco

    shrimp just arrived .. some comments please ?

    yes if the grade I paid for is correct :) yes like that top hat and tails as well !
  42. Trevor Pleco

    shrimp just arrived .. some comments please ?

    thanks, yes I agree Luke, I think that shrimp is one of three PBL that made up the shortfall of SSS, there is another similar one just on the edge of the pic at the bottom.. I'm still very much a shrimp newbie getting to grips with the man made 'gimmickry', so keen to hear from the experts :)...
  43. Trevor Pleco

    adjusting TDS for RCS ... ?

    http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/shrimp-just-arrived-some-comments-please.34562/
  44. Trevor Pleco

    shrimp just arrived .. some comments please ?

    They finally arrived, so was up late doing the painfully slow dripping in... I would really appreciate some comments and thoughts on the shrimp and their quality and if they are what they are supposed to be, no need to be polite ? .... :) Sure I realise the poor shrimp are probably looking...
  45. Trevor Pleco

    adjusting TDS for RCS ... ?

    Yeah thanks for this, its not a CO2 tank so just dosing minor Tropica and well aerated..
  46. Trevor Pleco

    adjusting TDS for RCS ... ?

    ok many hanks for the sound advice guys, here in darkest Africa we are limited with shrimpy supplies so have never seen say Salty Shrimp products. I have now added some more Seachem Equilibrium so up to a TDS 115 in both shrimp tanks, but will slowly add more. The shrimp arrived last night so...
  47. Trevor Pleco

    adjusting TDS for RCS ... ?

    I'm just doing the final prep for the arrival of some CRS. The tank with ADA Amazonia substrate has ben cycling for nearly two months. I did a 50% water change yesterday, with 50% rain and 50% aged tap water. I have added a light dose of Dennerle Crusta Mineral supplement and some...
  48. Trevor Pleco

    Escaping Shrimps

    yes a glass cover and some clingwrap for the back section would be good, try this for a couple of weeks and then see if they acclimatise...
  49. Trevor Pleco

    Escaping Shrimps

    I have used them in CO2 tanks with no probs, but have not tried to push them into the yellow zone, although mind you I don't have a cat to spoil.. apart from the lynx that launches night sorties in the garden to eat the neighbouring cats ...
  50. Trevor Pleco

    Escaping Shrimps

    Sorry to hear James, I've noticed that they are less prone to climbing out in bigger tanks which I guess kind of makes sense. When I move them into a smaller tank I seal the lid carefully for the first week or two and that usually does the trick, as in my experience they climb less once...
  51. Trevor Pleco

    new tank question

    Thanks got it, never seen them down south :)
  52. Trevor Pleco

    new tank question

    Yeah don't know the fish at all, but if they are anything similar to the normal Siamese fighter they get turfed into jam jars down here at the local fish shop and seem to be ok..they are evidently getting VIP treatment from you !
  53. Trevor Pleco

    Plants that go well with moss covered root?

    Nice wood, nice socks !
  54. Trevor Pleco

    new tank question

    yes, but I would still add the microbe lift as an addition, rather safe than sorry is my policy and it also seems to de-stress the fish in a new environment in my experience... The old tank still houses a layer of biofilm on all the glass, silicon and corners which helps with the bacterial side...
  55. Trevor Pleco

    new tank question

    I would use Mircobe Lift Special Blend or something similar to ease the transition and to enhance the bacteria cycling..
  56. Trevor Pleco

    Having a lid cut, what's the best option ?

    to confuse you further I have an old 5mm perspex lid which is bending quit a bit. I also have glass with your clips on another small 25cm planted tank and that's a bit of a fiddle and pain to get off each time I want to do do something in the tank, whatever the case keep a reasonable gap at the...
  57. Trevor Pleco

    Having a lid cut, what's the best option ?

    I gave an opinion on a previous post :)
  58. Trevor Pleco

    montmorillonite clay for shrimp tanks ?

    thanks Adam, yes I saw that as well just last night, will try that dosage in another test tank and see if the shrimp are smiling and upping their grade overnight ;) I'm keen to know the difference if any between this and the other numerous commercially available shrimp mineral supplements...
  59. Trevor Pleco

    montmorillonite clay for shrimp tanks ?

    the IKG I bought locally was very reasonably priced for about 12 Euro.. I dosed some last night, so trying to use my imagination to see any difference with the shrimp behaviour, too early to tell..:)
  60. Trevor Pleco

    montmorillonite clay for shrimp tanks ?

    Not sure which one this is Darrel. The product I have bought to test is sold for koi ponds with a 101 apparent advantages on the label ? The recommended dosage is 1g per 100L weekly. I'll be trying it in the pond as well... Not too much about it on the web for shrimps, but found this...
  61. Trevor Pleco

    montmorillonite clay for shrimp tanks ?

    Any thoughts or experience with using montmorillonite clay (bentonite) with your shrimp tank and if so what suggested dosage ? I’m looking to use this with mainly R0 water and wonder how it compares with say Fluval’s shrimp mineral supplement or is this basically the same thing ?
  62. Trevor Pleco

    Having a lid cut, what's the best option ?

    James, it does bed a little sure, but these are big pieces compared to Stu's tank, I just turn it over and it straightens itself, I feel 3mm or max 4mm would be 100s for Stu's tank, 5mm is damn chunky imo..
  63. Trevor Pleco

    Having a lid cut, what's the best option ?

    I have two equal size 3mm pieces on a large 1800mm tank, so about 900 by 600 each, bending is minimum and it's nice and light weight. It was a compromise choice as I wanted something thin to allow as much light as possible to pass through it as I sometimes leave for work and don't have time to...
  64. Trevor Pleco

    Having a lid cut, what's the best option ?

    I understand light travels better though plexiglass than glass and it's lighter and easier to work with, as James suggests. I've used just 3mm and it works fine, but it depends on the size of tank. You also need some vent spaces or gaps otherwise a perfectly cut piece of glass or plexiglass...
  65. Trevor Pleco

    Anyone speak german?

    I was asking exactly the same a month back ...:) Many of the great german shrimp sites don't seem to ship abroad..
  66. Trevor Pleco

    The Living Bridge - Video added

    this might be easier ...
  67. Trevor Pleco

    Twinstar..what is it?

    I agree that's also my complaint, it's big clutter in the tank especially three of them, if it was black with black leads and black suction cups this would surely be less conspicuous... Other complaints are the cost and not bringing out a bigger version for bigger tanks. In a high tech tank...
  68. Trevor Pleco

    Twinstar..what is it?

    I disagree, I've had three TWS nanos going in my 760L for over six months now and are pleased with the results and the investment ! It's made that extra difference and certainly made life and maintenance easier. I'm not hassled with having to ever clean GDA or GSA off the front glass, perhaps...
  69. Trevor Pleco

    new IAPLC judging criteria.. your thoughts please ?

    welcome to UKAPS ! My intension with entering IAPLC is not for 'public approval' and I'm sure I speak for most of us. Sure if your scape comes off that's a bonus and boost to your hobby and scaping ego. More importantly the comp gives you that goal and deadline to work towards and the...
  70. Trevor Pleco

    Raquette River

    The crucible looking branch might look better off centre and tilted more to its side, as a rule try and work in thirds and the golden ratio. Creating a natural looking rock strata with your dragon stone poking through the vegetation and blended into the base of your branch would look more...
  71. Trevor Pleco

    new IAPLC judging criteria.. your thoughts please ?

    I understood that the new judging criteria was used this year, so surely the proof in the pudding will be revealed when we see the winning scapes, so look forward to this... Out of interest are there any UKAPS folk going to the ADA party this year, I'm thinking of possibly combining it with a...
  72. Trevor Pleco

    new IAPLC judging criteria.. your thoughts please ?

    Interestingly enough Japan has not won the comp for the last 10 years, but won the first 3 comps since inception in 2001.. so presumably they had sold enough ADA by then :D Only kidding Aqd !
  73. Trevor Pleco

    Why is my Java Moss not growing

    yes agree too warm for moss bud, moss enjoys much cooler..
  74. Trevor Pleco

    Why is my Java Moss not growing

    we need more details about your tank as could be a variety of reasons and where the moss came from for starters, as difficult to kill moss.. I ask where it came from as 'in-vitro micro propagation' plants such as the Anubias brand, are vulnerable to bacterial and viral infections from the air...
  75. Trevor Pleco

    The Living Bridge - Video added

    Brilliant, just trying to work out why it was only in the 200s, but then so was Viktor's great moss forest ...:confused: Given the new criteria, did they perhaps not take kindly to your background tree creations, surely not. Let's see what the top 50 look like and if there are any answers...
  76. Trevor Pleco

    new IAPLC judging criteria.. your thoughts please ?

    I presume most folk have seen this, but I wondered how this might change things for us next year and planning your next scape ? The new criteria would seem to indicate that mimicking or replicating non underwater scenes or let's call it terrestrial landscapes is not encouraged.. or is it ...
  77. Trevor Pleco

    tropica ferts

    As I say I have never dosed both, just the Specialised in a relatively low stocked tank with Co2...I have a large amount of plants with a x6 80w ATI dim unit and very happy with the result. I have a mix of Flourite and ADA substrate. I dose about 10mm to 12mm p/d six days a week for a 760L tank..
  78. Trevor Pleco

    tropica ferts

    Yes 1ml every week day would be good, many folks dose heavier as well, but in time you will get a feel of what is best for you..an excellent easy fert imo .
  79. Trevor Pleco

    tropica ferts

    Remember to divide the suggested dosage on say alternate days or daily over a week rather than a week's dump in one go, as the instructions are a little misleading. I think most folks chose ether the Premium or the Specialised depending on their tank situation and fish load, rather than both at...
  80. Trevor Pleco

    IAPLC 2014 results - updated page 1

    hugely surprised...I thought your effort was a work of art, perhaps they did not fully get the strangling fig vibe, we get a similar fig species here so appreciated the great replica..
  81. Trevor Pleco

    Taiwan imports vs EU bred shrimp ?

    Dane, any advice on any species Neocaridina or caridina will be useful ?
  82. Trevor Pleco

    IAPLC 2014 results - updated page 1

    Vive la France ! Amazing performance by them with six in the top 60 or so, not to mention the winner, where have they been !
  83. Trevor Pleco

    Tweaking a layout til you're ok with it

    Yep, that show room looks superb ! I definitely want to make plans to go to Hungary to experience this and meet the main man, we have nothing like this here. If I have time afterwards I might even visit some of the other great Budapest tourist attractions :)
  84. Trevor Pleco

    IAPLC 2014 results - updated page 1

    Many thanks guys ! lol Nathaniel, please speak with my family ancestors from way back, they changed it from Lecoque after coming to Africa from Belgium ! As my grandfather took delight in saying.. it's spelt small "d'', big ''Kock'' :)
  85. Trevor Pleco

    IAPLC 2014 results - updated page 1

    There was dust on the African horizon, within an hour the stage coach had pulled in, mail bags were unpacked at first light .. Super thrilled to be in Stu's "hallowed top 100'' , improved from 339 last year. Congrats to all the other excellent UKAPS entries ! Sorry, not posting full pic just...
  86. Trevor Pleco

    old algae, new algae

    I hear what you are saying Ceg, but I'm not talking about the myriad types of different algae, I'm referring to the dreaded clado which is a somewhat different beast imo... I never saw it in any of my tanks over twenty years or more until I accidentally inherited it from another hobbyist's...
  87. Trevor Pleco

    old algae, new algae

    this is news to me ... so you don't necessarily have to inherit this delightful beast from another source and alternatively if you have good Co2 and good balanced nutrition and you then inherit clado from an external source, are you suggesting that it won't prosper in your tank ?
  88. Trevor Pleco

    IAPLC 2014 results - updated page 1

    Ok well if the post has arrived in Israel already then here in Africa I'll start looking for dust on the horizon in a week or ten days from now ! :rolleyes:
  89. Trevor Pleco

    old algae, new algae

    clado is notoriously difficult to completely eradicate from your tank from my experience, however you can manage things with time and a good pair of tweezers or adjust your mindset to it being therapeutic rather than an insurmountable task. :) If its growing into moss or say fissidens a quick...
  90. Trevor Pleco

    IAPLC 2014 results - updated page 1

    Wish you had simply tippexed out the last three numbers and you would have really had us fooled... Congrats -- it's in the upper half after all !
  91. Trevor Pleco

    old algae, new algae

    top one staghorn, the bottom one the dreaded clado.. the bane of the hobby.. amano shrimp can control it if you are lucky..
  92. Trevor Pleco

    IAPLC 2014 results - updated page 1

    Great Ian, so you were the winning tank from Lincoln then ! ;)
  93. Trevor Pleco

    IAPLC 2014 results - updated page 1

    Exquisite Iain, something very fresh and original about it and the fish really compliment the scape ! Not looking forward to my postman :oops:
  94. Trevor Pleco

    The Living Bridge - Video added

    +1 yip, truly inspiring, wonderful attention to perspective and detail. It surely has to be high up there in the rankings..big congrats !
  95. Trevor Pleco

    Freshwater Shrimp

    It seems the majority of our shrimp sponsors went on holiday together and have been away for the passed month as have received zero feedback and one evidently went on holiday midway through trying to place an order, as he disappeared off planet earth or rather Planet Invert :rolleyes:
  96. Trevor Pleco

    IAPLC 2014 results - updated page 1

    Wow Viktor what do the top 221 look like then ? Pic required for Asian Dreams please Iain.. congrats..! Post is slow down to Africa.. could be a few days to go yet for some of us...
  97. Trevor Pleco

    nugget's 4ft tank

    welcome Nugget, your scapes remind me of a fellow back home ! ;)
  98. Trevor Pleco

    Surface Skimmers

    Yes agree, the Eheim 35 SS is an annoying little beast, but of course we get tempted by new toys and it received great reviews on UKAPS to persuade us further :) However it's a noisy irritating little fellow when it comes to messing about with the water level and with weekly water changes and...
  99. Trevor Pleco

    Shrimp Macro Photography

    Like a poster or pic you would pay good money for ! Come to think of it, it's perhaps a start for the V L coffee table ornamental shrimp book... have not seen this idea out yet :)
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