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Hi all, The tank looks great. I was admiring your <"structural leaf litter"> earlier today. <"Same for me">. All second hand <"or PYO">. I'm really <"not doing my bit"> for the beleaguered UK Aquarium Industry. Have a look at <"Ripe for Picking: a Guide to Collecting your own Bountiful...

Hi all, First thing to say is the fish look absolutely fine, but that would be my worry as well. Have a look at the "Seasoned Tank Time concept" <"Help needed with 0 Nitrates Levels">. You don't say how you prepared the tank? Have a look at <"The nitrifying microbes in aquariums and...

Hi all, I don't know exactly why, but if I've been away for a month it would normally have crept up by ~30 microS. I'm guessing mainly via evaporation, particularly if the tank isn't topped up with DI water. The bioload might be another area, I don't ever have much in the way of fish, but I...

Hi all, I'm away <"quite a lot as well"> and because I use rain-water I don't normally get anyone to change the water while I'm away. I just get them to top up with DI water if required. Have a look at <"Water changes whilst abroad">. When I'm back I just do more frequent water changes until...

Hi all, I'll put it in this thread, rather than your other one <"Micro fertiliser without K">, but we think that water changes <"Walstad revises"> are quite important for <"long term tank health">, although <"we don't really know why">. I change a <"small volume of water fairly regularly">...

Hi all, Plant growth looks pretty good. Corydoras similis, I like those. cheers Darrel

Hi all, That is interesting, so have you been <"playing with iron (Fe)"> (and <"nitrogen (N)">?) to deliberately give you the pink and white colours? Are you turning iron availability on and off? cheers Darrel

Hi all, You probably know this, but the <"white new growth"> is a sign of iron (Fe) (or <"possibly manganese (Mn)"> (for @Hufsa) ) deficiency. cheers Darrel

Hi all, Yes, in <"many ways"> the past is a <"different country">. I have been a truly <"terrible fish-keeper"> and I'm still not very good at it, so <"I need all the help I can get">. cheers Darrel

Hi all, I like low levels of fixed nitrogen, but I'm much less <"concerned about nitrate (NO3-)">, when compared to nitrite (NO2-) and <"TAN (NH3 / NH4+)">. The way I would look at it is that if I get <"anaerobic denitrification in the substrate"> that is fine, but I definitely <"don't want it...

Hi all, Try it without the <"fluidised bed filter">. With the normal proviso that nitrate (NO3-) testing is <"somewhat problematic">, it is more likely to be <"the plants that are depleting the nitrate">. Which brings us on to the next bit, why do you <"want no nitrate">? Cheers Darrel

Hi all, I'm not usually a fan of diorama type scapes, but I like your "trees". cheers Darrel

Hi all, I, <"long ago, gave up trying to attach any of the moss">, although some does reattach itself. When I did? I used black cotton thread or <"metal staples">, staples are <"a lot quicker">. Probably gel formula cyanoacrylate super-glue <"Super glue question"> is the best bet. cheers Darrel

Hi all, <"Java moss (Taxiphyllum barberi)"> is probably <"the easiest one">. cheers Darrel

Hi all, They are good houseplant. Some-one may be able to suggest a small red plant replacement for you. Cheers Darrel

Hi all, Yes, that one is a <"Dracaena"> (or <"Cordyline fruticosa">), and needs to be removed. There are loads of threads on UKAPS about <"non-aquatic plants sold for fish tanks">, and it <"really, really p*sses me off">. Cheers Darrel

Hi all, Agreed, but this is a post from 2008, so they may have grown a bit since. The OP last visited UKAPS in 2017, so I'm guessing you won't get any, more sensible, reply. Cheers Darrel

Hi all, I wouldn't worry either, as long as it doesn't smell too strongly of pine. That is an advantage of both <"Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and Juniper (Juniperus communis)">, if you can get them instead? They are both really hard and rot resistant. This is <"some Juniper"> (J...

Hi all, Plenty of plants in. I'm interested in what happens as this one grows in. Cheers Darrel

H all, Back <"to the experts">. As soon as you think about it, it makes no sense that you can't grow plants with a UGF. @_Maq_ posted on oxygen transfer in sediments <"How deep does the dissolved oxygen penetrate?">. There definitely will be plants that grow better in an <"oxygenated...

Hi all, I don't think their is any intrinsic problem with an UGF. I can see that they might make some nutrients less available (like iron (Fe)), but they have a lot of biological filtration potential, mainly because you should have larger aerobic zone within the substrate and <"biological...

Hi all, It is just gorgeous. cheers Darrel

Hi all, Welcome to UKAPS Tell us more. cheers Darrel

Hi all, Hemianthus micranthemoides? cheers Darrel

Hi all, Fantastic, "Who? Him? Harry Grout. He runs this prison.", but lost on our <"younger members I would guess">. cheers Darrel

Hi all, I've <"used them">. I assume they are quite good as a grazing source for shrimps, snails and Otocinclus etc. They are quite different to Magnolia grandiflora, they aren't at all persistent and skeletonize within a week or so. cheers Darrel

Hi all, I always collect a few deciduous <"Magnolia leaves"> for exactly <"that reason">. cheers Darrel

Hi all, We have a <"thread on this">. I eventually sent a bit to "Tropica" in Denmark, but after evaluation they didn't think it was distinct enough to be worth producing commercially. I've given bits to a couple of shop keepers, and plenty of people on the forum, but I don't know how they've...

Hi all, I'be got to agree with @bazz, I know it sounds harsh, but keep the tank how it is and swap your family? cheers Darrel

Hi all, That is a shame, it looks fantastic. Tell us more, I think we are all really interested in what comes next. Which light was this? cheers Darrel

Hi all, I've found that <"Bolbitis heudelotii"> grows pretty well in <"low light">, <"soft water">, <"low nutrient"> conditions, it <"does much better"> than Java Fern (Microsorum pteropus) for me. It really is the ultimate low maintenance plant. The only time it has really suffered was when...

Hi all, I think it retains oxygen bubbles pretty efficiently. All the T shaped thallii lock together to form a structure with lots of spaces where an oxygen bubble can be retained. The advantage to the plant is that the oxygen buoys the mat of Riccia to the water surface where it has access to...

Hi all, Certainly does. Tell us more. cheers Darrel

Hi all, I really like the wood. We have a few <"Juniper threads">, unfortunately it isn't a <"common plant now"> in the UK S. of Scotland. cheers Darrel

Hi all, Syngonanthus "Belem'? <"Difficult I believe">, unless you are @Roland . cheers Darrel

Hi all, Same for me. They are all <"good as house plants">, but don't have any place being <"sold as aquarium plants">. cheers Darrel

Hi all, Unfortunately @Akwascape hasn't been on the forum for a couple of years, it is a real shame. I've referenced <"these posts"> in a couple of threads <"more recently">. cheers Darrel

Hi all, Possibly Iron (Fe)?It looks like you have <"interveinal chlorosis"> on the newer leaves, and they are quite pale. You could try adding some <"Epsom Salts"> (magnesium sulphate heptahyrate (MgSO4.7H2O)) as well. If it was magnesium deficiency you would get a quick growth response, if it...

Hi all, I have, we have <"threads on them">. cheers Darrel

Hi all, He is not a representative <"for Tropica"> when on the forum, he is a here in a personal capacity, but obviously has a huge amount of <"knowledge and experience">. cheers Darrel

Hi all, I think it will <"probably struggle"> unless it gets its leaves emersed. @Mick.Dk works for <"Tropica">, and he has evaluated hundreds of plants for Aquarium use, and is a pretty reliable source of information for which plants will grow submerged. I grow B. heteroclita in "Terrarium"...

Hi all, No, that is definitely my kind of tank. Here is <"one of mine">. I post here, on <"PlanetCatfish"> and <"Apistogramma Forums",> but much the same content. cheers Darrel

Hi all, Yes that is a perfect tank. cheers Darrel

Hi all, <"Same for me"> . I've found the same it tends to come and go a bit. I've had some outside in a bucket, in the shade, for the last two years and that has remained green and growing all that time. On the pond, and in the tank, boom (and nice and red) <"followed by bust">. cheers Darrel

Hi all, It struggles in the winter with light levels, we have a few threads about these <"turned up to eleven"> plants. Interesting, it might be <"a lack of iron in the water column">. The ones I've struggled with are <"Red Root Floater (Phyllanthus fluitans)">, <"Hygroryza aristata"> and...

H all, I like a floating plant, partially for its nutrient sponge capability. I've found that Amazon Frogbit (Limnobium laevigatum) is a <"better "duckweed">. cheers Darrel

Hi all, I was admiring them in your photo. You could try Courgette, Brocolli stalk and Red/Green Pepper, it might help. cheers Darrel

Hi all, It looks OK. Maybe a few more taller plants? Normally I'd suggest some more <"Cryptocoryne spp.">, but that might not be the best idea in your case. I use <"Bolbitis heudelotii"> a lot. It is fish proof but takes a while to get going. They <"like Echinodorus">. Do you feed them...

Hi all, Welcome back. Very nice. You might be able to get some big lumps <"of dead Oak">. I usually have access to some parkland, so I tend to PYO, but there will be people who sell it. cheers Darrel

Hi all, I'm interested in this one as well. I don't know what it is, but <"an Aroid">, <"close to Aridarum"> would be my guess. cheers Darrel

Hi all, I've not kept marines, but I can see it would be much more difficult with marine tanks. You can still use plants like <"Chaetomorpha"> and or an algal scrubber, but being algae they don't have roots that act in the same way that those of a vascular plant would. The only true vascular...

Hi all, Probably the plants. One of the things I've found, from people who don't keep planted tanks, is that the ability of plants to take up nutrients is often vastly under-estimated. You can get problems with other mono-valent anions (ions with one charge, like chloride Cl-) interfering...

Hi all, It might be the test kit. This is partially why I don't like basing decisions on test kit results. Just look at the plants, they are a healthy dark green and growing pretty well, so all is good. cheers Darrel

Hi all, Mine on the pond look the same. They are beginning to suffer from cold and/or lack of light. If you turn the plants over they will probably have formed <"sporocarps">, but as far as I know even these don't over-winter successfully in the UK. cheers Darrel

Hi all, The new leaves look a healthy colour, but the older leaves are definitely struggling. Because it is the older leaves it is a mobile nutrient, and nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) are the most likely ones to be deficient. Much bigger (<"and bronzed?">) in the trug would be my guess, so it...

Hi all, It will be a nutrient effect. That is partially why I prefer Pistia, Salvinia and Limnobium (to the original Duckweed (Lemna minor)) for the <"Duckweed Index">, they get smaller under lower nutrients, whilst Duckweed tends to just die. What colour are the smaller plants? cheers Darrel

Hi all, Dracaena sanderiana. That is the variegated cultivar, the plain green one is what is sold as "Lucky Bamboo". I assume it is the easiest species to grow and root as a cutting. I quickly found out, when I worked in commercial horticulture, that you aimed to create a market for what...

Hi all, Yes, they are a good houseplant. It is usually a lot cheaper to buy the same plant as an aquatic, rather than as a house plant. The price difference is often several quid, but all you get extra is the pot and compost, which will have cost pennies. cheers Darrel

Hi all,

Hi all, That isn't algae, that is the <"lovely, and natural, periphyton patina">. If you really want to get rid of it a lot of different <"types snails will graze it">. cheers Darrel

Hi all, Not out of the species I've kept, the female has always tried to keep the male away from the fry, but the male has sometimes carried out "territorial" guarding duties. I've only kept harem forming species. I'm not sure with what happens with the <"pair forming species of Apistogramma">...

Hi all, I've kept female and male fighters together before in very weedy tanks. I found the same with Apistogramma cacatuoides, you can keeps sibling males together without much problem. It was different with Apistogramma trifasciata, the males were homicidal from a very young age. cheers Darrel

Hi all, Looks like <"Hemigraphis alternata">. It is another house plant sold as an aquatic, but it won't survive long-term in the tank. cheers Darrel

Hi all, Troll hair? or possibly a <"green filamentous algae">, you would need to look under a microscope to find out exactly which one but, assuming it isn't nylon, <"Oedogonium"> or <"Spirogyra"> would be an option. They are quite slimy to the touch, Cladophora is usually darker green, and...

Hi all, You often get issues with low humidity in the winter. The problem is that even when the air is fully saturated with water (100% RH) it is cold, and the total amount of water held (absolute humidity) is small. When the cold damp air is in the house it warms, and then it becomes warm...

Hi all, I always wanted one for home, but I've never quite managed it. This is what I'd really like (in the <"Princess of Wales Conservatory at Kew">), unfortunately the branch with epiphytes isn't there any more. cheers Darrel

Hi all, I think they eventually grew large, even in a low tech., low nutrient situation. This is one of mine and it has grown this big from a single rhizome in 7 - 8 years. I don't know the nutrient level of the tank, but last time I looked at the conductivity it was ~100 microS. I haven't fed...

Hi all, Hopefully with Hoggie tomorrow. When I collected it the plant (March from Wilts. and Berks. canal at Lacock) it was bright red, and it was only when it went green that it started growing, but I don't know whether growth or colour change occurred first. cheers Darrel

Hi all, I do, I'll get it in the post tomorrow AM. cheers Darrel

Hi all, I now have plenty of spare Azolla if any-one wants to give it a go? I can post it as a "large letter", so I'm asking for £2 as a donation to the forum. cheers Darrel

Hi all, My first thought as well. I had an Epriprenum in our kitchen for a while, but I just felt sorry for it every day. cheers Darrel

Hi all, Yes. It is only the small areas of green tissue that are photosynthesizing. Depending upon the nature of the variegation the plant might go green in lower light (or it might just die). I'm probably in a minority of one, but it looks a horrible sickly thing to me. I much prefer the...

Hi all, I'm pretty grey anyway. It is difficult at times, but you've got keep on going. I've been called an idiot and a "fish killer", mainly when posting on "cycling" threads. The thing that really gets me going is when the companies that sell water conditioning products, filter media...

Hi all, That is definitely where I'm coming from as well. I'd be absolutely delighted if it was my tank. I spend a lot of time on other more fish orientated forums trying to persuade people that plants are the key to maintaining water quality, and that they don't need to spend a lot of money...

Hi all, If you put an "air lift" on an air powered sponge filter (or just an air-stone) you get plenty of linear flow. These are the ones they sell to go with <"Poret foam in the USA">. cheers Darrel

Hi all, My suspicion would be that most planted low tech. tanks have that sort of range of NO3 values. The problem is that it is really difficult to get accurate nitrate levels without proper analytical kit. We use "Ion Selective Electrodes" for most quick testing etc. The probes have a...

Hi all, I'm pleased you enjoyed it. I started thinking about it when the technician who worked in the water quality lab. and looked after the "bioindicators" etc. retired, and I started to maintain the lab. As things worked out the work wound down and we never got a replacement staff member...

Hi all, Yes. TDS meters actually measure conductivity (in microSiemens) and then use a conversion factor (usually 0.64) to give an approximation of ppm TDS. So 100microS ~ 64ppm TDS. You can only measure "Total Dissolved Solids" by evaporating a known volume of water to dryness and weighing...

Hi all, That's the one "Red Root Floater". It has done well for a lot of people, just not me. PM me in a couple of weeks, I should have some spare by then. Sounds like Spirodella polyrhiza. I have had some (it is used a lot in phytoremediation), but I don't think I do now. A lot of these...

Hi all, Great list. I have floaters on all my tanks, and <"I use all of these">. I've got spare if you can't get them locally. I'd add Riccia to the "can get messy list", and Ceratopteris thalictroides to the great sub-surface floaters with Hornwort (Ceratophyllum). I do this as well, I use...

Hi all, I'm interested in any details about the bark back-ground as well. Darrel

Lancelot

Hi all, A few of us have been looking for any Dario species in the UK. Dario dario is quite often for sale, but they are all males 99.9% of the time. I know it is an Indian native fish ("Appears to be restricted to tributary systems draining into the Brahamaputra River in parts of West Bengal...

Hi all, It is a stunner, I've spent a long time looking at it. You'll have to wait for a definitive answer, but it is probably Badis badis, although I think this is due to be (or may have been) split into lots of new species. cheers Darrel

Hi all, Lovely tank. I don't usually comment on hardscape or aquascaping, but I like the way your rock strata are aligned. It is probably only me, but I find it really jarring when the rock bedding is all at different angles. cheers Darrel

Hi all, <Sundadanio axelrodi> cheers Darrel

Hi all, What are you going to do with the Dracaenas? cheers Darrel

Hi all, Really nice, I like the Frogbit. cheers Darrel

Hi all, They aren't any good, unless they are long dead, and don't smell resinous. I've got some very old Douglas Fir roots that are good. Wind thrown conifer roots are OK as long as the tree has been dead for a while. Oak is recommended, partially because it is very rot resistant. I...

Hi all, Very nice, I like A. crispus as well. This is a good time of year for "pick your own" wood, underneath Oaks in cornfield is a good start. cheers Darrel

Hi all, I think we can all relate to this, when I came back to fish keeping after a long time away, the 2 things that I found absolutely incredible were the range of fish available and the absolutely jaw dropping lies and nonsense from the purveyors of lamps, chemical media, filtration media...

Re: Low tech tank pictures - Checkerboard male Hi all, I still didn't get him at his best, he has really long fins, but they aren't like Apistogrammas that I'm used to. The male Apistogramma turns side-ways on and slowly "sails" past the female with all fins out looking like a galleon. But he...

Hi all, No they are not going to win any prizes are they? The Monstera and Ficus benjamina have perked up a bit since then, but they don't like the low light and central heating in the winter. The other plant is Ruellia makoyana, it would have looked better if I'd taken the dead flowers of it...

Hi all, This is the tank in the back of the lab. It has been set up 2 years, silica sand substrate, 2 x 14W T5 on a 12 hour day, but with some natural light, no fertiliser addition ever, but dead leaves added regularly, water changes with rain-water, and mostly live food. Conductivity is about...

Hi all, Same thoughts here, it is a truly magnificent tank. What is the substrate? You would think that you must have/have had an input of nutrients to support that plant biomass, although it could just be from the water? If it is tap water with high nutrient levels? I think they probably...

Re: Low-tech aquarium Hi all, I think it is a Hygrophila sp. as well, probably H. corymbosa. Looks like Stagshorn (Compsopogon sp. A Red Alga) from the photo, I occasionally get a bit of it on older leaves, possibly related to lack of filter maintenance. Plants look a bit nitrogen deficient...

Re: Low-tech aquarium Hi all, You are not obliged to read anything, but I looked back through the forum to find this particular thread, as I thought it may be of interest to you. I think that it may give you a fairly good idea of where we are, or aren't, coming from. cheers Darrel

Re: Low-tech aquarium Hi all, We do go down this route every now and then and have some "lively" debate. You might like to have a look at this post: <http://www.ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=8834>. cheers Darrel

Re: Low-tech aquarium Hi all, Both the clay from the soil and the peat will have very high CEC's. It is the intact hyaline cells in the peat that have the CEC, the living sphagnum moss is very efficient at exchanging metal ions for H+ ions, and this continues after the plants death, as long as...

Hi all, I've never gone from high tech. to low tech. (because I've never been high tech. at all), but I would think that you are on the right lines for a conversion to non-CO2, you don't really have any plants that don't do well low tech. I would lower the light intensity, but probably keep the...