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inspiration for a cubed, sumped tank

Joined
30 Aug 2020
Messages
375
Location
Bristol
I have a cubed sumped tank, that has housed marines for a while.

Im keen for a planted tank with out CO2, so a simple setup. lifestyle means im often away for extended periods so partner or family have to tend to the tank and pond, so less is more.

I like the idea of using aquatic soil/sub soil after reading Tims thread and if it works fine on pond plants, can see no issues with a tank.
 
Dimensions?
Lighting?
Filtration? etc details

Pond soil often contains much higher nutrients (also more variable content, including some filler materials that can be problematic in relatively small water volumes), eg ammonia release that are readily diluted in a typical pond volume (also the differences in plant types/growth) - so do your research on the particular product you intend to use

There are some pond soil details (somewhere on ukaps) that @dw1305 linked (I believe)

George Farmer scapes are often directed towards easier upkeep - especially client setups

I linked a couple videos in post#20 in this thread
https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/ea-freshwater-900-planted-project.62046/#post-612078

(note that both tanks are run with CO2)
 
Think it's 600x600x 500mm so 200 odd ltr for main tank

Have G2 radions that have grown marine alage, mangroves etc.

Filtration is open ended at mo, there's the sump to play with for that and placement of heater etc
 
Hi all,
Welcome @not called Bob, have a look at @Tim Harrison 's <"Soil substrate or dirted tank"> tutorial .
There are some pond soil details (somewhere on ukaps) that @dw1305 linked (I believe)
We do, but it wasn't me. I'm too mean to buy soil, so I just go and scrounge some from a <"roadside molehill">.

Marcel (@zozo) might be a good option for <"some advice">.

I'm away from my tanks for extended time periods, and would recommend relatively slow growing plants (and some floating plants to do the <"heavy lifting">).

cheers Darrel
 
from the low tec thread, is 4 cm the norm for substrate depth and was that the loam layer on its own or including the inert topper?

not been to the new shop from the guys that were in Aquajardin, but I hear its fresh only and hopeful they still have some nice displays up and running. My nearest outlet is a fresh shop in a small chian garden centre, or the well known shed based company with the woeful biosecurity, so open to suggestions of what's good near by to North Bristol, for marines I was very spoilt with SWM and also aquajardin
 
I had (before Corona) a similar problems and built one of my tanks with this in mind.

In one tank I used Crypts and epyphites which worked well. Crypts seemed to do better in a dirted tank (imo). I used the dirted tank approach following Tim's thread. The base layer is John Innes Number 3.

Another strategy is to use floating plants (see the threads on the duckweed index and the aerial advantage) to reduce problems with algae and slow growth down slightly while I am away. I normally remove some floating plants once a week, while I am away they aren't checked and the light getting to the substrate us slowly reduced.

I use lean dosing with root tabs as this (imo) encourages better root growth less reliance on nutrients in the water column.
 
Hi all, Where is it? I'll pay them a visit. You could try Parker's at Iron Acton. I haven't been in there for several years, but last time I went they were still good.

cheers Darrel

Funny enough Parkers is a very pleasant walk from my house, its ok, some interesting cichlids pass through it and plenty of freshwater puffers
 
Hi all,
Funny enough Parkers is a very pleasant walk from my house
Useful to know. If you want any food cultures, floating plants etc when you are up and running I could pop over. I live in Corsham, but it is fairly quick to get to Iron Acton etc. because I don't have to go through Bath or Bristol, just Chipping Sodbury.

cheers Darrel
 
Hi all, Useful to know. If you want any food cultures, floating plants etc when you are up and running I could pop over. I live in Corsham, but it is fairly quick to get to Iron Acton etc. because I don't have to go through Bath or Bristol, just Chipping Sodbury.

cheers Darrel
where do you recommend shopping in the local area?

popped to WoW on A38 and got some generic plants, that might or might not make it, and PaH in Sadley Broke for what limited Tropica plants they had in, MHA Thornbury provided some neons and guppy’s to keep the claim happy, but seems an expensive shop, though their marines are at least almost competitive with South West Marines
 
Hi all,
where do you recommend shopping in the local area?
I don't know, I haven't bought any plants for several years (I've got a few new ones <"via the forum">) and the only fish I've bought in the last ~10 years I got from <"Acres Aquatics"> nr. Warminster.

All my filters are second hand Eheims via "Aquarists Classified" or Ebay, I get spares from <"Rainbow Koi"> in Melksham (they are 10 minutes down the road), some of my filters I've owned for 20 years. I also buy the big sponge blocks, that I use as pre-filters, from them and Eheim Jager heaters.

Dry food I get online from Tim Addis (<"TA Aquaculture">), but I don't buy much dry food.

cheers Darrel
 
Thanks looks like Acres are selling fish for a sensible price.

I need some more fish, inverts and plants, so will keep an eye on the sale section now its been made available to me.

after so long feeding defrosted food, flake feels a rather strange thing to add again, closest ti flake I was feeding was bits of nori shredded up
 
Hi all,
Thanks looks like Acres are selling fish for a sensible price.
I only popped in because my son was playing football in Warminster, and I needed to buy some potting compost (it is in a fairly scruffy Garden Centre).

It is not great for plants, but Sam (youngish guy with a beard) knows a lot about fish.

cheers Darrel
 
Hi all, I only popped in because my son was playing football in Warminster, and I needed to buy some potting compost (it is in a fairly scruffy Garden Centre).

It is not great for plants, but Sam (youngish guy with a beard) knows a lot about fish.

cheers Darrel

some of the best shopping trips are the accidental ones,

Popped into one some where near Walsash maritime academy, as I fancied a leg stretch on the way home, great shop, though since its not the cheapest place to train, I spend most of my training now in Cromhall or Humberside.
 
Hi all, I don't know, I haven't bought any plants for several years (I've got a few new ones <"via the forum">) and the only fish I've bought in the last ~10 years I got from <"Acres Aquatics"> nr. Warminster.

All my filters are second hand Eheims via "Aquarists Classified" or Ebay, I get spares from <"Rainbow Koi"> in Melksham (they are 10 minutes down the road), some of my filters I've owned for 20 years. I also buy the big sponge blocks, that I use as pre-filters, from them and Eheim Jager heaters.

Dry food I get online from Tim Addis (<"TA Aquaculture">), but I don't buy much dry food.

cheers Darrel

Thanks @dw1305 popped out to Acres today and did a spot of shopping, nice shop and a knowledgable chap running things
 
I've found mh inside Leekes in Melksham to have a reasonably good selection of fish and plants. They often have some interesting cichlids and corys in their soft water system.
I've not been in for about a year but absolute aquatics in Staple Hill was looking like a promising privately run shop.

I'll be keeping an eye on the thread though as I'm also on the look out for some good plants / shops.
 
Hi all,
I've found mh inside Leekes in Melksham to have a reasonably good selection of fish and plants
They do. I haven't been in for a while (I live 10 minutes up the road) but I assume <"Tom is still the fish buyer">, and he is a fish breeder and very knowledgeable. The only downside is the fish prices.
absolute aquatics in Staple Hill was looking like a promising privately run shop
Is it new? There used to be a shop (in St. Georges?) but I never been in that one, and that is definitely in range (I've played cricket at Page Park).

cheers Darrel
 
Hi all, They do. I haven't been in for a while (I live 10 minutes up the road) but I assume <"Tom is still the fish buyer">, and he is a fish breeder and very knowledgeable. The only downside is the fish prices. Is it new? There used to be a shop (in St. Georges?) but I never been in that one, and that is definitely in range (I've played cricket at Page Park).

cheers Darrel

I think it has been there for a couple of years. It's a short walk from my house but shamefully I've only been a few times. It's close to Page Park, just off of the high street.
 
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