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Welcome back. I use a freshwater sump as well. Great place to hide kit, increase volume and, as said, it's a great place to dump some filter media.   You can also do freshwater fuges if you like. I've long considered running a cherry shrimp refugium off the main display, with the aim of...

and occasionally all of the above?   Cute thought, definitely cute.

Simplest option is a hood and lighting combo, something like this would work ok if you're not planting anything.

The problem with any bit of kit that stands against the sides is the massive variety of fish sizes, slightly larger gaps and the rummies would escape fine, but something else would get trapped. Floss is a good idea, I've found that it algaes up a fair bit though, some coarse foam cut to...

You can make drop checker solution, it's basically a 4kdH solution with bromoblue in it. Best way is to make a large quantity up using Bicarb of soda and a bit of demineralised water (or RO if you've got it), you'll then never want for drop checker solution ever again, as you'll have made enough...

Not sure where you were trying to link to Byron, I tend to like the pictures on this one, if it helps.

Always difficult with freshly cut stems. I agree that it looks like monnieri, but I've been caught out with them filling out once they're happy, or changing colour.

I run a chromebook, dual set up with ubuntu, to unlock the network functionality.   Cheap, nice little machine. Pain for networking, occasional things it can't do, but can't complain about the price point.   Personally, for tablets, I'm still a fan of the nexus range, solid, high spec for the...

Paintball kit would be an option for a smaller cylinder, as would a welding gas kit.   Otherwise, depends on how much you prioritise set up cost against running costs. Cheaper commercial kits will likely use expensive cannisters, more expensive ones refillable cannisters.

Generally speaking it's mechanical, biological, then chemical. There are a few exceptions, but that's the generalisation.

I hope it doesn't go as badly as predicted, it would be a shame after all that work.

Yup, definitely seconded, bio first, everything else is secondary. Nothing wrong with doing that unless it's at the cost of wearing trousers, if you'll forgive me extending the analogy. First put the trousers on, then worry about the belt and braces.

Shouldn't matter if the dial on the cylinder head is closed, but it won't hurt to do it last. Make sure the pipes are on properly (a bit of warmth in the tubes helps to make them more pliable and fit on things better) but don't put too much pressure on any glasswork, it's annoying to break new...

Pretty much, yes. Do you have a drop checker for level checking?

Sponges are great bits of filter media, highly underrated. Good mechanical filters, good biofilters, easy to clean and last for ages. They're easy to cut to size and they're cheap. What's not to like?   Carbon is a temporary add in, as is purigen to be honest. I use them occasionally, but...

Other than the drop checker you should have everything you need there. It's basically a complete set up although I believe that the diffuser is doubling as the bubble counter.   My experience of water life products was that their regs tended to only have the main on/off control which was a pain...

Terrapins will want some free swimming space, it's tortoises that can accidentally drown in deeper water.   Ideally you want a UVB source that covers the whole tank, water that's got a good filter going as they're messy, and a heater at one end. As ever, the bigger the better, particularly with...

I don't really vac as such, and this isn't gravel it's aquasoil. I vac gravel, and it's the only substrate I've had cyanobacter on (and that can be a real pain to clear at times, although Akasha leapt on it quickly and sorted it well, it is a headache worth avoiding though).   This stuff, I'd...

  I'd actually rather not, given a chance Akasha. I for one like to hear about your tank, and would love to hear updates of how they're doing.   With regards to the argument, you're both bringing experience of different ways of doing the same thing. Some aim for stability and the conditions that...

Lighting is in one way very simple, in other ways, as you've seen from the numbers, very complicated.   Basically, plants need light, but too much and they run out of nutrients too quickly in our enclosed systems and the algae does better. So more is not always better.   Some plants need more...

One point to note, goldfish are notorious vegetarians, so you'll want something very fast growing, tough, or that you're willing to keep replacing. Whatever it is it'll need to be relatively well tethered down if you don't want it floating.

I forget, work also includes cows, sheep, pigs, goats, ducks, geese and other assorted farm animals. Plus a fair variety of guard dogs and a selection of other random pets. The odd horse features at times.

OK, first up, go slowly, the fish are alive and all is currently ticking over, the numbers are terrible but they're used to that and if you change things quickly then you'll cause havoc.   I'm going to guess that nobody has been making any concerted effort to clean the tank out with any...

Welcome back to the hobby. It has indeed changed a bit in the last 20 years, although I've been doing water changes since before then, but still meet people who keep set ups that apparently don't need them.   There's been a fair amount of progress in keeping things closer to the edges. Tanks...

Worth putting it over a tank with water in it to get a true idea of how bright it looks. I'm guessing that that's a standard 4 footer when it comes to depth, and by the look of the pictures. The SMD's I've seen in use have looked very bright but haven't needed much by way of dimming when the...

We can help, just post up the new links and drop one of us a line, we can merge them back in for you.

Not a bad reason for it to go though. I look forward to seeing the updates, well done for keeping a 16l going for so long as well.

Yup, for short (less than a day) outages, particularly predicted ones, don't feed the day before, keep the tank warm with towels (the bigger the tank the longer it takes to cool, but the colder the room the faster it cools, so if you have another heat source use it to keep the room warm, we run...

Welcome back Akasha.

  Then there's always this option. http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/437218-what-fish-would-you-never-recommend-to-a-beginner/

We've all heard it, the solo clown loach in a 30 litre tank, the bala shark in a 2 footer and the common plec sold as an essential algae eater in a small community.   What fish would you never recommend any beginner ever buy, to the point where you'd rather see them on special order only, rather...

  Want me to fix it for you? Or would you like us to do that later to bump the thread?   You could, of course, write a post about fish to not take on as a beginner in general and we could probably pin that.

Yes TTA, they still seem to be recommending a good ratio.   Changing things may have upset the balance of things and the higher order plants have suffered. As TTA also moots, lower pH isn't so good for some plants, so there's a balance to be had in moving the pH slowly. HCl would work well...

Sadly, mainly humans, and the occasional rat at work here.

I agree with the definite no. Jewels are basically killing machines once they get going, and an opaline and RTBS would be no match for them.   Can't comment too much on the Ctenopoma, it's not a fish I know well, although I'm aware of it's needs, which is why I've not kept one. 

Does indeed look nice.

It's been talked about a fair bit in the past. The problem has always been making it commercially viable. It's a product with a short shelf life and transport issues, so needs, ideally, to be produced locally, and therefore needs either a good sized fish population or an artificial ammonia...

It can be done, but it's possibly not ideal.   I have a shrimp tank that has a heater in it. Never seen it on though as the room is warm enough to keep the tank up to temperature and we have an eco heating system that stays on constant trickle, rather than working on timers. It does have a...

There was a time limit introduced a while ago. It gives you a grace period and then locks it. It started when we had some trouble with people changing the wording in posts after people had replied, changing the context of the reply.   If there's something that needs editing after the lock then...

Depends a lot on the 10W and what you're planning to grow. Some of the 10W high power chips can be very bright, but a 100 gallon is a big tank. Would probably work over a 100l tank, but again, depends what you have in mind to grow.