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IMO, Thanks for your reply. I hadn't thought of that, my co2 has been off for quite a while now so ill look at starting that back up. At the same time as replacing my lights I also added new reflectors so the light output has significantly increased. I didn't release a lack of co2 would cause...

Hi all, Hope you can help, my tank was looking very dull and tired and so it was time for me to get back into it. I replaced my bulbs with a couple from lamp specs, I went for 1x grolux and a 880 Philips, at the same time I also purchased an 865 and 845 to test out the colour combinations. I...

Thanks, is the 6500K the ones that will give me a natural light as opposed to give a strange hue? are those bulbs going to be just as good as the Life-Glo's (and just as bright?)

Hi All, Im also now just looking at http://www.lampspecs.co.uk following another post I just read, but getting a little lost by it all. For a planted tank, to give good colours with fish etc as well, should I be going for a "daylight" T5 bulb? like these...

Hi All, put this in the general discussion but then realised its probably better suited here too? I need to replace my 2 T5's in my tank as both are now pretty old. Ive previously used glo tubes but cant remember which 2 I had, I believe one was a power glo and other was possibly a life glo...

Ive also noticed that Hagen now sell Power-Glo, Life-Glo - and then two other bulbs, Fluval Life Spectrum and Fluval Power Spectrum they look identical to the glo product ? are they the same? both listed as T5 HO with same bulb specifications, am I missing something?

Thanks MBOU - maybe its a life glo and power glo I have? would 2 life glos be sufficient for plant growth? with regards to the Arcadias, no problem with ordering online, which ones would you go for?

Hi All, I need to replace my 2 T5's in my tank as both are now pretty old. Ive previously used glo tubes but cant remember which 2 I had, I believe one was a power glo and other was possibly a life glo. As im now replacing them im wondering what combination would be best for my planted tank...

Sorry just noticed you recomended 3... for bottom dwellers, I have 3 bristlenoses and now 1 zebra loach, its a 180L fluval Vicenza, will I be ok with 3 loaches in total? I didnt want to crowd the bottom too much as its also quite densely planted? Thanks Fluttermouth, you managed to reply...

Thanks guys much appreciated! Ill look at going to the lfs this weekend and maybe getting him a friend, im not sure ill have space for a shoal, would 2 in total maybe stop them getting so stressed? I crused a few snails last night and this morning they were gone, along with a few empty shells...

Hi all, I have a large MTS outbreak (very bad) in the tank that I'm starting up again. I asked my Ltd about possible loaches and he recommended a zebra loach. He also advised that I could keep him on his own and he would do just fine. He has been in just over 24 hours and appears to not be...

Hi All, used to be a regular here quite a few years ago - I had a planted tank, Co2 etc etc - well, durnig that time the tank was getting left more and more and eventually I stopped as it wasnt fair to the poor fish! well.. im glad to say that now im back into it, with the time and the space...

Hi All, My heater needs to be replaced, ive been looking at several variations and im a bit confused on what the best options are. I like the idea of having one with a LCD showing the current water temp, at least this means I can get rid of my current thermom and so reduce the total ammount of...

Hi Jake, Thanks for your reply. To be honest, im only concerned with the Co2 reading in my tank. My attempt and thoughts were based around making my Co2 dosing more efficient as at the moment im just guessing that it needs to be pumping Co2 x minutes before lights on and x minutes before...

Hi All, At the moment, I regulate my pressured co2 system using a solonoid plugged into a timer, Co2 comes on and off just before the light timer switches them on / off. Im aware that this will cause a very small fluctuation in PH Levels. Whilst im not keeping any fish that would be affected...

Thanks guys, a good debate is healthy :) You both have quoted some very interesting articals etc and im reading them at the minute. Dont apologise as IMO a good debate is sometimes the only way to go forward :) Im happy to sit and take everything in, learning all the time. Kind Regards, Craig

Thanks guys, loads of useful information and decinateky glad I'm saving the pennies as well, especially as I'm need of a new drop checker, bubble counter, co2 tubing and a powerhead or two! Only been back into my tank for a few days and I'm hooked again! So with this PAR rating, am I right in...

Excellent thank you, The power glo has a very high Kelvin rating, way above 10,000 I believe as I think my tank was shipped with them for the intention of being used with Marine. Ill simply buy some T5's from the internet then that are not aquarium specific and go for the ranges you said...

Excellent thank you :) didnt actually occur to me that I could use normal fluoro's - what makes the "aquarium" specific ones enhance colours of fish? different spectrums? is that the same as different kelvin ratings? Cheers, Craig

Hi All, What would you say the best combination would be for my planted tank, running compressed co2 and EI dosing I currently have 1 x powerglo and 1 x life glo T5 HO bulbs, although these are now due for replacement. Should I stick with what I have or van you guys recommend a better...

Hi All, After various obsticals, a house move, a nearly wipeout, several months of neglect and a mass algae bloom which has lasted way too long, ive decided enough is enough, I want my planted tank back up and running to its former glory!. Been a long time since ive been around - The forum now...

Im now sitting thinking about it, I did noticed that since my bottle run out and I cleaned the diffuser, it wasnt diffusing the bubbles as small as it used to, before, half used to get sucked into the filter and half didnt, but now, the bubbles are bigger and hit the surface more and sit on the...

Yeah it definately lasted about 3 months at least - running green on the drop checker - Im using a solenoid so its on 1 hour before the lights on up until 1 hour before the lights out. At the min Im running just under 1 bubble per second and my drop checker is green (changed solution few days...

Hi All, My 500g Bottle of Co2 lasted approx 4 months on my 180litre, got the bottle filled about 3 weeks ago, but now the reg is showing the bottle as empty!, The Pressure is still at 2 bar and the bubbles keep coming out, I have not noticed this gradually coming down though, although, to be...

agree with nosoup4you, the plants look ok Could you provide a larger pic (uploaded to something like photobucket) as its difficult to see - or describe whats happening to the plants / leaves? Regards Craig

Sorry SuperColey (I refered to you as aarron as I was thinking getting mixed up with names (aarron has previously helped in another thread regarding Ferts dosing!) So sorry about that Cheers for the link SuperColey, clears a few things up - I have certinately realised there is much more to a...

Thanks Aarron, noticed you posted a similar topic when you got your vicenza 180, what combination did you use? Was just thinking maybe 2x lifeglo tubes will be better for the plants, or does it not make much of a difference?

Hi All, Just a quick question regarding my lighting, My Aquarium came with 2x T5 HO PowerGlo tubes (18,000K). I was then recomended to change one of them to a Life Glo (6,700K) - So at the minute Im running 1 of each. Im now wondering, for a heavily planted tank, with added compressed co2 and...

Hi, It sounds like you have Black Brush Algae (BBA) - If you go to http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/algae.htm - can you confirm what algae it is? (Thanks to Aaronnorth for the link from your signature, I have used this manytimes!) If it is BBA, then its caused by high lighting with not...

Have been dosing now for about a week, The plants have definately reacted well, the swords seem to be showing a new leaf every day! within a few days they are as big as the other established leaves! There is still some old leaves on my plants so I need to have a good trim to cut all the bad...

As squeakytoy said.. Rubber band works well, I have also used the really small cable ties - they work pretty well :good:

Hi, No You cannot overfilter as such... you will find though that you get to a point where aditional filtration is not as beneficial as the bacteria colonies in the filters will only grow according to how much food (ammonia and Nitrite) they receive - So whereas one filter maybe fully colonised...

Thanks for your input all, I have been keeping a high tec planted tank now for about 6 months, whilst its nowhere near as good as you pro's im definately commited and keen to carry on the hobby :) Think ill look at both options, the make it yaself kit is appealing but im also a sucker for just...

Hi The ammount of Co2 required will vary from tank to tank and has many variables such as Tank Size, what plants you have, your lighting, If you are using aditional fertalisers, your surface movement at the top of the tank etc etc Because of this the only accurate way to measure whether you...

Hi All, After replanting my tank with no tools (a nightmare!) I decided it was time to invest in some good equipment to make my life easier ! Was looking at the Toolkit over at AE http://www.aquaessentials.co.uk/index.php?...roducts_id=1586 Has anyone used this toolkit? Are they good? Are...

Hello :) How are you fish behaving? Are they at the top of the tank, any rapid gill movements, if so then thats a sign that they are struggling for air. How are you diffusing the co2 into your tank? As Fozziebear said, its unlikely you can overdose on DIY kits but I suppose its not...

Cool thanks, Just looking on the web now for one thats 1800 l/h - So ill move my diffuser away from my filter outlet and ill use the new powerhead / pump instead. I was looking at making a small internal reactor like this.. http://www.barrreport.com/articles/72-venturi-design-6.html However...

Thanks Aaron, So I should get a powerhead / pump that is 10x - Where is the best place to position it, oposite side of the Filter outlet at the end of my tank?

Hi All, I am just wondering how much circulation I should have in a planted tank. I have a Fluval Vicenza 180, now that my tank is quite heavily planted I appear to be getting some dead spots - I have mainly identified this as my Co2 diffuser bubbles are being blown accross to the left hand...

Thanks Aaron, am know getting to grips with the chemical equasion behind the ferts which really helps me to understand what is going on in my tank. I'll see how I go with the trace, will prob end up getting some Dry Potassium Sulphate from AE and adding that too. Hopefully I do have enough...