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Hey guys, Just getting back into the hobby and scaping up my 180l bowfront again (I'll post a journal soon). Currently planning on running a multi-bottle DIY CO2 set-up (before you shout at me I did it for over a year before and had no algae issues!), getting around 2 WPG and will be using TPN...

I've heard only good things about PlantedTanks, but never actually used them. I'm currently considering putting in quite a large order with www.theplanttank.co.uk who seem to do good deals on carpet plants. I'll let you know how I get on! If anyone else has experience of this I'd be happy to...

Hi Guys, I've just started restocking my planted tank and I'm looking to populate it with some corys. As always I'd prefer to support local breeders and hobbyists over my LFS (a choice of Pets at Home, or a very overpriced independent). I'm looking for around 10 Corys, in a perfect world I'd...

I got my other one new with the magnetic cups. It was brilliant whilst it worked, and I've never heard a bad thing said about them so I'll get a couple more. Thanks for the advice :)

Thanks for the quick response, much appreciated :) I've got an ebay job filter that came with the tank, it claims 1000/h, but I doubt it gets that close. I'll be looking to upgrade when I can afford it. I had a koralia 1 before, which died after about 6 months. Are they usually more reliable...

- Apologies, posted this in the wrong section. Please delete! Hi Guys, I've just started restocking my planted tank and I'm looking to populate it with some corys. As always I'd prefer to support local breeders and hobbyists over my LFS (a choice of Pets at Home, or a very overpriced...

Hi Guys, I'm starting up my planted tank again after a couple of years. Dug all my equiptment out of the garage and was doing a stock check and have found that my powerhead has died, I'm looking for advice on which flow rate I should go for ideally to replace it. My current set-up is a 180...

Thanks guys, I am just about there and the help is much appreciated. There were no sponges, but the holders were there and fit fine. I have been given a powerhead,which fits well. The only bit I am flumexed with now is there seems no way to attach the lid. Any suggestions?! Picture of my...

Hi Guys, Apologies in advance for what may be a noobish question but I am stumped! I recently required a bargain Vision 180 aquarium from ebay for 100 quid, and I have no idea how to put the internal filter together (it is just an empty hollow shaft at the moment. The tank came with an...

Nevermind fish, I was meant to be having a new aquarium delivered today! The excitement is getting too much :hyper:

You need to understand how much power (in kilowatt hours kWh) each piece of equipment draws. a 25w bulb left on 1 hour = 25 Watt hours, or 0.025 kWh. Therefore a bulb left on for 8 hours uses 0.2kWh (0.025 x 8). A kWh of electricity costs roughly 12p Therefore 12 x 0.2 = 2.4 pence per day...

Thanks for the help guys, much appreciated! I have found myself a bargain of a Vision180 tank which suits my needs, so I am no longer looking. Thanks, Tom

Hi Guys thanks for the swift response. I am looking to pay anywhere upto around 200 for a good tank with the trimmings. Soggy - I've been keeping my eye on that tank, its a bit too far for me at the moment (I can't drive so have to convince my mrs to take me, and its a 5 hour round trip)...

Hi Guys, I am currently to upgrade my old 80l tank to something a little bigger, and with Xmas just gone I am a little tight on funds so looking for a second hand tank. Ideally I would like a stand+filter and lighting, but beggers can't be choosers :) . Thanks in advance, Tom

Thanks very much for your post, this is extremely useful. I have a bristlenosed plec at the moment, who I am worried may stir up the soil, so I am tempted to use a layer of sand and a layer of pea gravel to reduce the risk of the soil being clouded. Adel

Hey guys, Second question of the day... How does the WPG lighting rules alter for bowfronted tanks (if at all)? I am getting (over)excited about my new tank, so I will post a journal as I start to plant. Thanks, Adel

Hey guys, I have finally managed to upgrade my old 80l tank to a 180l tank, and am going through the stage of planning and design. Previously I started looking at plants after the tank was established, and had a few issues because of it therefore I am keen to get this right from the outset...

As long as you can keep the flow constant and not too high then you should be fine. I have been experimenting with using homebrew for my CO2 for a while now. I stick to a fairly similar setup to the 2litre bottle technique, except I flavour my liquer (usually with ginger or nettle) and tap it...

Apologies for the off topic question, but why do you have a spoon in your tank? :blink:

So my job is centered around climate change which makes me feel a bit hypocritical when I come home and fill up my DIY CO2 kit especially just for my fish tank, so I started wondering if there was anyway I could make better use of it. I therefore have used Ginger and Raisin infused water in...

Thanks for an excellent, informed discussion guys this is exactly what I was after. Tom, you've cleared a lot of what I was wondering up so thank you very much for that. I am going to go away, do some planning and draw up a battle plan of how to approach this project. I'll be sure to report...

Thanks for the replies... I didn't mean to start any rows! @SuperColey: Although I think that with precision and care you could get a stagnant pool which is not algae ridden (or algae free) in reality I reckon it would be very, very hard so I am sticking to having a decent amount of flow in...

Try to avoid the carbon filter pads where possible if dosing ferts as they can absorb some of the chemicals, however sponge filters are fine.

Check the sticky about algae, but basically good flow means there are less areas where filtered water can't get to. Because Java Fern is pretty dense it can cause a few of these spots and the build ups provide the conditions in which algae thrives in.

It might be a good idea to ensure that the water flow in your aquarium is up to scratch. Slow growing plants like java ferns are particularly susceptible to algae on the leaves, so it may be a good idea to buy an extra filter/powerhead to get the flow up. I am for 10 -12 times the volume of your...

Not a specific issue or question about my aquarium, more of a curiosity. My ideal situation would to be able to simulate a natural highly planted pool which needs very little tinkering/external influence from me in order to work. Which leads me to my question: In the natural environment where...

It is my understanding that the best way to get rid of BGA is to have a blackout. Turn off all the lights cover the tank with cardboard and leave it alone for 3-5 days. I have never had the problem myself so I can't promise it will work, but others have to great effect. To improve circulation...

2 Bulbs, 1 with reflector with independent ballasts so they can be controlled. When I was running the tank under 1 bulb my plants struggled and I had quite a lot of green algae. Once I planted some faster growing plants in there and added the second light the green algae I have read somewhere...

Thanks for your quick help, it's much appreciated. After doing an image search I can see it is Black Beard Algae, so thanks for the advice. Unfortunately pressurised CO2 systems are out of the question for me (I'm on a student budget). Do you have any suggestions for removing it? I have a...

Good Day, Over the last 4 weeks I have forayed into the world of the planted tank with my 85l aquarium. It is medium light (about 2WG) and has a DIY CO2 system. Over the last 2 days I have developed a strange algae on the tips of my Java fern and Amazonian Sword, which looks like a black fluffy...

I woke up this morning and one of my Blue Rams had completely vanished... No idea what has happened as there is nothing in the tank which I imagine would be able to eat it (it was fully grown at around 2 inches) He lives with 7 bronze corydora, 1 infant Ctnepoma (only about 1.5 inch) 2 other...

First and foremost thank you for the help, it is hugely appreciated. The cycle finished around 15-20 days ago, new fish were added 4 days ago (2 dwarf Gourami and 1 filter shrimp) There are few other symptons of septicimia as the fish is still full of energy, has a good apitite. The website...

Thanks for your response Although I do not have my own liquid test kit I had my water tested yesterday at my local tropical fish store where my ammonia read as 0 and my nitrate and nitrite were"ideal". The danio in question however was used to cycle the tank (before you all chastise me for...

Hello all, I have just noticed that one of my Zebra Danios has developed blood-red spots in its eyes. I have recently added 2 dwarf gourmis and a filter shrimp to the 85l tank which is shared with 6 bronze Cory's. Is this a common infection and if so how should it be treated? Are the other...

Thanks for your help guys, based on your advice I think I will go for 2 rams with 1 dwarf gouramie Also the 12 tetras I was looking at were small neons. I will let you know how I get on and post a few pics also... I'm getting excited now :drool:

I have just visited my local aquarium store (before you yell at me it is independently run by a bloke who seems to know what he is talking about!) and just wanted to hear some opinions on what he said. Basically he suggested the following setup (along with my 6 cory's): 2 x dwarf gouramies 1 x...

I have been keeping (coldwater) Corys for a number of years and have found that they tend to only school within their own species. Adel

Thanks for confirming about the Angel Fish ( and the quick response!), my partner will be dissapointed but I would rather the fish don't suffer. Yes I plan to plant it up (however I havent decided how yet) I am currently using a filter for upto 125l with Carbon medium (not certain of the make...

Hello, After many years of keeping cold water fish I have decided to try my hand at keeping tropicals. I was hoping someone on these forums may be able to give me a nice set-up for an 85l tank. The tank has been cycled (using a small school of Bronze Corydora), and is now stable. Preferably I...