Retirement and forum shutdown (17 Jan 2022)
Hi,
John Howell who has managed the forum for years is getting on and wishes to retire from the role of managing it.
Over the years, he has managed the forum through good days and bad days and he has always been fair.
He has managed to bring his passion for fish keeping to the forum and keep it going for so long.
I wish to thank John for his hard work in keeping the forum going.
With John wishing to "retire" from the role of managing the forum and the forum receiving very little traffic, I think we must agree that forum has come to a natural conclusion and it's time to put it to rest.
I am proposing that the forum be made read-only from March 2022 onwards and that no new users or content be created. The website is still registered for several more years, so the content will still be accessible but no new topics or replies will be allowed.
If there is interest from the ITFS or other fish keeping clubs, we may redirect traffic to them or to a Facebook group but will not actively manage it.
I'd like to thank everyone over the years who helped with forum, posted a reply, started a new topic, ask a question and helped a newbie in fish keeping. And thank you to the sponsors who helped us along the away. Hopefully it made the hobby stronger.
I'd especially like to thank John Howell and Valerie Rousseau for all of their contributions, without them the forum would have never been has successful.
Thank you
Darragh Sherwin
planning permission granted
- robert (robert carter)
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 1689
- Thank you received: 113
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Jonlate (Jon Late)
-
- Offline
- Senior Member
-
- Posts: 439
- Thank you received: 38
No leaky filters, easier to clean, easy to do waste changes, and loads more filtration can go in.
I would imagine that would be cheaper than the two filters as well, and can hold more water, so you won't be as over stocked.
You asked, I answered.
Anyway aren't you on holiday, or are you someone who can't relax and are on the beach with your iPhone, checking in with your fish via webcam!!
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- robert (robert carter)
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 1689
- Thank you received: 113
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Jonlate (Jon Late)
-
- Offline
- Senior Member
-
- Posts: 439
- Thank you received: 38
Some people say, it can sound like a toilet filling up all the time, but I get no noise off mine at all. I use a DC pump so I can adjust the settings 1% at a time to make the water exactly match in and out flow.
You can chuck 100's of media in it, and if you are thinking of a topless tank, it makes topping it up so easy. Just pour extra water into the sump.
Bart will tell you exactly what is best for you. as for coming out to your house to see which ways best, read what he did for Alex in his saltwater set up. He is so happy to help its unbelievable. Of course he would come, and then he would come and help set it up and plumb it for you as well.
I would recommend everyone to sump their freshwater tank. Best thing I ever did.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- FR85 (Gavin O'Sullivan)
- Offline
- Junior Member
-
- Posts: 139
- Thank you received: 4
On the filtration, I'm using the JBL 900 for three years not and its flawless!
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- robert (robert carter)
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 1689
- Thank you received: 113
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Jonlate (Jon Late)
-
- Offline
- Senior Member
-
- Posts: 439
- Thank you received: 38
Jeboa do one as well. Bart would know more about them.
Will pm his number now
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- robert (robert carter)
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 1689
- Thank you received: 113
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Jonlate (Jon Late)
-
- Offline
- Senior Member
-
- Posts: 439
- Thank you received: 38
Then your permission will not be granted rather it will be terminated.
When you do water change you suck out the mess and refill the sump.
What's interesting is that all my mess ends up in one corner of the tank, so it's really easy to keep the substrate clean, half the work has been done already.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- robert (robert carter)
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 1689
- Thank you received: 113
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- robert (robert carter)
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 1689
- Thank you received: 113
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Jonlate (Jon Late)
-
- Offline
- Senior Member
-
- Posts: 439
- Thank you received: 38
I do get a bit of noise from my return pump itself, but I do from my pump on my filter on my other tank.
So buy a good quality return pump as that's the only place I get noise from. The rest of the system is silent.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
-
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 2030
- Thank you received: 102
Jon is right on the sump noise,ive one and ots silent also.It can take a small bit of fiddling with to get flow right but sump is a great option.
Gavin
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- robert (robert carter)
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 1689
- Thank you received: 113
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- robert (robert carter)
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 1689
- Thank you received: 113
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- LemonJelly (Johnny Cowley)
-
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 1692
- Thank you received: 268

I think most don't light them unless there's a specific reason. You could put one of those cheap battery powered lights in there, just so you'd have some light during maintenance.
"The only thing that burns in Hell is the part of you that won't let go of your life; your memories, your attachments. They burn them all away. But they're not punishing you.They're freeing your soul."
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- robert (robert carter)
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 1689
- Thank you received: 113
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- LemonJelly (Johnny Cowley)
-
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 1692
- Thank you received: 268
"The only thing that burns in Hell is the part of you that won't let go of your life; your memories, your attachments. They burn them all away. But they're not punishing you.They're freeing your soul."
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- nomad (pat murphy)
- Offline
- Senior Member
-
- Posts: 340
- Thank you received: 17
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- gunnered72 (Eddy Gunnered)
-
- Offline
- Elite Member
-
- Posts: 797
- Thank you received: 105
Paint it ......Painted backgrounds look the best....
"Acrylic" paint is the best..........And roll it on with decent small rollers....Cheap ones are useless....
It will take about 5 or 6 coats with drying time in between each coat......
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- robert (robert carter)
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 1689
- Thank you received: 113
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- gunnered72 (Eddy Gunnered)
-
- Offline
- Elite Member
-
- Posts: 797
- Thank you received: 105
Sand is by far the best substrate for fish that dig, for low maintenance and it wont turn green on ya...
Any fish waste just sits on the sand and doesnt sink down into it like it would with gravel...Usually the filter just takes it away then if there is reasonable flow all around the tank....
As a result there is less gravel vaccing...In fact ya dont even have to dig your gravel vac into the sand just hover it above....
Dont use play sand (It takes feckin ages to rinse and is simply too fine) It compacts as well.....People used to recommend it all the time but I wouldnt go near it...I tried it once cos it was cheap but it was filthy and a pain to clean.....It also was so fine that it would get washed into the filter at times...
Aquarium specific sand is your best bet in my opinion and it comes in tonnes of different colours....
Its easy to keep clean, Its better for fish and it looks really natural!
You cant go wrong with sand!
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- robert (robert carter)
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 1689
- Thank you received: 113
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- gunnered72 (Eddy Gunnered)
-
- Offline
- Elite Member
-
- Posts: 797
- Thank you received: 105
You also dont get uneaten food trapped underneath which means less NitrAtes and less Phosphates which equals cleaner water and healthier fish...
Anyway thats just my 10 cents worth
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- robert (robert carter)
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 1689
- Thank you received: 113


Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
-
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 2030
- Thank you received: 102
Gavin
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- robert (robert carter)
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 1689
- Thank you received: 113
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- paulv (paul vickers)
-
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 1022
- Thank you received: 195
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- robert (robert carter)
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 1689
- Thank you received: 113
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- robert (robert carter)
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 1689
- Thank you received: 113
Please Log in to join the conversation.