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
question about sand substrate
- midnight midget (karl oreilly)
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- davey_c (dave clarke)
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as for hard work, well everyone has their own perseption as to what defines the differences between work and too much work, some people will willingly put in the extra effort more than others would!!
some sands get too compact if the bed is deep enough and can be dangerous if not regularly turned to release any air pockets, i use silica sand which has good feedback and i'd recommend it on personal experience. depending on what fish you have, if their substrate sifters, they will love the sand but will fairly move it around for ye! some find cleaning it a pain and if you like to have your tank your way then you could possibly find ita pain also but i like a natural tank and let the fish do as they please. then there's you filter... don't let it into it!!
i'm sure you'll get more opinions and info i've forgotten
Below tank is for sale
my plywood tank build.
www.irishfishkeepers.com/index.php/forum...k-build-diary#137768
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- midnight midget (karl oreilly)
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- newbejkjimk (damien kelly)
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- midnight midget (karl oreilly)
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- Arron.M (Arron)
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- davey_c (dave clarke)
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dont mean to sound stupid but what kinda substrate would you put under de play sand??
for plants you could put something like aquabasis or similar under sand to help them along
Below tank is for sale
my plywood tank build.
www.irishfishkeepers.com/index.php/forum...k-build-diary#137768
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- davey_c (dave clarke)
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Below tank is for sale
my plywood tank build.
www.irishfishkeepers.com/index.php/forum...k-build-diary#137768
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- Arron.M (Arron)
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"The question that sometimes drives me hazy: Am I or the others crazy?"
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- bart (Bart Korfanty)
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Just remember to wash it very well
Oh and they are really cheap

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- Arron.M (Arron)
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- Arron.M (Arron)
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www.newlands.ie/store/product/40562/HORTICULTURAL-SAND-20KG/
for anyone else looking to make the swap
"The question that sometimes drives me hazy: Am I or the others crazy?"
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- JustinK (Justin Kelly)
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Horticultural sand "westland" from any gardening center. After rinsing it well and getting rid of all dust and clay u will get nice kinda worm amberish colored sand. It is not as fine as play sand and won't compact to badly. Doesn't change water parameters. I have it in few tanks. Also horticultural grit from same producer.
Just remember to wash it very well
Oh and they are really cheap
I was advised not to use the Hoticultural grade as its too sharp for Corys barbels and sand sifters.
But the Paving sand grade was the better choice.
Im using this but it really needs a good cleaning first.[\u]
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- Arron.M (Arron)
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- Orlando (Radek)
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So I changed my fishes for african cichlids, they prefer coral sand then gravel and Im happy with this as well. I have external filter so mostly dirt landed in the filter anyway but Im considering to get wave maker to help move dirt to the filter side(lots of rocks in the tank).
Cheers
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