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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

Tank Upgrade

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24 Sep 2013 08:58 #1 by gryzor (Barry Reid)
Hi all

Going to upgrade my tank, from a 25ltr Aquael to something bigger. Be staying with a freshwater tropical setup. I'm tight enough on space at the minute, no real room for a tank on it's own dedicated stand. I do have a solid surface (LXW 84X37)that would do the job.

I was thinking of getting a Juwel Rekord 800 , which would fit the space pretty much bang on. For the money, seems like a good setup. I am new to this game, so maybe I'm wrong there??

Any opinions on this tank (including filter etc..) The reviews I've read have been good. Any other similar tanks I should consider??

thanks

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24 Sep 2013 09:19 #2 by Jasonb (Jason Browne)
Replied by Jasonb (Jason Browne) on topic Tank Upgrade
Hi there,

I was looking at the Rekord 800 until I got an offer of a different tank for free from a friend of mine. I read a lot about it and they were pretty much all good reviews. The only advice I was given was to maybe upgrade the pump that comes with it (I think it's a 400 pump) to the 600, as it's more powerful. The 600 pump would still slot into the filter/pump housing that comes with the Rekord 800, so it wouldn't be a big job to change it. But that was just some advice, they didn't say it had to be done.

Best of luck with whatever you choose to go for...

J.

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24 Sep 2013 09:24 #3 by hammie (Neil Hammerton)
What do you plan on keeping in the tank?
If its small fish like guppies, they don't do well with flow in the tank, so I would make sure not to have a large flow rate
If its cichlids then they will very likely outgrow the tank

Plan what you want to keep before you decide on filtration

If you have space, I would always advocate the use of external filters personally

If not, would should consider some kind of spray bar system that keeps flow rate to a minimum but keeps filtration rate high

Hope that helps

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24 Sep 2013 09:46 - 24 Sep 2013 09:47 #4 by gryzor (Barry Reid)
Replied by gryzor (Barry Reid) on topic Tank Upgrade
I'm not sure on what I'll put in yet, have alot more reading to do...Just trying to nail down the tank first...

External filter isn't really an option, I'd have to stick with the internal...
Last edit: 24 Sep 2013 09:47 by gryzor (Barry Reid).

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24 Sep 2013 10:16 - 24 Sep 2013 10:17 #5 by JohnH (John)
Replied by JohnH (John) on topic Tank Upgrade
The internal Juwel filters are OK, without being outstanding.
A lot of people don't like them because they can be regarded as a bit of an eyesore and remove them for that reason.
The media for the Juwel filter can work out a bit expensive if you buy the Juwel replacements but I have seen 'pattern' media advertised at a worthwhile saving.
Good luck with your new tank, as usual, progress reports are requested (we're a nosey bunch here).

John

Location:
N. Tipp

We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl - year after year.


ITFS member.



It's a long way to Tipperary.
Last edit: 24 Sep 2013 10:17 by JohnH (John).

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24 Sep 2013 13:09 #6 by CrustyCrab (Peter Biddulph)
Have a look at the Eheim Aquapro 126. Same size etc as the Juwel 800, and same price too.
IMO a better Tank, Heater and Filter. Better back up service too.

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24 Sep 2013 15:34 #7 by gryzor (Barry Reid)
Replied by gryzor (Barry Reid) on topic Tank Upgrade
Thanks Crusty, any Irish sites that stock these??

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24 Sep 2013 19:20 #8 by CrustyCrab (Peter Biddulph)
As you are based in Limerick , ask Kevin in Underwater World, Martin in Maxizoo can get them too.
If they can't get a price, I'll price one for you. Would mean coming up to Home Aquariums in Galway.

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24 Sep 2013 20:48 #9 by gryzor (Barry Reid)
Replied by gryzor (Barry Reid) on topic Tank Upgrade
Good stuff, thanks. Based in Limerick, working in Ennis, so trip to Galway would be sound if needed.

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24 Sep 2013 21:28 #10 by gunnered72 (Eddy Gunnered)
Juwel tanks are top notch (Ive had 3 different ones including a Rekord 800) Never had any problems....The filters are a bit of an eye sore but are pretty easy to maintain compared to alot of other internal filters.....Be aware that Juwel recommend changing filter media frequently...This is a bunch of crap....The best thing you can do is take out the green Nitrate removal and black Carbon sponge and dont bother ever replacing them (You will save yourself a fortune) Stick a blue sponge in their place and use it as extra Biological filtration.......Also instead of the flat white Juwel mechanical filtration sponges (pads) buy yourself a bunch of the same stuff (filter floss) from your local fish store or online and cut it to size (Again saves you lots of your hard earned money) The flat white mechanical sponges(pads) "DO" need to be changed weekly though because they trap all the heavy dirt and will slow the pump flow rate over time which isnt exactly good.....

All in all Tank construction is excellent, Filters are pretty easy to maintain, Lighting is adaquate and will grow most hardy plants,Heater is good quality and with the correct matching stand they look pretty nice as a room centrepiece.........

Rekord 800s are a good aquarium once you plan on only keeping smaller fish species (Guppies, Tetras,Dwarf Cichlids, Corydoras etc etc)

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25 Sep 2013 09:09 #11 by CrustyCrab (Peter Biddulph)
And you have forgotten to mention the high cost of replacement heaters, light tubes (t5) and pumps with Juwel.
And the high failure rate of Juwel light units over last few years.
I think the Eheim/MP range is far superior to Juwel, and more versitile. And they also have matching stands.
The tank itself is better built, close but still better. Hood is better quality, light unit has a replaceable starter.
For example, you are not stuck with one position for the filter with the Eheim.
I have sold both makes over the last 10 years, and have had more problems with Juwel than Eheim.
Juwel now supply retailers with returns cards, needing order numbers, recites etc. filled out before they will even look at replacing anything.

Choice of aquarium brand is personal, there is no doubt that Juwel sell more tanks, the main reason for that, is that they are the most commonly
Brand stocked, and in many cases better that some other brands available.
And Yes many people have used Juwel tanks for years and never had a problem,

Replacing the floss pad with filter floss is a great idea, AquaPaws was supplying filter floss to its customers for years,
And Home Aquariums is doing so now.

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25 Sep 2013 11:42 #12 by Q_Comets (Declan Chambers)
I would say if the eheim package s the same price go for it. How often have you seen complaints about eheim equipment or support?

@Crusty very generous of you to suggest a tank and a competitor to buy from.

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25 Sep 2013 15:24 #13 by hammie (Neil Hammerton)
I personally have 3 Juwel Tanks, 350 Trigon, 190 Trigon and a 60litre (not sure of the name)
and id say defo Eheim are the more superior (unfortunately i dont have any of them tho)

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25 Sep 2013 15:31 #14 by Q_Comets (Declan Chambers)
Yeah I have juwel also but mainly because that is what was available SH.

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