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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

Which external filter and were to buy??

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11 Feb 2011 00:17 #1 by Finnmcool (Bob O'Driscoll)
Hi all, I'm still new to this fishkeeping game (1 month) and have little to no contacts. So I'm just looking for advice on what external filter I should get and where is the best place to buy them? Not a huge fan of online purchases in case something goes wrong. I have a juwel trigon 190 working perfect but I want extra filtration. Like everyone else I am on a buget of around €100 but less would be better = )
Thanks a million for any help guys.
By the way I am in Celbridge co Kildare .

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11 Feb 2011 03:18 #2 by dubfish (Alan Martin)
The JBL externals are getting good reviews,try ringing all the sponsors on here and find the best price.

Regards Alan..

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11 Feb 2011 08:30 #3 by mossy (gavin blanchfield)
try the trade section "for sale" on the forum here
you could pick up a great second hand filter for a bargin price

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11 Feb 2011 09:55 - 11 Feb 2011 10:05 #4 by Dub (Glen Coughlan)
Hi Finnmcool....I am running a trigon 190 ltr. On the Jbl 900e filter for about 7 months now and have to say I have no trouble with it at all.....runs very quite almost cheap enough to...But as mossy says that u can pick up a great filter at a great price here!!!! But u must be quick!!!!:lol: "Welcome to the site"
Hope this helps
Regards Glen :)
Last edit: 11 Feb 2011 10:05 by Dub (Glen Coughlan).

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11 Feb 2011 12:13 - 11 Feb 2011 12:14 #5 by Acara (Dave Walters)
I run a Tetratec ex1200 on the same size tank.It's been going over 3yrs,and is brilliant.
I got it from Aquatic Village,and they're currently around the €135ish mark there I thaink,check out their website.It's only a couple more euro than buying online,and you will get the aftersales service,and of course,support the local lads.
I know it's a bit above your budget,but is well worth it,have one less night out,and it's paid for;)

PS,the tank is well overstocked,and the filter is lucky to have been cleaned 3 times in that time.

always on the lookout for interesting corys.pm me if you know off any!
Last edit: 11 Feb 2011 12:14 by Acara (Dave Walters).

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11 Feb 2011 12:43 #6 by Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
Yeah Id agree re the Tetratec, very good,nice and quiet and easy to maintain.
And the Ex1200 would be more than enough for your tank size regardless of what you keep in it.

The 2nd hand option is also well worth looking into if your not sure,keep an eye on the for sale section here on the forum and you never know what you might pick up.
Gavin

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11 Feb 2011 14:02 #7 by Finnmcool (Bob O'Driscoll)
Thanks a million guys. Great tips.

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12 Feb 2011 12:03 - 12 Feb 2011 12:07 #8 by ArmaghAdam (Adam)
Hi Finnmcool.
My advise would be, don't fork out for a manufactured external. The best form of aquarium filtration because of it's superior oxygenating ability is wet/dry. convert an old aquarium into a wet/dry trickle tower simply by dividing a 3rd of the tank with a glass pane siliconed (aquatic safe) in place leaving a 10mm gap at the bottom. fill the divided 3rd with plastic pot scourers as media. put a return pump in the other side, an overflow in the tank and you'll have (once cycled) the most effective filtration a fresh-water aquarium can have.
I have pictures of some of mine if your interested in constructing your own. You can make them as big or as small as will fit under your cabinet/stand.
I have one available (90l 2ft X 1ft X 1.5ft) plus return pump too.That 100 euro would secure it ;)
Failing that there are tonnes of even more affordable alternative DIY wet/dry filters illustrated on youtube!
Worth looking into even if your not going to use it this time round!
In my opinion Manufacturers externals are overpriced.
Last edit: 12 Feb 2011 12:07 by ArmaghAdam (Adam).

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12 Feb 2011 12:18 #9 by des (des)

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12 Feb 2011 12:46 #10 by Finnmcool (Bob O'Driscoll)
Cheers for that Adam, but I have a 5 y/o and a 2 y/o and the chances of them DESTROYING it and blowing up the house at the same time would be extremely high!! = ) But it is Deffo something I want to look into. Thank you.

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12 Feb 2011 12:48 #11 by Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
Sound advise Adam,however for a new fishkeeper, I think there is merit in externals,they are quiet,easy to run and maintain and are not overly complicated for a starter out.
While they can be expensive,the externals on the market nowadays are very good and provide excellent filteration. The amount of 2nd hand ones turning up in the present market also can provide a bargin.

Adam Id like to see some pics of your one,would make an interesting thread.
Gavin

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15 Feb 2011 22:46 #12 by Finnmcool (Bob O'Driscoll)
Well guys, I took delivery of a new jbl cristal profi e900 this morning. thanks for all the advice people.
I was like a child on christmas morning when I got my hands on it. :lol:
Instantly the water looked clearer and it lookes like the fish have got more vivid and sharp colours :cheer:
Shout out to seahorse aquariums too!

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16 Feb 2011 00:57 #13 by Finnmcool (Bob O'Driscoll)
Lads I know it's a bit late in the day but what should I leave on at night? At the moment all I leave on is the heater.

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16 Feb 2011 01:07 #14 by joey (joe watson)
leave everything on except the lights else you might find your fish floating (not the good kind) in the morning

Location: Portlaoise, Midlands

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16 Feb 2011 09:27 #15 by Alex (Alex)
Replied by Alex (Alex) on topic Re: Which external filter and were to buy??
Yeah the bacteria will die if the filter is left off. You don't want a mini cycle every morning.

A timer is great for the lights...

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16 Feb 2011 12:50 #16 by Finnmcool (Bob O'Driscoll)
Lads its morning 1 after i left the new filter on all night, and the water is gone so cloudy i cant see the back of the tank. any ideas? i used jbl safe start in it.

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16 Feb 2011 16:24 #17 by joey (joe watson)
test your water parameters (and post results up here)

it could, and probably is, a bacterial bloom and alot of times safe start and othe liquid filter media can cause this. if your water parameters are withing safe limits you have nothing to worry about its just the process of the tank maturing. you should see the state planted tanks can get into as they mature!

Location: Portlaoise, Midlands

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