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??
- Finnmcool (Bob O'Driscoll)
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Thanks a million for any help guys.
By the way I am in Celbridge co Kildare .
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- dubfish (Alan Martin)
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Regards Alan..
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- mossy (gavin blanchfield)
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you could pick up a great second hand filter for a bargin price
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- Dub (Glen Coughlan)
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Hope this helps
Regards Glen

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- Acara (Dave Walters)
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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!
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- Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
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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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- Finnmcool (Bob O'Driscoll)
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- ArmaghAdam (Adam)
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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.
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- Finnmcool (Bob O'Driscoll)
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- Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
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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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- Finnmcool (Bob O'Driscoll)
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I was like a child on christmas morning when I got my hands on it.

Instantly the water looked clearer and it lookes like the fish have got more vivid and sharp colours

Shout out to seahorse aquariums too!
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- Finnmcool (Bob O'Driscoll)
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- joey (joe watson)
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Location: Portlaoise, Midlands
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- Alex (Alex)
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A timer is great for the lights...
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- Finnmcool (Bob O'Driscoll)
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- joey (joe watson)
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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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