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
substrate question
- Pat (Pat Coogan)
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Quick question that is probably asked hundreds of times with hundreds of different answers but......
I am looking at changing substrate and saw the JBL manado. How many litres would i need to use in a jewel rio 180. Also what are peoples experiences of this substrate. Is there better or similar at a better price?
So far the best price I have seen is €29 for 25L.
thanks in advance
Pat
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- Christor (Chris Morrow)
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so your case its 101x41x4(4cm deep of substrate)/ 1000 so thats roughly to round up 17 litres

no idea of the soil, I went cheap and cheerful and done my rio125s substrate for £6.14

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- BlueRam (Sean Crowe)
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havent used JBL manado befor but there is a few lads that would say not to use it then there some that would say yes to use it ha
im like u im lookin for a 400 or 500L tank now and as ill be haven it as a plants tank i wouldnt be able to fill it with oliver knott so i dunno wat to use im think use the oliver knott i have at the moment and mix it with a few 25L bags off the JBL manado to fill the tank but i dunno any ideas lads
sean
Sean Crowe
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Location: Navan
Always Remember Surviving Is Not Thriving
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- AquaticGardenDan (Daniel Madziag)
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Dan
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- BlueRam (Sean Crowe)
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sean
Sean Crowe
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Location: Navan
Always Remember Surviving Is Not Thriving
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- ghart (Greg Hart)
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Sorry for jumping in on this one but I'm currently looking at using the ADA New Amazonia substrate in my new tank. This is quite expensive so I will only be covering the back six inches and sides of my 15 inch wide tank as this is the main area where i will be putting plants.
Has anyone experience with ADA substrate products. The New Amazonia is reported to keep your PH at 6.5
I like the dark appearance of this substrate and I'm told it lasts for 2 years.
Greg
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- AquaticGardenDan (Daniel Madziag)
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Have a look if You dont belive:
Pat it depends how much You want to spend on that ?
An if that be Hi or Low tech

GhartI can give You some advice on priv if You want.
Dan.
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- ghart (Greg Hart)
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Can you PM me on your advise re substrate.
Greg
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- Pat (Pat Coogan)
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Thanks for all the replys.
Dan I am on a budget but have a lot of plants(some I got from you). I hope to keep apistos and corys with bristlenoses. I also have a large clown loach which will be going in.
I need a substrate 1) that isnt too expensive and 2) that i wont need to use co2. I am using easy carb and the fert balls from jbl
I dont mind mixing 2 types of substrate together so if it would prove benificial I would mix a bag of oliver knotts or amazonia in with the manado.
Doyou sell each of these and can you pm me a price on them please
thanks
Pat
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- davey_c (dave clarke)
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i have the black still here bagged and i also have bags of pea gravel if its much use to you...
Below tank is for sale
my plywood tank build.
www.irishfishkeepers.com/index.php/forum...k-build-diary#137768
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- ghart (Greg Hart)
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i have pm'd you. Thanks
Greg
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- Pat (Pat Coogan)
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I have the pea gravel at the moment and am looking to change to improve the appearance and the plants.
Thanks for the help.
Dan
Thanks for the PM.
It might be a total rethink. I thought the Manado was for plants but it sounds like I need to get something like the substrates you mentioned but need to check the cash as I need to buy the apistos aswell.
Pat
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- AquaticGardenDan (Daniel Madziag)
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Any other substrate like ADA, Aqua-Art, O.Knott are very same in structure but they are bake with some other nutrients and gravels/mud to improve it. They are 2in1, in some way like JBL aqua basis + manado in one safe impruved version

JBL is good for people who do not mess much with the plants, if You like to rescape Your tank do not go with JBL ,if You are not experience inuf You will finish with loads of algae in Your tank.
Substrates like ADA, Aqua-Art, O.Knott, can regulate Your PH lvl,keep your water cristal clear, absorb nutrients from water to improve growth of the roots what will improve health of the plant, help to biuld up natural bacteria on it what helps to keep your tank in good condition and on the end they help much with the plants and if You have healthy plants Your tank gonna be in best shape

So You'r not paying only for brand but for some other thinks witch You not get with play sand or pea gravel.
Dan

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- Pat (Pat Coogan)
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I probably should have explained why I was having a rethink. Fir play to you for explaining the differences to me.
Good news is that I have convinced the other half to buy substrate for me for the birthday.
(she hates the fish tank so thats a big concession)
Pat
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