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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

New and Looking for Advice / Inspiration

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19 Jun 2012 18:00 #1 by ianmervynfox (Ian Fox)
Hey everybody,

So I've recently decided to try out a planted freshwater tank. I've attached a picture(bad quality, but I hope you can get the idea) of the tank, it's a Juwel Rio 125L. It's currently doing a fishless cycle.

So right now I'm still undecided what to stock this tank with. I was thinking about Rummy Nose Tetras. I do like the idea of shoaling fish. Not sure what else would be nice to put with these.

I'd love to hear any ideas, suggestions or advice people have.

Thanks
Ian
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19 Jun 2012 23:57 - 19 Jun 2012 23:59 #2 by sheag35 (Seamus Gillespie)
ideally i'd like to know your water parameters ph, kh etc but for nice shoaling companions for a shoal of rummies, i'd personally go for a group of neons or cardinals with a group of corys of which my favourites would be, cory sterbae, cory panda and cory davidsansi hope this helps another option would be a group of coolie loaches i love these in a big group or maybe some threadfin rainbows and blackchin livebearers

Fishkeeping the Only way to get wet and wild

currently 25 tanks, and breeding is the aim of everything i keep
location:Limerick
Last edit: 19 Jun 2012 23:59 by sheag35 (Seamus Gillespie). Reason: adding more

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20 Jun 2012 00:45 #3 by jeff (Jeff Scully)
like shea said we need to know what ur water is like

if its suitable i would go for 8 cardinals 8 threadfins 8 rummies 8 harlequins 6 otos 6 albino corrys but thas jus me

Where the tongue slips, it speaks the truth.

A life making mistakes is not only more honourable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing at all.

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21 Jun 2012 10:49 #4 by ianmervynfox (Ian Fox)
Thanks guys.

I was told by someone in my lfs that the cycle will take at least a week or two and that there's not much point testing the water any earlier, so as of yet I don't have any parameters to report as of yet. I'll test it at the weekend and let you know.

Sorry for my ignorance, but are there any ways to alter all or any of the conditions to make the water suitable for whatever my choice of fish is?

Ian

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21 Jun 2012 11:11 #5 by sheag35 (Seamus Gillespie)
ian there is ways to alter water perameters but ideally you dont want to go down that route yet, once you find out your ph and kh we will know better what to recommend for you, as for your lfs saying your cycle will take at least a week or two thats understatement of the century, minimum time for a filter to be considered anywhere near mature is 6 - 8 weeks very very minimum, i would even go as far as to say a filter isnt mature until at least 6 mths have passed. not to worry on that though if your nitrate cycle has finished and that wont happen in two weeks, you will be ready to introduce fish slowly, say half a dozen fish week one, let the tank filter mature a little more for a forthnight than another half dozen, leave a further two wks and so on till your fully stocked

please read this link it will help explain things better than i can here
www.irishfishkeepers.com/index.php/fforu...-your-first-aquarium

and enjoy

Fishkeeping the Only way to get wet and wild

currently 25 tanks, and breeding is the aim of everything i keep
location:Limerick

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21 Jun 2012 14:24 #6 by ianmervynfox (Ian Fox)
Brilliant, thanks so much, great article, I prob should have found that before I asked the questions ;)

Anyway I'll keep you posted on the parameters as I measure them.

Wish me luck!

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21 Jun 2012 17:59 - 21 Jun 2012 18:01 #7 by BlueRam (Sean Crowe)
Welcome along to the mad house :cool:

As sheag as find out what your readings are and go from there i wouldnt go trying to change anything bar your PH as you will onlt cause more trouble for your self,

See what the readings are get a test done in one off our sponsors and then go from there mate

As for adjusting PH using Peat in your filter is best

Keep us posted

O and best bit off kit you can but is a good Test Kit

Sean

Sean Crowe

ITFS Member

Location: Navan

Always Remember Surviving Is Not Thriving
Last edit: 21 Jun 2012 18:01 by BlueRam (Sean Crowe).

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09 Jul 2012 06:43 #8 by ianmervynfox (Ian Fox)
Hey guys,

Sorry it took so long to get back.

My cycle is working anyway, Ammonia 0 Nitrite 0 and my Nitrate level was between 0 and 5ppm last night, having not done a water change in a couple days.

My main problem is the pH and hardness (North Dublin Water :( ), It's up around 7.8, having tested the water initially in my lfs it was recommended that I just use pH minus. I used it for a few water changes and the pH always shot back up after a day or two. On further research and reading threads here, I don't think i want to go down the route of pH minus anyway.

So it seems to me have two real options...peat in the filter (JBL Tormec?) or use RO water for water changes.

I think I'll go down the RO water route, one question about it, should I try a big water change to introduce it? I'm worried that if i just do 10% the pH will go back up after a day like before.

Opinions?

Thanks
Ian

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