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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

Play sand

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28 Mar 2012 10:40 - 28 Mar 2012 11:16 #1 by tsheehan (Tony Sheehan)
I always liked the look of sand in aquariums and I'm thinking of using play sand from Argos or Woodies as a substrate in my big tank. I have plants but most are either potted or grow on wood, mesh and rocks. I would like any advice anyone has on the subject.

Is play sand ok to use?

Anyone have any issues with it?

Has anyone used the Argos or Woodies sand and what couour is it? (would love to see a pic. )


How deep should the sand be?

Thanks.
Last edit: 28 Mar 2012 11:16 by tsheehan (Tony Sheehan).

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28 Mar 2012 12:13 #2 by stretnik (stretnik)
Replied by stretnik (stretnik) on topic Re: Play sand
Only use Play Sand from an LFS or The Early Learning Centre, all the others take too long to wash and never look good,, only my opinion though.

Kev.

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28 Mar 2012 13:50 #3 by maggy88 (Wayne Mc Glynn)
i'm using the argos play sand in both my tanks, it's kind of a golden colour and its fairly easy to wash before use. just leave it in a bucket with the hose running over it and stir it up a few times, job done.
when it's in the tank it tends to compact a bit but every few weeks just rub your fingers throught it to loosen it up and stop any build up of gases etc.
wayne

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28 Mar 2012 14:01 - 28 Mar 2012 14:03 #4 by tsheehan (Tony Sheehan)
How deep is the sand in your tanks Wayne?

Any chance you could post a pic?
Last edit: 28 Mar 2012 14:03 by tsheehan (Tony Sheehan).

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28 Mar 2012 14:23 #5 by alkiely (alan kiely)
Replied by alkiely (alan kiely) on topic Re: Play sand
Ive used play sand on all my tanks.

Never had any problems with it, what i normally do is put it right tank fill the tank up fill my filter with floss and a day later it nice a clear.

It takes a while to clean the agros play sand and its messy

Like the last post said move sand around every few months and you should be fine.

Alan

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28 Mar 2012 17:41 #6 by davey_c (dave clarke)
Replied by davey_c (dave clarke) on topic Re: Play sand
i use silica sand in mine which doesn't compact as much but is a darker brown colour. alot of the playsands compact but i don't think the early learning centre stuff compacts as easily as the rest, just going by what others have recommended on various topic's here :)

Below tank is for sale

my plywood tank build.

www.irishfishkeepers.com/index.php/forum...k-build-diary#137768

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29 Mar 2012 00:22 #7 by jeff (Jeff Scully)
Replied by jeff (Jeff Scully) on topic Re: Play sand
I used play sand in my 240l from woodies took a bit of washing but wasn't that bad that i wouldn't do it again.
But i do wonder about not doing a gravel clean like i use to and the dirt i use to pick up.
I have 4 good buzzy bottom feeding cat fish that (seem) to keep the bottom spotless they keep stirring things around and any crap ends up in the filter, But i dont know what is going on under the sand, I do mess it up a hour before i do a water change every week, and my water is good in tests.
Dont take my word im only a novice but i taught this might help.
Here is a picture of my tank to show you want the play sand looks like.

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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29 Mar 2012 08:04 #8 by sheag35 (Seamus Gillespie)
nice tank jeff looks like your heating it the very old fashioned way by candle power underneath lol,
as for playsand yep it can be used successfully but beware of having a deep substrate as it can and will copmact and without proper maintenance it can produce anerobic spots whic when dispersed can release toxic gasses into the tank, so plant heavily so the roots will break up this compacting or even get a shoal of Kuhli loaches which love burying themselves in the sand and will therfore stop this anerobic build up

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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29 Mar 2012 11:41 - 29 Mar 2012 11:57 #9 by tsheehan (Tony Sheehan)
I have purchased the Argos sand so thanks to all for the advice.


Jeff the sand and your tank look fantastic thanks for the pic. :cool:
Last edit: 29 Mar 2012 11:57 by tsheehan (Tony Sheehan).

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