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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

Alder Cones to adjust PH

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24 Apr 2012 11:47 #1 by tommy (Tom Harrold)
Hi, glad I found an Irish forum. A little background on my tank and issue. Juwel Rekord 600 Tropical. Current water readings, Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 20, PH 8.2. Stocked with 2 platy, 3 Danios, 3 Molly's and now 3 Neon Tetra.

Neon Tetra started showing signs of white spot 4 days ago and treating with medication and Carbon sponge removed. Lost 3 tetra in last 36 hours. Of the remaining 2 are breathing rapidly and still have white spot, third guy never had white spot and doesn't seem stressed. Added air pump when medicating to help oxygenate water. I know now my PH is too high so picked up some black alder cones in Underwater World in Limerick. Hats off those guys are real experts in the field and not a pet tesco like other places I'm Limerick. I added the cones at a rate of 1 per gallon. The water is gone a tea colour, which I expected when the tannins released.

Question is how long will it take before I see PH dropping as its still 8.4 after 36 hours? Any way of removing tea colour from water after I've finished medicating as I doubt my carbon sponge will handle it. Also if I do remove the colour from water will this affect the PH lowering?

Thanks in advance!!

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24 Apr 2012 13:07 #2 by ger310 (Ger .)
Hi Tommy,the first thing i would do is move your filter so as the outlet is above the water (kinda like a waterfall) and this will help oxygenate the water as the air pump doesn't directly do that.....Secondly,lowering PH has to be done very gradually as jumps in PH is very damaging to the fish ie. Death!!!! Can i ask what medication your using for white spot? and at what temp. is your water at?

What do you call a three legged Donkey?

A Wonkey....duh ha :)

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24 Apr 2012 13:29 #3 by davey_c (dave clarke)
your ph won't go down just like that after adding the cones, you could try boiling the cones and adding the extract, how many did you add?
some of your tank furniture could be counteracting the lowering process, like certain sands/stones/etc can higher the ph as standard so please give a list of whats inside your tank.
activated carbon will remove the tea like stain in the water with no reverse effects on ph

Below tank is for sale

my plywood tank build.

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

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24 Apr 2012 13:49 #4 by stretnik (stretnik)
Replied by stretnik (stretnik) on topic Re: Alder Cones to adjust PH
Here is a great link.

www.shrimpnow.com/forums/showthread.php/...cones-what-for/page2

Regarding the Whitespot, you got it either on the Fish you bought or on a newly purchased specimen, the old but true rule here is..... Quarantine new fish before you introduce them, the ph wouldn't "Cause" the Whitespot but may stress the newly introduced fish if they were held in Water of a lower or higher ph, stress weakening them enough to allow the pest to get hold. The third Fish might not yet be showing and the rapid breathing can be the parasite being attached to the Gills of the Fish.

Kev.

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24 Apr 2012 13:57 #5 by stretnik (stretnik)
Replied by stretnik (stretnik) on topic Re: Alder Cones to adjust PH
Alnus cordata are growing all around Ireland, there is no need to buy the cones, here is a link to the Tree itself, I hate the tree because it becomes a Weed wherever it gets a foothold.

The University where I work has a few of them and the place gets filthy with the Catkins and Cones which hold many seeds.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alnus_cordata

Kev.

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24 Apr 2012 14:26 #6 by tommy (Tom Harrold)
Ok here goes, the tank currently has a colour gravel substrate, I have a plastic Air Ornament, Half a coconut cave, and 4 ceramic type ornaments. Added the cones at 1 per gallon (12 in total).Treating the white spot with Interpet White Spot treatment. Turned up heater as advised, so thermometer is now at 28 degrees. Tetra would have been bought from a reputable fish shop (Hanleys Cork). I presume I cannot add the carbon until finished treating the white spot.

Thanks Again Guys!!

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24 Apr 2012 16:16 #7 by upurendo (upurendo)
Replied by upurendo (upurendo) on topic Re: Alder Cones to adjust PH
I have an alnus cordata tree beside my house. Is it safe to use the cones. I wouldn't have to treat them or do I have to wait till they turn brown to get the full effect?
Thanks
Alan

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24 Apr 2012 16:24 #8 by davey_c (dave clarke)
collect them when they fall and pour boiling water over them...hey-presto.. ready for use ;)

Below tank is for sale

my plywood tank build.

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

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24 Apr 2012 17:05 #9 by upurendo (upurendo)
Replied by upurendo (upurendo) on topic Re: Alder Cones to adjust PH
Save a fortune. Thanks very much

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24 Apr 2012 20:31 #10 by BlueRam (Sean Crowe)
great read about the cones kev

where would ya find these around as i want to go out and get a lot off them also wat would u think would be better to add them to the tank or to boil them and then add the water?

Sean

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Location: Navan

Always Remember Surviving Is Not Thriving

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24 Apr 2012 21:19 #11 by stretnik (stretnik)
Replied by stretnik (stretnik) on topic Re: Alder Cones to adjust PH
If you meet me in Work next week I'll show you where they are. They need to be Brown, after the Tree has withdrawn sugars and beneficial ( to the Tree! ) chemicals. The cones would rot if placed into the Tank while still Green, fouling the Water badly.



Kev.

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24 Apr 2012 21:33 #12 by BlueRam (Sean Crowe)
yeah i can meet u there on my day off next tuesday thanks

yeah i only ever seen them brown but y i asked is i here mix reviews some say boil them and other sayin just add them to the tank

Sean

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Location: Navan

Always Remember Surviving Is Not Thriving

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24 Apr 2012 21:47 #13 by stretnik (stretnik)
Replied by stretnik (stretnik) on topic Re: Alder Cones to adjust PH
Just drop them into your Tank, they start working right away, you'll see the change in water colour very very rapidly, don't even worry about any remaining seeds, they are safe. Don't bother removing the cones when they get old, they disintegrate and all that remains is a 1 cm long stalk.

I don't know what is in them but if you drop them into a Shrimp Tank, they get covered in Shrimp in no time, they will swarm over the cones and begin grazing on whatever is on them.

Kev.

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24 Apr 2012 21:58 #14 by BlueRam (Sean Crowe)
great just wat i wanted to know

i mainly want them for the breedin tank for the apistos but ill drop 1 or 2 into the shrimp tank very now and again

cant wait to get them now thanks mate

Sean

Sean Crowe

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Location: Navan

Always Remember Surviving Is Not Thriving

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25 Apr 2012 06:38 #15 by tommy (Tom Harrold)
Well good news this morning is white spot is clearing up on the neons, however one of the neons has now decided to hide in the back corner of my tank under the filter. Hope he finds his way back out as filter is stuck to glass and can't figure any other way of getting him out!!

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25 Apr 2012 08:33 #16 by anglecichlid (ciaran hogan)

great just wat i wanted to know

i mainly want them for the breedin tank for the apistos but ill drop 1 or 2 into the shrimp tank very now and again

cant wait to get them now thanks mate

Sean

hi sean i collected these in work yesterday and you are more than welcome to a bag if you want.

Anyone with a aquarium can keep fish,
But it takes real skill to be a fish keeper,


And it's spongeBob,
SpongeBob lives in a pineapple under the sea
BLANCHARDSTOWN
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25 Apr 2012 10:47 #17 by BlueRam (Sean Crowe)
Yeah mate that would be great if u didn't mind ill have to find somewhere close to me to.pick.them.for the long run

Sean

Sean Crowe

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Location: Navan

Always Remember Surviving Is Not Thriving

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25 Apr 2012 11:20 #18 by anglecichlid (ciaran hogan)
pm sent

Anyone with a aquarium can keep fish,
But it takes real skill to be a fish keeper,


And it's spongeBob,
SpongeBob lives in a pineapple under the sea
BLANCHARDSTOWN

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25 Apr 2012 12:39 #19 by ger310 (Ger .)

Well good news this morning is white spot is clearing up on the neons, however one of the neons has now decided to hide in the back corner of my tank under the filter. Hope he finds his way back out as filter is stuck to glass and can't figure any other way of getting him out!!


Good to hear Tommy but make sure you still do the full medication dosage (interpet is 7 days i think?)...and how come you cant take your filter off the glass? is it not stuck on with sucker cups?

Ger

What do you call a three legged Donkey?

A Wonkey....duh ha :)

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25 Apr 2012 22:40 - 25 Apr 2012 22:44 #20 by BlueRam (Sean Crowe)

great just wat i wanted to know

i mainly want them for the breedin tank for the apistos but ill drop 1 or 2 into the shrimp tank very now and again

cant wait to get them now thanks mate

Sean

hi sean i collected these in work yesterday and you are more than welcome to a bag if you want.


thanks for them again mate i have them all cut off the sticks and stored

just another thing i want to ask the lads do these float or should the sink right away?

i put 1 in the shrimp tank and i didnt see any go for it?

Sean

Sean Crowe

ITFS Member

Location: Navan

Always Remember Surviving Is Not Thriving
Last edit: 25 Apr 2012 22:44 by BlueRam (Sean Crowe).

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27 Apr 2012 22:53 #21 by jeff (Jeff Scully)
i have a tree in my garden full of these if anyone ever needs them their a bit of a pain in the ass were my decking is concerned im always kicking them out of the way and me dog thinks its a game keeps bringing them back to me haha

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 Apr 2012 10:59 #22 by BlueRam (Sean Crowe)
jeff if u had some for tuesday that would be great

Sean

Sean Crowe

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Location: Navan

Always Remember Surviving Is Not Thriving

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02 May 2012 11:40 #23 by jeff (Jeff Scully)
sorry sean im only seeing this now il pm yea

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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