×
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

j arthur bowers bonsai compost

More
18 Aug 2012 04:08 #1 by sheag35 (Seamus Gillespie)
ok after Blueram stating how good the akadama bonsai soil is for planted tanks, and having no luck in getting my hands on it i have found j arthur bowers bonsai compost, has anyone ever used this in a tank if so how did they find it regarding plant growth, ph levels and nitrate/nitrite spikes etc..any info would be appreciate especially if first hand experience

Fishkeeping the Only way to get wet and wild

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

Please Log in to join the conversation.

  • stretnik (stretnik)
  • stretnik (stretnik)'s Avatar
  • Visitor
  • Visitor
18 Aug 2012 10:22 #2 by stretnik (stretnik)

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
18 Aug 2012 11:23 #3 by BillG (Bill Gray)
Hi Seamus,

the link provided by Kev is the only place in Ireland I have found Akadama, got it from there personally and also recommended it to Sean too. ITs €18 for a bag and €5 delivery to anywhere in the country. I dropped into Johnstown garden center last year and picked mine up, ended up getting it at sale proce, €26 for 2 bags :)

The only thing I would recommend is to lightly rinse the stuff bafore adding to the tank as it can be a bit dusty. Also, when you add it to the tank, some of the particles will remain boyant for a wee bit, so it is best to remove them with a net.

Cheers,

Bill.

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
18 Aug 2012 12:37 #4 by sheag35 (Seamus Gillespie)
thanks guys but tried the link again they seem permanently temporary out of stck hence the alternative suggestion anyone used it instead of the akadama

Fishkeeping the Only way to get wet and wild

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

Please Log in to join the conversation.

  • stretnik (stretnik)
  • stretnik (stretnik)'s Avatar
  • Visitor
  • Visitor
18 Aug 2012 13:04 #5 by stretnik (stretnik)
Replied by stretnik (stretnik) on topic j arthur bowers bonsai compost
HI Seamus,

I have used it and it worked out fine, it must not be stirred as it will take beyond an age to settle. Your only concern will be what substrate you put over it. There are a few pretenders to the Throne where John Innes is concerned, like Westland etc but if you take my advice as a Horticulturist, only buy the Brand Name "John Innes"

Kev.

Please Log in to join the conversation.

  • stretnik (stretnik)
  • stretnik (stretnik)'s Avatar
  • Visitor
  • Visitor
18 Aug 2012 13:23 #6 by stretnik (stretnik)
Replied by stretnik (stretnik) on topic j arthur bowers bonsai compost
Sorry Seamus, you must have thought I'd lost the plot, I thought, for some reason that you wrote John Innes, this is what Ihave used successfully in the past and would recommend it.

Sorry Seamus.

Kev.

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
18 Aug 2012 13:34 #7 by sheag35 (Seamus Gillespie)
n.p's Kev, do you think this would work as well as the john Innes and which john Innes would work best if the J.Arthur Bowers stuff is not suitable

Fishkeeping the Only way to get wet and wild

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

Please Log in to join the conversation.

  • stretnik (stretnik)
  • stretnik (stretnik)'s Avatar
  • Visitor
  • Visitor
18 Aug 2012 15:18 #8 by stretnik (stretnik)
Replied by stretnik (stretnik) on topic j arthur bowers bonsai compost
Not sure Seamus, the Innes has just the right ingredients to stop Algae becoming a problem and I loved it.

Kev.

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
18 Aug 2012 16:05 #9 by davey_c (dave clarke)
as far as i remember its john innes no2 that gets good recommendation for planted tanks but if you want akadama bonsai compost you can get it on ebay from good bonsai supliers

Below tank is for sale

my plywood tank build.

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

Please Log in to join the conversation.

  • stretnik (stretnik)
  • stretnik (stretnik)'s Avatar
  • Visitor
  • Visitor
18 Aug 2012 16:39 #10 by stretnik (stretnik)
Replied by stretnik (stretnik) on topic j arthur bowers bonsai compost
Nope, sorry Davey, it's no 3, I've been doing this for over 30 years, it's no 3, it's advocated by Diana Walstadt and used in her systems, 2 is used too but most refs are to no 3

Kev.

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
18 Aug 2012 17:56 #11 by BlueRam (Sean Crowe)
Kev that was link that i sent to sheag as that was the only place i could find doing it in ireland

On another note sheag i have Oliver Knott there for sale if ya want it :laugh: :laugh: only messing mate hope ya get sorted soon

Sean

Sean Crowe

ITFS Member

Location: Navan

Always Remember Surviving Is Not Thriving

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
18 Aug 2012 19:12 #12 by sheag35 (Seamus Gillespie)
believe me Sean if i could make the show I'd get it from you but work has ruined that

Fishkeeping the Only way to get wet and wild

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

Please Log in to join the conversation.

Time to create page: 0.052 seconds
Powered by Kunena Forum