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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

thinking about upgrading lights

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31 Jul 2016 21:06 #1 by robert (robert carter)
hi ,am thinking about upgrading the lights on my 350 litre tropical tank . This is a planted tank that is 48 inches long and 24 inches deep running CO2. Present lighting is a bit messy , 2x 90cm t8s , 4x90cm t5s and an led light bar ,don't know the output . Am thinking of making the tank a bit more modern looking and going open top . the lighting unit I was looking at is an All Pond Solutions unit that uses 6 x 54 watt t5s 120cm long ,this can be suspended using the kit supplied above the tank . the unit is supplied with either a marine or tropical tube set up . will this be suitable ,too much ,or not enough light .cost of unit is 249 sterling .

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01 Aug 2016 11:59 #2 by robert (robert carter)
Sort of surprised i got no help with this , the imput from fellow fishkeeper is worth its weight in gold

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01 Aug 2016 13:16 #3 by JohnH (John)

Sort of surprised i got no help with this , the imput from fellow fishkeeper is worth its weight in gold


The thing is, Robert, that just maybe no-one is familiar with the All Pond Solutions light unit you mention?

Quite a few people here use (I think) the Arcadia units and could pass comment on those. Perhaps it might help if you posted a link to the one you're thinking of?

Just a thought.

John

Location:
N. Tipp

We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl - year after year.


ITFS member.



It's a long way to Tipperary.

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01 Aug 2016 13:42 #4 by robert (robert carter)
hi John ,only got the hang of posting pictures wouldnt have a clue about posting links, anyway took the plunge and brought the 4 tube 120cm unit with 54 watt bulbs , the supplier reckoned the 6 tube unit is really for marine tank and could give me algae problems .

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01 Aug 2016 14:18 #5 by JohnH (John)

hi John ,only got the hang of posting pictures wouldnt have a clue about posting links, anyway took the plunge and brought the 4 tube 120cm unit with 54 watt bulbs , the supplier reckoned the 6 tube unit is really for marine tank and could give me algae problems .


Robert - posting links really is simple, basically you select what's in the address bar (of you browser), right-click and copy it - then paste it in your post...
Here's the one for this thread, for example:
www.irishfishkeepers.com/forum/25-filter...reply/190940?quote=1

John

Location:
N. Tipp

We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl - year after year.


ITFS member.



It's a long way to Tipperary.

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01 Aug 2016 14:37 #6 by alan 64 (alan)
I find the all pond solution stuff very good so it will do a good job, the unit u had on the tank there was no way of hanging that was there robert

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01 Aug 2016 18:09 #7 by robert (robert carter)
Hi Alan , their are 3 different light unit on the tropical so i want to replace it with one decent unit ,so i think the one i have brought will do the trick , will post pictures when it is set up

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02 Aug 2016 01:34 #8 by Sukahn (Shane Doorley)
Hey robert, sorry i never seen this.

I have a Blau 54w 6 bulb unit 120cm on my 5ft marine tank and that does well.

I think you made the right decision on just getting the 4 bulb unit as i only use my 6bulbs on my marine for 3 hours of the day with no algae issues so it would have caused you some issues in a planted tank.

You can buy a hanging kit for them in an electrical wholesalers rather than buying one made for the light.

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02 Aug 2016 07:38 #9 by robert (robert carter)
Thanks for your reply , it was trying to weigh it up between enough light for plant growth but not too much to get algrae . The unit comes with a hanging kit . The 4 tube cost 179 euro including the hanging kit and delivery with 2 years warrenty , so not too bad price wise .

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02 Aug 2016 08:41 #10 by Sukahn (Shane Doorley)
That was a good price for it.

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02 Aug 2016 14:58 #11 by robert (robert carter)
Will post pictures when set up

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02 Aug 2016 19:37 #12 by robert (robert carter)
Hi , was doing my weekly maintance and relised that to install the new lights i will need to remove the rails that the old lights sit on . They seems extremly well attacted to to side glass panels of the tank . Has anyone are experience of removing anything like this without damaging or breaking the glass , cant even see what they are stuck with . Help please

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02 Aug 2016 19:39 #13 by Sukahn (Shane Doorley)
Can you get a picture of the rails up.

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02 Aug 2016 19:48 #14 by alan 64 (alan)
What do u mean by rails

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02 Aug 2016 19:50 - 02 Aug 2016 19:53 #15 by robert (robert carter)
these are the rails. as you can see the old light units t8s were supported on these
Attachments:
Last edit: 02 Aug 2016 19:53 by robert (robert carter). Reason: added sentance

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02 Aug 2016 22:07 #16 by alan 64 (alan)
Are they riveted on or bonded

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02 Aug 2016 22:14 #17 by robert (robert carter)
No sign of any fixing so reckon they are bonded on ,but dont know with what . Have seen here on the forum lads that have removed fixed filters in jewel aquarium wonder is that a similar type of fixing . Was just going to try a sharp stanley blade .

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02 Aug 2016 23:03 #18 by Sukahn (Shane Doorley)
From what I can tell it's a glue or silicone bond. Heating it, blade or even vinegar should get it off.

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03 Aug 2016 07:05 #19 by robert (robert carter)
Tank will be full so think i will try the stanley blade route . Whats the stoty with vinegar will it disolve glues

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03 Aug 2016 13:39 #20 by robert (robert carter)
Spoke to Bart and he came over said he can remove them ok during the week . One great guy

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05 Aug 2016 09:31 - 05 Aug 2016 09:33 #21 by robert (robert carter)
Got the rails off this morning with as Bart sudjested a thin single sided razor blade , took about 15 mins , now all i have to do is fish out the two blades i droped in the tank and bandage the two cuts in my finger . Just one of the hazards of fishkeeping. Now waiting on the new lights hoping it would be today but reckon more like monday/Tuesday
Last edit: 05 Aug 2016 09:33 by robert (robert carter). Reason: added sentance

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05 Aug 2016 18:01 #22 by robert (robert carter)
well the light arrived this afternoon , so this is it set up , what do you think?
Attachments:

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05 Aug 2016 20:11 #23 by alan 64 (alan)
Looks great robert realy impressed with them lights what was the cost in total

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05 Aug 2016 20:13 #24 by robert (robert carter)
Hi Alan ,total cost in euro 181 euro including courier delivery and sterling convertion

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06 Aug 2016 01:15 #25 by alan 64 (alan)
Good deal mate it looks the great

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