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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

Build Plans - Advice will be needed -NOW INSTALLED

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11 May 2014 12:17 #151 by paulv (paul vickers)
Its easy to see where the 4k went, all top gear you're using. Im running the same air pump, koi 50, you wont be disappointed.

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11 May 2014 12:45 #152 by Darkslice (Stephen Walsh)
I've since decommissioned my air pump seems I'm not allowed disturb the substrate, the overflow will oxygenate the water. :)

Wasted about 140 on that side of the project.

I can only imagine the cost if I bought everything new!

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12 May 2014 12:18 #153 by CrustyCrab (Peter Biddulph)

I've since decommissioned my air pump seems I'm not allowed disturb the substrate, the overflow will oxygenate the water. :)

Wasted about 140 on that side of the project.

I can only imagine the cost if I bought everything new!


or if you had asked me about putting in the airpump in the first place :evil: :evil: :evil:

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12 May 2014 12:38 #154 by swai (Simon)
U win some, u lose some! I think u won most on your project!

Marino, Dublin 9

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13 May 2014 06:24 #155 by Darkslice (Stephen Walsh)
Thanks guys. :)

Didn't know i was going to be using ADA until quite late in the game.

But live and learn, :P

Anyway I've completed the sump cover and am working on wiring the lights so that the transformers aren't hanging over the side of the tank

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15 May 2014 19:46 - 15 May 2014 19:48 #156 by Darkslice (Stephen Walsh)
well sump cover is 90% done.
(its done in 4 sections so i can access each compartment individually)



and LED transformers wired and placed correctly - all cables hidden



also placed the dimmer to the side access panel



I've ordered some green neons and they should be coming tomorrow.

and ill be installing proper plug sockets at the weekend :)
Ill need 14 by my count


water parameters have not changed.
Last edit: 15 May 2014 19:48 by Darkslice (Stephen Walsh).

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16 May 2014 22:25 #157 by Darkslice (Stephen Walsh)
All wiring completed :)

and about 33 green neon tetra's added :)

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16 May 2014 23:09 #158 by platty252 (Darren Dalton)
Looking good.

quote="Darkslice" post=167617]Word to the wise, don't drain the tank before planting. Only half drain it because no matter how careful you are the ADA soil will turn the water brown. And when it settles, it settles onthe plant leaves. So you end up with dirty plants :( had to clean them hhalf way through refilling[/quote]

there are a couple of ways to fill a tank with soil as a substrate without getting cloudy water.

1 In your case were it has a weir with both top and bottom drain I would place a hose (don't force it) in between the glass and the acrylic.
The water will fill the tank from below the substrate.

2 Clear one corner of the tank. Push back the soil and keep it back with some rigid plastic or stone and fill from this corner. Again it will fill from below the soil.

3 Place cling film over all the soil/plants. Use a hose with a fine spray nozzle and hose over the cling film.
This is probably the most popular method with aquascapers. I prefer the previous method.

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16 May 2014 23:20 #159 by Darkslice (Stephen Walsh)
I did try to refill from under the soil via the weir, but no luck, maybe I was refilling too fast. Practice makes perfect :)

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17 May 2014 11:43 #160 by Darkslice (Stephen Walsh)
ok so all the wiring done ,






and a meter moitor put in to calc the cost of running (might lower the heat if its too hight - curerntly running at 27 Degres




and all my new on green neons :)

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17 May 2014 18:06 - 17 May 2014 18:08 #161 by Darkslice (Stephen Walsh)
all going so well... untill i spotted this .....


[img]http://www.stephen-walsh.com/misc_hosting_files/fish/20140517_185855 .jpg[/img]

i think this is called melting?? any advice on how to save my plants ??
Last edit: 17 May 2014 18:08 by Darkslice (Stephen Walsh).

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17 May 2014 18:20 #162 by Bohrio (Alex Rodriguez)
Hey Darkslice

It does look like it. I dont think they are melting because of your current water conditions (other wise your fish will be dead by now) but from earlier.

It is odd it is happening now (I assume your ammonia is 0) so it could also be a disease or an infestation of some sort?

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18 May 2014 08:08 #163 by Darkslice (Stephen Walsh)
Thoes plants where actually put in after about 11 guppies where added.
It's very strange, and it's (so far) the plants at the back of the tank.

I'm still doing a 20% water change per week on the drip feeder. Is there anything else apart from ammonia that can cause this?

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18 May 2014 10:17 #164 by Bohrio (Alex Rodriguez)
Hi again

I dont think this is caused by ammonia as if it was your guppies would be dead by now. Normally (or at least from my experience) plant melting starts to happen on the outside of the leaf. And my ammonia levels were above 7 ppm when this started to happen way above what any fish can tolerate.

I have the feeling this is just some sort of parasite or something else eating your plant. Maybe somebody else can shade some light.

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25 May 2014 15:09 - 25 May 2014 15:11 #165 by Darkslice (Stephen Walsh)
ok all done now :)

The good news is that the plants are recovering - new leaves forming and they are pefect. :cool:


I've also fitted the last of the parts to the tank, the Co2 bottle / reactor / bubble counter and drop checker


This is very interesting as a cover sump seems to hold Co2 VERY well. I'm dropping about 7-10 bubbles per second and the drop checker turns green after 90-120min.

So i've got a second timer for the Co2 to come on 2 hours before the lights and go off 2 hours before the lights go off.

No leaks / and no issues so far.

I've started the breading tank in the sump - added about 30 cherry shrimp and some small shells to hide in, the 3w led light is always on to try act as an algae scrubber.










well thats all there is to it
From an idea to design to thinkering to final order and then fitting and setting everthing up.
Its been over a year in the making - and i cant help but think - what next?


o ya, and a tank this size will cost you about €10 a week in ESB (based off 0.19 per unit) running at 27 Degrees in irish summer.


Hope you all found this helpfull :)



Steve
Last edit: 25 May 2014 15:11 by Darkslice (Stephen Walsh).

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25 May 2014 17:36 #166 by Esoxluciouss (denis goulding)
Looks great. A lot of effort . Well done

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25 May 2014 19:46 #167 by hammie (Neil Hammerton)

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28 May 2014 08:46 - 28 May 2014 08:47 #168 by Darkslice (Stephen Walsh)
o I forgot to mention why i got the background frosted :)





Last edit: 28 May 2014 08:47 by Darkslice (Stephen Walsh).

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28 May 2014 16:52 #169 by alan 64 (alan)
looks great mate keep up the good work

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09 Jun 2014 09:09 #170 by Darkslice (Stephen Walsh)
started working on my under water tree,

was looking for the right root for months! never able to find one that was "just right" but i was able to find 2 that when joined together gave me the effect I wanted.




I water logged them for a week and de-tanned them


Then joined together and waiting for them to stick to the weight



To give you an idea of what it will look like in the tank



I also got my hands on some christmas moss form "mars" here :) and ill be starting to attach it to the root this week something.

(You may notice i've planted more of my repens plants - still alot more to come out of the growing tank I have.... so time consuming.

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19 Jun 2014 20:44 #171 by Darkslice (Stephen Walsh)
just an update on the tank,

I've gone though my first bottle of Co2 (2kg) and have put in the backup

I've attached the christmas moss to the root




And i put it int the tank


Shrimp are doing well in the sump (algae scrubber chamber), looks like about 90 more on the way this month.



And the repens are coming on, i've filled the corner, still some left in the donor tank - might put them in - we'll see



Collectings some ottos this weekend to help with the clean up of the tank.

And the brown algae is on hte way out and signs of the green algae are appearing :)

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28 Jul 2014 09:01 - 28 Jul 2014 09:04 #172 by Darkslice (Stephen Walsh)
Ok so 5 week update,

Things are going really well,
Moss has grown no end,



repens have really bloomed
Issue with them was i had the lights on too long and there wasn't enough nutrients to compensate. (so 2h ours less per day)


Also have my duck weed to help with phosphate removal


And the clean up crew in the algae scrubber and breading like rabbits!




Last edit: 28 Jul 2014 09:04 by Darkslice (Stephen Walsh).

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28 Jul 2014 11:08 #173 by gunnered72 (Eddy Gunnered)
Amazing tank Darkslice!
What type of background did ya use...It looks great!

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28 Jul 2014 11:44 #174 by Darkslice (Stephen Walsh)
its just a frosted film :) out of all the backgrounds i've had its my favourite. give its depth and allows for some funky lighting effect :)

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08 Sep 2014 18:44 - 08 Sep 2014 18:48 #175 by Darkslice (Stephen Walsh)
ok time for some updates

So moved someof the larger shrimp from the sump and into the tank
(must be about 60 in the tank and 50 in the sump now)



I've been looking at ways to create a algae catcher also and came up wit this











The christmas moss is really coming on




as are the repens





I will be putting some excess "duck weed" (I think its called?) up for sale
I use it to remove phosphates and reduce algea in the tank.

Last edit: 08 Sep 2014 18:48 by Darkslice (Stephen Walsh).

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16 Sep 2014 08:59 - 16 Sep 2014 09:02 #176 by Darkslice (Stephen Walsh)
new additions :)


many thanks to Inza and Miami :)

Last edit: 16 Sep 2014 09:02 by Darkslice (Stephen Walsh).

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16 Sep 2014 09:09 #177 by LemonJelly (Johnny Cowley)
beautiful tank, beautiful fish

"The only thing that burns in Hell is the part of you that won't let go of your life; your memories, your attachments. They burn them all away. But they're not punishing you.They're freeing your soul."
Attachments:

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16 Sep 2014 09:19 #178 by baan (Fintan Breen)

beautiful tank, beautiful fish


It's even better in real life :) :D

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16 Sep 2014 09:35 #179 by Darkslice (Stephen Walsh)

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16 Sep 2014 21:08 #180 by Inza (philippe launois)
I'm happy they find a good home ! they look a lot bigger too !!!

The red melon's peppering will probably go away with time as your background is not black. I do not know if the substrate could have the opposing effect tough.

As i told Stephan, these 2 discus are used to feed of my hand. The turquoise one eat everything except dried food, never did...

But, again, very happy for theme !

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