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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

White pumice stone

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18 Dec 2016 19:01 #1 by robert (robert carter)
Hi all ,i am intending to build a trickle tower filter for my koi pond over the xmas break . The reason for this is that my tap water has a ph of 6 and a kh of zero , not the best for koi. Now my question is what media to put into it , was thinking of white pumice stone as this is surposed to raise ph to 7.5 /8.0 perfect for koi . Does anyone know where i could get this it has to be drinking water quality . The only place i see it is from the pondguru on email costing 60 euro for ten kg reckon i will need at least 30 kg so not cheap . Is there any other media that will do the job . Thanks Robert

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18 Dec 2016 22:04 - 18 Dec 2016 22:06 #2 by gunnered72 (Eddy Gunnered)
Crushed Coral....

All African Rift Lake Cichlid keepers use it to raise PH...Put it in the filter along with your media...

Not sure what you mean by has to be drinking water quality?
Last edit: 18 Dec 2016 22:06 by gunnered72 (Eddy Gunnered).

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18 Dec 2016 22:08 #3 by gunnered72 (Eddy Gunnered)
Or simply sit a net full of it in the bottom of your pond

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18 Dec 2016 22:16 #4 by robert (robert carter)
Drinking water quality means that its the same quality as use to filter drinking water in some countries , Was in seahorse today and mentioned both crushed coral and oyster shells and was advised not to use them in a pond enviroment something to do with keeping the ph stable , they also advised using white pumice . I have a number for Richard the pondguru so will give him a call tomorrow and see if a deal can be done . The postage is as expensive as the product .

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18 Dec 2016 23:34 #5 by gunnered72 (Eddy Gunnered)

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18 Dec 2016 23:44 #6 by gunnered72 (Eddy Gunnered)
Parcel Motel will solve the shipping cost problem for ya!

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19 Dec 2016 00:17 #7 by robert (robert carter)
Filter pro is the same price as pond guru. Never used parcel motel ,how does it work ?

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19 Dec 2016 00:43 #8 by gunnered72 (Eddy Gunnered)

60 euro for ten kg reckon i will need at least 30 kg so not cheap . Is there any other media that will do the job . Thanks Robert


Filter pro is £64.99 for 25kg....

Thats a big difference or am I reading something wrong????

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19 Dec 2016 01:02 #9 by gunnered72 (Eddy Gunnered)
www.parcelmotel.com/

They supply you with an address in Northern Ireland to avail of cheaper or free shipping within the UK from UK suppliers...But they deliver your package to a Dublin drop off point for a small additional fee...Lots of people in the Republic of Ireland use it when shopping on EbayUK because there is often free shipping within the UK from UK suppliers...It is usually 3 euros and 95 cents per parcel up to a certain weight and size....But they will deliver heavier bigger parcels to your door for 7 euros....

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19 Dec 2016 01:13 #10 by gunnered72 (Eddy Gunnered)
The bigger sized media is even cheaper for 25 kg

filterpro.co.uk/25kg-pumice-filter-media-30-50mm-126-p.asp

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19 Dec 2016 15:20 #11 by ger310 (Ger .)
Replied by ger310 (Ger .) on topic White pumice stone

Was in seahorse today and mentioned both crushed coral and oyster shells and was advised not to use them in a pond enviroment something to do with keeping the ph stable , they also advised using white pumice .


I wonder what that's all about?..........i'm new to keeping fish in an outdoor environment but I have always used coral sand in African set ups and not only does it harden the water it also works as a buffer......I also put a net of crushed shells in the filter the last time I set one up and I ended up with a PH of 8.4 which I was well pleased with.

Ger

What do you call a three legged Donkey?

A Wonkey....duh ha :)

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19 Dec 2016 16:50 #12 by Bill (Bill Hunter)

www.parcelmotel.com/

They supply you with an address in Northern Ireland to avail of cheaper or free shipping within the UK from UK suppliers...But they deliver your package to a Dublin drop off point for a small additional fee...Lots of people in the Republic of Ireland use it when shopping on EbayUK because there is often free shipping within the UK from UK suppliers...It is usually 3 euros and 95 cents per parcel up to a certain weight and size....But they will deliver heavier bigger parcels to your door for 7 euros....


Or, Parcel Wizard deliver straight to your door for €3.85
An Post do a service called AddressPal and you can pick up from your local Post Office for €3.50
I've used all 3 and the best is Parcel Wizard for speed and getting your package to your door when they say. Usually 48hrs. My last package via Parcel Motel took a week!
An Post is good if your PO is close by, but for over weights they want you to go to the sorting office to pick it up, they won't deliver.
Bill

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19 Dec 2016 16:54 #13 by robert (robert carter)
Hi Ger , i know it seems a bit strange to me as well . Anyway i am sorted spoke to Richard the pond guru and he has done me a great price for 25kg pumice and 10 kg biohome ulitmate , and courier is 30 gb pounds , will be sent out tomorrow but not expecting it till after the madness of xmas

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20 Dec 2016 20:01 #14 by robert (robert carter)
Well now i have got the pumice sorted started to build the trickle filter ,,hopefully tomorrow will get it set up and flow rates through it sorted. Will post a few pictures once up and running , oh the cost about 250 euro being half on parts and the other half on media

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21 Dec 2016 20:03 #15 by robert (robert carter)
Well a good day have a 4 tier trickle tower made up and plumbed in, the clear boxes have been painted black in an effect to minimise algae growth , flow rate at 4ft height is about 5000 litres an hour . Now just waiting for the media and sponges , reckon it will be after xmas before i get them . Ph on the pond today 6.0 and kh zero all other level are perfect

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24 Dec 2016 23:21 #16 by robert (robert carter)
Media arrived last night ,so set it all up and ran it for a while today , flow rates appear perfect, so just waiting on sponges for the top box . Reckon it should make a massive improvement on ph and biological filtration , 25kg white pumice and 10kg biohome ultimate, reckon about 8 weeks to mature media ,just in time for spring

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25 Dec 2016 08:33 #17 by gunnered72 (Eddy Gunnered)
It will probably take a few days to see PH increases Robert (maybe up to a week or so)...Dont expect instant results...

Best of luck with it!

Fair play to ya putting your fishes well being first...

Its sad but alot of people would have just left it as it was without considering the long term health of the fish...

Its great to see keepers who care!!!

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26 Dec 2016 21:52 - 26 Dec 2016 23:47 #18 by robert (robert carter)
Reckon it will take a bit of time for the ph to increase , but thats the best way and at least it should be very stable . On the possitive side i now will have an extra 35 kg of bacterial media which will make a massive difference to the pond , what with the very big pressure filter i added last september . Hoping to really get back into the pond scene this year after spending so much time the last two years getting back into tanks , well at least now i have the best of both sides of the hobby tanks and pond
Last edit: 26 Dec 2016 23:47 by robert (robert carter). Reason: added sentance

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26 Dec 2016 23:44 #19 by robert (robert carter)
Reckon it will take a bit of time for the ph to increase , but thats the best way and at least it should be very stable . On the possitive side i now will have 35 kg of bacterial media which will make a massive difference to the pond , what with the very big pressure filter i added last september . Hoping to really get back into the pond scene this year after spending so much time the last two years getting back into tanks , well at least now i have the best of both sides of the hobby tanks and pond

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27 Dec 2016 15:30 #20 by robert (robert carter)
a couple of pictures of the new diy 4 tier trickle filter
Attachments:

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27 Dec 2016 18:44 #21 by gunnered72 (Eddy Gunnered)
Excellent job :cool:

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27 Dec 2016 21:39 #22 by ger310 (Ger .)
Replied by ger310 (Ger .) on topic White pumice stone
Wow that's some job.....I couldn't picture it in me head what you were doing from reading your other posts but that looks very impressive I must say..............oh and let me know if I can get a loan of your Delorean anytime soon ok;)

Ger

What do you call a three legged Donkey?

A Wonkey....duh ha :)

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27 Dec 2016 21:46 #23 by robert (robert carter)
Trickle towers are a very old type of filter but now making a come back, they are extremly effective as a biological filter and used big time in japan in the commercial koi trade , so hoping this will do a great job , will keep you posted on its progress

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28 Dec 2016 00:08 #24 by ger310 (Ger .)
Replied by ger310 (Ger .) on topic White pumice stone
I wouldn't mind seeing the inside of it if you have any snaps?

and if you were wondering what I was on about when I asked yeh for a loan of your Delorean,look at the time on the picture and look at the time you posted the picture ok

Ger

What do you call a three legged Donkey?

A Wonkey....duh ha :)

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28 Dec 2016 03:20 #25 by robert (robert carter)
Will get a photo of the inside of the top box, date on camera must wrong

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28 Dec 2016 12:03 #26 by Bill (Bill Hunter)
Maybe this should move to another area as it has become an instructive rather than wanted thread?
Bill

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28 Dec 2016 12:08 #27 by robert (robert carter)
couple of photos of inside top box of trickle tower , filter floss will be replaced with 3 layers of sponges when they arrive
Attachments:

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28 Dec 2016 14:09 #28 by JohnH (John)
Replied by JohnH (John) on topic White pumice stone
OK, as requested the whole topic has now been moved to (as you'll no doubt see) the 'DIY' department.

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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28 Dec 2016 14:12 #29 by robert (robert carter)
Thanks John

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30 Dec 2016 19:30 #30 by robert (robert carter)
Just checked the ph in the pond , its 7.1 thats up from 6.0 so its looking as though the new trickle tower is doing the job and its only been running 4 days , hopefully it will get up to 7.5 in a few more days . Love it when a plan comes together

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