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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

Black Alder Cones

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10 Oct 2013 12:03 #1 by McQuaid (Mark McQuaid)
Hi Folks

I bought some food for my tropical set up and he threw in some sample Black Alder Cones, anyone have any idea what to do with them? any use or just avoid them?

Thanks

240 litre mixture of cichlids

55 litre marine tank currently holding a few coral and clean up crew

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10 Oct 2013 12:16 #2 by JohnH (John)
Replied by JohnH (John) on topic Black Alder Cones
In theory they both act as a water softener (well, are claimed to - plus lower the pH too) quite a lot of Betta and Corydoras breeders use them to aid egg-hatching.
I have personally never found them - like the Almond leaves - to make any difference, but work on the theory that if they aren't doing any harm it really doesn't matter.
Doubtless others will have opposing views to this and it will be interesting to read them.
However, as they are supposed to lower pH then I should think this would be exactly the opposite of the effect you would be wanting to achieve if you keep Rift Valley Cichlids.

Have a look to see what you can find on goggle too.

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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10 Oct 2013 14:01 - 10 Oct 2013 14:03 #3 by Homer (Kevin)
Replied by Homer (Kevin) on topic Black Alder Cones
I find, that for young fry and Shrimp they are a Godsend, like sintered Glass and Sponge in your Filter, they have a massive surface area on which a huge amount of bio film lives, to fry, and Shrimp, this is a huge source of benificial starter food. As with Catappa Leave, the Leaves and Cones never seem to become either slimy , algae covered or Fungused which leads me to believe in the antiseptic-anti-fungal qualities attributed to them. For Dark Water setups they settle organisms from those regions and put them at ease where their colours pop.

Fish like south Americans and Killies develope these beautiful mating Robes to attract a mate where water is occluded or tainted with Tannins.

Not suitable for Tangs or Malawis in my opinion though.

H.

The Glass is always greener on the other side.


It's NOT "Chee lick", NOT "Chee Chee Licks"!!! Cichlids is pronounced as "Sick Lids"!!!!!
Last edit: 10 Oct 2013 14:03 by Homer (Kevin).

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10 Oct 2013 15:04 #4 by sheag35 (Seamus Gillespie)

I find, that for young fry and Shrimp they are a Godsend, like sintered Glass and Sponge in your Filter, they have a massive surface area on which a huge amount of bio film lives, to fry, and Shrimp, this is a huge source of benificial starter food. As with Catappa Leave, the Leaves and Cones never seem to become either slimy , algae covered or Fungused which leads me to believe in the antiseptic-anti-fungal qualities attributed to them. For Dark Water setups they settle organisms from those regions and put them at ease where their colours pop.

Fish like south Americans and Killies develope these beautiful mating Robes to attract a mate where water is occluded or tainted with Tannins.

Not suitable for Tangs or Malawis in my opinion though.

H.


Totally agree with Homers answer on this

Fishkeeping the Only way to get wet and wild

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

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10 Oct 2013 15:11 #5 by davey_c (dave clarke)
I have alder cones in my apisto tank and love them. They have alot of benefits in the right setup, mine is a blackwater tank where they also help soften the water and lower ph but thats with the addition of r/o water. I currently have fry that feed off the cones although they are also feeding off everything else for that matter. Seriously though their great for a setup like mine but I deffo wouldn't put them in an African tank!! Alder cones are almost ready for collecting this year but if ye don't want them offer them here instead of chuckin them because someone might be glad of them B)

Below tank is for sale

my plywood tank build.

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

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10 Oct 2013 16:11 #6 by LemonJelly (Johnny Cowley)
I use them quite a bit and find them great. Excellent for making a blackwater extract, they're free and they last for ages before breaking down

"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."

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10 Oct 2013 16:13 #7 by LemonJelly (Johnny Cowley)

I have alder cones in my apisto tank and love them. They have alot of benefits in the right setup, mine is a blackwater tank where they also help soften the water and lower ph but thats with the addition of r/o water. I currently have fry that feed off the cones although they are also feeding off everything else for that matter. Seriously though their great for a setup like mine but I deffo wouldn't put them in an African tank!! Alder cones are almost ready for collecting this year but if ye don't want them offer them here instead of chuckin them because someone might be glad of them B)


Thanks for reminding me! I'll have to get collecting soon

"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."

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10 Oct 2013 16:24 #8 by igmillichip (ian millichip)
It depends what sort of African Cichlids you have.

I use the cones and peat amd almond leaves in my African Cichlids.....but they should not be used for Rift Valley cichlids.

ian

Irish Tropical Fish Society (ITFS) Member.

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