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Forum
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Tropical Aquariums
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Cichlids
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African Cichilds (Tanganyika, Malawi, etc...)
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Substrate for Africans
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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
Substrate for Africans
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19 Jan 2011 23:04 #1
by Jim (Jim Lawlor)
I'm about to set up two tanks for Malawi & Tangs.
My water is 7.2 with gh of 14 - so it should be well buffered. I've also got plenty of ocean rock to put in it.
Does anyone have recommendations for a substrate (there's a lot more options than when I last kept these fish, so I'm fairly lost on what's out there).
Presuming the water's hard enough and sufficiently buffered, I should'nt need coral sand or gravel? Would ordinary sand (like ELC play ssnd) be best for the fish? Are there other options?
Any views or advice on this most welcome
thanks,
Jim.
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19 Jan 2011 23:24 #2
by KenS (Ken Simpson)
I would suggest coral sand. Your pH is a bit low for Malawis and too low for Tangs so you do with raising it to 7.6+ for Malawis and 8.0+ for Tangs.
Regards,
Ken.
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20 Jan 2011 00:05 #3
by joey (joe watson)
i agree. and play sand is very fine can have anaerobic bacteria and gasses released which can harm fish. mix some coral sand with a bit of similar sized dark/black gravel it'll mask the poo and detrius you will go mad seeing even the tiniest bit when its pure sand and will never finish vacuuming the little bits
Location: Portlaoise, Midlands
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20 Jan 2011 06:25 #4
by Frontosa (Tim kruger)
Hi,
Your Ph is low.You should bring it up to 7.5+.Coral sand and ocean rock wont do it for you.They need lower Ph(acids) to start reacting as a hardener.Airstone and plenty of surface movement is one step.If its than still to low you have to harden your water with salts.I would use a 1-2 mm substrate of your choice.
Regards,Tim
Midlands - in the heart of Ireland.
Keeping and breeding : Frontosa Blue Zaires , Synodontis Petricola , Tropheus Red Rainbow (Kasanga) , Tropheus Moliro . Regulary fry for sale.
Community tank with P.Kribensis and different livebearers.
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20 Jan 2011 23:45 #5
by Jim (Jim Lawlor)
Thanks for the advice folks.
I should have mentioned that the water is 7.2 out of the well - my logic was that given the gh is already 14 (which is high relative to the ph), when I bring the ph up to 7.6+, it should be very well buffered and not need anything additional.
Sounds like fine sand is out though and coral sand is at least no harm!
I'll get started this weekend and see how I get on - thanks again to all.
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21 Jan 2011 00:32 #6
by andrewo (andrew)
just to add that you might consider aragonite sand= the ones used for marines. its good in maintaining your ph at 7.8-8.2;
its getting quite popular now; looks nice too.
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Forum
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Tropical Aquariums
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Cichlids
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African Cichilds (Tanganyika, Malawi, etc...)
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Substrate for Africans
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