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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

Where to buy CO2 Systems

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22 Jun 2006 05:59 #1 by Peter OB (Peter O'Brien)
I'm considering adding C02 to my planted tank. My plant growth is ok at the moment but i've been pondering introducing c02 for a while now.

Where could i get a system (Not a fermentation system) suitable for a 300ltr tank? How much?

Where can the gas be bought & how much for refills?

Will the system greatly affect my PH, currently at 7.1?

Do i need much space for the system in my cabinet/at the back of it?

Will i need to run an airstone at night to increase oxygen levels or do the systems run on timers?

Smoke me a Kipper, I’ll be back for breakfast.

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22 Jun 2006 15:30 #2 by platty252 (Darren Dalton)
Hello Peter, and welcome to the forem.

You should be able to get a system through your lfs or ebay.
If you get one on ebay dont get the gas bottle, it will cost to much to post.
Try to get one with a electro-magnet valve (solenoid valve). You can plug this into a timer with your lights. This will turn the Co2 on with the lights and off with them.
You can use a Co2 fire extinguisher instead of the standerd bottle.
There is a place at the top of the Ballymount Road off the Walkinstown roundabout were you can purchase these and i think a refill for a standard bottle is abouy 20 euros.
The name escapes me at the moment. I will think of it later.
A lot of places wont entertain you when you are looking for refills or they ask for stupid amounts of money.
I,m not sure how much a system will cost.

It wont take up a lot of space.

As for the other questions i'm sure someone else on the forum will be able to answer these better than me. I only seem to be able to grow algie with the Co2.
I cant get rid of the phosphates in my tank.

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22 Jun 2006 19:17 #3 by zig (zig)
Hi Peter

If you run the CO2 at 30ppm for a highlight tank your Ph will drop 1 full unit of Ph, running the Ph this low is not a problem for most fish, if this is a low light tank you could run the CO2 a good bit lower if you wish, around 15ppm would be a good level, this would drop the Ph by about 0.4 or therabouts, you can run an airstone at night if you wish to drive off excess CO2 although it should be noted that CO2 does not displace O2, if you have your spraybar positioned in such a way as to cause some surface turbulance or agitation this is usually sufficient to create enough oxygen exchange, I run both my tanks using a solenoid which enables you to turn the CO2 off at night, external filters are the preferred method of filtration if you use CO2.

Currently i have 2 tanks setup using CO2 fire extinguishers, both measure approx 22-24 inches high including the regulator, i would buy a seperate regulator and needle valve other than a hobby type kit as these will work out cheaper, expect to pay about 100-120 euro for a regulator and 5kg CO2 cylinder (which is a bargain btw) you would need a good Co2 diffuser for a 300l tank and also some CO2 proof hosing, and then you are set to go.

How much light are you using on the tank ATM? and do you fertilise the plants at all? and whereabouts are you based?

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23 Jun 2006 01:39 #4 by Peter OB (Peter O'Brien)
Thanks for the replies.

I was hoping for an off the shelf system, to be honest. The thoughts of me connecting a fire extinguisher to regulators etc does not fill me with confidence.

My tank is lit with two tubes, one normal tube and one plant-gro (the purple light). I fertilise every week after my water change, i use the tropica liquid fertiliser.

The drop in ph doesn't sound too bad as my tank as just for tetras, i assume the drop in ph would be gradual, would be worried about losing fish due to ph shock.

I'm in Coolock, D17.

Smoke me a Kipper, I’ll be back for breakfast.

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23 Jun 2006 03:32 #5 by monty (monty)
Hi Peter,

I mention this only as I've been thinking of CO2 myself (still not sure if I will or not yet ) and the only 'out of a box' system I have seen in a LFS is the product from tetra, but unfortunately it is only for aquariums up to 100l so you would need 3 of these.

www.tetra-fish.co.uk/tetratropical/products/tetraplant.asp#

I would guess that this would work out too expensive, would not provide the full control required and that to get the right CO2 system for your tank will require a piecemeal approach.

Lacking in any CO2 experience myself I would be interested in someone with the experience maybe listing where we can get all of the bits and pieces or recommending a LFS with the knowledge etc

Monty

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23 Jun 2006 05:00 #6 by monty (monty)
Peter,

Came across the following

www.redseafish.com/co2_pro.asp which is probably the all in one box solution required minus the CO2 tank. Now where, and if it is available in ireland is another question.......

Monty

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23 Jun 2006 06:25 #7 by Peter OB (Peter O'Brien)
Cheers Monty,

That complete setup looks the business.

I'd say when i do end up taking the plunge i'll get the system on e-bay.

Just need to get a few quid first,

Peter.

Smoke me a Kipper, I’ll be back for breakfast.

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24 Jun 2006 06:02 #8 by lampeye (lampeye)
i have seen the co2 bottles in fishantics...not sure how much..but they are small enough ..

lampeye

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28 Jun 2006 17:03 #9 by Deeco (Deeco)
:lol: Whats happening my man nice one for the info on the site ring us 2morrow bout the co2 system

You know yourself

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30 Jun 2006 03:19 #10 by Gavin (Gavin)
we do em in tropical world too. It's the hydor one gas refill. €165 for the kit (easy to set up small and lasts for about 65 days for the average(?)size tank.)refils are €25

dont make me come over there.

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