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
EI adventure begins
- Q_Comets (Declan Chambers)
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I ordered the EI starter kit today so I will post update pics over time to track improvements(hopefully). I will also be adding plants over time so even just as a progress post for myself it will be nice to have for review and hopefully it will prove useful or interesting to others
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- Q_Comets (Declan Chambers)
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- JohnH (John)
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Speaking as probably the best plant killer in Ireland I will be watching progress with more than a little interest.
Thanks in advance Q.
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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- swai (Simon)
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Marino, Dublin 9
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- Aroshni (Lydia Olivera)
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Lydia
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- swai (Simon)
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Marino, Dublin 9
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- Aroshni (Lydia Olivera)
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Btw don't know about EI too much but does the kit include CO2?
The only person I know was using this is Brian and since he has a CO2 sys didn't ask about that.
Lydia
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- Q_Comets (Declan Chambers)
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I'm glad there is some interest.
There is no CO2 in the kit so I'll be continuing to use EasyCarbo. That 5L won't go to waste Simon.
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- zabol001 (Marcin)
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- baan (Fintan Breen)
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I've just started using EI (2 weeks ago) and so far so good. I've done a lot more pruning to keep the plants in check.. which is what I wanted! and i'd say it will keep improving as I manage it.
My understanding is that CO2 is nearly required but you can use a modified version for slower growth. I've had CO2 for a while now and it really does make a difference.
I'll be very interested to see your progress, and I'll post some photos of my tank's progress also in a few weeks.
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- Q_Comets (Declan Chambers)
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As the tank is lightly planted I will not be using the full dose will be starting with 20 ml EI and 8 ml easy carbo lights for 10 hrs 2 x juwel T5 1 day and 1 natur.
Here are some plant pics, can't remember name of red plant but used to be large and healthy. Planning to plant 2 of the same plant 1 behind stones where the aqua basis is and 1 just in gravel to see if there is a difference.
They are a bit sad looking aren't they
Rgds
Q
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- Q_Comets (Declan Chambers)
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I can recomended EI but i think you will need co2. Try we will see
Can't ignore advice from someone with that tank.
I think there may be some old wine making stuff around, maybe a DIY co2 could be tried. Gonna try with easy carbo for a while and see how it goes
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- Lauris (Lauris)
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it is worth to invest in co2 pressurised system.
ei dosage is calculated for avarage planted tanks with co2. without co2 you end up with nutrients stacked over the levels as plants cannot take them all. in the end it gets wasted
I am planted!
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- Q_Comets (Declan Chambers)
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What % of the EI dose do you think would be enough for use with Easy Carbo?
Thx
Dec
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- Lauris (Lauris)
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set a frame for a 3 weeks and observe you plants. take a picture every week on whole tank and separate plant species. it'll be easier to see progress
also I'm dosing micro elements 2/3 of recommended as plants really cannot suck up all the phosphate and micro elements as recommended
this is how it looks now, taken just now with my phone (i know, crappy pic, no excuses.lol)
but the saturation of co2 and ei in water does work well for my plants
pearling like a mad. but to get there it may take month or more. plants
need to adjust to everything you providing them with
I am planted!
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- Q_Comets (Declan Chambers)
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I will try half macro and 1/3 micro and max the easy carbo and see how it goes for 3 to 4 weeks. I will post weekly pics, warning they will be iPhone but should make the point.
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- Q_Comets (Declan Chambers)
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- Lauris (Lauris)
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jut noticed you have lights on for 10hours a day. this is bit too much in my opinion. I would reduce it to 6 for a week, then if plants feel better leave it for another week and then if you see results increase the photo period for 30min a day. but I personally would not go over 7hours there after.
as more light you give to your plants as more demanding they are on Co2. easycarbo cannnot replace co2 injection, it just delivers carbon in acceptable amounts.
more light means more demand on carbon. if there is a lak of carbon plants are struggling to uptake minerals and gets weak. and then algae comes to take it over
even in my nanos I run 6-7hrs a day. now I have issues with green hair algae in my 60l scape - i turned lights back to 4 hours a day even with easy carbo and co2 injection
I am planted!
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- zabol001 (Marcin)
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First clean glass rocks remove death plants trim plants then change water.
Did you get Macro in one or seperate elements?
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- Aroshni (Lydia Olivera)
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I started with 6-8 light hours and reduced to 4-5 and still have healthy plants! True be told I have my tanks in a room with a 2 x 3 mts window.
I'm even have phoenix moss (growing slow but there it is) which is supposed to be a hard plant to keep without CO2.
Lydia
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- Q_Comets (Declan Chambers)
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Was doing 30% weekly already will make sure getting rid of dead leaves and stuff.
Macro came separate but mixed it according to instructions.
@aroshni
This tank gets almost no daylight will probably drop lights to 8 hours was running 10 hours as I though this is how long the easy carbo should last
Thx all for the replies will take another set of ohotos in a week or two.
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- Q_Comets (Declan Chambers)
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- Q_Comets (Declan Chambers)
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Here is a look at the red plant that was almost dead, I moved it as I though it was getting very little light. It is now planted in gravel only as there is no aquabasis in this part of the tank.
And here is a full tank shot
Sorry about quality, phone pics.
Rgds
Q
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- Aroshni (Lydia Olivera)
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- Q_Comets (Declan Chambers)
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Q the tank looks great and the plants very healthy, I think is worth it using the salts even without CO2.
Agreed, the salts were required everything was dying slowly and algae was taking over. I have easycarbo up to 12.5ml a day and the balance seems to be improving I may take it up to 15ml but I think that is my limit.
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- Lauris (Lauris)
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I am planted!
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- Joekinsella (joe Kinsella)
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Location: Clogherboy Navan.
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- Q_Comets (Declan Chambers)
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Using extra easycarbo as I have no CO2 currently paying €15/L think I may get 5L next time €12/L
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