Recent content by balon

Hi AK, Yup, will probably get some new bulbs in time due to their age. I'm, well used to rock management - the last setup had a wall of ocean/tufa rock covering the back of the tank. It can be dangerous if not properly stress tested! Not really sure what fish I'm going to have just yet but...

Cheers again, plenty of good words and sense. I'll do as you suggest and I can spend a bit of time designing the aquascape. Will check at LFS tomorrow for copper absorber Tank is roughly 30 inches deep with 4x24w t5s... Had them about a year. You reckon they will do the job?

You're talking a lot of sense and the last thing I want is to buy livestock and watch it perish... I plan on it being FOWLR for a while so don't know if a few months of regular water changes with RO saltwater would eliminate any copper/contaminants....? The tank was running at least a week...

Hi, Thanks for your response, I'd eventually like to have a reef setup but will take it slowly. Nitrates are between 5-10ppm and I only used airstones to dechlorinate. The 24x7 lights idea was designed to speed up cycling but I can see why it would also promote algae. So you reckon start...

So I've recently made a change to a Saltwater setup and was looking for an opinion or two. My tank is 240l (taller than wide) with 2 koralia 2s, a tetratec 1200 running through a vecton v2 400 UV unit. In the canister is just a single thin particulate filter sponge with some small live rock...

Hi Sorry if this is the wrong place for this topic, but it's not quite an emergency as I have a second canister filter (Tetratec 1200) running. It's companion (Fluval 304) looks like it's given up the ghost. It started making noise the other night and I noticed nothing coming from the output...

Thanks for your reply clareuk. I'm going to go for it then. Should be smooth enough as long as I don't hit any serious traffic! Will post pics of new setup when I get the hood finished.

Hi I've had a new 350 litre tank custom built as my Vision 260 was a few inches too long for the alcove it was destined for, and am just about to move the residents in (~25 mbuna). I filled about 1/3 of the new tank with treated water two nights ago and began heating it. Last night, I bagged...

It's possible a disease was introduced but my first thought was that maybe the temp is a bit high. Should be more like 24-26 for these fish. The higher the temp, the less oxygen in the water.... Also, what are you feeding them?

Hi Wanted to ask how often you clean your filter and how often you change out old filter media for new. I know manufacturers tell you change things more often so you buy more of their products, but it's not necessary to do it as often as they say. I have a Fluval 304 and the built in Juwel...

Are those pieces of bogwood? If so, they will make raising your pH more difficult. You want a fairly high pH as mentioned above and might be better off removing.

It might be unswallowed food that your Lab is sensing and trying to scavenge through the gill opening? :unsure:

Not sure about a UV filter, as I think this would kill all algae? :unsure: Green algae is OK in this situation from what I understand. The brown algae is just ugly and grows too quickly. Yeah, Ginge, think that will do it on the stocking for now. Guy at lfs suggested adding a Socolofi or two...

Mmmm..... the coral... unnatural, out of place, unaesthetic, potentially harmful to my fish (who are already chasing each other)... and now, it appears, a waste of 40 euro! I'll have to rehome it I think.... Guppy Dave, Had to look up 'gubbins' for a meaning. Would 'thingumebob' be close? Never...

It sure is! I figured it would be covered, just looked like it might have been open top from the picture.