Recent content by Derek2011

I have recently aquired a Rio 240 that I was planning to keep rainbow fish in but now it has arrived and I see how big it is, I am tempted to go marine. Would such a tank be feasible? I have only freshwater experience so far, but I think I could manage FOWLR to start with. Having read through...

Thanks for the advice, guys. I tried to get some salvinia from the LFS, but they had none and said 'it's rather seasonal'. Still, I'll let the nitrites settle down and then have another more serious round of the local sources. Your comments are much appreciated.

Ive been cycling a tank for a collection of community fish. My tank is now at 0 ammonia (returning it to 2.5 mg/L each day and getting 0 the next day) and dropping nitrite levels so I'm thinking it is approaching being cycled. I am looking to start planning a few plants to go in in and...

My tank is now at 0 ammonia (returning it to 2.5 mg/L each day and getting 0 the next day) and dropping nitrite levels. I am looking to start planning a few plants to go in in and wondered if anyone had any guidance as to the depth of substrate I should go for. I don't want it deep enough to...

Hi all, I am looking for some advice on planting up a new tank that I am fishless cycling at the moment. I want a pair of dwarf gouramis, a shoal of Harlequin rasboras and a few kuhli loaches in a 48"x12"x15" tank. I have had advice that the gouramis will like 'floating plants', but can't tell...

I am currently cycling my tank (48" x 12" x15") and am planning what/how to introduce fish. As I am a returner after many years away I don't want anything exotic, but was planning a couple of dwarf gouramis, a few kuhli loaches and a shoal (10 or so) of neon tetras. I have read that the dwarf...

Homebase it is folks! Just got a bottle of 9.5% solution in. Thanks to all. Derek

Looking over the beginners pages the recommended source for ammonia solution is such as Boots Chemists, but I can't find a branch that stocks it. Does anyone have a source they could recommend? Derek

Thanks Mark, I will get rid of the old filter system and go with the Tetratec EX1200 after reading some reviews. Also it seems a new immersion heater is in order. The old lights seem also to have 'given up the ghost', so I'm still looking around to see what is on offer. As to what brought me...

Thanks for this. You are correct to recommend the beginners resource centre, but most of the info there simply recommends the more modern methods (of course). What I am wondering is, should I simply dispose of my old equipment in order to update my methods? Do the new filter/heater types do a...

Hi All, I am looking to restart a tank I used a few years ago (maybe 10 years). It is around 5ft x 1ft X 1ft6in. I used undergravel filtration, flourescent lighting and a simple immersion heater. Looking through the posts, many of these things now seem out-of-date, and I wondered if anyone has...