Search found 1077 matches

by dw1305
14 May 2021, 13:10
Forum: South American Catfishes (Everything else)
Topic: Should I just go with no substrate?
Replies: 13
Views: 7242

Re: Should I just go with no substrate?

Hi all, The reason I would be inclinced to use it is simply because it's easier to see leftover food, for example two days ago I found out that my plecos don't enjoy a certain type of wafer by finding it half rotting stuck under some rock. Since I am new to this I have a hard time gauging exactly ho...
by dw1305
28 Apr 2021, 16:00
Forum: Tank Talk
Topic: About filtration
Replies: 81
Views: 64855

Re: About filtration

Hi all, After experience with my "toilet flush" tank [the 40-gallon breeder about 1/2 - 2/3 with water and powered by an 800gph pond pump, which contains partially submerged potted Pothos and Crypt plants] I think a large tank, only 1/2 filled with water, is the easiest option, but you hav...
by dw1305
28 Apr 2021, 10:15
Forum: Tank Talk
Topic: About filtration
Replies: 81
Views: 64855

Re: About filtration

Hi all, Just to be clear, Darrel, are you saying running a tank as described is asking for trouble sooner or later? What cycles the nitrogen? Plants and whatever BBs live in the tank on the surfaces? Hi Viktor, yes that is it. Personally I would prefer some spare filtration capacity (just for "...
by dw1305
27 Apr 2021, 15:40
Forum: Tank Talk
Topic: About filtration
Replies: 81
Views: 64855

Re: About filtration

Hi all, Interesting thread, I have been running my Corydoras tanks "unfiltered" and have not experienced or noticed any adverse effects. Both have strong circulation via large uplift tubes with strong air-stones and a reasonable amount of plants. The tanks are heavily stocked and do get re...
by dw1305
21 Apr 2021, 04:05
Forum: South American Catfishes (Everything else)
Topic: Microglanis iheringi
Replies: 24
Views: 20224

Re: Microglanis iheringi

Hi all, ....... I have known nobody who has a sustainable culture of live blackworms. I know plenty of people who can keep them alive (myself included), since they do well in a sand or gravel bottom tank with a sponge filter......That is not sustainable when you (I) are/am feeding 16 ounces of live ...
by dw1305
23 Mar 2021, 13:00
Forum: Tank Talk
Topic: About filtration
Replies: 81
Views: 64855

Re: About filtration

Hi all, I realize this is a somewhat old thread. However, it appears as if some under-the-hood changes caused me to get a notification from PC today that I had been mentioned in three posts..................... I had a few as well from old threads. @Jools will know why, but I think they come from a ...
by dw1305
10 Mar 2021, 14:35
Forum: South American Catfishes (Callichthyidae - Corys et al)
Topic: Corydoras Eques setup
Replies: 43
Views: 29264

Re: Corydoras Eques setup

Hi all, I like keeping some leaf litter in most my tanks, tannins are good for softwater fish especially :D and ive found that certain fish like Farlowella twigs naturally will graze on the leaf litter and it's an easy source of biofilm for them. So there's so many perks to leaf litter <" Same ...
by dw1305
24 Feb 2021, 04:21
Forum: Speak Easy
Topic: Hello
Replies: 20
Views: 9336

Re: Hello

Hi all, The panel of judges has decided that Darrel has come close enough to be declared the winner. Cheers, confetti falling, sirens blaring. The correct answer is; "What planet do you think you are living on . . . . Planet Bob?????" More details on the pay it forward prize over the next ...
by dw1305
23 Feb 2021, 17:14
Forum: Speak Easy
Topic: Hello
Replies: 20
Views: 9336

Re: Hello

Hi all,
She asked:
"What planet are you from Bob?"
cheers Darrel
by dw1305
26 Jan 2021, 15:53
Forum: Speak Easy
Topic: Is it ethical to export old fish?
Replies: 13
Views: 5166

Re: Is it ethical to export old fish?

Hi all, ..........I think if you buy any fish from the wild it comes with ethical responsibilities that range far beyond sustainability of the fishery. But perhaps that goes beyond the current discussion. I do not personally see the logic behind buying a fish just because its large and displaying it...
by dw1305
22 Jan 2021, 10:33
Forum: Speak Easy
Topic: Is it ethical to export old fish?
Replies: 13
Views: 5166

Re: Is it ethical to export old fish?

Hi all, I came across a large ( and expensive) Panaque at my LFS and wondered what age it would be. And I started having this question: Is it a good thing to take old fish from the wild and bring them all the way to Europe? It just didn't feel right some way or the other... Just a thought you might ...
by dw1305
21 Jan 2021, 21:07
Forum: South American Catfishes (Callichthyidae - Corys et al)
Topic: Corydoras Pygmaeus water paramters
Replies: 13
Views: 5777

Re: Corydoras Pygmaeus water paramters

Hi all,
Exactly what @Bas Pels says.

My guess is that your dGH / dKH values will be more similar to each other, just because the hardness in the SE UK is from chalk (CaCO3) and that supplies a 1:1 ratio of dGH : dKH.

cheers Darrel
by dw1305
21 Jan 2021, 11:11
Forum: South American Catfishes (Callichthyidae - Corys et al)
Topic: Corydoras Pygmaeus water paramters
Replies: 13
Views: 5777

Re: Corydoras Pygmaeus water paramters

Hi all, I would never use CO2. Because it is the stuff our fish breath out, putting more of it into the water will make it harder for the fish to get rid of their waste product, resulting in more acidic blood. ..........is your experience on injecting CO2 in aquariums that have very soft water and w...
by dw1305
18 Jan 2021, 10:16
Forum: Tank Talk
Topic: Making Blackwater
Replies: 14
Views: 9452

Re: Making Blackwater

Hi all, I'm surprized your rainwater is pH 7.0. As we all know, CO2 is one of the gasses in the air, and this one does dissolve rather good. CO2 is also known als carbonacid, and it does make your water tart. Still your rainwater is pH = 7.0. I would assume something, perhaps a concrete roof dissolv...
by dw1305
17 Dec 2020, 16:54
Forum: Tank Talk
Topic: Fungus gnats in tank
Replies: 14
Views: 8646

Re: Fungus gnats in tank

Hi all, .........To both of you, yes, water changes eliminated them repeatedly, but since staying up on water changes is my Achilles' heal, my kryptonite, they recur once or twice each year, mostly in summer months when humidity and temp rise together in the air gap below the tank hoods. Again, a nu...
by dw1305
17 Dec 2020, 16:40
Forum: Tank Talk
Topic: Fungus gnats in tank
Replies: 14
Views: 8646

Re: Fungus gnats in tank

Hi all, Hi Darrel, I will look up look up the various midge types...... Pity I can't package them up and send you them They all look the same, unless you have a dead one, a taxonomic key and a dissecting microscope. I'm actually better with IDing swimming larvae, but then only to family. "Bitin...
by dw1305
17 Dec 2020, 16:20
Forum: Tank Talk
Topic: Fungus gnats in tank
Replies: 14
Views: 8646

Re: Fungus gnats in tank

Hi all, I recently noticed very small flies buzzing around the tank, which I identified as fungus gnats. .........realised they are actually laying eggs in the water (even though I had a tank lid on), which are turning into wormy larvae which live in the gravel. ...... They are entirely harmless to ...
by dw1305
17 Dec 2020, 16:14
Forum: Tank Talk
Topic: Fungus gnats in tank
Replies: 14
Views: 8646

Re: Fungus gnats in tank

Duplicate post
by dw1305
15 Dec 2020, 15:15
Forum: South American Catfishes (Callichthyidae - Corys et al)
Topic: Raising Corydoras fry in bare bottom tanks
Replies: 11
Views: 5655

Re: Raising Corydoras fry in bare bottom tanks

Hi all, Darrel those articles were really useful, thanks for pointing me to those! Sam you are good, this is the great thing about this forum, it has an huge archive and a lot of posters (like @Bas Pels) who really know what they are on about. I don't need to re-invent the wheel I can go and find a ...
by dw1305
14 Dec 2020, 22:00
Forum: South American Catfishes (Callichthyidae - Corys et al)
Topic: Raising Corydoras fry in bare bottom tanks
Replies: 11
Views: 5655

Re: Raising Corydoras fry in bare bottom tanks

Hi all, As additional info these tanks all have sponge filters, heaters, almond leaves and java ferns. Pretty basic and want to make the maintenance and hygiene as simple as possible to increase the success rates. I plan to provide first foods of micro worms and newly hatched brine shrimp, not sure ...
by dw1305
07 Dec 2020, 17:01
Forum: Speak Easy
Topic: Dumb things we have done
Replies: 12
Views: 4775

Re: Dumb things we have done

Hi all, Yesterday morning at 6am I ran down to the fishroom to get something and noticed the 29's lights were on. I looked under the tank and realized the timer had jammed against another cord with the result that the lights had been on 24/7 for two weeks! 99% of algae outbreaks are caused by a comb...
by dw1305
06 Dec 2020, 17:59
Forum: Speak Easy
Topic: An older document, but explains why salt helps fish
Replies: 3
Views: 1880

Re: An older document, but explains why salt helps fish

Hi all, http://fisheries.tamu.edu/files/2013/09/The-Use-of-Salt-in-Aquaculture.pdf I'm honestly not sure it helps us a lot. If you are reduced to using salt (NaCl) to control nitrite (NO2-) poisoning, you really need some help long before that. The mechanism by which Cl- ion reduces NO2- intake is l...
by dw1305
03 Dec 2020, 11:41
Forum: South American Catfishes (Callichthyidae - Corys et al)
Topic: Corydoras Pygmaeus water paramters
Replies: 13
Views: 5777

Re: Corydoras Pygmaeus water paramters

Hi all, @Samdaark, yes all my tanks are heavily planted. That one is particularly stuffed, because it has a more powerful light on it and I let the plant mass develop layers until all available PAR is utilised. I'm pretty sure the Pygmy Corydoras wouldn't mind if that structure was mainly leaf litte...
by dw1305
02 Dec 2020, 16:43
Forum: South American Catfishes (Callichthyidae - Corys et al)
Topic: Corydoras Pygmaeus water paramters
Replies: 13
Views: 5777

Re: Corydoras Pygmaeus water paramters

Hi all, Thanks Darrel. I've included a pic of the tank in question (the one on the right) where there are around a dozen Pygmy's. That looks perfect. By the sound of things you are suggesting my water is a bit low on the carbonate and PH for these guys, which isn't a problem since my London tapwater...
by dw1305
02 Dec 2020, 16:15
Forum: South American Catfishes (Loricariidae - Plecos et al)
Topic: Plants for high flow pleco breeding tank
Replies: 13
Views: 4485

Re: Plants for high flow pleco breeding tank

Hi all, ......I have a cool, soft water hillstream setup that I have grown Bolbitis heudeloti ...... but I don't recall how important temperature is for B. heudeloti . Its done very well for me in this set up though, so definitely worth considering. It grows well at the temperatures you would keep H...
by dw1305
02 Dec 2020, 14:12
Forum: South American Catfishes (Callichthyidae - Corys et al)
Topic: Corydoras Pygmaeus water paramters
Replies: 13
Views: 5777

Re: Corydoras Pygmaeus water paramters

Hi all, .......whether my water parameters would be suitable for Corydoras Pygmaeus, so that they would be super healthy and also provide good conditions for breeding. Water parameters are: - Temperature: 25'C - KH: 2-3 'dKH - GH: 8-9 'dGH - PH: 6.2 - NH4/NO2/NO3: All close to zero............ You c...
by dw1305
02 Dec 2020, 13:45
Forum: South American Catfishes (Loricariidae - Plecos et al)
Topic: Plants for high flow pleco breeding tank
Replies: 13
Views: 4485

Re: Plants for high flow pleco breeding tank

Hi all, Same as the others really, Cryptocoryne spp. are good. Any of the C. beckettii forms will do. Potamogeton gayii is also good in a current, but maybe difficult to find. Bolbitis heudelotii is an epiphyte (so needs gluing to a rock or wood), but likes soft water and high flow. Most epiphytes a...
by dw1305
29 Nov 2020, 19:14
Forum: Taxonomy & Science News
Topic: Catfish fry grow better in total darkness
Replies: 5
Views: 1834

Re: Catfish fry grow better in total darkness

Hi all, Indeed. Darkness is just one big shelter but not the best one? I do remember commercial pleco breeders talking about spawning species and rearing them in darkness - but those had plenty of shelter too. My guess would be that for, non aufwuchs eating, plecs darkness probably is optimal. I thi...
by dw1305
29 Nov 2020, 11:06
Forum: Taxonomy & Science News
Topic: Catfish fry grow better in total darkness
Replies: 5
Views: 1834

Re: Catfish fry grow better in total darkness

Hi all,
....... Although shelter did not show any significant role in the overall growth, it significantly reduced the larval mortality than those reared without shelter......
My take home from that is the shelter aspect, rather than the darkness.

cheers Darrel
by dw1305
13 Nov 2020, 17:32
Forum: Speak Easy
Topic: The effect of meds on TDS
Replies: 9
Views: 5268

Re: The effect of meds on TDS

Hi all, Measuring TDS in clean freshwater is tricky to do in the lab. as well. Even if you are meticulous about filtering (you want the "dissolved solids", not the "undissolved ones") weighing (and keeping the filter paper in the desiccator until the last moment, often the filter...

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