Pablo

Any one out there seen/made/devised/stolen the plans of... an ezi lift light hood, meaning one that you can grab a handle in the middle and the counter weight/ hinge/ pneumatics or whatever allows the hood to rise up 300 mm or so with a minimum of effort with the lights still on a horizontal plane??????????whew.... there must be a way...would be a boon on the larger tanks. I can't really use pendants in my case coz its a high raked exposed rafter ceiling. maybe crossover bars (X) at each end??? butcher a Laziboy chair?? any ideas any one???

Its the darn 25watt T8 745mm long, ones that are the problem! Ive tried all the Electrical wholesalers, Lamp Specialists etc to no avail. They are manufactured overseas just not held in stock here in NZ I want standard daylight, 6500 k, I can buy the Powerglo 18000k through the LFS but I'm used to buying Electrical goods wholesale and struggle with paying $39 ea x 6 tubes every six months when I usually buy tubes for under $10. I have decided to scrap the existing T8 setup and convert to T5's that will give me a much better plant growing setup. I have also scrapped the top of tank bio filter and installed an Eheim 2026. underneath which will give me room for another bank of lights up top. Its a process!! I did'nt budget for these extras, this for the information of others who want to use these tanks (R2 180) for growing luxuriant plants. the standard set up is fine for ordinary fish keeping and those who only need the lights to illuminate the tank. But Its still a great looking unit.

Atman Fluorescent Light tubes are standard factory fitted to my Aqua one R2 180 (6 ft) Aquarium; 2x Atman 30 w 10000k, 1x 15000k 36" long tri power lights & 2x Atman 25w 10000k, 1x 15000k, 30" long tri powers. There are a few previous postings of aquarists having problems with plant growth and finding replacement bulbs for these tubes but no real answers to either of the problems actually posted. "Dark" I think suggested that these (k) were not degrees kelvin ratings, but marketing ploys! Question 1: Has this been confirmed by anyone?? Q.2. what is the true kelvin rating for these tubes, has anyone been able to find out? Q 3. Are these actually "marine type tubes" Q 4. Are there "drop in" replacements available in NZ of these tubes in the "daylight" 6,500 k range, particularly the 30" ? (I can get osram 36" L30w /860,s easy enough) Thanks for any inputs. I think this problem is common to several Aqua One models.

Hey Henry, absolutely stoked with the book, and super fast service to boot, Thanks heaps.

Hi, Plantman. Count me in too, Thanks. Pablo.

Hi, does anyone have for sale, or know a possible source for Anubia afzelli?

Cheers Mark, I like the sound of the concept she proposes so I'll proceed with the plan of substrate heating, for my new tank set up, think I'll order the book as well, Thanks.

Thanks Pies, I see now the difference, then I am interested, in more info on your proposed imports Michael.

No, heard there are some quite small units around that extract O3 (ozone) from the air and use it to; eliminate pathogenic germs,dissolve harmful chemicals and organic matter, decrease cod, bod and algae, process 3 ~ 5 litres / min. apparently don't put directly into tanks. used on spa pools instead of chlorine also??

Thanks Intefecus, I'll try that.

Cheers madcookie, no cliffs in close proximity unfortunately, the cost is relative to getting a tanker load of water (of unknown origin and quality) at $300 a load plus the hassle of getting the tanker close enough to the house with all the trees restricting access, possibly look at treating enough water to deal with water changes in the fish tanks and a bit more for absolute essentials only, therefore smallish quantities. Do you know much about the ozone type purifiers?

slightly off topic, would a R/O unit or an ozone izer? be more applicable to treat well water with a fair dose of iron in it, apparently, and a lot of algae which turns the water a rusty red colour, would obviously need some sort of pre filter and post filter? thinking of treating some of the farm water slowly and storing it in a container for the times when we are desperately short of rain water in our house tank, LIKE NOW!! ...what winter??. Thanks.

Thanks for input, for those interested in developments, finally got enough arms and legs here to throw the tank over on its top, what my old eyes perceived to be custom wood underneath, as I peered up under one small corner, was in fact brown paper, stuck onto plastic. with foam on top. therefore, for future reference to others, putting an element underneath an Aqua R2 180 is a complete no brainer. I will now use the thin Tile heater under the second hand 6ft all glass tank I have, using the principles described by Forum contributors. I will use the 8.5 metre pyrotenax heating cable in the substrate of the Aqua one 180, stepping it down to 24 volts, which should produce about 250 watts, more than I need, but I will pulse it on and off by Thermostat. Cheers.

What is the best way to deal with the empty cavity between the rear of contoured resin backgrounds and the back glass? I'm concerned about stagnant water, or it being a fish trap, or being a dark gloomy place where the baddies live? I will have to try and join three 600 x 450 mm backgrounds end to end and seal each one to the back glass and seal top and bottom, with silicone? is the two pot expanding foam an option to fill the cavity?? cut flat on the back and sealed with ...........???. cheers

does anyone have her book? does she advocate substrate heating? have this also posted in DIY, apologies.

Just been reading melatainomas postings, re Diana Walstads book, does anyone out there have it? does she advocate substrate heating or no??

Caryl, will use a RCD definately, for the whole tank, at the switchboard, therefore an auto reset after power interuption. the extension lead and multi box types are generally manual reset, right? John, I'll have to investigate this thermocline thing youve raised, had'nt considered that. Brian. is your reservation because of the types of materials and number of layers or some other reason? Is it viable to silicone the hot wire to the topside of the bottom glass then silicone a layer of heavy acrylic plastic (like the strips in the doorways of big Commercial Freezers that the forklifts drive thru), but one peice, sealed to the edges with silicone, therefore sandwiching the heater between the substrate and the bottom glass ???? Cant fit a glass sheet, in one piece in, because of the configuration of the bars across the top. appreciate all inputs, cheers.

Sharkey, I want to go this way as I want to optimise for plant growth, incl bottled CO2, realise that there is debate over value of bottom heat but this is the easiest time to do it and T. Amano thinks its a good idea so I'll truck along with his view.

Thanks for feedback team, just received my tank (aqua one R2 180) didnt realise that under the bottom glass is a wafer thin layer of foam wrap? and custom wood!!! thermal conductivity of custom wood is 0.052w/m.k, now I am unsure whether the heat will get through all three layers? I suppose it will eventually?? path of least resistance? the styrofoam has a layer of aluminium foil each side. also I have picked up some thin heating cable that they use to heat under tiles etc 150 watts, which is a bit over capacity at the rule of thumb .1 ~ .2 watts per litre? 540 litres = 54 ~ 108 watts. methinks I will try a dummy run dry and measure heat rise of bottom glass over time, watcha think??

Looking to fabricate an under tank heater for a new 1.8m x .5 x .7 tank, I have 8.5m of pyrotenax cable (with tails) which was made for a plant propagating bottom heat set up, but never used. I have yet to measure output, but can regulate it. also have self regulating chromalux (33 watts / metre) freezer door heating cable (about 4.5 m) any ideas which would be better to use? also, will use a styrofoam base and router out a groove to lay the cable in, any ideas for a high thermal conductivity base to dissapate the heat across the glass? Thanks in advance.

Still work in progress setting up my planted 300 L Community Tank, as I live next to a Boulder type river next to the Ruahine Ranges I have a limitless supply of rocks available to decorate the Tank as naturally as I can. Bearing in mind we have a plastic rainwater supply tank, not town water. Q. what rock types can I use / not use? there is lots of greywacke and deep red basalt, are these ok? should I steer clear of any with white streaks and layers in them (silica??)

Thanks Folks, Ill dispense with that idea. picked up some real old gnarly bits of (rata ?) down at the river (Pohangina river, by the Ruahine Ranges) If i sanitise them very best I can, Do you reckon that would be safe ish?

Can I use thoroughly washed, water blasted, well aged, old rustic Jarra / Ironwood Railway sleepers (Or parts of) in my freshwater tropical community tank without fear of tannins or other nefarious compounds leaching out? is it still necessary to boil such ancient weathered timbers? what about old weathered totara fence posts, does the same apply? Thanks in advance.