amtiskaw

+1 Nice work :bounce: How's the island one coming along?

Wow, they stack on the size quickly. I've seen a few feedings, but no actual prey being landed in the nest. Edit: Just checked out some highlights. You can see one parent come swooping in with a fish in this one 8)

Yeah, we'd leave them lying around and laugh when unsuspecting noobs picked them up :nilly: The thin ones just nip (and crack - they're brittle), but those big cubes have some serious pulling force.

Do those Jaycar type LEDs put out suitable colour spectrum for plants?

Man, this site is dangerous, in a MTS sort of way 8)

OK, how about this then? Just a basic layout, and I still need to add a long bit of wood along the back so I can fill it in with java fern. I'm starting to get analysis paralysis, and I'll have to just go for it soon. Aquascaping is hard!

Ahh, very theoretical stuff. I use spanning tree all the time, but that other stuff is just a vague memory from my student days :smln: Are you at uni/polytech, or do they teach that stuff at schools now?

I've seen several people end up with blood blisters after playing with RE magnets and they snap together and nip skin. I used strip them out of old hard drives - you can stick a full A4 pad onto a fridge with one magnet 8) Stuart's not joking - image search google on the words magnet and finger, and you'll get a good idea :sick:

What are you studying in networks, subnetting? Just curious - I'm a IT network/security guy Can't do rubik's cube though - never bothered to learn the moves

I had 4 of the aquaray growbeam 500s. One died completely, one lost two LEDS, and I've had three power supplies die. 2 are still OK, and I just keep them for the cool shimmer they give the tank. But I took a refund on the other two, minus shipping. Maybe I was unlucky, but I wouldn't buy that brand again :-?

But that's my favourite rock! :tears: Hmm, back to the drawing board... I disagree, I think the hardscape's just as important as the plants. I just can't find the right bit of wood to go with the (foggy) concept I have in me old noggin :-?

How about this? :digH:

Bubble counter?

Harsh language? :nilly:

I've tried a few different hardscapes, and this is the best so far. What do you guys reckon - any ideas on layout and plants? :dunno: Still looking for that perfect bit of wood :roll: This is 450 litres, minus the hardscape of course. Thinking of java fern along the long bit of wood in the background, xmas moss and java fern on the big bit, and dwarf chain swords and glosso for carpeting. Probably some star grass back left, too. Crypts on the slope between the rocks. Ditto, minus the long bit of wood. Maybe stargrass along the rear Iwagumi-ish. Just carpet with dcs and glosso. Not sure what else. Different bit of wood. Xmas moss on the branches will hide the sawn ends. Maybe some java fern on the trunk to fill the rear-top-right corner. Probably some star grass back left, too. Crypts on the slope between the rocks. Same, with some roots added to the branches. Xmas moss on the roots, too.

Om nom nom - nice pic 8)

Another Larry Niven fan!

Ha ha. Funnily enough, I used to do IT work for an energy company, and the enforcement team did find a few hydroponic set-ups during the three years I was there - usually when the tenants messed with the meters and indicated power usage dropped significantly :facepalm: I was always surprised none of those amateur electrical engineers fried themselves.

:sml1:

Are you sure about this, Ira? I'd have thought the surface area of all those bubbles would exceed the area of the water's surface? :dunno:

And he said, "Let there be light", and there was light. And he said unto the people, "Looks like you'll be showering for the rest of the week"

I've made contact with a NZ Turface supplier. I'm just waiting to hear back on price and availability. Meanwhile, I tore down the old tank today. What I thought would be a 2-3 hour job turned out to take all day :-? Temp tank for fishies The plants will be clean It's like chopping down trees - you don't realise how much there is until it's time to put it somewhere. And at last, a blank slate to work with. There's a bit of housekeeping to do on the tank, but I should start on the turface in a day or two :bounce:

Ace

Your fish must be fit! :slfg:

As well as supplying carbon and helping plants out-compete algae for resources, it has a direct anti-algae effect, too. They just don't advertise it as they'd have a bunch more regulations to meet in the U.S market.