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Hi everyone New to the forum. Got an ecostyle 37 for $20 off Facebook and a new powerhead and filter cartridges from animates. Powerhead is very rattly for being new as well. I'm really keen to see what is out there and the way you have set your ecostyle tanks up. Feel free to post up some pictures for inspiration. Shane

I purchased a complete aquarium set, useing low iron white glass on the front and sides, allowing viewing of plants and fish in 100% natural colour. Matching cabinet, arrived with unexpected grey & black striped doors. T5 Lighting – 4 x 54w & one strip LED night light Nautilus 1400 Canister Filter 200w Glass Heater x 2, temp set at 25 degrees Aquarium: 150 x 60 x 65cm 398L Aquarium has been set up since December 2017. Substrate: bagged Glengobal pond mix, mixed with a cup of ironic iron sand & a handful of slow release native fern mix prills. Terraced and sloped toward the rear using new plastic unprinted corrugated signage board, then capped with at least 3cm of fine aqua one natural grit (just shy of 20kg) Planted heavily, here is my best guess (as they were sold under fanciful names) -Hygrophila Polysperma Corycombosa, -H.P Difformis, -H.P Sunset, -H.Polysperma (Blue or narrow leaf). Unidentified plant maybe Rotala Walliichii (red pine)?, Tropical Lilae St, Louis Gold, Elocharis Acicularis (needle rush), Echinodorus Melon sword?, E.Tenellus, E. Unknown little thing ;-). And plants just hanging in there: Didiplus Sandra (star grass), Bacopa Monnieri (dwarf Baby tears), Cryptocoryne Wendtii and 2 lilaeopsis, Brasilinesis & Nova Zealandae (if there was a difference its lost now). Of course I also spent a wad of money on non aquatic plants I watched some rot, then tried to i.d the rest and hawked them out if they were unidentifiable. Month one, I added 7 Otocinclus, that is all they had at the pet store, 1 was dropped from the 2nd story tank on to the tiled floor, that poor sod died after 2 weeks. The others are still with me I believe hard to find them all in one count, I have 3 different subspecies marked by different size, spots and dorsal fin size, also 1 ventures out more by day the others under the night light. Month two: I added 10 tiger barbs from a different pet shop 3 hour round trip and it was an unreal, untidy smelly mess. I took home 10 Tiger Barbs (tetrazona) and when added they where exhibiting signs of early ICH so I raised the temp high & fed frozen brine shrimp, bloodworms & mosquito larvae (which I bred) 3 weeks later (approx) I added another 20 making 30, they spent a week in a plastic tub set up as a quarantine tank (I know thats not long enough). Questions for any readers: 1/ I have read that ottos can not be with Tiger Barbs, it has only been a short time but the tigers exhibit no interest in anything but food, dominance behaviours & perhaps some mating rituals? Will I loose my ottos or have I got enough water & distraction to keep them otherwise occupied? 2/ People have commented on the lack of fish stocking, I was happy to leave it low but now am considering if I should either get 6 equally sized barbs sachsii or padamya or 6 Botia Striata, I have 3 excellent hide holes built in at construction time (bet they are full of snails) I do have snails, but not disproportionate to expectations. 3/ I purchased a cellulose capsule making machine and have been making my own root tabs, which I push under using pinsett/long tweezers these are working well. I have apart from the initial fill been using R.O.R.I water and have only now just started adding in a mix of some aged & dechlorinated tap stuff (I wouldn’t drink the Levin goop) and now I have some black algae appearing on the foreground lilaeopsis. I am not going to co2 and even excel carbon, which I have used in tiny amounts which will be too expensive. Any ideas? Or should I just wait & watch. 4/ I have 4 species of Hygrophila Polysperma -I am wondering about the possibility of this family of plant releasing anti-competition chemicals or is it simply a matter of these being hardier and the other plants perhaps not so much? Thats it, only low res photos loaded, but enough for you to get the picture (pun intended) please feel free to comment. Thanks Tony 2 month tank If only the tiger stayed this still Tiger lily Tigers in the grass I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate

We have a large amount of Congo fern to sell... most are bigger bits then currently on trade me I'd add a picture but it's not letting me again

Hi all, have a big bag full of dwarf sag to give away - prob enough to carpet a 2 x 2 foot area. These are now out of my tank and sitting in a Ziploc bag, so will start to die before too long. Just sold my tank (boo) and the buyer didn't want the plants. Disclaimer - there may be snails and algae in there. Pick up from te atatu peninsula, let me know if you want them. Best to get me via text, 0210528720. Jay

Hi, Has anybody used Blue Planet LED Track Lighting with planted tanks. This are the ones you can customised and add additional LED pods. I just wanted to know your experience with it. I have crypts, java ferns, an amazon sword, and floating indian ferns with CO2. Regards.

Hi, This is my first post here so I hope I haven't done anything wrong : ). I have recently gotten the crypt bug and was wondering if anyone has any crypts for sale? I already have a few in my collection but am looking for more. I live in Judea, Tauranga but am happy to pay for postage. Thanks Kees

Does anyone have some Ambulia and/or Dwarf Sagittaria I can buy?

Hi All After some time out of the hobby I am now setting up a basic planted tank. As there is no LFS in my area I am after some plants. On the lookout for H polysperma- all varieties R Rotundafolia H Diformis Sag Subulata Various Crypts Bolbitis Anubis varieties If anyone can help me out please PM me with what you want for them. Appreciate any help I can get to get me back into the game. thanks Simon

Flourish comprehensive 1.7 Litres left of a 2 litre bottle purchased around September last year. Pick up Epsom, Auckland cost $126 selling for $40 Listing here till Monday then goes on TM

Heaps of java fern for sale as I've been pruning out my tanks. All very healthy, however NOT guaranteed blackbeard free. Ordinary java fern – several medium-sized plants with lots of nice leaves $5; wee plantlets (leaves of 1–2cm long) $1 each.Giant java fern (leaves grow in excess of 40cm long) – one 40–50cm piece $30; mid-sized plantlets $15 each; small/tiny plantlets $5 each.Windelov – three/four very small plantlets (leaves up to about 2.5cm long), $5 each.PM for more info; welcome to come pick from what I've got. Pick up Waterview (just down from Pt Chev).

Hi all, I want to have plants in my 150l tank so I am wanting some advice on some aquatic soil. I have this stuff for water gardens from the garden centre that I use for whiteworms. Could I use this for growing plants? Thanks