http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aquariumforum/ Discuss filters, heaters and all other technical aspects of the hobby. en Thu, 23 May 2013 10:33:08 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aquariumforum/images/misc/rss.png http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aquariumforum/ http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aquariumforum/showthread.php?t=112279&goto=newpost Tue, 14 May 2013 10:11:05 GMT I bought some LED's low watt 12 volt Blue and super white, want to hook them up to come on as sort of moon deal on certain day's and in the morning before the main lights kick on.

Anybody try them?

Quite cheap and the transformer only $8.00 at Radio Shack.

Just an idea.

whole thing less then $25.00 I think.

I can post where I bought them if needed.

Jeff ]]> Technical reef12 http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aquariumforum/showthread.php?t=112279 http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aquariumforum/showthread.php?t=112269&goto=newpost Tue, 14 May 2013 00:23:48 GMT Hi all, I am wanting to change over from just air stones to action air ornaments, I have tried several now (all from Walmart though) and no matter... Hi all, I am wanting to change over from just air stones to action air ornaments, I have tried several now (all from Walmart though) and no matter how much I adjust the air flow (and I do have the valve for adjusting it ) they stay open!!! Could this be just cheap air ornaments?
Any thoughts?
Thanks so much.

29 Gallon with Barbs and a Bristlenose. ]]> Technical guppymummy http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aquariumforum/showthread.php?t=112269 http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aquariumforum/showthread.php?t=112230&goto=newpost Sat, 11 May 2013 17:51:40 GMT Been both busy and concerned by my nitrate filter from hell (a commercial unit) so have been mostly lucking the last month or so. Now that I have... Been both busy and concerned by my nitrate filter from hell (a commercial unit) so have been mostly lucking the last month or so. Now that I have figured out my latest tank issues, I decided to post them to warn others if they are considering a commercial bio-reactor to remove nitrates from their tank water (fresh or salt.)

My commercial nitrate removing bio-reactor has been, of late, creating a nitrite signal :ssuprised: from its output water! Luckily for me my tank is over filtered so this is not terrible issue nor dangerous :19:. Of course, for these bio-processing units this is unusual once they have cycled the first time (power lost, even for a day would mean little to this class of filters but I have had no power loss anyway.) So the issue of late was ‘Why was it cycling again?”:ssuprised:

After a few days of confusion I discovered that the units extremely stupid pumping attachment system had partly failed (a piece of piping tore open) – the damn unit used three different tubes each of a different (!) diameter to couple the external plastic tube that feeds the main processing units to the in tank water pump (why that many tubes just really shows what clowns this company employ’s for design work.)

I removed their joke of a connector system and installed a single stainless steel compression fitting to link the pump motor to the filter’s main feed line – luckily, the threads for one side of the compression fitting easily cuts and seals into the inside diameter of the in tank water pump intake pipe – of course I choose a compression coupling that matched the bio-reactor’s intake plastic hose.

I have always hated their coupling system and wondered if it would cause problems later (boy, did it) and how have even more reason to hate that companies’ design.

The nitrites from the bio-reactor have dropped but are still too high but my canister and algae scrubber remove all these nitrites so my tank still reads zero (under 0.05 ppm) but it is not acceptable for that unit to be adding toxic waste to my tank, anyway! The strange part of this latest issue is that the nitrate bio-reactor filter from hell is now putting out a higher nitrate signal (0.2 ppm) water than my tank water reads (only 0.1 ppm.) Apparently my low cost, and simple algae scrubber can handle that trivial level.

I refuse to abandon the nitrate bio-unit from hell since it was so expensive (and does remove nitrates) but this just proves that commercial units are basically poorly designed (but do work) and I’d say that except for experts, no one should ever consider buying these units.

On the other hand, my simple algae scrubber is a delight and saves me yet again.:19: ]]> Technical Cermet http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aquariumforum/showthread.php?t=112230 http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aquariumforum/showthread.php?t=112214&goto=newpost Fri, 10 May 2013 10:39:08 GMT As some may this is my first "reef ready" tank and my experience/knowledge of plumbing ends with turning the faucet on....or off. So this is a very basic sketch of my plans which of course doesn't include any elbows, unions or check valves since I was using an excel spreadsheet. Please take a look and let me know if I'm at least going in the right direction. I truly appreciate the assistance.

]]> Technical JudiJetson http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aquariumforum/showthread.php?t=112214 http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aquariumforum/showthread.php?t=112181&goto=newpost Wed, 08 May 2013 14:39:34 GMT I currently have a T5 4-bulb fixture over my 46bf, but half the fixture has quit on me so I'm left with only 2 working bulbs. The fixture is only a year old too, and was the replacement for another T5 fixture that also died.

I am SO ready to make the move to LED, but there are so many to choose from!! I would like to hear from those of you who have LEDs on your tanks - what brand, pros and cons, and so on.

The tank is planted with mostly crypts plus some vals, so the light requirements are not terribly high. I'm looking at the Marineland Plant LED fixture with timer, as that seems to be the best "bang for the buck." I'm not absolutely sold on it, however - I've read some reviews that weren't very favorable and I've had quite enough of fixtures that quit after a short time.

Unfortunately, I'm not handy with electrical wiring so DIY is not my first choice; if there is a kit with everything I'd need plus detailed instructions I'd consider it, because I'm not totally inept mechanically. Selecting and assembling components on my own would most likely end up badly so it would have to be an all-inclusive kit.

Thanks for any input you may have. ]]> Technical dragoonwoman http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aquariumforum/showthread.php?t=112181 http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aquariumforum/showthread.php?t=112171&goto=newpost Tue, 07 May 2013 15:24:15 GMT I have the 20" Dual t5-HO Aqualight by corlife, freshwater planted tank, what're the best replacement bulbs for this fixture, for the planted tank? :) ]]> Technical Lord_Spank http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aquariumforum/showthread.php?t=112171 http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aquariumforum/showthread.php?t=112153&goto=newpost Mon, 06 May 2013 19:26:38 GMT Hello there. I have a question for those who know about filters. I currently run the aqua clear 50 AND aqua tech 5-15 on my 29 gallon. I find with... Hello there. I have a question for those who know about filters. I currently run the aqua clear 50 AND aqua tech 5-15 on my 29 gallon. I find with the AC 50 it is not enough. So I went and bought the aqua clear 70 because I just want one filter and less cords things etc. So do you think it is overkill? The filter looks HUGE.
Basically I was filtering about 300 GPH with my other 2 combined I think.......

Thanks all. ]]> Technical guppymummy http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aquariumforum/showthread.php?t=112153 http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aquariumforum/showthread.php?t=112143&goto=newpost Mon, 06 May 2013 07:37:50 GMT Howdy,

I've just set up my aquamanta canister filter, however the outlet hose is too short to reach the other end of my tank.

I have a 5ft tank and having purchased the filter after setting the tank up, the filter sits at one end of my tank rather than in the middle. So the hose is too short to make it to the other end. I'm wondering if anyone knows of ways to extend the hose or if you can buy lengths of hose elsewhere? I wasn't sure if it needed to be a particular material, as to not be harmful to my fish.

Cheers! ]]> Technical TheElectricYellowAcidTest http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aquariumforum/showthread.php?t=112143 http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aquariumforum/showthread.php?t=112089&goto=newpost Thu, 02 May 2013 21:30:13 GMT I was wondering, if fish are in total darkness then you switch the tank lights on, does this hurt them or stress them out?

The reason i'm asking is because I have 4 African Dwarf Frogs in my tank and in order to make sure they are fed I give them bloodworm with a long set of tweezers. It works well, however I also have some Pentazona Barbs in the tank and they are like Piranhas when the tweezers go in, they end up stealing most of the bloodworms!

However, a few weeks ago I had turned my tank light off then later realised I hadn't fed the frogs, so I had to turn it back on to feed them, and I noticed as I was doing it none of the Barbs came out to grab the worms, they stayed sheltered at the back of the tank.

So it seems this would be the best way to go about feeding the frogs, but as I said im worried doing this will cause harm to my fish? ]]> Technical serbusfish http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aquariumforum/showthread.php?t=112089 http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aquariumforum/showthread.php?t=112007&goto=newpost Sun, 28 Apr 2013 06:17:13 GMT I've nearly got all the parts to finally get my 20g up and going, but have still yet to pull the trigger on lighting. Either it's just out of budget, or someone on Craigslist snaps it up right before I do, and I lose out on a good and cost effective hood/light bar. However, I've been doing a little more research and have run into a couple of questions that I just can't seem to find answers to. As with most of my inquiries, I'm sure the answers are out there in plain sight...I just have knack for completely overlooking them in my search.

In all of my reading I've discovered planted tanks need anywhere between 1-5 (or more?) watts/gallon, depending on what you want to have planted. What I'm confused about is where that wattage is coming from? I was lucky enough to get a free light strip in a box of goodies off craigslist and the label on the back of the strip says 30 watts. That would seem to meet at least some lighting requirements on low light plants for a 20g. BUT, most of the 24" light strips I've been finding say 17 watts (or similar) on their labels.

Today at my LFS I saw all sorts of lights rated at 30+ watts. Now, this could seem like an idiotic question to some, but would those lights just not work in a light strip that is rated (or at least labeled on the back) at 17 watts? OR, so long as the light size (length and T-sizing) are the same, the wattage and K-value don't matter?

I'm all sorts of backwards on this one. And if you can make it through my rambling, then my hat is off to you. I just don't want to keep passing on light strips or hoods that would work. ]]> Technical Switchfoot55 http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aquariumforum/showthread.php?t=112007