I see...i've retired from this hobby already...sold off everything but then it is good to see many people have such passion.. good good
btw, i agree with Usermode, sometime we cant know whether they are happy or not by seeing whether they are dying or not. IF they start to die, it is too late for you to do anything already. It is better to get something basic right 1st But for me, i'd invest money into filter system 1st before anything as it is the heart of aquascaping. Well, this just IMHO tho

plus, that guy asking for a filter recommendation for his new 4ft tank and he never mentioned about his budget how much also. so people would suggest the most suitable for the tank la instead of his budget.

if someone asked you "i need a car for a family of 5, which car you would recommend for me to buy?"
would you answer... "no need to waste money paying car loan.. just take bus. can fit more than 20 people also... cheap and easy mah."
... the heck?

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Added on February 11, 2012, 1:55 pm

LOL... retired? ceh... why?

hahaha. what a funny situation there jowo. tengah2 hari ni lebih sedap membangkong daripada bergadoh. hahaha. bagus gak cite ko nih bro. biar org paham. samelah kes bela anak. org sekarang nih. apelah. merantai anak, kasi dok kt tandas. alasan, sebab pegi keje.xd org jage anak. wtf?? siot jer. xbertamadun tol. bila anak da besar xingat kt dia, ckp si anak tuh kacang lupekan kulit. mane la kacang xlupekan kulit? kulit yang lupekan kacang dulu. ape r diorg nih. xde otak tol

HAHAHA....no passion anymore..lol..and seriously no time for it...lol

wah calm down calm down i just asking for sum opinion.bout budget i tinking if below 300 can get a not. or i have to sacrifice my eco pro den top up. but mostly is tat i duno wat model is gud n reliable

eheim - i used before its advantage is many parts. easy to get separately. in their website i also can find malaysia as their location.

fluval - seems cheap but unsure if next time spareparts is east to get a not. here malaysia duno got ppl do supply a not including its spare parts.

china brand - i can consider as long as no leak.

LOL.. not back active. just back in the community. never left my tank.... and my dream, no i didnt. hahaha.... because after i move house, i cant seem to have enough space for 6ft tank unfortunately >_< so just scape as usual...

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Added on February 11, 2012, 1:45 pm

if u feel nothing is wrong, doesnt mean there's nothing is wrong.

u can make every hobby is simple and cheap and expecially in this pet's wonderland, it;s for pet and do u ever notice that plants are 'living things" ?
- u can keep hedgie in a shoebox and leave it in ur storeroom, dump a whole basket of catfood + 1 jug of water and leave them for a month. cheap, and easy.
- u can have sugar glider in ur closet drawer and leave him with an apple for a week food. cheap and easy.
- u can have a dog and leave them stray by itself anywhere anytime as it pleased and tell him "find ur own food in any dustbin from any house and drink longkang water urself... but u are still my dog". cheap and easy...
- u can even adopt a kid, and throw them a lollipop + mineral water every day. cheap and easy also...

for the above examples, do you think that they're thriving and will live happily?

there's another way to cut cost in this hobby by DIY another stuff but so far i never see anyone DIY a filteration system. to keep any living things, be responsible for them. make sure they're as happy as you are. they are living things even tho they're not dead. cutting cost in a smart way. ask around and people will help to guide.

.... but if on the other hand, ur tank is just having a bunch of java fern on top of  those colourful pebbles, then yes... sponge filter will do okay.

i am not asking to spend so much on this hobby but i am asking to spend properly for the sake of yourself and those living things you keep. read my signature.

1920hrs, 11.02.2012.

Dear Planteners,

Today i accomplished my mission to get myself a 1liter++ of ADA Africana Soil for rm10. However i have to tahan malu coz the seller said i cant make planted aqua in my current aqua. i have sad 

The end...

BTW,
make love, not war 

why cannot make planted in ur current tank? my nano tank is 18cm cube and i still can have it planted (and scaped some more). ur tank way more bigger than mine. ... and what the heck is planteners? LOL!!! 

or maybe i should address us as gardener..

sifu usermode,
can post some photos of ur nanotank? maybe i can copy ur idea 

usermode wher u get ur china canister. i cant get a big 1 here. my location kl wangsa maju

first of all, i am not sifu... im like you also. still learning.
my nano tank is not same size with urs. but some is smaller and some is wider, etc. but here are all my nano tanks:

errr... i already told u, i dont have 4ft tank so i never search for such filter and my current filter is not for 4ft. try to go to NA Subang. they are pro and reputable LFS and also carry a wide range of stuff for aquascapers. maybe they could help you out to get your filter.
- ADA Aquasoil are rich with nutrients and even micros like iron. it's formulated not to leach any color to the water column expecially Amazonia II. some type of ADA aquasoil have the feature to lower down pH and kH. they also have few types like Amazonia, Africana and Malaya and differs in color, granule size and amount of the organic elements in it.
- avoid using pebbles if you're planning to plant carpetting plants like HC, HG or glosso. they need more tighter and smaller granules for the roots to hold and most importantly, stay without floating. but u still can plant stem plants in sand as long u provide enough base ferts. ferns and mosses, they only take nutrients from water column and they also do not require to be buried. so these 2 types of plant, u can even have a bare bottom tank and they still can thrive.

add on : u dont even use co2 on your 1st 2 tank. izzit???
and this nutrients from water column, how can we provide them?

- i have co2 on both tank. but not the 3rd one.
- nutrients in water column: liquid ferts.

p/s: hehehe... it's okay, i am javanese also and yes, i love tempe

huhu... couldnt see your co2 line.

for moss and fern, i just need to dose them with nutrient, enough??
cant wait to get mine from sifu sisaiko

hi...im newb to aquascaping here....i hav several questions for u guys, hope u can answer me

1. i hav 1.5ft tank, im currently using eheim liberty 200 HOB filter, it the filter any good?

2.a) what is the temperament of Hong Kong lobster?
b) can it be in the same tank as shrimps or tetra?
c) is it hard to be keep?

3. im planning to do a diy co2. is it hard to be done?is it any good?

4. im planning to do a diy peltier cooler. is it do-able? anybody in this forum has any success in doing it?

4. how to treat thread algae issue?anybody has any experience?

5. let say im rescaping my tank, can i reuse my ADA substrate/top it up with same kind of substrate?

thanx in advance sifus!

2.a) what is the temperament of Hong Kong lobster?
b) can it be in the same tank as shrimps or tetra?
c) is it hard to be keep?

4. im planning to do a diy peltier cooler. is it do-able? anybody in this forum has any success in doing it?

4 - what is peltier cooler?

3 - it's easy and cheap. it would perform as pressurized co2 as well. just with higher more maintenance (keep doing it and shaking it)

i believe it much easier for u to diy 12v cpu fan instead of peltier cooler