usually i put anything that have micro-holes in its texture. doesnt matter ceramic or larva rocks or whatever shit, i simply put. hu hu hu..!!! some people care on what they put because it'll affect ur water pH most probably. but to me, i simply campak..

but hey, ur ceramic dirty as in what? actually, people usually keep their matured filter media. u just clean it by washing it with ur tank water whenever u do ur WC. not the dirtiness you want to keep, but the BB in it.

I'm looking for few stalks of downoi (pogostemon helferi). around 4 - 5 stalks. anyone have excess with their downoi would like to sell in small number? i'm buying.

- the ceramic thing basically is a place to cultivate ur beneficial bacteria (BB) in your filter. some having lava rocks, some having crush corals, some having the ceramic stuff.
- different manufacturer have different 'size' of micro-holes in the texture of their ceramic rings.
- some brands of these things might affect ur water pH. read the details before you buy if you are paying attention on your water pH (especially if you are a shrimp keeper).
- but the bottom line still, once it's matured (usually it'll be dirty by this time)... the beneficial bacteria that colonized in the micro-texture is the one you're looking for. it's the heart of your filter and the filter is the heart of your tank. those BB are the one you need to take care of. NEVER wash those rings or lava rocks or whatever it is you are using with direct tap water (untreated). use your tank water when you do your WC to clean it as ciohbu says, no need until 100% sparkling clean. just to clean those debris.

This post has been edited by usermode: Feb 6 2012, 09:14 AM

- get a test kit only when u needed it. shrimp keepers i think will need it (i am not shrimp keeper so cant advice much).
- the price varies according to brands. from RM50 to few hundreds.
- else, just cycle ur tank and u wouldnt need to worry about ammonia,nitrite and nitrate. PH i on the other hand is different. some of the aquarist rely on drop checker for pH.

- no heater required definitely in Malaysia even if u have goldfish. heh...
- thermometer as ciohbu said, if you want to see ur water temperature.

- 5gal is around 1ft size tank. it's good enough for betta.
- how small is your pebbles and what plants do u have? photos might help.
- submersible? why submersible light?
- those bubbles are called 'pearlings'. not all plants you can see pearlings. and not in all tank. high lights tank for sure will see even from a moss. low tech tank might not but that doesnt means no photosynthesis happens. as long they're not brownish (melted), they're good just growing slow.
- get a new lighting i would recommend. try to find lighting that on top of ur tank. 1ft, i would DIY that lighting because kinda hard to get a proper light for 1ft but not impossible anyway. i have one... 24W bought 2nd hand from mudah.my

- yup.. u are correct. invertebrates easily die with copper.
- i personally dont like to use RO water because it's fully distilled even with the beneficial stuff in it. just use anti-chlorine or get your tap water stays in a bucket for overnight before your WC. but these are for my planted fish tank. not shrimp tank... ask those shrimp keepers. they would know better.
- RCS (almost all shrimp) prefer cold water. so no heater required.
- p/s: i hope you do not plan to house betta with RCS together inside your 5gal tank.


- just one post above urs, sisaiko is letting go some extra mosses. heh.. PM him.
- or since you're in Subang and looking for moss, goto to NA (Natural Aquatic World). here's the address: No. 17, Jalan SS19/6, 47500 Subang Jaya or CLICK HERE for google map. unfortunately, i dont think they can tell you which moss is what moss accurately (you'll know why) but no worries, moss isnt so expensive. around RM5-7 per palm size.
- riccia, is a small little bugger. they do not grow roots means they do not attach to anything. be ready to keep trimming them low or prepare for them to float (after some time). they would do well without Co2 injection (personal experience) but with co2, the growth rate would be boosted. they need lights but doesnt necessarily high lights. supplement of K (Potassium) is a must.
- why do u need extra pumps for Co2?

This post has been edited by usermode: Feb 7 2012, 08:35 AM

i think it's called molting. same happens to shrimps as well.

where is tat? got google map ah? or full address? hu hu hu... always love to know new shopping place~!!! ()

ho ho ho... cool!! looking forward to it

RANDOM SHOTS

ho yeah...!!! what a great night after office.

- reached home from office.
- make coffee, sit in front tank to enjoy it for a while.
- turn on the lights and...
- walla..!!! my 'die-hard' GHA suddenly having a massive outbreak all-over my tank.
- wondering what did i do wrong this morning before i left while monitoring the tank closely to find the culprit...
- .... after pulling a short CSI scene, i found one of my orange shrimp stucked-dead in my filter inlet. duhh...~!!!

i guess due to that dead shrimp, the phosphate/ammonia (or whatever stuff that decaying things release) going up sky high. haiz... spent a good 3 hours to clean as much GHA as i can and 50% WC. i love u "mr. dead orange shrimp".... now im tired.

3ft with direct sunlight till early afternoon and continue on 254watts PLL above it till evening.

heh, size of the tank is nothing except space during scape but the specs and balance in the tank determines the tank health.
the hair algae is already there (just kept minimized as much as i can atm). but this tank have been monitored closely so far and no serious issue happens. but if something goes wrong in the water parameter and worse, UNATTENDED.... ah, FML. anyway, nvm la... at least i was going to do WC anyway yesterday. just having an 'extra longer' steps.

This post has been edited by usermode: Feb 9 2012, 11:13 AM

aloh.. once a while like that. that's where the fun in this hobby else it'll be quite boring rite? hahahaha....!!!! (but when failed to control, that's the fu**ed up part).

- my tanks that using fan, i'll topup water every 2-3 days. losing 1inch of water in that timeframe is normal for tank with fan.
- WC, depends on the tank stability, age and specs. i do WC on my matured tank once a week. new tank, twice a week. low tech, once a month.
- i filled my water almost reaching the top as well. fishes dont really jump out of water unless something is wrong with your water or that species is a jumper. so choose ur fishes according to your tank. big fish like arowana also not adviseable to have high level water. full water level in a scape tank for me, because when u have a clean and clear water, u are like looking at a nature through glass only. like no water in it. hehehe... it;s more nicer to look at ur tank without the water level line.
- a fan positioned slightly tilted (30 degrees or so) will have a wider blowing area compare to those straight horizontal. if you put vertical, where the fan will blow? wall? XD

i think check valve is pretty common in LFS. check valve is not only for co2. it's being used for airpump as well.
i am from JB but i am not staying there. it's my hometown now. LOL!!... but do u know there's 3 VIP aquascape sifu around JB actually? hehehe...

- i use curtain railing clip for my fan. my fan also DIY


- why at an angle shot? full-front shot please

how nano it is? that looks like a wall-attached tank. i never saw these kind of tank in size less than 1ft

..err.. ok. to me, it's nano


eheim 2215 or 2217 (if you got extra cash). if u want to cut some cost, go for China cannister filter with minimum flowrate 150litre/hour at least.

sot jor... i dont even own a 4ft and above tank (!)

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Added on February 11, 2012, 2:21 amsorry bro, im not sure about their pricing because i never plan or needs to have one. my tanks isnt that big.. LOL!!

This post has been edited by usermode: Feb 11 2012, 02:21 AM

i hope many do not get the wrong perception about filteration system and i wont go on ur WC once in 10 month.

filter is the heart of your tank. take care of the filter, it will take care of your water, water will take care of your plants and plants will take care of your faunas.
the use of filter is NOT MAINLY focus on filtering debris. yes, plants can be considered as part of filteration system because they might help neutralized your water by consuming excess phosphates, but do plants helps in carrying ur nutrients and co2 across ur tank? do plants makes a good BB colonizations? the answer is no.

why you need a good filteration system?

- for a good BB colonization.
- to creates waterflow to carry your co2 and nutrients across the tank.
- filtering floating debris in your water.
- creating water current or surface agitation for gas exchange in the tank.
- with BB colonized in ur filter and with a correct litre/hour rate, your tank water will always been taken care of from excess ammonia and nitrates (or nitrites? sorry.. im confused with names) that would harm your fishes and triggering algae.
- for easier cleaning and maintenance.
- and so much more to be related to for a healthy tank.

if i have to choose only one thing to spend the most for my tank, i'd choose filter over any other thing else.

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 pmif 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.

This post has been edited by usermode: Feb 11 2012, 01:46 PM

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 pmLOL... retired? ceh... why?

This post has been edited by usermode: Feb 11 2012, 01:56 PM

isk.. mana ada gado. cam ko cakap la.. basically memberi penerangan secara tegas yang mudah untuk difahami.
he he he... pasal kes tuh, itu dah off topic sangat dah. tapi berita tuh memang teruk lah. memang tak patut...


alamak... do low-tech la. relax only ma...

hehe, no worries. im not in a flame-mode anyway. just basically explaining to her in a way that easily for her and anyone else to see the picture.
btw, since u've experience with cannister filter, then nothing much la. for rm300 budget, u can scrapped away my suggestion for eheim. LOL!!! it's totally out even 2nd hand. i am not really sure fluval or china brand can get or not in that price but as long the flowrate minimum 150l/hour and above, you should be good.

i personally never used fluval but i dont mind go for china brand anyway... in fact, 2 of my tanks is using china filter and so far okay. hahahaha.... (no money also for all eheim).

This post has been edited by usermode: Feb 11 2012, 03:19 PM

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!!!