i think its the o-ring issue... need to get thicker ones...

I also had a few incidents using the separate solenoid and a manual regulator. i tried 2 methods :
1) link it with high pressure tube (those industrial use blue colour type)
2) link it with bolts n nuts
end results was not satisfying. no1 made the solenoid stuck. i think the tube got too cold from the constant co2 coming into the solenoid. i was running about 3-4 bps.

no2 option made it stuck as well. i felt the linking nuts very cold too.

end up i use the manual regulator saje... only replaced the o-ring each alternate time i refill the bottle (1 time per 2 refill). about rm3/pc.

hope above helps.

and yes, i also fully open the tank valve. if u open a bit also it will be same coz the air pressure will normalize anyhow.

Thanks jctasoga, looks like the regulator with attached solenoid is a winner here. :/

Yeah, this Intense cost me over RM4xx and that was some years back. The reason why I paid premium price was because I messed up the cheap (so-called) Up-Aqua regulator. So I thought get a good one - once and for all.

At first, Intense worked well. But on the first refill, the o-ring started to leak. So I changed the o-ring. It was an original ring, and it was like RM30 I think. the shop is Pets Wonderland Ikano.

A few days later, my tank went empty. So I refilled again, and few days later, empty again. A lot of troubleshooting, until I sent the whole CO2 tank with regulator back to the shop. They set it all up nicely for me. I happily take it back. And you guessed it, a few days later, tank empty again. Sent for warranty claims, came back 1 week later. Same thing.

Fed up. Bought an MD. Case closed. Been working fine for 8 months now.

The seller Algaefarmer advised me - I don't know true or not. He says this type of hand tighten regulators are prone to O-ring leakages. But MD is spannar tightened. The o-ring is about 1 cm thick. He says no leakages, so that was my story

funny though that Intense can have this kind of problem as it is suppose to be durable and top quality regulator.
gotta do more search and look for review on this regulator.

Hi all, for those who haven't get surface skimmer, you may try getting 2 to 3 guppy fishes in order to get rid of the oil film.

ewww, guppy.. haha, too colourful for my liking.

rm400 still using hand tighten?! i thought you gotta use a spanner to tighten it!! holy wow... i am really speechless... sure its better to use tools to tighten it otherwise sure leak lo..

Hey guys, would like to ask for some advice.. when starting to plant emersed method is there any way to mineralise the soil before planting? I want to take some plants and propagate do grow emersed, such as monte carlo etc...

Hey Fr0sty, just recently bought a huge patch of MC, I planted some extra MC with some left over ADA amazonia soil emersedly which is nutrient rich. I reckon you do need a have a good, nutrient rich soil because that's the only method your emersed plants will get its nutrient from. (whereas if submersed, the plant can get its nutrient via water column).

This post has been edited by artsyfarty: Dec 5 2015, 01:08 PM

can i know where you get this and the pricetag is?.

This post has been edited by usmanjailani: Dec 6 2015, 08:56 AM

guys, I'm thinking of switching filter, any recomendation for 60cm, 110L tank?

the chihiros jet filter?
maybe the 600 model since you have a two footer.
met edmund of shrimpoly and he quoted me RM1450 for the 600 model.
got to examine the 300 model and i have to admit, apart from the motor, the whole filter looked identical to ADA.
the build quality was superb and the clips on it were tough so i'd expect no water leakages.
and if you're worried about the motor, because apparently ADA uses Suzuki motor hence its reliability, i have seen other aquascapers change the motor to a Eheim universal pump like this

https://www.eheim.com/en_GB/products/techno.../universal-1200
so if you're worried about the motor replacement, not to worry, a solution is there already.

if not i saw xian long in shah alam had a sale on fluval canister filter and they prices were starting from around 360 for the 106 canister filter like this
http://www.fluvalaquatics.com/us/product/A...r/#.VmP7tCuUcUI



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too powerful, and too expensive

I bought it from china, so after agent fees and shipping, should be around rm30-40.

This post has been edited by artsyfarty: Dec 7 2015, 08:18 AM

instead of guppy, i suggest a black molly, who can try to break the film for you.

or why not just install a lily pipe? do a night aeration, better and a lot nicer for the tank right?

i would recommend eheim 2215 though =)

Hey tehoice, I'm currently using a lily pipe, is that one of the methods to diminish the thin oil film? I thought that's for producing oxygen during night time.

This post has been edited by artsyfarty: Dec 7 2015, 11:29 AM

lift your outflow pipe to half above the water level, after one night, the aeration would break the oil film, morning time move your lily pipe back down

but, would it reform the thin oil film during day time?

yea eheim classic 350 (2215), just what I have in mind.
wanted ecco pro 200, but the price...