Which Critters can help with excess plant debris

[jan4scuba]

Hi everyone
In the past this forum really stepped up help with any questions I've had. I'm counting on you guys again.

I finally finished fully planting my 9 gallon Eheim. There are about 15 varieties and because I like an overgrown look there's no bare substrate.

I now find a lot of dead plant matter building up. I know some is good when it breaks down but there's a lot. It's very difficult to vacuum without up rooting plants.

So I'm hoping you guys can tell me which bottom dwellers will eat this waste. When I go on the web there is an overwhelming amount of advice.

I'm hoping to hear a consensus from you guys and them I will take care of it.

Thanks for putting up with the long winded story. Picture attached.

Thanks
Jan


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[Rivercats]

You could do some shrimp but if your using a liquid carbon or pressured CO2 you have to be very careful as most shrimp I've found do not tolerate liquid carbons and are easily killed with CO2. In a planted tank you are going to have detritus.

 

[jan4scuba]

You could do some shrimp but if your using a liquid carbon or pressured CO2 you have to be very careful as most shrimp I've found do not tolerate liquid carbons and are easily killed with CO2. In a planted tank you are going to have detritus.

Thanks for the advice. I use 1 bubble p/s and I try to stay within the limits using a drop checker. BTW you have GREAT looking tanks.
J

 

[Rivercats]

Just watch your shrimp very carefully and I'd start out with some cheaper shrimp like Red Cherry Shrimp. If your running DIY CO2 I'd think about running an airstone during the night to help gass off the CO2. You also need to read up on the best gh and kh level for the type of shrimp you decide to keep.

 

[jan4scuba]

It's not DIY it's U-P. Aqua. I never heard abt an air stone at night. Doesn't that negate the co2 effect? What about some oto's. Or dwarf Cory's? I'm ready for fish but can't decide between school of small fish like CPD or a beautiful Betta. Do you know if I can have both with the Cory's or oto's.


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[Fishperson]

If you are running pressurized co2 cant you just have a timer and switch it off at night?

 

[Rivercats]

Plants respire CO2 at night so CO2 is not needed. I run CO2 to come on an hour before lights go on and go off an hour before lights turn off for the day. Since you don't have DIY you just need to turn it off.

If you want shrimp then I wouldn't do a betta. Oto's need to be in an established tank since their main diet is bio-film which tanks develop over time. They also eat diatoms and green dust algae. IMO only dwarf or pygmy cory's are suitable for a 9g tank. If you can't get those then two or possibly three tops of either Panda or Julii cory's might work but will also compete with the shrimp for food. IMO the best would be a nice group of CPD's, Chili rasbora's, or many other nano fish.

 

[jan4scuba]

Thanks rivercats. Nothing beats experience. It's appreciated

Jan

 

[jan4scuba]

Hi fishperson
There's no way to hook a timer up to my small CO2 tank. You need to manually turn off and on.


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[Fishperson]

Hi fishperson
There's no way to hook a timer up to my small CO2 tank. You need to manually turn off and on.


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Cant you use a converter or something? If not just turn it off manually. Some people leave it on 24/7

 

[Darkseid76]

Only other critters I can think of that will eat plant detritus are snails.


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[jan4scuba]

That seems to be a consensus. Snails shrimps and SAE. thanks everyone.


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