Planted Tank without fish

[Cornstar]

From what I understand, sometimes fish poop is a source of nutrients for plants to grow and develop.

I recently removed my neon tetras from my 10g tank because I think they were preventing my RCS from breeding. Well now my 10g tank only has RCS and MTS.

My plants consists of some anubias, some java fern, a lot of java moss, wisteria and some other random plants. I was wondering what I should do to promote my plants from growing without using C02 or any additives.

 

[Coursair]

Dose Seachem Flourish Comprehensive 1x weekly after PWCs and all should be well. It won't hurt your Shrimpz or Snails. Ferts are much better than fish poop anyway. I don't use CO2 in my shrimp tank.
Feeding time 10g Shrimp Jungle - YouTube

You can add root tabs for stem plants or Swords or Crypts. I did.

 

[Cornstar]

What I meant was, would the plants survive without the flourish?

 

[Coursair]

What I meant was, would the plants survive without the flourish?

Not well. They need some food. Weekly PWCs will help also. Why avoid Flourish Comp. ? It's not expensive on a smaller tank. It won't hurt your Shrimp. It's only 1x weekly during regular maintenance. It's not a big deal.

You can try without, but watch out if plants die they can foul your water and kill your Shrimp.

 

[Cornstar]

Oh ok, thanks I'll look into it. I also heard about Excel? Which is better?

 

[Link119]

Excel is just a replacement for CO2, i dont think it serves as a fert...

 

[fort384]

Excel is a source of carbon, not necessarily a replacement for CO2.

Flourish Excel is glutaraldehye, where as flourish comprehensive is a trace/K mix. You may find a need to dose something with a little more KNO3 as a source of Nitrogen as the tank matures.

 

[Cornstar]

I am a bit confused but I suppose flourish comp is better.

I am a bit confused with what fort384 said in regards to more KNO3 and N and tank maturing.

 

[fort384]

It isn't a question of better or worse, they are 2 completely different things.

Excel is a source of Carbon.

Comprehensive is a source of trace elements and potassium mostly, with a little Nitrogen.

Since you will have an extremely minimal bioload with just shrimp in the tank, eventually your plants will use up all of the available nitrogen in the tank (this is one of the main elements provided by fish waste/respiration). At that point, you may need to supplement the available nitrogen by adding KNO3 (Potassium nitrate) or Flourish N.

 

[Cornstar]

Oh, I understood the part with the differntiation, I was just confused by the chemistry.

I currently have some kribensis babies about 8 weeks. Would it be safe to put a few in the tank? In regards to will the kribensis eat the shrimps and help increase my nitrogen level.

 

[Coursair]

Oh, I understood the part with the differntiation, I was just confused by the chemistry.

I currently have some kribensis babies about 8 weeks. Would it be safe to put a few in the tank? In regards to will the kribensis eat the shrimps and help increase my nitrogen level.

Kribs would love to eat your shrimp

I don't dose Excel in my Shrimp tanks. Just basic Ferts like Flourish or Leaf Zone.

 

[Cornstar]

Even baby kribensis? They are really small though. What fish would I be able to put in my tank that would not eat my shrimps and increase the Nitrogen level?

I plan to take out the kribensis after a few weeks.

 

[Coursair]

Even baby kribensis? They are really small though. What fish would I be able to put in my tank that would not eat my shrimps and increase the Nitrogen level?

I plan to take out the kribensis after a few weeks.

If their mouths are tiny enough, they may be ok. But they may also harass your shrimp?

This is my tank:
http://youtu.be/aptmdICahvM

CPDs Safe with adult shrimp
Threadfin Rainbows, totally safe so far
Otos, safe
Scarlet Badis, eats babies
C. habrosus, seem totally safe

 

[Coursair]

Most of your plants are super hardy. Let your Shrimp breed a lot, then add fish. I waited till I had 100 RCS before adding fish. I had Otos and MTS.

 

[Cornstar]

I added 7 baby kribensis in there, their mouths are really small so I hope its ok. If there is lower amount of rcs, I am going to remove them and maybe add a oto or threadfin rainbow.

 

[Cornstar]

Ok, here is another alternative that I just thought about.

Instead of having fish in the tank, would it be ok if I take out water from my main tank with about 50 baby kribensis, 1 fancy pleco, a pair of kribensis and put it in my 10g weekly as water changes. Would that solve the nitrogen issue?

 

[Cornstar]

To clarify

Every time I change my water from my 55g I find some ammonia and nitrate, would putting that water in there be same as having the nutrients from the fish?

 

[Coursair]

Sorry, I stopped answering because I felt like you weren't listening. Never add Ammonia to a Shrimp tank or fish tank. !!!

High TDS or Ammonia can kill your Shrimp
High TDS ( total dissolved solids ) may also stop RCS breeding.

Either try as is or try ferts. That was my answer a while back.

 

[Cornstar]

I apologize but I didn't get that from earlier posts. In this case I just want to confirm that adding ferts and seachem flourish comp. would suffice right?

 

[Coursair]

I apologize but I didn't get that from earlier posts. In this case I just want to confirm that adding ferts and seachem flourish comp. would suffice right?

Flourish ( comp) are ferts
Root tabs are slow release ferts that you bury in the substrate. I use both. But not Flourish Excel. ( Carbon). Plants love Excel, but I lost Shrimp so I avoid it.

Flourish N may be needed later.

You can get them all online if needed.