The Nursery

[Autumnsky]

The chemi Pure Elite does almost sound like it is idiot proof. Also Rachel O leary referenced a product which is a bulk filter sheet/cut to fit and it also sounds amazing, it absorbs the bad stuff and will have a color change to let you know what is the issue. Pretty basic name but I can't think of it right this second. Will have to go look it up.

 

[Autumnsky]

Poly filter is the trademark name.

 

[TMaier]

Poly filter is the trademark name.

I saw her video where she was using that but I thought it was ammonia absorbing? Time to go do some more reading.

 

[Fresh2o]

I saw her video where she was using that but I thought it was ammonia absorbing? Time to go do some more reading.

Yes. Quote from product description from Drs Foster & Smith:
"Multipurpose chemical filter media helps improve water quality and clarity

Highly adsorbent pads remove ammonia, heavy metals, phosphate, and more

Cut to any size or shape to fit any fresh or saltwater aquarium filter"

 

[TMaier]

Okie dokie.

So all 3 products sound awesome.
If they are all equally effective, which is the most cost effective?

 

[toolman]

Depends on cost Vs. length of use (if equal in effectiveness), have recharged my Purigen twice.

That being said I'm not sure it's as effective after repeated recharging. Maybe 2-3x than replace, but still researching this. I love the ability of Purigen to remove tannins from water.

 

[Fresh2o]

Pretty scary. I rinsed the heck out of it before I put it in the tank. But with cold water only. I saw a residue form on the top of the water after I removed the sand in a bucket. I have no idea for certain what it was exactly. But something was killing off shrimp.

Glad you got confirmation from another source. It is still popular in the hobby. If prepped properly then it is probably fine for use but that might depend on the sensitivity of the species.
I've seen FlipAquatics on social media; first time I've heard it mentioned here.

 

[TMaier]

Poly filter is the trademark name.

I ordered one sheet to give it a try. It should arrive about the time the carbon needs to come out.

I'm confused about the color changes though. As it ages it will darken and brown. But if chemicals are present does it turn different colors?

BTW still seeing casualties. I suspect I will loose all of them. I will wait 3 months and try again.

Honestly I guess the best advice anyone with a shrimp tank needs to know is LEAVE THE TANK ALONE.
So what if the sand is garnet. It's fine...

 

[Autumnsky]

I am so sorry to hear that Toni.

here is the link, read the "overview" for the color meanings
Aquarium Water Quality: Poly Filters Filter Media

 

[TMaier]

Thanks!

 

[TMaier]

I think the carbon is helping. I have 3 shrimp left and no one has died since I added the carbon. Thank you Autumnsky! I received the poly filter today and will swap out the carbon and the poly tomorrow.

So while gazing at the few remaining shrimp and baby snails. I am stunned to see a fry in the tank.

Fish be spontaneously popping up?! WTF

https://youtu.be/8xQ9cR3HK5w

About 2 weeks ago I trimmed the cambomba and put some in the shrimp tank. Is it possible the neons had spawned and I moved eggs into the tank?

 

[Autumnsky]

Heck yeah! A spawn egg moved perhaps.

Dang just 3 shrimp. Similarly I am aware of how messing with a tank will mess with the whole shrimp world. My Tangerine Tigers were going gang busters for awhile there and then after messing around with the tank and even for the first time selling a few off because there were a bunch - then losses down to less than 10, maybe 6-8. I think I saw a juvenile the other day though. It has happened over and over again for me, tank messing shy (vs. gun shy) at this point too.

But there is hope. They will reproduce and fortunately they aren't any of these shrimp valued in hundreds or thousands of dollars (some people are crazy to spend so much money, imo). And they can be restocked. Just so sad for such losses.

Even just changing tanks and keeping substrate, decorations and filter intack usually results in a period of time to get the little guys breeding well again. AKA happy.

This just means they must really rely on aufwuchs much more than I might have though about.

 

[TMaier]

I have never seen any fry in my main tank. I suspect eggs and fry would be easy pickings. This little guy only made it because there are no predators in the tank. Be curious to see if he survives and then later move him back to the main tank.

 

[Autumnsky]

Should survive upon return if it is big enough not to be food, lol!

I have just had an occasional fish baby survive in a community environment. Only one time I have realized a baby survived from egg layers, which was a Chili or Phoenix Rasbora. Only had purchased a certain number and then there was one more. The tank was pretty well overgrown probably how it survived.

Maybe try a couple little mini spawning mops to rotate in and out each few days just for a fun experiment. See if you can't collect and move more eggs and get more babies into your "nursery".

They are made of cotton string. The set up I thought was cool was a little wooden dowel across the tank hold the mops slide off, add another. You could color code them with the tie string so you could keep track of which was which pulled out of the tank when, time. That way they would have sufficient time to hatch before rotating back in for more egg laying.

Are there the rainbows in the tank the baby might have come from?

 

[TMaier]

Yep I have the 6 dwarf rainbows. But so far it just looks nondescript. I can't spot it today but there are lots of places to hide in that tank.

 

[nirbhao]

Is this tank drilled for the canister? I'm really curious about intakes right now.

 

[TMaier]

Not drilled. The in/out hoses are in the back with the intake sponge on the left and my spray bar on the right for output.

 

[nirbhao]

Oh nice. Do you get shimmer with your spray bar? That's my new ooooh pretty.

 

[TMaier]

Yep! I take some vid when I get home and post it.

 

[nirbhao]

Nice! I look forward to it.