Quick Questions. PLEASE REPLY!

[GodFan]

Ok so tomorrow I am going to the pet store to get some fish and shrimp. My 20 gallon tall is already cycled (got fish in it now that are going to the LFS) I am buying 12 pygmy cories, 3 otos, and a couple shrimp (hopefully berried!) My questions are:
1) Does Ocean Nutrition food have copper in it?
2) Do I need to add calcium for the shrimp and if so how?
3) If my ph is 6.0 will shrimp survive
4) Will any of these fish clean my PFS of green algae?

I also plan on getting a couple MTS. Please reply so I know this stuff for tomorrow!
Thanks and God bless!​

 

[GodFan]

Also can I add live plants? how can I be certain they are safe from the LFS for my fish and shrimp?

 

[abrahamavelar]

Rinse the plants really good on some tank water and acclimate them b4 hand tho also dont add too many fish at once ur bacteria needs to adjust

 

[abrahamavelar]

I usually try ti add plants while doin a pwc

 

[adammorrill]

if those are the only fish you are getting they are all bottom dwelling fish, do you want that???

 

[GodFan]

Ok you have to acclimate plants? I always just threw them in! My LFS doesnt send them with water in the bag anyway! Also I already have some fish that the petstore will be taking and I will replace those with new fish. So my bioload shouldnt change to much except it might get lighter.

 

[jetajockey]

Ok so tomorrow I am going to the pet store to get some fish and shrimp. My 20 gallon tall is already cycled (got fish in it now that are going to the LFS) I am buying 12 pygmy cories, 3 otos, and a couple shrimp (hopefully berried!) My questions are:
1) Does Ocean Nutrition food have copper in it?
2) Do I need to add calcium for the shrimp and if so how?
3) If my ph is 6.0 will shrimp survive
4) Will any of these fish clean my PFS of green algae?

I also plan on getting a couple MTS. Please reply so I know this stuff for tomorrow!
Thanks and God bless!​

1. Don't know, never used it, but probably not. People tend to go overboard on the copper thing, lots of foods and ferts have trace amounts of copper. Copper is essential for life in trace amounts, so it has everything to do with concentration rather than presence.

2. Not really, but you can supplement them if you really want to. Some people use everything from plain Tums ( i dont recommend that) to crushed calcium pills, I usually just add a sprinkle of dolomite every now and again. I probably wouldn't mess with it unless you see an issue arising because of it.

3. Yeah, they actually do well in slightly acidic water. However, if the water is lacking buffers I would add something to boost the gh/kh a bit.

4. Maybe, it just depends on the type of algae and how fast it is being created. Manual removal and finding the source of the algae growth is the best method.


You can add live plants, and it'll work out fine if your lights can support them.

You can't be certain they are any safer for the fish and shrimp than...well, the fish and shrimp. They all come from the same LFS probably so I wouldn't worry about QTing them. If you mean plant toxicity, I don't know of any common aquatic plants that are toxic to fish or shrimp.

 

[picture_117]

Ok so tomorrow I am going to the pet store to get some fish and shrimp. My 20 gallon tall is already cycled (got fish in it now that are going to the LFS) I am buying 12 pygmy cories, 3 otos, and a couple shrimp (hopefully berried!) My questions are:
1) Does Ocean Nutrition food have copper in it?
2) Do I need to add calcium for the shrimp and if so how?
3) If my ph is 6.0 will shrimp survive
4) Will any of these fish clean my PFS of green algae?

I also plan on getting a couple MTS. Please reply so I know this stuff for tomorrow!
Thanks and God bless!

1- a quick google search of that will bring the results.
2- I don't believe shrimp need calcium, the snails might and you use cuddle bone for that.
3- it should be fine for them, just dont try to adjust it with chemicals.
4-the shrimp and ottos might eat some depending on the kind of algae. Green algae will be eaten by ottos but there is a variety of algae.

For plants you can add them whenever, just try to rid them of pests, clean them in tank water from a water change.

 

[abrahamavelar]

Ok you have to acclimate plants? I always just threw them in! My LFS doesnt send them with water in the bag anyway! Also I already have some fish that the petstore will be taking and I will replace those with new fish. So my bioload shouldnt change to much except it might get lighter.

Ya just float them for like ten to fifteen min and after that add a little bit of water every 5 min so they get used to that water with out getting shocked due to different water qualities and temp

 

[jetajockey]

Ya just float them for like ten to fifteen min and after that add a little bit of water every 5 min so they get used to that water with out getting shocked due to different water qualities and temp

Plants?

Just plant them, they are plants.

 

[GodFan]

Ok I will try and remember everyone lol Yes for now I want the bottom dwellers (long story)
Thanks for the replies. What is cuttlebone and where do I get it?
How do I know if there is a problem arising from lack of calcium?

 

[picture_117]

It's just the white bone used for birds. Pet stores, Walmart. I just take a small piece and add it to the tank over night. As Jetajockey has said there is also calcium pills.
The shell of the snails will sometimes crack or break.

 

[GodFan]

Also will RCS eat regular flake food/algae wafers?

 

[GodFan]

It's just the white bone used for birds. Pet stores, Walmart. I just take a small piece and add it to the tank over night. As Jetajockey has said there is also calcium powder.
The shell of the snails will sometimes crack or break.

Thanks

 

[picture_117]

Also will RCS eat regular flake food/algae wafers?

From what I've seen Jetajockey is the person to ask about the shrimp

 

[jetajockey]

I'd be more concerned about pH stability from lack of buffers. Regularly test your pH and see if it swings at all, if it does then start adding a gh/kh booster, which usually has ca/mg in it (which also takes care of the calcium issue). You could test your gh/kh outright if you have a test kit for it, but evidence of an unstable pH is enough for me to add a small amount of booster.

And yeah, shrimp eat anything you give them. Use a high quality pellet and you can get an idea of how much they are consuming, plus your myriad of bottom feeders will appreciate it.

 

[GodFan]

I'd be more concerned about pH stability from lack of buffers. Regularly test your pH and see if it swings at all, if it does then start adding a gh/kh booster, which usually has ca/mg in it (which also takes care of the calcium issue). You could test your gh/kh outright if you have a test kit for it, but evidence of an unstable pH is enough for me to add a small amount of booster.

And yeah, shrimp eat anything you give them. Use a high quality pellet and you can get an idea of how much they are consuming, plus your myriad of bottom feeders will appreciate it.

I dont have a test kit but my ph has been stable judging by the health of the tank inhabitants as of right now. I had a disaster once because of my stupid LFS... I will be buying a test kit when I get my new tank

 

[jetajockey]

Just because the fish are doing well doesn't mean the pH is stable. A natural 6.0 ph, to me, means the water is really soft, and probably low in buffers. That said, it wouldn't hurt to buffer it, even a little, to get more around neutral. Just my opinion though. It'll be much easier to make adjustments once you have the ability to test regularly.

 

[GodFan]

Just because the fish are doing well doesn't mean the pH is stable. A natural 6.0 ph, to me, means the water is really soft, and probably low in buffers. That said, it wouldn't hurt to buffer it, even a little, to get more around neutral. Just my opinion though. It'll be much easier to make adjustments once you have the ability to test regularly.

yea. Would a little crushed coral in the filter be good? And does it require any special care? I could get some tomorrow while Im out. It wont make the ph change alot will it? I want to have a community tank eventually so if it puts the ph out of normal range I cant do it.

 

[jetajockey]

I'm not sure what you mean by normal range. With a 6.0 pH I would be more concerned about having a potential biofilter crash. Adding a buffer doesn't necessarily skyrocket the pH unless you are putting a ton of it in. I don't use crushed coral so I can't really say how much you'd want to use.

I usually just add dolomite powder when I'm dosing ferts.