FresH2O's Shrimp Tank

[KingKoopa512]

Awesome feed frenzy!!!! I use tap water with discus buffer should i switch to ro? Dont mean to jack ur thread.
Found 2 dead rcs

Sent from my LG-H634 using Tapatalk

 

[Fresh2o]

Awesome feed frenzy!!!! I use tap water with discus buffer should i switch to ro? Dont mean to jack ur thread.
Found 2 dead rcs

Sent from my LG-H634 using Tapatalk

Not a problem!
What is the GH, KH, and TDS of your tap water? Unless the first two are very low, the use of a discuss buffer might not be necessary. IMO buffers are better paired with RO. There is a GH booster popular with the shrimp keepers (can't recall the name of it).
Were the RCS dead shortly AFTER molting? That is what I observed in the early days in my tank. I think it was due to a calcium deficiency. Increased the calcium by using cuttlebone and Montmorrilonite calcium clay.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[KingKoopa512]

I woild assume so, found one in a crack of rock. I do seem them molting alot. Ill turn on the light for day an see the skin they shedded, seems like every morning i see it. My tap water which is austin water is very hard.

Sent from my LG-H634 using Tapatalk

 

[Fresh2o]

Molting is a good sign. If the water is too soft or too hard, then problems can occur during/after molting.
Adding a buffer to hard water sounds counterproductive. If anything, you might consider cutting the tap water with RO/DI. I would measure the GH, KH, and pH before you do anything.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[KingKoopa512]

Well it lowers my ph an kh gh. Going to lfs tom for new gh kh tester my little boy get into my storage an yea lol

Sent from my LG-H634 using Tapatalk

 

[KingKoopa512]

Also my tap water was reading ph of 7.8 almost 8

Sent from my LG-H634 using Tapatalk

 

[Fresh2o]

So I finally decided to play with the manual settings of the Finnex 24/7 remote. There are 4 memory settings. I set them to 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40%. I really don't need a lot of light for this tank. I am running the fixture at 40% for 8 hours. I will miss the sunrise and sunset. But if it leads to less hair algae, then it's worth it.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Caliban07]

So I finally decided to play with the manual settings of the Finnex 24/7 remote. There are 4 memory settings. I set them to 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40%. I really don't need a lot of light for this tank. I am running the fixture at 40% for 8 hours. I will miss the sunrise and sunset. But if it leads to less hair algae, then it's worth it.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

Does the manual give PAR ratings at each percentage?


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Fresh2o]

I don't recall if any PAR values were listed. I've read that the PAR at max is slightly greater than the PAR of the Finnex Planted+ (which is ~65 I believe at 12"). Based on this, it should be set at around 25-30 PAR. I'm going to see how quickly the hair algae grows under this setting. I should know in less than a week.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Caliban07]

So you are set at 25-30 now. Have you gone lower?


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Fresh2o]

So you are set at 25-30 now. Have you gone lower?


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

Funny you should ask. Last night I was staring at the tank trying to figure out how to deal with the hair algae (and browsing the Internet for solutions) and tried some of the other settings. I dropped it to 20% which should be roughly 8-10 PAR. It looked fine in the middle of the night but not sure how it will appear during daylight/evening hours.
I was also thinking how to make an effective algae "rake" for combing through the moss. Toothbrush is okay but I need actual tines to get deep into the clumps.
I'm addressing light as the primary cause for this and combined with physical removal I should be able to deal with this.
As for a non-fish biological control, I am not sure that Amano shrimp will do the job. The small clumps of moss (with some hair algae) that I moved to the planted tank are ignored by the Amano shrimp.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Caliban07]

I reckon hair algae and BBA will stick to one of these like glue with a few twists.



I know I keep rabbiting on but I think co2 is an issue in this tank. Hope reducing the light works for you though. ?


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Fresh2o]

Oh, I've used a pipe cleaner in the past. Highly effective but a pita (and I don't mean the flat bread) to clean. With the toothbrush, there is zero space between the bristles so the algae strands do not get caught up in it, just at the bristle tips.
Since it is a shrimp tank and has Excel/Glut sensitive plants (subwassertang and red moss), I am hesitant to using one of those products. Another pressurized CO2 rig is a bit spendy. I may try a citric acid based DIY CO2 setup (not too messy).
Right now I'm treating light as the gas pedal to the whole equation and letting up on that.
I did try a DIY tool (sorry no pic) I dubbed the "bear claw" which consisted of paper clips, rubber bands, and a short length of PVC trim. It pulled out hair algae but also large walnut sized chunks of moss. I went back to using a new toothbrush and pulled out a decent amount of algae plus stray moss:

Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Fresh2o]

Here is a tank update:

The Finnex 24/7 is running at about 20%. Keeping an eye on the growth of hair algae this week.
A few months back I picked up some very colorful RCS from a local fish club member and a pair of endler fry were included (were caught in the net). They were quite small at the time and so they lived in my shrimp tank. I never thought they would be a threat to the shrimp. They would eat crumbs of whatever the shrimp were munching on as well as random seed shrimp.
Tonight I saw the pair actively chasing an RCS juvie around the tank. This *might* explain why I have not see nearly hatched shrimp. Or if I did, they were no where to be found a week later.
I caught the endlers, drip acclimated, and introduced them into the planted tank. They were later swimming with the CPDs and embers.
So, hopefully I will see shrimp soon. There are a few berried shrimp running around and I'm optimistic.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[KingKoopa512]

Nice fresh. Switched up my eheim 6gl thought i lost a snowball shrimp foind hrs later with the other 2 lol

Sent from my LG-H634 using Tapatalk

 

[Autumnsky]

The tank looks good. It looks fresh and bright.

I have had little issue with algae overall and I am thinking it is because I always have lower to mid light but keep it on a long time and try to do the photo period rest or siesta as it is sometimes referred to for a couple hours or more mid day.

Now there was an excellent argument presented by Caliban about how it is not beneficial to use a rest period if you are using CO2.

As an over feeder (myself) who has plenty of algae fodder in the water column, creating an easy target for algae, I feel it has been seemingly working in my numerous tanks with no CO2, no Glut. One more possibility for you to try maybe with lowering the light intensity. Not scientific though.

More light is the reason I have seen it really get growing. In my fish pond (long summer days) and tanks when I had to unexpectedly be away and the light was on for a couple to numerous days at a time.

The Cherry Shrimp are looking nice. It is good news that you caught the Endlers in the act and removed them. So many fish eat little fish tank creatures, like shrimp babies! Food in the food chain. I had Sundadanios "Neon Blue" and was told they wouldn't eat shrimp. Well maybe not the full grown shrimp but babies were fair game!

Looking forward to seeing how the results of the algae (not) growing test comes out ths week.

 

[Wy Renegade]

Hey Fresh, tank looks nice as always! Not to highjack the thread, but any tips on the subwassertang? I finally found a source for my paludarium. Also, has any of yours ever gone emergent? I've read that it will grow out of the water.

 

[Fresh2o]

Hey Fresh, tank looks nice as always! Not to highjack the thread, but any tips on the subwassertang? I finally found a source for my paludarium. Also, has any of yours ever gone emergent? I've read that it will grow out of the water.

No problem!
When I first got some subwassertang, it fragmented into dozens of pieces. The fragments eventually grew into decent size pieces. IME it does not require a lot of light. I have some in a high tech setup with med-high light, ferts, and CO2 and some in a low tech, no CO2/ferts. Both are growing well.
One thing I have heard (but have not tested) is that it is sensitive to Excel or Glutaraldehyde. Since it is an algae, I suppose H2O2 might not be a good idea.
I do have a few fragments growing in a terrarium. They produce numerous hair like roots on the underside of the "leaves". I believe high humidity is key to keeping it from drying out.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Wy Renegade]

No problem!
When I first got some subwassertang, it fragmented into dozens of pieces. The fragments eventually grew into decent size pieces. IME it does not require a lot of light. I have some in a high tech setup with med-high light, ferts, and CO2 and some in a low tech, no CO2/ferts. Both are growing well.
One thing I have heard (but have not tested) is that it is sensitive to Excel or Glutaraldehyde. Since it is an algae, I suppose H2O2 might not be a good idea.
I do have a few fragments growing in a terrarium. They produce numerous hair like roots on the underside of the "leaves". I believe high humidity is key to keeping it from drying out.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

Awesome thanks much, always great to get firsthand info. Just a FYI for you, for what its worth. I've seen it called everything from an algae to a moss to a liverwort, turns out it is actually a fern gametophyte, scientific classification is Lomariopsis cf. lineata. Thanks again

 

[Carriwin]

Fresh, you have a beautiful tank!