strawberrycake
Aquarium Advice Newbie
- Joined
- Dec 10, 2017
- Messages
- 3
Could Pothos outcompete beneficial bacteria (sponge filter) in a shrimp only tank and cause a potential mini-cycle in the future?
Initial reasoning for adding Pothos:
(1) Aesthetics
(2) Soak up specifically nitrates ((The more I think about it, Pothos could potentially cause other issues listed below)).
Main Concern:
(A) Beneficial Bacteria - Would they starve with Pothos present? If Pothos is such a nutrient hog, could Pothos potentially be detrimental to a shrimp only tank given the fact that shrimps have a low bioload. Could Pothos starve the beneficial bacteria? I have read plants do have a potential preference for ammonia/ammonium, which in turn would decrease the amount of food source for my beneficial bacteria in my sponge filter.
(B) Biofilm - Would Pothos potentially decrease the amount of biofilm present for my shrimps? Background. I did read about biofilm being a collection build up of bacteria and organic matter or something to that effect. If Pothos have the potential to "starve" the bacteria of nutrient, hypothetically, could the beneficial biofilm also decrease?
(C) Algae - I have also seen the effects of Pothos outcompeting algae for nutrients (youtube videos). Rachel O'leary had her algae completely eliminated in her Gar tank by adding Pothos. Could Pothos eventually also outcompete (not only the beneficial bacteria) but algae as well? .... thus decreasing the amount of algae as a food source for shrimps?
(D) Could the removal of all Pothos (after it's been part of the tank for several months) result in a mini-cycle in the future?
I'm at a crossroad. Should keep the pothos or completely remove the pothos?
Regime: Feedings once per week on football Sundays (veggie calcium pellet the size of two or three small sand grain). And absolutely nothing on Monday through Saturday. Replenish evaporated water on Sunday with Prime treated tap water. 20% water change 1st of the month.
Tank: Approximately 7 gallon cube (12x12x15(height). Java Moss (or whatever type moss it is). Petco black gravel substrate 1-2 centimeter, barely covering the bottom of the tank. Didn't want too much, gas pocket prevention. Photoperiod of only approximately 3 hours. 13 watt CFL 6500k. Energy bill was high at around 10 hours per day, so I'm dropping it to 1-2hr per day. Also thinking about going LED with a lower wattage, potentially. Red Cherry Shrimp Tank has been up and running for about a year. I haven't actually tested the water parameter. I still need to get me some of those test strips. TDS: 250 approximate. Yes, I know I probably should get some immediately.
Initial reasoning for adding Pothos:
(1) Aesthetics
(2) Soak up specifically nitrates ((The more I think about it, Pothos could potentially cause other issues listed below)).
Main Concern:
(A) Beneficial Bacteria - Would they starve with Pothos present? If Pothos is such a nutrient hog, could Pothos potentially be detrimental to a shrimp only tank given the fact that shrimps have a low bioload. Could Pothos starve the beneficial bacteria? I have read plants do have a potential preference for ammonia/ammonium, which in turn would decrease the amount of food source for my beneficial bacteria in my sponge filter.
(B) Biofilm - Would Pothos potentially decrease the amount of biofilm present for my shrimps? Background. I did read about biofilm being a collection build up of bacteria and organic matter or something to that effect. If Pothos have the potential to "starve" the bacteria of nutrient, hypothetically, could the beneficial biofilm also decrease?
(C) Algae - I have also seen the effects of Pothos outcompeting algae for nutrients (youtube videos). Rachel O'leary had her algae completely eliminated in her Gar tank by adding Pothos. Could Pothos eventually also outcompete (not only the beneficial bacteria) but algae as well? .... thus decreasing the amount of algae as a food source for shrimps?
(D) Could the removal of all Pothos (after it's been part of the tank for several months) result in a mini-cycle in the future?
I'm at a crossroad. Should keep the pothos or completely remove the pothos?
Regime: Feedings once per week on football Sundays (veggie calcium pellet the size of two or three small sand grain). And absolutely nothing on Monday through Saturday. Replenish evaporated water on Sunday with Prime treated tap water. 20% water change 1st of the month.
Tank: Approximately 7 gallon cube (12x12x15(height). Java Moss (or whatever type moss it is). Petco black gravel substrate 1-2 centimeter, barely covering the bottom of the tank. Didn't want too much, gas pocket prevention. Photoperiod of only approximately 3 hours. 13 watt CFL 6500k. Energy bill was high at around 10 hours per day, so I'm dropping it to 1-2hr per day. Also thinking about going LED with a lower wattage, potentially. Red Cherry Shrimp Tank has been up and running for about a year. I haven't actually tested the water parameter. I still need to get me some of those test strips. TDS: 250 approximate. Yes, I know I probably should get some immediately.