Zach's 10 gallon transformation

[zach_1_6]

Well, I have been absent from the forum for quite some time and I'm ready to get back into it.
Long story short I raised my girlfriends fry in a standard 10 gallon and I've decided now that the fry are gone I would like to try a medium to high tech nano shrimp build.

I am moving back to school in less than two weeks and thought it would be a good time to do so, so as is my tank has 15-20 adult blue velvet shrimp with countless shrimplets with a pair of oto's and an abundance of pesky snails. Plants as of now are dwarf sage, naja grass, java fern and java moss sitting in regular gravel with a piece of driftwood. Lights are a diy 2 x 23 watt 6500k cfl fixture with white paint being the only reflector. Ferts are only excel if I remember to dose before I leave or work. Filter is a tetra whisper 10 hob I think... Not sure but it does the job and a simple 50 watt heater. I don't mind this set up but again I want to challenge myself to something a little harder.

I have at my disposal:

-Fluval stratum substrate (should have bought aquasoil but in canada it is quite hard to come by)
-Same filter/lights/heater
-Pressurized co2
-Iwigumi style rocks not sure the exact kind
-same stock

Future plants would be an HC carpet up front with blyxa around back and I'll try this unknown plant I currently have (started a new thread to figure out the ID)

That is basically it for now I'll post some pictures so you all can see the tank before and during the steps to a complete overhaul!!


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[Fishperson]

Are you going with dry fertilizer? That lighting sounds good for medium light, perhaps more.

 

[zach_1_6]

I'm leaning towards dry ferts but I've never used them, all information is welcomed!


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[zach_1_6]

I'm leaning towards dry ferts but I've never used them before, not really sure where to begin with them. All information is welcomed


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[zach_1_6]

I feel like I am over thinking things:

I am moving to a city where a lfs tested the water at ph:8.3 kh/gh:14 I think it was. I was planning to mix half and half tap water to RO. I know my shrimp can tolerate a variety of parameters but what about the plants I plan to use? Will injecting co2 with the substrates (limited) buffering cause too much of a ph swing for the shrimp? I want this to be a planted tank WITH shrimp, not a shrimp tank with plants. I understand co2 affects shrimplets and that fine with me. Will the hob filter aid in a large ph swing? I will be keeping the water topped up with RO constantly to reduce out gassing of the co2 as much as possible.


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[zach_1_6]

Picked up some dry ferts today both macro and micro for EI dosing. Is my idea of going 50/50 RO/tap water seem like a bad one? 8.3 ph with 14+ kh/gh seem a little high for my liking.


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[Fishperson]

I would. Sounds like awfully hard water.

 

[zach_1_6]

As of now I have a kh of 3 gh of 5 and I haven't tested ph but it's definitely lower then 8. Would oh swings be an issue due to co2 in my case?


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[Fishperson]

As of now I have a kh of 3 gh of 5 and I haven't tested ph but it's definitely lower then 8. Would oh swings be an issue due to co2 in my case?


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Thats with the RODI right?

I don't think so but it really depends. I haven't had an issue and my water is as soft as that.

 

[zach_1_6]

That's with the 50/50 mix and whatever the substrate buffers it down to, I've heard 6.5 ph max buffering with 100% RODI.


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