This is my first attempt at a bowl. I got the plants off of a member here and just wanted to see what I can do. I have never worked with live plants before but wanted to try.
My plant list;
Crypt Wendti
Hygro Sunset
Java Moss
Java Fern
Salvinia
Substrate is 1" Miracle Grow Organic Potting Mix and .5" play sand. For a light I'm using a 23w 6500k cfl. I might go with a smaller wattage bulb depending on algae. I have been doing 50% water changes everyday since I set the tank up last Wednesday.
Plans are to let the bowl fill in then add son red cherry shrimp but, in no hurry to do that now.
That's very cool. How big is that jar? Approximately a gallon? or bigger? Really would like to try that myself and just curious of shrimp would need a heater in the winter.
Bowls like this can't carry a heavy bioload without filtration, but well planted with regular wc they can easily support snails, shrimp and some small fish.
My largest no-tech tank is a 3g moderately planted vase that's home to a hundred or more pond and rams horn snails, 3 ghost shrimp and 4 "cobra" endlers (guppy/endler hybrid).
My smallest is a 4.5" diameter wineglass with hc, xmas moss, a couple tiny ramshorns, a med sized pond snail, and 3x cherry shrimp. (Okay, the *smallest* is actually a 1" x1" x 2.5" planted acrylic box, but I don't tend to count that as "stocked" as it only has 2 tiny ramshorn snails.)
Thanks everyone for the compliment. Its been less then a week and I am seeing some growth out of the plants. BTW, I picked this jar up at Walmart for around $10.00. I originally used it for a Betta.
Sashawins- The bowl is a 2 gallon but, with everything in there I say somewhere around 1.5 gallons. I'm under the impression shrimp like it in the low 70's. When I get ready to put shrimp in there I will look into it more. Right now I just want the plants to fill in
zankotsu- There is no mechanical filtration in this bowl. The plants will be the filter for the livestock. This bowl might be to small for fish. I didn't plan on adding fish. From my research shrimp seem to have a really low bio load and would be perfect for a bowl like this. Here is a thread on a similiar bowl that has a wealth of info. If you want to set something up.
I have been doing daily water changes of 50% on this tank. I haven't been testing water quality but for right I don't plan on adding fauna. Should I continue doing the water changes? or slow it down a little?
It looks like a good start. I like it. An industrious use of space.:smile:
Just watch out for that Hygro "Sunset" it is very much a weed and will out-compete the other plants for every nessessity. At least thats my experience over the past 9 months growing it. Also, watch your lighting. If you start to see algea growth raise up your light source or cut back on lighting hours.
Keep at it. Shrimp are awesome to keep by the way, so much personality.
Thanks
I have already changed lighting some. I had the lights on 12 to 14 hours a day. the last couple of days only had them for 10 hours. I need to pick up a timer for the bowl. I turn the light at 7AM. When I get home at 5Pm Im turning the lights off. I don't really get to enjoy it with the light on. My goal is to let the plants take the bowl over then I will add some shrimp.
It looks like a good start. I like it. An industrious use of space.:smile:
Just watch out for that Hygro "Sunset" it is very much a weed and will out-compete the other plants for every nessessity. At least thats my experience over the past 9 months growing it. Also, watch your lighting. If you start to see algea growth raise up your light source or cut back on lighting hours.
Keep at it. Shrimp are awesome to keep by the way, so much personality.
Thanks for the timer idea. I live right next to a Target and didn't think of them.
I do get a sheen on the surface if I go 2 or 3 days without a water change. The DW is leeching and turning the water brown so I do a partial WC every 2 days.
Just so I'm reading this right, I trim the roots of the plant and not the leaf.
I took this pic on 10/8/12. The Hygro and Savinia have really taken off. I lost the Crypts. I don't know but think the Saviania filled in the top so the light was really blocked out from getting into the tank. I have been clearing out the surface to make sure the light gets in. I am planting some dwarf sag right now
I like the look of full jar. I will see how it goes and how healthy the plants look. I don't think I will add the floating plants.
Thanks for your help.
Haha wow that's pretty awesome. I bet it looks better in person. Are you adding any ferts or just doing water changes? I'm curious about your maintenance routine. Keep up the good work!!
Thanks Disher! No ferts worry about it affrecting the shrimp just doing water changes. I do partial w/c every 5 days and take out about 40%. I did have some issues with algae early on but it seems to be non existent right now. I think it has filled in so much the lights not an issue. I run the light 8 hours a day and split the time. I run 10 AM till 2 PM then 6 PM to 10 PM.
I am trying to get a better pic I am horrible at taking pictures.
Thanks, I haven't bred any shrimp yet. There is a big fish meet coming up soon Im hoping to get some more RCS. How many shrimp do you think I should go with to get a good mix of male and females?
It was your bowl thread that made me start mine. I was a little nervous about my not filling in but it came around I guess.
I'd get around 7 cherry shrimp, unless you can pick and choose which shrimp you will be buying. if you get to pick, and if the shrimp offered are adults, you can easily just snag 2 males and 2 females and be set for breeding them. but otherwise 7 small juvies should give you a decent chance of getting what you need. yes this jar looks really nice and full now, and as long as the plants are healthy and growing, its definitely ready for shrimp. you will want around 5-7 adult shrimp in here max.
The plants look healthy but I did have an issue where some of the leaves on the hygro had holes in them. I removed what I could and the plant itself looks fine. Is it possible some sort of deficiencyin nutrients or lack of lights?
This was happening really low on the plant stem. I had some salvinia in the jar but removed the majority of it for lighting purposes.
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