2.5 gallon -Endless Algae- 2/5/12 algae rescape

[xenxes]

Very nice habitat

[Monster Fish]

Originally Posted by Geniusdudekiran

Not bad! Have the shrimp bred?

Nah not yet. Haven't seen any berries. I am going to try lowering the salinity at the next water change and see how it goes. Also order some powdered spirulina and supplement their feeding.

Originally Posted by xenxes

Very nice habitat

Thanks!

[Monster Fish]

Did a water change, cleaned out the filter (and found a shrimp living off the biofilm in it), and rescaped the tank.



Decided to divide the tank to half rockwork, half algae and keep the center open for feeding.




I took out the hair algae, rolled it into a ball with my hands, and cut it up with some scissors to get the fluffy effect.




Algae clouds.




Added more lava rocks to the otherside of the tank to increase the places they could hide and possibly breed.

Other than that, I removed the heater from the tank since it stopped working. I can't really rely on Hydro Mini Heaters for consistent heating (this is the third that has died on me).

Anyways I reduced the salinity and specific gravity from 26 ppt and 1.019 to 17 ppt and 1.012. The temperature is currently 73 degrees but fluctuates depending on how long the light is on. I would test the other params but I am not sure if the freshwater master kit would work in brackish/salt water.




One last pic taken during the daytime.

[xenxes]

LOL it's like a toxic gas cloud of ALGAE!!!

[skindy]

I loveee the hair algae. It looks so fluffy - I kind of want to run my fingers through it, haha! Beautiful!

[ferretowner96]

I have more of that stuff if you want it! I had a 55 gallon with and boy did it grow fast! I do like the looks of it. the shrimp oughta like that!

[diwu13]

Looks like a scene from "The Mist". Hair algae in that amount looks CRAZY out of the water. I never knew they would have cotton candy consistency.

Will you get another heater for the tank? Maybe one of those reptile ones that you can rest the tank on?

[Monster Fish]

Originally Posted by xenxes

LOL it's like a toxic gas cloud of ALGAE!!!

Lol I was trying to go for that look.

Originally Posted by skindy

I loveee the hair algae. It looks so fluffy - I kind of want to run my fingers through it, haha! Beautiful!

But it's very coarse and slippery. Thanks!

Originally Posted by ferretowner96

I have more of that stuff if you want it! I had a 55 gallon with and boy did it grow fast! I do like the looks of it. the shrimp oughta like that!

Lol. Thanks. Yeah, the shrimp are constantly swimming in and out of the "toxic gas cloud".

Originally Posted by diwu13

Looks like a scene from "The Mist". Hair algae in that amount looks CRAZY out of the water. I never knew they would have cotton candy consistency.

Will you get another heater for the tank? Maybe one of those reptile ones that you can rest the tank on?

Lol I wish it was cotton candy so I could eat it. As for another heater, I am probably not gonna be adding a new one. The room temperature stays in the lower 70's during the day and the light over the tank bumps the temp up maybe a degree or two up. Also the desk the tank is on sits right next to a heater for those really cold days. Besides, from what I've read, fluctuating temperatures might help them get into a breeding mood.

[diwu13]

Did you ever see "The Mist" movie? If not you should consider watching it just because of your tank :P

[Monster Fish]

Originally Posted by diwu13

Did you ever see "The Mist" movie? If not you should consider watching it just because of your tank :P

Lol I saw it a while back. It kinda does, though I wish I had some bigger shrimp coming out of the algae clouds.

[diwu13]

You should put one of these babies in there: http://www.grindtv.com/outdoor/blog/...f+new+zealand/

[Monster Fish]

I'd rather eat those giant amphipods. Toss em in a pot of boiling water for a few minutes and serve with some butter and lemon.

[xenxes]

Mmm yummy. I wonder what they taste like too.

Can I get some advice about starting an opae ula habitat? You're using BBQ volcanic rocks? Like from the outdoors section at Home Depot / Walmart? And how did you get so much algae to grow? Just left the light on or did you have a starting portion? Also what do you use to test salinity? Never done salt water.

Thinking of adding nerites to mine too hoping they'll breed and hatch. I'm surprised there aren't more people with opae ula tanks.

[diwu13]

Xenxes I was actually going to refer you Monsterfish lol. http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/sh...e-what-do.html

[Monster Fish]

Originally Posted by xenxes

Mmm yummy. I wonder what they taste like too.

Can I get some advice about starting an opae ula habitat? You're using BBQ volcanic rocks? Like from the outdoors section at Home Depot / Walmart? And how did you get so much algae to grow? Just left the light on or did you have a starting portion? Also what do you use to test salinity? Never done salt water.

Thinking of adding nerites to mine too hoping they'll breed and hatch. I'm surprised there aren't more people with opae ula tanks.

Posted the answers to your questions in your thread.