CBS issues

[sbarbee54]

Males are aggressive and may attack baby shrimp or shrimp right after they molt. I have males who have done this


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[Soothing Shrimp]

Wow. I never knew that!

[mordalphus]

Males are aggressive overall, they eat aggressively and swim aggressively. They pay no heed to babies, and injure them probably without even realizing or noticing. An injured baby shrimp is a dead baby shrimp.

[Soothing Shrimp]

Amazing the stuff I learn here!

[sayurasem]

Originally Posted by mordalphus

Males are aggressive overall, they eat aggressively and swim aggressively. They pay no heed to babies, and injure them probably without even realizing or noticing. An injured baby shrimp is a dead baby shrimp.

Wow I never knew that!
But do you really physically remove the males for the time being? I mean it would be a pita. Plus while males are removed others females can't get berried. Plus what I notice about shrimp, females start berrying after one another like a chain reaction.

[mordalphus]

I have a separate tank for berried females and babies. I simply move berried females to a tank until they release young, then i put them back with the males so they can become berried again.

[dhgyello04]

Originally Posted by Soothing Shrimp

Why remove the males?

I am curious to... why?

[Soothing Shrimp]

look at post 18

[dhgyello04]

Originally Posted by Soothing Shrimp

Why remove the males?

I was wondering the same thing.... why?

[acitydweller]

Originally Posted by dhgyello04

I was wondering the same thing.... why?

See below:

Originally Posted by Soothing Shrimp

look at post 18

LOL

[dhgyello04]

Lol... I feel like a tool. Sorry I guess I should hit refresh more often.

[dhgyello04]

Ok everyone,
I need your expertise and hands on help. I have finally decided to start over on my CBS tank. Yes, I mean START OVER. I only have a few left from the 25 or so that I started with.

I need to rip this thing down to the bear glass and start from the beginning. I am too far into this project and way too obsessed with the CBS to stop.

So this is what I have as far as a blank canvas. I have a 20 gallon long with a standard (one bulb) T5 30” light. I have a small EHIEM canister filter, a Sponge filter ran off of a small power head, and a quiet flow HOB. Should I introduce an UGF to the mix? You and I can decide on which ones to use later. I would like to talk and ask about substrate. Which one is good for CBS? How do I prepare the substrate? How long does it need to soak before adding it to the tank?

Basically I am looking for a sample of your successful step by step in setting up and maintaining CBS or CRS. Please help and don’t worry about ranting on about detail. I need the help. Thanks so much.

Don

[Newman]

I'd use aquasoil as a substrate. you can go with UGF but personally I would just keep it simple and run the canister or a hob plus a sponge filter. try to overfilter it if you can.

if you choose aquasoil, you'll want to cycle it for a long while, until the ammonia stops leaching. its definitely worth it though because you will be able to grow really nice plants. the buffering is ideal for CBS too.

[dhgyello04]

Originally Posted by Newman

I'd use aquasoil as a substrate. you can go with UGF but personally I would just keep it simple and run the canister or a hob plus a sponge filter. try to overfilter it if you can.

if you choose aquasoil, you'll want to cycle it for a long while, until the ammonia stops leaching. its definitely worth it though because you will be able to grow really nice plants. the buffering is ideal for CBS too.

Thanks Newman,
I really appreciate your help. I was thinking about the aquasoil as well. I have a ton of questions so please bear with me.

Are there certain ones that work better or is it just a preference of color?

Do you need to rinse it first before you introduce it to the tank?

Is there a good place to get it?

Also should I re-plant the tank at the start of the tank or wait till it is done cycling?

Oh and another thing, should I use a fish to help cycle the soil or will the seeded filters do the trick to help with the ammonia?


Next subject….. Is a fast current bad for these shrimp? I have the canister filter outlet on a spray bar at the right side of the tank shooting at the surface of the water. Also the power head attached to the hydro sponge filter is in the left side of the tank shooting towards the right front of the tank. There is a slight terbulance in the middle of the tank. I started using the canister filter due to the HOB blasting a crater in the top of the Fluval Shrimp Stratum. Is the Aquasoil denser? Should I go back to the HOB with the aquasoil? Again, sorry for the questions.

[Newman]

different aquasoils you mean? yes different ones will buffer the pH do different levels. read the desriptions on their site, i think they say which substrate buffers to what pH.
For CBS you will want just the regular stuff. NEW Amazonia aquasoil is good enough.

you dont have to rinse it but it will get insanely cloudy. run a filter for a few days and keep cleaning out the sponge from all the silt it filters out. eventually it will clear up. the cycle takes a very long time, so be patient.

Here is the site i used to get mine:
http://www.adgshop.com/Aqua_Soil_Amazonia_p/104-021.htm

plant the tank at the start (once the tank clears.) during planting you'll kick up dirt and it may get cloudy again but dont worry. it will clear.

you dont need to use a fish or even pure ammonia to cycle it. the soil is designed to release ammonia on its own, and if you use seeded filter media, you should have a shorter than 1 month cycle

Aquasoil is prone to getting cratered by flow. my aquaclear hob makes a small crate where the outflow is. point outflows at walls or upwards. dont point at substrate. shrimp should be fine with overfiltering and medium-high flow but make sure you put sponge prefilters onto the intakes of all filters and powerheads. this also helps to slow down flow to a comfortable level.