RESGuy's RCS Journal

[RESGuy]

January 22, 2007 8:00 PM
Introduction:
Okay, I have decided to start a journal on the 5.5 gallon RCS tank I am setting up I hope this to be a learning experience for me and maybe some other members as well

I have a 5.5 gallon tank. It has Bronze Gravel as a substrate. I am growing an Aponogeton Bulb which I purchased at Wal-Mart, for about $3 for 5 bulbs. It also has a few rocks of different variety. It has a 15 watt light from All-Glass. Some leaves that I got from my front yard (not Oak). And it has a Rena 200 air pump with an airstone at the moment. And 5 feeder guppies and 1 guppy fry.

Aponogeton Bulbs: I did not put the bulbs into the 5.5 gallon tank straight away as I did not have it set-up yet. I had it in a flower vase that was thoroughly cleaned and placed into my 55 gallon turtle tank. I put some gravel on the bottom of the vase and then threw the bulbs in it. I then placed a net on the top of the vase to keep my turtle out. I used a piece of that red net mesh in which they sell oranges in which I cut with a kitchen scissor. I then covered the top with that and held it on with two rubber bands. I did not fill it with water. Instead, when I placed the vase into the tank it filled itself with water After about a 2 days, 2 of the bulbs developed a cover of some white stuff (sorry no idea what it is). I thought this meant the bulbs were developing roots or something. But to my surprise after about a week one of the bulbs which was not cover in this 'white stuff' sprouted a very tiny green sprout. I was so happy and excited that I had my first ever aquatic plant growing. You can imagine in the next few days how my excitement grew as the 'tiny sprout' became bigger and longer and other leaves developed. It is now about 2 inches tall with other small sprouts. The other 4 bulbs have shown no signs that they are going to sprout and I think they never will. They are already in the 5.5 gallon tank with the 15 watt light I mentioned earlier. I might return them to the address on the back of the package I bought them in if they don't grow by next month.

Feeder Guppies: I went to a local PetSupermarket and purchased 10 feeder guppies for $0.99 to feed my RES turtle. To my utter delight I actually received about $3 worth (30 guppies)! So I put these in with my turtle and he ate about 20 in like 2 days! I then started catching them with a small net I have and placing them into the 5.5 gallon after I set it up. I had 7 in the 5.5 gallon tank and 1 guppy fry but 2 died (probably due to the new tank). So I know have 5 guppies+1 fry in the tank with the Aponogeton Bulbs. These guppies are only there until I receive my RCS.

Maintenance Equipment: I currently have a Rena 200 air pump in the tank which I removed from the 55 gallon tank (turtle doesn't need it). It si for up to 30 gallon tanks so it makes a bit of a strong current. This is only temporary though until I receive my new air pump for up to 10 gallons. I ordered a Hagen Air Pump Elite 800 for up to 10 gallon tanks for $3.49 and an Oxygen Plus Bio-Filter 3 for up to 15 gallon tanks for $5.99. I bought these at DrFoster & Smith and paid $9.99 for shipping for a total of $19.47. It says I should receive this within 7 business days. I was wondering if someone could tell me the dimensions of an Oxygen Plus Bio-Filter 3, because I want to make sure it'll fit in my 5.5 gallon tank.


Elite 800 Statistics: Minimum air output 1,500 cc/min. Pressure 2.5 psi. Up to 10 g.
I am going to order 10 (with a few extras) RCS (1 pregnant female) with a bit of Java Moss for $22. But I will first have to run the filter in the tank for a while. So it could be up to 2 weeks before I actually get the RCS.
I will be sure to get some pictures of the tank that I took yesterday on here, but right now I have to go eat. So I'll update tommorrow. I hope you guys enjoyed my first entry.

[sandiegoryu]

I'm guessing your light is incandescent. I don't recommend them ever, and I bet others would also. Get a flourescent.

Also, is your tank cycled? I'm thinking your two fish died because they are feeders, but it may be too much ammonia/nitrite etc.

Well I wish you good luck with your RCS. They are super easy to keep and super easy to breed. And FUN! Of course there not as cool as they were when I first got them, but they are great nonetheless.

[aelysa]

Looks like you're off to a good start. Those feeders will cycle your tank getting them ready for your shrimpies. Congrats!

[RESGuy]

Originally Posted by sandiegoryu

I'm guessing your light is incandescent. I don't recommend them ever, and I bet others would also. Get a flourescent.

Also, is your tank cycled? I'm thinking your two fish died because they are feeders, but it may be too much ammonia/nitrite etc.

Well I wish you good luck with your RCS. They are super easy to keep and super easy to breed. And FUN! Of course there not as cool as they were when I first got them, but they are great nonetheless.

The light is a light that already came installed when I bought my light fixture for my 55 gallon tank. It is brand new though, never used by me until now. What exactly is the difference between incandescent and fluorescent? And no the tank is not cycled which is why I am going to run the filter for a week or 2 before adding shrimp I too think it could be the poor condition of the feeder tank in which the guppies were in originally. But it very well may be the water parameters.

[RESGuy]

Originally Posted by aelysa

Looks like you're off to a good start. Those feeders will cycle your tank getting them ready for your shrimpies. Congrats!

This is what I was hoping for Thank you.

[NeonShrimp]

Cool thread It will be helpful for the many hobbyist who want to get started with raising shrimp I will be following it closely

Thanks!

[sandiegoryu]

It came with your 55 gallon? And it fits on your 5 gallon? Or was that a typo.

I also recommend getting nutrient sucking weed plants to help with your water quality because 2 weeks won't cycle your tank IMO. But it could be pulled off. RCS are very hardy IME.

One way to tell if it is incandescent is, that if its "balloon" shaped, it is definitly incandescent. If its a tube, then its flourescent. Another way is that, when you look at an incandescent, it has a filament, the thing that glows. Floursecent bulbs glow everywhere. I hope that made sense. Just google it if it didn't make sense.

Edit: O yah, and pics would be nice :-D

[RESGuy]

Originally Posted by NeonShrimp

Cool thread It will be helpful for the many hobbyist who want to get started with raising shrimp I will be following it closely

Thanks!

Thank you Neon I know I learned a lot of what I know and was inspired by many other tank journals I've read (and you have as well )
Anyways, here are the pictures I promised:
The whole tank:

The Aponogeton:

A rock with algae:

One of the guppies that died:


The rock with algae had been in my 55 gallon for a long time and that is why it has algae.
From the pictures you can see it is indeed fluorescent because it is a tube. And it was not a typo. The light is for half of a 55 gallon tank so it is 18 inches. I bought a regular light fixture at Home Depot for only $10 as opposed to the more expensive ones made for tanks

P.S. Could you link me to one of these 'nutrient-sucking' plants please? Thanks

[aelysa]

Looking nice!
Those bulbs are pretty nice, I have a few and all they do is flower every few days. The leaves get long and the bulbs tend to float, but it gives a nice water lily effect.

[RESGuy]

Originally Posted by aelysa

Looking nice!
Those bulbs are pretty nice, I have a few and all they do is flower every few days. The leaves get long and the bulbs tend to float, but it gives a nice water lily effect.

Thank You Yeah they are pretty cool, I tend to plant it if it starts to float or move around, maybe not entirely plant it but just anchor it in the gravel. Also, I heard you need to cut the flowers off when they appear or the plant will die and the flowers will make new bulbs.

Well, it is 10:08 PM so I'm off to bed, I have school tomorrow. Goodnight!

[sandiegoryu]

Here are some common ones commonly sold at pet stores.

http://www.plantedtank.net/plantprof...ubmersum/1015/

http://www.plantedtank.net/plantprof...eria-densa/17/

That's a nice light! I wish you luck!

[aelysa]

No, mine are still alive and happy. If that was the case they should have died about 30 times over now. I just let them float. Fry like to hide in the roots.

[A Hill]

Looking good!

I would try and get some fast growers as well, maybe some Najas or Moss? Once you get your filter in I would probably wait a month just to make sure everything is fine and your plants start to fill in good!

I would go to the Swap n' Shop section to see if you can get anyone's clippings of fast growing stems to just have some plant mass in there so the tank should be more stable!

I'm expecting some good results here!

-Andrew

[RESGuy]

Originally Posted by sandiegoryu

Here are some common ones commonly sold at pet stores.

http://www.plantedtank.net/plantprof...ubmersum/1015/

http://www.plantedtank.net/plantprof...eria-densa/17/

That's a nice light! I wish you luck!

I see Anarchis is one of them which I am happy to see because I was actually planning to buy some at PetCo that I saw. Well, if I see them at an LFS even better
And thanks for the comment on the light.

Originally Posted by aelysa

No, mine are still alive and happy. If that was the case they should have died about 30 times over now. I just let them float. Fry like to hide in the roots.

Oh, I must've heard wrong then, I'll do a bit more researching on them then, thank you.

Originally Posted by Fish Newb

Looking good!

I would try and get some fast growers as well, maybe some Najas or Moss? Once you get your filter in I would probably wait a month just to make sure everything is fine and your plants start to fill in good!

I would go to the Swap n' Shop section to see if you can get anyone's clippings of fast growing stems to just have some plant mass in there so the tank should be more stable!

I'm expecting some good results here!

-Andrew

I do plan on getting some moss. I am getting some free Java Moss from a guy on Tropical Fish Forums And the RCS come with a piece of moss too. I'll see how long I can wait once I get a filter Hopefully planting the tank will make time move by quicker
I actually visit the Swap n' Shop everyday to look for some deals.
Thank You Andrew!

And thank you everyone else No updates as of yet. But I will see if I can get a few more pictures of the setup

[Cydric]

The Aponogeton sp. you have in your tank will start to grow like a weed once it anchors itself in your substrate. Especially if it's Aponogeton Undulatus. You don't need co2 for it to grow like a weed either. That was the very first plant in my 29g tank when I first got it. Within 2 weeks it was emersing itself out of the top of my tank and flowering. Extremely fast grower and hardy plant.