New tank setup 10-gal trial and it's work!!!!!

2390 Views 21 Replies 7 Participants Last post by spdskr, Oct 5, 2007

vibes_jedi99

Discussion Starter · Sep 29, 2007 (Edited)

After I have RCS for almost 3 months in 5-gal and none have babies. I decided to setup this 10-gal to see what will happen.

SETUP: 27 SEP 2007
VOLUME: 10 gal.
SUBSTRATE: Schultz aquatic plant soil
PH: 7.2
TEMPERATURE:78 F
WATER CHANGE: once a week 1/2 tank of water
ILLUMINATION: 15Wx2
ILLUMINATION TIME: 10 hours/day
CO2 SUPPLY: DIY
FERTILIZER: none
FILTER SYSTEM: HOB Tetra whisper
FISH: 1 Otocinclus
SHRIMP: about 15 RCS
SNAIL: MTS, Ram's horn
PLANTS: Rotala rotundifolia, Echinodorus tellenus, Aponogenton, Bacopa monnieri, Hemianthus micrantemoides, Microsorum pteropus 'Windelov', Taxiphyllum barbieri.

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crazie.eddie

· #2 · Sep 29, 2007

It's going to look nice.

Just one concern, 50% weekly WC is allot unless it's aged water.

eon17

· #3 · Sep 29, 2007

Most people do about 50 percent a week, and how is aged water going to be any better?

vibes_jedi99

Discussion Starter · #4 · Sep 30, 2007

Well I woke up this morning (SEP 29 2007) and found one of my female berried

. WOW! it is that simple? just 2 days after I move them from 5-gal to the 10-gal and they ready to give me some babies shrimps?:thumbsup: I wonder what are the keys that prevented pregnant female from berried in the 5-gal tank?

These are the reasons that I think are the problem.
1. Tank size, is too small for them. (some people have problem that RCS don't breed in their small tank too)
2. Substrate, Miracle grow potting soil that I use is too rich in organic matter and produce toxic gas when it continue to decompose (even this tank has been setup for 2 years). None of my shrimps are dead but they not reproduce either.

What you guys think????:icon_roll

The 5-gal that has a problem.

SETUP: 2 years old
VOLUME: 5 gal.
SUBSTRATE: Miracle grow potting soil top with aquarium gravel
PH: 7.2
TEMPERATURE:75 F
WATER CHANGE: once a week 1/2 tank of water
ILLUMINATION: 13Wx2
ILLUMINATION TIME: 10 hours/day
CO2 SUPPLY: none
FERTILIZER: none
FILTER SYSTEM: HOB Tetra whisper
FISH: 2 Otocinclus
SHRIMP: about 15 RCS
SNAIL: MTS, Ram's horn
PLANTS: Rotala rotundifolia, Echinodorus tellenus, Aponogenton, Nymphaea lotus, Egeria densa, Bacopa monnieri, Hornwart, Hemianthus micrantemoides.

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Haeun

· #5 · Sep 30, 2007

Hmm, I think overpopulation may be a key?

I think I'm having that exact same problem, so I'm going to move all my RCS to a bigger tank, and give my nano all to the CRS.

mistergreen

· #6 · Sep 30, 2007

I have cherries in a 5 gallon.. They're doing fine... there's 30-50 of them in there.. It's an all invert tank though. And I have top soil in the bottom and aquasoil on top.

hmm. let me find a photo of it.

ps. sunlight only, no co2, and a few drops of my own GH booster, K+ once in awhile.
and a water change maybe every 2-3 weeks.

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crazie.eddie

· #7 · Sep 30, 2007

eon17 said:
Most people do about 50 percent a week, and how is aged water going to be any better?

I forgot to include aged and heated as well. If I remember correctly, tap water contains CO2, which will have a different pH. As the tap water sits, it will outgas the CO2 and it's pH will change. Therefor, aged water will out gas the CO2. Delicate fishes, such as otos may not survive rapid changes in water parameters.

I do 50% WC in my planted tanks as well, but I use treated, aged, and heated water.

mistergreen

· #8 · Sep 30, 2007

eh, there's co2 in water that's sitting too. :/
PH shift from CO2 isn't critical.

I used to age my water for my shrimps too but gave that up and I see no difference.

crazie.eddie

· #9 · Sep 30, 2007

I understand there is CO2 in sitting water as well, that is why our plants can take in the CO2 remaining in the water. But if I remember reading before, the CO2 that is outgassed changes the pH allot. Maybe a heavily planted tank and not having delicate fish will not make a difference, but the original posters tank doesn't look too heavily planted. Plus he has otos, which we all know are delicate fish. Maybe Tom has more info on this.

mistergreen

· #10 · Sep 30, 2007

not in my tap water... Out of my tap, the PH is 7.6. In my tank, it's 7.0-7.4
There's more CO2 in my tank than in the tap of course because I ADD CO2 to the tank.

eon17

· #11 · Sep 30, 2007

i have never aged water for any of my fish and i have some delicate fish

crazie.eddie

· #12 · Sep 30, 2007

Wow, I'm being ganged up on. It's not like I made this stuff up. I know I've read on several forums when I started with aquariums over 10 years ago and this stuff of info is still being passed on. Maybe the term "pH Shock" will ring a bell to a few of you.

As I mentioned, maybe in a heavily planted tank, these do not matter, but I dare NOT change my routine. I have (2) L-046 zebra plecos in one of my planted tanks, and if anyone knows about them, they ARE expensive. I spent $100 (USD) each for 1 juvenile (less than an 1") and I have 2. I hope to get more to breed one day, since they are the most common "rare" plecos being sold. Therefore, I hope to obtain a colony to raise and breed. As I mentioned, I dare not change my routine. In my other tank planted tank, I have shrimps and plants, but I'm experimenting with no WC and just top-offs, but using aged water. That's because my aging tank is between both tanks, which just makes it convenient.

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vibes_jedi99

Discussion Starter · #13 · Oct 1, 2007

crazie.eddie said:
I do 50% WC in my planted tanks as well, but I use treated, aged, and heated water.

Thanks Eddie, I learn something new today. I have been in this hobby for sometime now, I use the water from 5-gal buckets, these buckets have treated water which is sit in their for a week or so (I think that consider aged right? but not heated). When I do water change I use all the water in the 5-gal and I refill it back with treated water, then next week I use it for the water change again.
I always use this method for the water change because I don't have big aquarium and it is convenience for me. may be some people that have big tank don't have room for store their water.:icon_conf thanks you Eddie.

wood

· #14 · Oct 1, 2007

crazie.eddie said:
but I use treated, aged, and heated water.

Heated meaning as the water is aging in a bin you use a water heater to heat the sitting water, correct?

vibes_jedi99

Discussion Starter · #15 · Oct 1, 2007

That's what I think......too.

vibes_jedi99

Discussion Starter · #16 · Oct 1, 2007

mistergreen said:
I have cherries in a 5 gallon.. They're doing fine... there's 30-50 of them in there.. It's an all invert tank though. And I have top soil in the bottom and aquasoil on top.
ps. sunlight only, no co2, and a few drops of my own GH booster, K+ once in awhile.
and a water change maybe every 2-3 weeks.

Do they breed in your tank? I have no luck with the female berried they just saddled. So no babies for my 5-gal tank. The shrimps don't die just no eggs, what do you think is the problem????

mistergreen

· #17 · Oct 1, 2007

crazie.eddie said:
Wow, I'm being ganged up on. It's not like I made this stuff up. I know I've read on several forums when I started with aquariums over 10 years ago and this stuff of info is still being passed on. Maybe the term "pH Shock" will ring a bell to a few of you.

As I mentioned, maybe in a heavily planted tank, these do not matter, but I dare NOT change my routine. I have (2) L-046 zebra plecos in one of my planted tanks, and if anyone knows about them, they ARE expensive. I spent $100 (USD) each for 1 juvenile (less than an 1") and I have 2. I hope to get more to breed one day, since they are the most common "rare" plecos being sold. Therefore, I hope to obtain a colony to raise and breed. As I mentioned, I dare not change my routine. In my other tank planted tank, I have shrimps and plants, but I'm experimenting with no WC and just top-offs, but using aged water. That's because my aging tank is between both tanks, which just makes it convenient.

age the water if you want. There's no harm in it.. We're just telling you another option.

vibes_jedi99

Discussion Starter · #18 · Oct 1, 2007

This is one of mine female shrimp that berried 2 days after I moved them to the 10-gal.

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mistergreen

· #19 · Oct 1, 2007

vibes_jedi99 said:
Do they breed in your tank? I have no luck with the female berried they just saddled. So no babies for my 5-gal tank. The shrimps don't die just no eggs, what do you think is the problem????

yup, my breeds. I started with 5-6 shrimps.

But I did have a hard time at first in a 2G fish bowl with no water movement & no heater to keep the temperature consistent. My soil was going anaerobic too.. So, I started over with a 5G tank with a internal filter & a heater. And a different soil... Oh!, check your PH.. the 2G fish bowl was like 7.8...
the 5G tank is closer to 7.3.

And miracle grow was chicken poop & urea in it. You should use soil without fertilizer in it. I use a Premium top soil from Home Depot for $3. Although your tank is 2 years old now right?
hmmm.

vibes_jedi99

Discussion Starter · #20 · Oct 1, 2007

That's what I think my substrate are not suitable for the shrimp to breed the Miracle grow are too string and have lots of organic matter. that's why your top soil have less effect on the shrimps and they can breed with no problem. The substrate in my 10-gal is Schultz aquatic plant soil it has no organic matter so they can breed

. NOw my new problem is to dose the tank with fertilizer because my plants in the 10-gal look horrible, they are starving.

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