[Teebo]

Personally I started out with 25% weekly water changes using the gravel vac, then I had problems keeping any nitrates since it is an open top riparium. I dropped to 25% every other week but still had nitrate issues. I started dosing nitrates to fix the issue, and then I began using Purigen which I now swear by on planted tanks.

Then I started a new 5 gallon tall planted shrimp tank with a Betta, I found it to be a total pain to vac the gravel in such a tight tank so I stopped doing it. I decided to go walsted, I have not done anything but top the tank off in the last month and the water is crystal clear. Everyone is happy and the chemistry from what I can tell seems fine, I still have to dose nitrates in even this tank without riparium style planters...it is an open top so evaporation is high which means I am constantly adding minerals from the tap water through top off. The only thing wrong with my plants are swords and crypts are starting to develope holes in their leafs...I dose weekly: Flourish Comprehensive, Excel, Iodide and sometimes Nitrogen.

I am wondering how long I can roll like this before my tank crashes from undetected factors?

 

[OVT]

I have a 5g tank that had no water change in about 2 years and a 25g that had none in more then 6 months, top off only. The 2g has a lot of floating plants and the 25g has a bunch of ripparium plant, no heater and no filter. You can find their pictures right here on TPT.

 

[Nordic]

On a lightly stocked tank this should be quite possible.
I see some people are saying lately that a large part of what starts off algae infestations is the RATE of ammonia production in a tank (not the tanks ability to cycle it). The quickest way of having high production is lots of fish and lots of food..

 

[jaymyess]

On my 70 US-Gall. tank I do around 10% water changes daily but I it is a populated tank. So the fish and shrimps are generating quite a lot of waste but the tank is already established - plants, shrimps, fish, snails, worms (blood worms!) and bacteria are all happy.

Vacuuming the tank is not necessary IMO unless the mulm is thicker than your substrate. Plants and beneficial bacteria like it plus it does somewhat add a natural look to your tank.

 

[tapwater]

If it isn't broken don't fix it

 

[latchdan]

I do weekly 50% wc on my ei dosed tank. On low tech shrimp i was doing 20% every other week and not dosing any ferts. Low tech was showing extensive nitrogen and potassium deficiency. Cabomba, frogbit, rrf looked very ragged. I've sinced started to dose trace and nitrogen/potassium weekly. Might even have to bump it up more.

 

[jmach]

I do 50% every week in a high tech fully stocked tank w/ fertz. In a low tech shrimp tank with floaters and moss, maybe 10% every week just to make sure there are enough minerals for molting.

 

[GrampsGrunge]

20% twice a month, being doing this since I got my Python changer. I modded it to water my garden directly years back. Garden plants love fishy water.

 

[Teebo]

Thanks for the replies, this tank is lightly stocked but sometimes I feed heavy with my gelatin food. As far as minerals for molting that is why I add Iodide, makes the shrimps molt like crazy! I think I need to start experimenting with potassium.

 

[latchdan]

Thanks for the replies, this tank is lightly stocked but sometimes I feed heavy with my gelatin food. As far as minerals for molting that is why I add Iodide, makes the shrimps molt like crazy! I think I need to start experimenting with potassium.

How do you know if Iodine is necessary? Is it normally in the tap water, food? in Gh booster? I thought GH had a large part in molting.

 

[Seattle_Aquarist]

Personally I started out with 25% weekly water changes using the gravel vac, then I had problems keeping any nitrates since it is an open top riparium. I dropped to 25% every other week but still had nitrate issues. I started dosing nitrates to fix the issue, and then I began using Purigen which I now swear by on planted tanks.

Then I started a new 5 gallon tall planted shrimp tank with a Betta, I found it to be a total pain to vac the gravel in such a tight tank so I stopped doing it. I decided to go walsted, I have not done anything but top the tank off in the last month and the water is crystal clear. Everyone is happy and the chemistry from what I can tell seems fine, I still have to dose nitrates in even this tank without riparium style planters...it is an open top so evaporation is high which means I am constantly adding minerals from the tap water through top off. The only thing wrong with my plants are swords and crypts are starting to develope holes in their leafs...I dose weekly: Flourish Comprehensive, Excel, Iodide and sometimes Nitrogen.

I am wondering how long I can roll like this before my tank crashes from undetected factors?

Hi Teebo,

Our local club, Greater Seattle Aquarium Society (GSAS), invited a well known freshwater shrimp breeder to Seattle for a talk in 2012. He indicated that the 50% water changes that we do for planted tanks can be very detrimental to shrimp tanks. He recommended much less frequency (once a month) and much lower volumes (like 10% max) for tanks where shrimp are being raised.

 

[Teebo]

Iodide has been proven to be necessary for saltwater shrimps, not so much for freshwater. However I used to loose shrimp constantly before I started adding Iodide now I never lose a single one! Yes GH plays a role too, but so does Iodide.

Thanks for the shrimp water change advice, I agree since they are so delicate and fragile.

 

[theatermusic87]

Iodide has been proven to be necessary for saltwater shrimps, not so much for freshwater. However I used to loose shrimp constantly before I started adding Iodide now I never lose a single one! Yes GH plays a role too, but so does Iodide.

Thanks for the shrimp water change advice, I agree since they are so delicate and fragile.

I will second this, normally do 1-2 drops per 5 gallons

 

[latchdan]

I will second this, normally do 1-2 drops per 5 gallons

Hmm what type do you guys recommend?

 

[jmach]

I don't use iodine and I see no reason to. My bees, RCS, CRS, Amanos, etc. all molt and reproduce fine without it. Unless one of you has some peer reviewed information on the necessity of supplementing iodine with freshwater shrimp, it seems wholly anecdotal and completely unnecessary.

Furthermore, adding it to the water column wouldn't even be how shrimp would utilize it, even if it was needed. That would be akin to a thirsty person attempting to drink water by absorbing it through the air. It's not how physiology works.

 

[Axelrodi202]

Our local club, Greater Seattle Aquarium Society (GSAS), invited a well known freshwater shrimp breeder to Seattle for a talk in 2012. He indicated that the 50% water changes that we do for planted tanks can be very detrimental to shrimp tanks. He recommended much less frequency (once a month) and much lower volumes (like 10% max) for tanks where shrimp are being raised.

Interesting - could you elaborate more if possible?

 

[Seattle_Aquarist]

Hi Axelrodi202,

It's been four years since the talk but that was one aspect that stood out for me. I don't keep shrimp anymore but at least I have one idea as to what I was doing wrong. I'll try to review the talk and report back.
-Roy

 

[Seattle_Aquarist]

Hi @Axelrodi202,

A new record, it only took me 5 minutes to find it in the one hour presentation. The speaker was Waylon Pon, and he was the Vice-President of the San Francisco Aquarium Society at the time of the talk. He said that he and a fellow shrimp breeder in their club were comparing notes since they were both successful at it. Waylon was changing 5% every couple of months and the other guy was changing 10% every two weeks. He indicated that the trick was not to change too much water volume at one.

 

[Axelrodi202]

@Seattle_Aquarist,

Thanks for sharing that information. I'm starting a CRS mischling tank in a couple of months so it's good to know.

 

[Pattern8]

I maintain only nano tanks. A couple high tech and a couple low tech. All heavily planted and stocked. I dose all Seachem plant products as well as Fresh Trace at the high end of their recommended weekly dosing but break it up into daily doses. I feed twice daily and test weekly right before 50% water change. I have been consistently receiving (over 6 months) zero nitrates.
I have always been told that nitrates served as the "trigger" for water changes but if nitrates remain zero is that information no longer the case? I also log my TDS weekly with a general swing of about 10ppm.
There seems to be debate over whether or not this can serve as a more accurate "trigger" for water changes but I'm becoming more of a believer.