journal Nano Cube Tank Take 2 (CRS)

[opqfrt]

Hi everyone! 

Have been lurking around for awhile now digesting the vast amount of information on the internet and trying to make sense of all the mumbo jumbo. I had setup a tank earlier this year with the same tank however due to unknown reasons the 50 cherry shrimp inhabitants started twitching and jerking as the tank reached the 2 week mark from the point where ammonia and nitrites were 0. I could only save the larger ones by putting them into a larger community tank (only has neon tetras, juvenile guppies and lots of plants) before the younger ones passed.

The tank become quite cloudy 3-4 days before the incident I only can think of three things I have changed prior to the twitching. They were:

1.  Swapped the filter floss in the Ista mini canister (had no issue with the floss, have been using it in existing 2ft tank)
2.  Used a copper/bronze drill bit to widen the spray bar holes to lower the flow (Did give it quite a rinse before putting it back in the tank)
3.  I had rinsed old filter wool in the tank before to help kickstart the tank cycling but for some unknown reason I decided to do the same with the tank in hopes of clearing the cloudy      water

The tank had ADA Amazonia and ran off an ISTA 360L/H Canister Filter with everything else the same as below. If anyone has any experience or idea if above changes might have caused the deaths please let me know I still haven't really figured it out. I feel (3) did it T_T

ANYWAYS onto the new tank. The specs are:

Tank: Aquarel Shrimp Smart 30 Set (roughly 30L)
Filter: Eheim 2213, Mr Aqua Large Sponge Intake cover and Ista Spray Bar 
Filter Media: Eheim Substat Pro, Eheim Biomechanical, Filter Floss
Light: Aquarel Leddy Smart LED Light 
Substrate: Benibachi Fluvic Soil
Heater: Aquaone 25w (26 Degree Celsius)

Plants: Subwassertang moss, Monte Carlo, Java Moss, Frogbit and Duckweed
Shrimp: Set up as CRS Tank
Driftwood: Malaysian and Cholla
Accessories: Benibachi Crimson Bee Balls, Tantora Almond Leaves and Alder Cones
Addictives: Boss Booster, Benibachi Mineral Powder, BorneoWild Enlive, API Tap Water Conditioner and API Quickstart

I'm a Canberran and from testing the tap water (after de-chlorinated) we have extremely soft water with GH: 2-5 and KH: 0-2. But I'm not sure if that is just my tap or the region in general, I have a buddy who just puts aged water into his shrimp tank and he's had no deaths with CRS, Mischlings, Cherries and Bluebolts. Curious to know if anyone has similar experience? 

Current Status: Still cycling nearing 2 weeks mark still have shocking ammonia levels but 3 cull shrimps and a juvenile guppy have survived and appear to be grazing now. Started using API Quickstart to help promote bacteria it seemed to work when setting up my 2ft. 

Pics:

BorneoWild Enlive before adding substrate.

Everyone knows this :p

Boss Booster and Mineral Powder (Forgot pic).

Approx 4cm Height.

It be cloudy. Cholla Wood and Almond leaf took 2 days to sink.

How it Currently Looks :)

CRS courtesy of HeavyD that I've been trying to keep happy while the tank is cycling. They are currently in a breeder box in my 2ft tank that also has the surviving RCS (outside the breeder box) :p

Any questions or advice would be greatly appreciated and welcome. I've only started picking up the shrimp hobby this year so still relatively new and has been quite learning experience. This Forum helps alot XD

Cheers :)
                                                                                                     

 

 

Edited November 2, 2015 by opqfrt

[raukem86]

Sexy as :)

I have the same tank with 5 berried crs atm.

I was planning to get Eheim 2213 for this tank but I think it's too much for the little tank so I run it with Eheim AquaCompact 40.

Just be careful with jumpers if you don't put a lid on as I had a couple jumpers.

May I ask where you get your BorneoWild Enlive from? I'm looking for that product too.

Cheers.

[opqfrt]

19 minutes ago, raukem86 said:

Sexy as :)

 

I have the same tank with 5 berried crs atm.

 

I was planning to get Eheim 2213 for this tank but I think it's too much for the little tank so I run it with Eheim AquaCompact 40.

 

Just be careful with jumpers if you don't put a lid on as I had a couple jumpers.

 

May I ask where you get your BorneoWild Enlive from? I'm looking for that product too.

 

Cheers.

 @raukem86 Thanks! Ah that's awesome! I have been reading that shrimp aren't so ready to breed in a smaller tank so good to know they still get berried :)

Too be honest I took a gamble. I've heard manufacturer specs for flow is usually without media. So having the canister filled with media and filter floss (slows flow down and continues to do so when it starts to get clogged) I found it seems to turnover the tank quite well. Worst come to worst just add more filter floss XD

Yea I have a lid on it XD The BorneoWild Enlive was purchased from BossAquaria but not sure if they still carry the product. 

Hope this answers your questions.

Cheers :)

[raukem86]

Thanks for your answer @opqfrr.

Don't worry. I think the key is to keep your wps stable. Most of my tanks are nano 30-45l as I don't have much space.

If you can manage the flow, overfiltration is good :)

My hardest part now is to keep all the shrimplet survive.