Aquamaxx 17.1 Gallon Caridina Tank Build

[sdlTBfanUK]

I will watch this space eagerly and hope to read some good news soon. I use that same food mix. With so few shrimps in a big tank they may not really need additional feeding as there should be sufficient biofilm! I think one stick is sufficient for 30 shrimps so if you are feeding you should crush a pellet and only use a small bit for now! I have smashed all the pellets and mix them together so the shrimp get a mix and dip the end of an old shrimp lolly stick (tooth puck would work also) about 2mm in the tank water, then quickly in the mix, then swish that in the water so the food is spread about the tank and not too much either?  

Shrimps have very little bio load so I would consider reducing the weekly water change to 2 gallons which is just over 10% and that should be enough?

Hopefully all will settle down and once the babies start that will be exciting. 

Simon

[Steensj2004]

1 minute ago, sdlTBfanUK said:

I will watch this space eagerly and hope to read some good news soon. I use that same food mix. With so few shrimps in a big tank they may not really need additional feeding as there should be sufficient biofilm! I think one stick is sufficient for 30 shrimps so if you are feeding you should crush a pellet and only use a small bit for now! I have smashed all the pellets and mix them together so the shrimp get a mix and dip the end of an old shrimp lolly stick (tooth puck would work also) about 2mm in the tank water, then quickly in the mix, then swish that in the water so the food is spread about the tank and not too much either?  

Shrimps have very little bio load so I would consider reducing the weekly water change to 2 gallons which is just over 10% and that should be enough?

Hopefully all will settle down and once the babies start that will be exciting. 

Simon

I’ve used a mortar and pestle to make my own food. I’ve used a mix of all 5 of the Shrimp king pellets, BacterAE, and Almond leaf. I feed that once a week, works like BacterAE in the way it disperses. I feed very little, as I don’t want to pollute. 

[sdlTBfanUK]

The bacter AE isn't a food for shrimps directly but more for building the biofilm (it says it is good for baby shrimp) from what it says on it. I use it twice a week (they say daily) as a separate item so if you are only mixing it with food and dosing once a week you may be better using the bacter ae more frequently and separately to the food to encourage more biofilm?

I also use a mortar and pestle to break the food up?

Simon

[Steensj2004]

I dose Bacter desperately too, I guess I should have mentioned that.

[Steensj2004]

Update:

 

Tank is doing OK. No more loses. My female is still berried, but she seems to be hiding in the same place most of the day. She comes out for food, but stays in the same spot.

 

I’m having some hair algae growth, mostly in the moss, but some elsewhere as well. Not sure why, but it’s irritating for sure.

[sdlTBfanUK]

It is possible that the female is nearly ready for the shrimplets to hatch and that is why she hides more than normal, as she would want them to be somewhere protected?

I had hair algae with my newly set up tank and so I appreciate how horrible that looks but it cleared up in time and has completely gone now! I am assuming it was part of the tank 'settling' down. I haven't had that before so also assume it had to do with the different soil substrate I used this time? I didn't do anything, it has just cleared up.

Simon 

[Steensj2004]

My PH seems to stay so low anymore. I float around 6-6.2 at all times now. That blows my mind. Not sure why, driftwood maybe?

[sdlTBfanUK]

Your Caridina should be fine with that PH, it may be the new substrate and setup causing it to be a bit lower than you expect but if my previous attempt is anything to go by it should creep up very slowly as the tank settles and matures! My prior tank setup started at PH5.5 and all was well, and the current setup is PH5 though the next colour change is PH6 so it could be anywhere between those figures??? 

Hope the berried female is still doing well, or has she had her babies yet? Babies will be microscopic and hide to start with.

Simon

[Steensj2004]

54 minutes ago, sdlTBfanUK said:

Your Caridina should be fine with that PH, it may be the new substrate and setup causing it to be a bit lower than you expect but if my previous attempt is anything to go by it should creep up very slowly as the tank settles and matures! My prior tank setup started at PH5.5 and all was well, and the current setup is PH5 though the next colour change is PH6 so it could be anywhere between those figures??? 

Hope the berried female is still doing well, or has she had her babies yet? Babies will be microscopic and hide to start with.

Simon

 Everything seems to be thriving, the level is very consistent, so I’m not going to attempt to mess with anything. 
 

My one female is still berried, we’re at about the three week mark since I first saw the eggs. Lots of moss for them to hide under. 

[sdlTBfanUK]

Definitely agree - IF ITS NOT BROKEN DON'T TRY TO FIX IT.............

Simon

[Steensj2004]

Question. Pygmy Cory Cats.... ok in a shrimp tank or no? 

Edited October 22, 2019 by Steensj2004

[sdlTBfanUK]

There is always a risk with fish but most think they are 90% safe with Pygmy Cory and will just eat the odd baby shrimp accidentally! 

Simon

[Steensj2004]

2 minutes ago, sdlTBfanUK said:

There is always a risk with fish but most think they are 90% safe with Pygmy Cory and will just eat the odd baby shrimp accidentally! 

Simon

Hmmmm, I might not risk it until the population explodes a bit more

[jayc]

11 hours ago, Steensj2004 said:

, I might not risk it until the population explodes a bit more

especially ones that swim at the same level as shrimp.

[sdlTBfanUK]

I would get a few if you like them, the odd loss of a baby shrimp wouldn't really be a problem. There are lots of shrimp people that have the dwarf Corys with their shrimps.As you say, it maybe better to wait a bit until you have more shrimps first but the cory doesn't hunt shrimps as food!

Simon

[Steensj2004]

Update,

 

The tank is  doing well, I did a water change tonight. Mama CRS is still holding, I’m surprised she hasn’t dropped yet. It’s been about a month, I would have thought she would have let them go by now. Thoughts?

 

Tank:
Temp: 78-79f

PH:5.7-5.8

KH:0-1

GH: 6-7

TDS: 159

The pH still seems low, but oh well. I have been manually removing hair algae, which is mostly in the moss at this point. The moss is growing well, so I’ve just been snagging giant chunks to get more algae out. Starting to wonder if silicates are leaching from the sand? I know salt tanks go through a phase because of this?

 

 

 

[jayc]

8 hours ago, Steensj2004 said:

I’m surprised she hasn’t dropped yet. It’s been about a month, I would have thought she would have let them go by now. Thoughts?

SKFA member and we are helping with moral support? ?

[sdlTBfanUK]

That all sounds great! The string algae will probably disappear when the tank is a bit more settled in, mine has completely vanished now and I didn't do anything to get rid of it?

The eggs should be grey colour when they are ready but there isn't anything you can do about the hatching, just wait................ and hope? In a large tank you may not see the microscopic babies for a few weeks anyway until they colour up and get a little bigger!

That ph should be fine, as time goes by it will creep up very slowly WHEN the soil has stopped buffering, but that shouldn't cause any problems as it will be very gradual and probably a way off yet I would think!

Fingers crossed the babies come soon, and survive so you will be on your way?

Simon

[Steensj2004]

3 hours ago, sdlTBfanUK said:

That all sounds great! The string algae will probably disappear when the tank is a bit more settled in, mine has completely vanished now and I didn't do anything to get rid of it?

The eggs should be grey colour when they are ready but there isn't anything you can do about the hatching, just wait................ and hope? In a large tank you may not see the microscopic babies for a few weeks anyway until they colour up and get a little bigger!

That ph should be fine, as time goes by it will creep up very slowly WHEN the soil has stopped buffering, but that shouldn't cause any problems as it will be very gradual and probably a way off yet I would think!

Fingers crossed the babies come soon, and survive so you will be on your way?

Simon

Thanks!

Its hard to get a decent view of the berries female most times. But she definitely still holds the eggs. Is it possible for an entire batch to fail to hatch? Either way, I can’t tell the color really well. 

[sdlTBfanUK]

This isn't something I am very experienced with, as you know it is difficult to see the eggs with bee shrimps as the shell isn't transparent! The only time  have seen them in the past is when a berried female swims up at the front of the tank so I can see underneath!

If the eggs were not fertilised then I expect the female would drop the eggs fairly soon after they drop to her underside as there wouldn't be any point carrying them! I would *assume* that all is ok and just keep an eye for now, nature won't be rushed, I am finding that myself?

Any idea how many shrimps there are left in the tank now?

Simon

[Steensj2004]

1 hour ago, sdlTBfanUK said:

This isn't something I am very experienced with, as you know it is difficult to see the eggs with bee shrimps as the shell isn't transparent! The only time  have seen them in the past is when a berried female swims up at the front of the tank so I can see underneath!

If the eggs were not fertilised then I expect the female would drop the eggs fairly soon after they drop to her underside as there wouldn't be any point carrying them! I would *assume* that all is ok and just keep an eye for now, nature won't be rushed, I am finding that myself?

Any idea how many shrimps there are left in the tank now?

Simon

I do catch a glimpse of the eggs when she does as you described, or if I can get a light on the other side of her, I can see shadows of eggs through her. 

Currently, 7-9 CRS left. 5 Jades. 

I just really hope I get a handful to bolster the population. I would feel much better.

I would like to get 12-ish Crystal blacks to throw in too, as I don’t much care about purity, and think I’d like to have both types in the tank. 

 

 

Edited October 29, 2019 by Steensj2004

[sdlTBfanUK]

Fingers crossed you get some shrimplets soon, if everything is ideal once they start to breed tat can cause a whole other headache. I would probably think about getting some blacks if the reds are doing well now! The reds and blacks will interbreed but you will still get reds or black crystal so it isn't a problem. Some years ago I saw a photo of one though that was of mixed parents and came out white and brown, it was stunning - You never know? Thats so rare its not even worth thinking about though in reality!

I like the green shrimps but thought they would be much more difficult to see if you have lots of plants which are green?

Simon

[Steensj2004]

19 minutes ago, sdlTBfanUK said:

Fingers crossed you get some shrimplets soon, if everything is ideal once they start to breed tat can cause a whole other headache. I would probably think about getting some blacks if the reds are doing well now! The reds and blacks will interbreed but you will still get reds or black crystal so it isn't a problem. Some years ago I saw a photo of one though that was of mixed parents and came out white and brown, it was stunning - You never know? Thats so rare its not even worth thinking about though in reality!

I like the green shrimps but thought they would be much more difficult to see if you have lots of plants which are green?

Simon

They have some pretty dominant yellow stripes, but you’re right, they can be hard to see.
 

How will breeding causes issues?

[sdlTBfanUK]

There won't be any problems breeding the CRS and CBS, you will only get red or black crystals but they may carry either/both genes, but you aren't worried about that you said before? 

Simon

[Steensj2004]

Hmmmm, I don’t see eggs anymore, and I don’t see her fanning her swimmerets the same. How soon might I be able to see the babies?

 

is it possible for her to drop no babies and no eggs to have hatched?

Edited October 30, 2019 by Steensj2004