changed my cube

[Heavyd]

If you want to be sure about the gravel, put a handful in a bit of RO water and test before and a few days/week after.

[Squiggle]

That's an awesome idea HeavyD, good thinking :encouragement:

[ineke]

If you want to be sure about the gravel' date=' put a handful in a bit of RO water and test before and a few days/week after.[/quote']

Great minds think a like i have just done that! Thanks HeavyD:)

[Garnelchen]

The white gravel is a great idea how to make your chocolate shrimp more visible. :encouragement:

I have problems seeing my yellows in between all the plants in my tank....unfortunately most plants only come in that colour Bummer!

[ineke]

Yes the yellows are difficult for me too but I can even see them now.

There was no change overnight in PH or GH and I have now done my second cube. Learnt one huge lesson though. Even though I have cut back on feeding there was a lot of muck in the gravel so put the power filter on and cleaned it up. I am going to cut back on the feeding even more now as that was not good! Will have to feed 2 or 3 times a week and see how it goes. Even my big tank could keep the shrimp alive just by the biofilm so will only feed the 2 newly set up tanks daily until a bit of biofilm is visible. I thought I had done so well in cutting back -hate to think what it would have been like if I hadn't cut back!!!

[Squiggle]

Awesome work Ineke, great to hear everything has worked out well with the changeover. The best thing about shrimp(other than the obvious) is that you only need to fed them every two or three days, as I read somewhere, they are like the Hybrid cars of the aquatic world, they run on very little fuel compared to other underwater creatures. I love that I can go away for the weekend now & not have to worry about getting someone to feed them for me. Just another bonus feature from our lovely little shrimpie friends :victorious:

[2OFUS]

If you use Petri dishes you will not have this problem

[ineke]

Point taken and I use them in most of my tanks but thinking back now I used a pellet of spirulina about the size of a rabbit pellet and it dissolved and went everywhere before I could siphon it out. The shrimp loved it but even with the dishes they pulled it all over the place. A visit to Ikea is on the cards to get some little candle holders. The spirulina has now been cut into tiny pieces and only fed occassionally.

[ineke]

Squiggle yes it is great I just need to get over my feeding everything addiction!!! When I first started with fish the renowned Herbert Axelrod stated something along the lines that to keep fish healthy every time you walk past the aquarium you feed one time and change water the next. So feeding little and often has been my maxim with fish over the years but shrimp are much different and I think my pinch of food has gotten bigger!!!!!! Any way I haven't lost any shrimp for a good while so something must be ok, the tank didn't smell WP were good and I hope I have learnt a lesson:encouragement:

[Squiggle]

I agree that fish are healthier with small & often but as you've said, shrimp are a whole different ball game & I've had to use self control with feeding as well, especially when shrimplets are involved :encouragement:

[ineke]

I'm slowly getting better but I do think it may have been the pellets because although they weren't huge i posted a picture of how they swelled up- it was like a huge pile of dung!!!

[Squiggle]

Yeah you're probably right, there would have been a small amount of shrimp waste too but not very much at all :encouragement:

[ineke]

:oI know it's all my fault will try do do better now. Can't keep making excuses. Is the a feeders anonymous anywhere I promise I will try not to feed my shrimp every day!!!!:encouragement:

[Squiggle]

Lol, Feeders Anonymous, that's too funny

[kaltses]

The cube is an aqua one nano 30 it is 30x30 x30 but has a built in sump which makes the usable area 24x30x30. It has about 27 litres give or take a litre . I have 2 and love them but the sump issue with shrimp climbing into the sump a problem.

To solve this issue on my IQ5, I've cut a strip of fibreglass flyscreen to cover the sump entry slits(?). It's held in place at the top by the clips for the lid but if I didn't have those I'd use some paper clips (as long as they're far enough away from the waterline) or maybe some thin insulated bits of wire like speaker wire.

Since that's been out in place I haven't had any shrimps or babies in the sump.

Have you tried anything like that?

[ineke]

Yes I use a piece of thin filter sponge. The problem is having to have high water levels in one tank and the air line for the sponge filter in the other they climb up and over