Moving things around in tanks

[ineke]

When I siphon my tanks I like to move rocks and driftwood to get at the bits underneath them it doesn't worry my fish but I'm wondering if it is too stressful for berried girls when rearranging their tanks? I usually like to do a good clean once a month and just siphon around the edges the other times.

It didnt worry my red cherries but Now I have higher grade shrimp I would like to know if that may be an issue?

[Squiggle]

I leave the scape alone on the higher grade shrimp, seems to be working for me :encouragement:

[ineke]

Thanks Squiggle I haven't given the crystal tank a real good clean yet but it's been running a couple of months now and I'm itching to move a few things to make sure there's nothing yucky under them. I will just continue to siphon around the edges then if that's better:encouragement:

[OzShrimp]

the day you siphon your substrate dont feed them, you will find if you have a substrate like benibachi or shrimp sand etc they will eat the stuff that settles on the surface after you disturb it

[2OFUS]

You should avoid gravel vacs in shrimp tanks imo

[KiwiBigD]

I agree with 2ofus completely! I use a stick or long needle to disturb the substrate and then watch the shrimps descend on it looking for critters and bits. Really neat to watch, they love it

[BlueBolts]

I do gravel clean, but only within the feeding zone, but don't move driftwood/furniture, and avoid any "dust up". Issue with gravel clean is that it sucks up the fluvic grains (benibachi) and my soils doesn't buffer too well anymore.... When Dean reads this, he'll say "I told you so..." :-( ...

[ineke]

I use a syringe and air line for food clean up I got sick of getting mouthfuls of water when I sucked too hard! Big clean up I use a slightly bigger hose but never disturb the substrate . I only use a gravel cleaner in the fish tank. But thank you for your warnings. I have a few little terra cotta pots cut in half in a few tanks and was abit worried stuff might get under there and also the driftwood but since I have cut back on feeding I don't have much left over food any way just the odd things they dont like. I also leave an IAL in all the tanks or BB's Mulberry l;eaves which they love.

[CNgo2006]

when I sucked too hard! which they love.

You really got reread what you write before posting ineke! LOL! I'm sorry, caught it off squiggle.

[Squiggle]

Don't blame me Chi, you can't teach someone to have a dirty mind, hahaha

[MrShrimp]

Don't blame me Chi' date=' you can't teach someone to have a dirty mind, hahaha [/quote']

It takes one to know one :)

[northboy]

Poor Ineke. puts foot in mouth again or are we just reading our dirty minds into it????

I never disturb tanks that are planted and have substrate in them, most of mine are bare tanks, the reason I do not disturb them is a bit of anaerobic bacteria is good for the tanks, but only a bit and it creates a small amount of CO2. A lot of anaerobic will crash your PH and poison you critters.

Bob

[Squiggle]

It takes one to know one :)

Hahaha, I know I have a dirty mind, never denied that fact, lol :victorious: All I meant was, he didn't learn it from me, lol

[ineke]

Gosh I'm getting worse and worse and it's all completely innocent. You dirty minded people!!!! You would think I would have learnt my lesson by now:crushed:

[Squiggle]

Hahaha, I swear you're the "That's what she said" girl, lol

[northboy]

Keep it Going Ineke, its a good laugh and while they are picking on you they are leaving me alone

Bob

[ineke]

I know Bob but it really is foot in mouth disease I say MOST. Things completely innocently and it just comes out so WRONG:cower: LOL