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Fishprinceofca

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Posts posted by Fishprinceofca

  4. WATER CHEMISTRY

    in Substrates and Water Chemistry

    Posted

    Yes, it is possible to over-mineralize your water changes. Too much or too little will stress your shrimp. Match the parameters of your water change to the parameters in your tank. If you need to adjust the parameters in your tank, then do it slowly, as shrimp prefer stability above all else. I used to do 20% weekly water changes on all my tanks, but backed off to 10% every two weeks on my PRLs and Taiwan Bees, which are a bit more sensitive. I still do 20% water changes with my Neos and Tigers, but every other week.

     

    Like most hobbies, shrimpkeeping goes through cycles of highs and lows, and hobbyists come and go. You'll find many posts on this site written by much more experienced and knowledgeable shrimpers than I, who are either taking a break from the forum or shrimpkeeping in general. So seek out their posts where you can. We'll try to help out when you're stumped. There's also a few Facebook groups dedicated to shrimpkeeping that are a bit more active, and you may find more responsive users there. You'll lose the anonymity, but might make a new friend or two ;)

  5. Power Sand

    in Substrates and Water Chemistry

    Posted

    12 hours ago, DETAquarium said:

    I will be using PowerSand on the very bottom against the glass as that is what is recommended by ADA, The Green Machine, etc. Is that the right avenue? I don't know at this point since I have never used, I am solely basing the placement of the PowerSand from the years of aquascapes these professionals have completed.

     

    The placement will be similar to this picture from Green Machine, I would have to assume it would take quite a long time for the substrate to maneuver its way down to completely block out all crevices. By that point I will have already moved on to the next project. Either way we shall see, it maybe a waste of money, but I certainly have spent money on far worse.  

    Crimson Sky Aquascape Fish Tank by James Findley

     Yes, place it on the very bottom of the tank, before adding in your substrate. Just as in The Green Machine photo, I sloped my PowerSand, with it being higher in the back to accommodate the larger Cyperus helferi.

     

    Here's a picture of the back of my 60-H:

     

    IMG_3775.JPG

     

    And the side:

    IMG_3777.JPG

     

    Please excuse the flash, but wanted to show you that the ADA AS Powder type shows some compaction near the middle and top layers, whereas the ADA AS Regular type and Power Sand are holding their shape after six months since initial setup.

  6. Power Sand

    in Substrates and Water Chemistry

    Posted

    I have used PowerSand in all my planted tank setups, and highly recommend it. My crypts, swords, Blyxa, and other rooted plants all went for it. When I tore down my 65-gallon community tank after 4 years, my Echinodorus parviflorus was close to 12" tall, had 5-6 daughter plants, and all of them had PowerSand clinging off of their roots. If you're going to be keeping a tank for the long-term, I think it's worth the investment.

     

    Currently, all but one of my shrimp tanks are planted, and they all use PowerSand underneath in conjunction with ADA AS and their line of substrate additives. No ill effects that I can see.

     


     

    IMG_3513.JPG

    IMG_2934.JPG

  10. OEBT growth and maturity questions:

    in Care, feeding and breeding

    Posted

    Shrimp will grow at different rates, depending on their genetics, environment, and, to some degree, nutrition. Higher temperatures will increase the growth rate, but also spur the tendency of bacterial infections. There are food products out there (e.g. Mosura Excel) that market faster growth with higher protein content. You can supplement their diets with a bit of protein, just feed sparingly, especially in a small tank. I rotate among protein, plant, and baby foods, powder and pellet, on different days.

     

    You are probably seeing babies from a berried female that was hiding. My experience with OEBTs is that they breed when they reach maturity and size.

     

    Some shrimpers have kept OEBTs in Taiwan Bee parameters. Most keep them in harder, neutral water. I have mine in a planted tank with GH 7, pH 7.4, and KH 2, and with ADA Amazonia. The caveat here is to make sure there are stones or something else to buffer the pH and add some hardness. I planned for an Iwagumi scape with Seiryu stones, which raises the GH and pH, defeating the purpose of an active substrate meant for soft water shrimp like CRS and Taiwan Bees, but perfect for a planted tank with OEBTs.

    CAM01047.jpg

  16. My Twinstar Shrimp Log

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Nuri, I agree with your points--that there are cheaper and more cost effective means to produce a healthy and pathogen-free environment for our shrimp, that the Twinstar technology has not been proven, that the right balance of lighting and CO2/Excel supplementation will eliminate the need for any algae-controlling products-- and I will not advocate to do otherwise. The essence of your argument is strong and helpful to the discerning hobbyist interested in these products. But I disagree with the manner of your argument.

     

    Rivergardennursey and DETAquarium have taken the time, effort, and money to give their honest reviews of the product. DETAquarium, through his generous YouTube videos, has inspired many new people to join our hobby, and gave the rest of us useful tips, advice, and product reviews. Using negative words to describe the products imparts some negativity towards the people who actually bought them, and turns away readers to this forum. Let's not be like the other forums out there, where toxic comments pollute them, and make people turn away for good. We've all noticed a drop in activity since this forum was established. This can be due to a variety of factors, but a part of me believes that negativity has a part to play in retaining the members we already have. Let's make people excited to post on here again, and continue to build on our community and build up our members here at The Shrimp Spot.

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