6 Gallon Planted Fluval Edge Shrimp Tank - Build Thread

[davemonkey]

Maybe I missed this information, but is that Aquasoil (ADA) ? If so, you should be doing at least 50% water changes DAILY for the first week, the every 2 days the 2nd week, and so on until you get to a normal weekly routine. This is due to the initial heavy release of ammonia in the first couple weeks of use. That might explain some of the plants getting worse. The other things to consider is that all plants will suffer a bit when placed in a new environment...especially if they were emersed-grown.

[Complexity]

Yes, I am using RO water and did not add anything to buffer the water.

I don't use RO water in any of my planted tanks, but if that's what you want to use, then you have to add minerals back into the water with something like Seachem Equilibrium. This may be partly why your plants have been suffering.

Is there a particular reason why you're using RO water? RO water is not required for planted tanks, and most people I know with planted tanks do not use it. There are usually only specific reasons for using it, such as when a person wants to grow a specific plant or fish, and then most people that I know just add a mix of tap water with the RO water.

If you want to keep using the RO water, give plantman65 a shout. He's using RO water and Seachem Equilibrium with his planted tanks and seems very happy with it.

[gotfrogs]

Dave - I used Fluval Shrimp stratum for my substrate. I don't think it puts off ammonia because that would not be very popular with shrimp.

I picked up som Equilibrium from City Pets the other day. I will add this to the RO water before changing the water each Sunday.


The bottles that I ordered for my fertilizer came in today. I made up two batches, one with KNO3, KH2PO4 and K2SO4 and one with only CSM+B. I mixed them in a ratio that will allow me to add 10 mL (10 pumps) of the macronutrients and 5 mL (5 pumps) of micronutrients every other day to the tank.

[Crude]

Foolproof!

[Complexity]

How's the tank coming along? Any improvement in the plants?

[Sea-agg09]

Watch out with the CSM+B. I made a big pump bottle full of it, but the air pulled in by the pump grew bacteria and fungus over a month or so. If I were to do it again, I would make 1-2 week bottles.

[Complexity]

It's best to keep it in the refrigerator. However, I do agree, it will grow fungus over time. If that happens, empty it out, use bleach/water to kill the fungus on the bottle, dechlor the bleach, and then make some more.

I have my bottles marked with how many teaspoons and how much water to add to make it easy to remember the "recipe" each time. If it tends to fungus before you use it all, then cut it in half next time.

[gotfrogs]

How's the tank coming along? Any improvement in the plants?

No improvments with the plants, and I am getting some algae in the tank. The Pogostemon helferi, Downoi
is the only one that is a total loss. I probably need to order some more plants but I want to make sure that the tank parameters are stable before I do so.

[Complexity]

The thing about planted tanks is that the plants actually help stabilize the tank parameters. One trick to try, when starting out a new tank, is to stuff the tank with temporary plants that will be culled out once the main plants begin growing.

One of my favorite plants for this purpose is hornwort. It is a very fast growing plant, does not need to be planted, can be floated or weighed down to look like a stem plant, and is cheap. It's basically a pond weed, but it's highly controllable in an aquarium.

The only caveat is that it cannot be used with seachem excel and do not treat the tank with H2O2 (common algae treatment) as both will kill hornwort. But in your case, neither of these things are an issue for you.

You'll find that once your tank is growing plants, it'll be easier to keep things in balance. it's getting over that first hump that's the hardest. Hang in there.

[Sea-agg09]

helferi is grown emergent by suppliers, and is really on my list of PITA plants. Don't fret too much if you lose those at the beginning. I wouldn't dose too much in the first few months. There are tons of nutrients in the plant substrate to sustain most plants for quite a while. That is probably the source of some of your algae.

[gotfrogs]

I purchased my first shrimp and fish today.
I got two pairs of endlers (not really sure they are the high red ones)
EndlerCode.JPG
and a lone shrimp
ShrimpCode.jpg

[eklikewhoa]

Where did you buy your livestock from?

At those prices I think it would have been well worth the drive into town to meet with one of the forum members that are breeding the two.

Would have gotten much better quality stock and probably more quantity too for the price.

[gotfrogs]

I got them at Fish Gallery but got a disscount =)

[IvanSanchez]

20$ for A grade??? Hope that was a good discount...

[gotfrogs]

Lets just say I am happy with my purchase. I am ordering some new plants today. Hopefully I can get this tank up and running and looking nice!