Aquanano40 CRShrimp tank....Journal Closed.

[Ady34]

Re: Aquanano40 CRShrimp tank....Plant melt & new TDS meter.

Im supplementing a tank with just easy carbo and tpn+ and the HC is growing fine mate. I fear it may be your lighting? 🙁

Regards

Maybe its transition then as its melting im experiencing and i would think too little light would result in loss of leaves not melt? I could do with finding out the symptoms of too little light so ill do a bit of research on that. For now ill hang fire and if things dont improve ill have to look more into LCP (Light Compenstaion Point). Ive read a few threads about it and am wondering if im below it for these species! Unfortunately to accurately measure it it seems you need a PAR meter, which will maybe cost £200..... My first port of call if things dont improve (ie its not transition) may be additional lighting, or lower LCP plants as i dont want to add more excel.... and if i am below the LCP then adding more carbon would be futile.
Cheerio,
Ady.

 

[Iain Sutherland]

Re: Aquanano40 CRShrimp tank....Plant melt & new TDS meter.

Hey Ady, I was under the impression HC melt was pretty much the norm in any new set up..? Id wait a while a see what happens.
Low tech tanks are a joy unto themselves anyway mate, i love my low tech nano and how easy it is - twice weekly ferts and bi weekly 10 minute WC. Low tech in a big tank i can imagine to be tedious but with small ones it fills in pretty quick and with next to no maintenance. The shrimpies will thank you too

On a side note id happily chip in with a couple of other regulars to get a par meter....

 

[Nathaniel Whiteside]

Aquanano40 CRShrimp tank....Plant melt & new TDS meter.

I would try and increase the lighting ady,
As you questioned if this was a potential problem in the First place. Dont you think a fluval PCL (11w) or similar could make the difference?

Ive just got my grobeam mounted 🙂 that would definitely power it down to your substrate!

 

[O'Neil]

Re: Aquanano40 CRShrimp tank....Plant melt & new TDS meter.

Before you go buying a light, have you tried lowering the water level?
Correct me if I'm wrong but would this not have a similar effect to adding more light?
If so, you may be able to try this and if it fixes the issue then go buy a light.
If not save your money and buy loads of assassin snails (joke couldn't resist, lol)

 

[Nathaniel Whiteside]

Aquanano40 CRShrimp tank....Plant melt & new TDS meter.

Lighting is relatively easy to come by !

 

[Ady34]

Re: Aquanano40 CRShrimp tank....Plant melt & new TDS meter.

Hey Ady, I was under the impression HC melt was pretty much the norm in any new set up..? Id wait a while a see what happens.
Low tech tanks are a joy unto themselves anyway mate, i love my low tech nano and how easy it is - twice weekly ferts and bi weekly 10 minute WC. Low tech in a big tank i can imagine to be tedious but with small ones it fills in pretty quick and with next to no maintenance. The shrimpies will thank you too

On a side note id happily chip in with a couple of other regulars to get a par meter....

Yeah i think patience may help in diagnosing this issue. Ill lose nothing to wait and see and let things settle properly for a couple more weeks. As for the PAR meter it may be worth looking into. Im a bit skint at the moment but in the future maybe like you say a few regulars could chip in and buy a 'UKAPS members' one. Maybe to be kept by an administrator to be loaned as and when?

As you questioned if this was a potential problem in the First place. Dont you think a fluval PCL (11w) or similar could make the difference?

Ive just got my grobeam mounted that would definitely power it down to your substrate!

Nice light mate 😀
Yeah ive looked into a couple of additional light units and although if i were going down that route id like another 18w aqua one one (im a little bit ocd about matching things for aesthetics), the fluval 11w would probably up lighting sufficiently and not look too mismatched as its black. mmm...there is a grobeam going on the site i think...... but being as how youve just offered me yours thatll be great thanks

Before you go buying a light, have you tried lowering the water level.
Correct me if I'm wrong but would this not have a similar effect as adding more light?
If so, you may be able to try this and if it fixes the issue then go buy a light.
If not save your money and buy loads of assassin snails (joke couldn't resist, lol)

Hi, unfortunately the main filter inlet is near the water surface for the weir style filter chamber so i couldnt do this for any length of time. Im unsure of light penetration, but it may be more to do with distance from the substrate although im sure it does travel easier through air than water so there may be some justification for this theory. Apart from other snails do assassins eat anything else (algae/organic matter) as a few might look quite nice in here, but touch wood, i dont have any other snails yet!

 

[Iain Sutherland]

Re: Aquanano40 CRShrimp tank....Plant melt & new TDS meter.

Apart from other snails do assassins eat anything else (algae/organic matter) as a few might look quite nice in here, but touch wood, i dont have any other snails yet!

I watched 3 of my assassins take out a cardinal like a pack of wolves! had pictures but lost my photobucket account somehow along with the pics i posted. Shrimp might be on the menu if snails are in short supply? They seem to hibernate in the gravel for months when there are no snails, i believe they are strictly meat eaters mate.

 

[Ady34]

Re: Aquanano40 CRShrimp tank....Plant melt & new TDS meter.

Apart from other snails do assassins eat anything else (algae/organic matter) as a few might look quite nice in here, but touch wood, i dont have any other snails yet!

I watched 3 of my assassins take out a cardinal like a pack of wolves! had pictures but lost my photobucket account somehow along with the pics i posted. Shrimp might be on the menu if snails are in short supply? They seem to hibernate in the gravel for months when there are no snails, i believe they are strictly meat eaters mate.

thats a risk i aint taking..... assassin :idea: , sorry porksword.
Cheers for the heads up Iain.

 

[JohnC]

Re: Aquanano40 CRShrimp tank....Plant melt & new TDS meter.

Apart from other snails do assassins eat anything else (algae/organic matter) as a few might look quite nice in here, but touch wood, i dont have any other snails yet!

I watched 3 of my assassins take out a cardinal like a pack of wolves! had pictures but lost my photobucket account somehow along with the pics i posted. Shrimp might be on the menu if snails are in short supply? They seem to hibernate in the gravel for months when there are no snails, i believe they are strictly meat eaters mate.

Bejesus. I've heard anecdotal stories of them taking infant shrimp but never a fish.

I got fed up with them in the end as they just kept disappearing. Plus you need tons to make a real dent in a big snail issue.

 

[Iain Sutherland]

Re: Aquanano40 CRShrimp tank....Plant melt & new TDS meter.

Bejesus. I've heard anecdotal stories of them taking infant shrimp but never a fish.

Yep, i couldnt believe it, 3 of them holding it by the tail as it was trying to swim away then eaten alive from the tail up

 

[Antipofish]

Re: Aquanano40 CRShrimp tank....Plant melt & new TDS meter.

Im supplementing a tank with just easy carbo and tpn+ and the HC is growing fine mate. I fear it may be your lighting? 🙁

Regards

Hi Nathaniel, what are your recommendations for lighting vis a vis HC ?

 

[Ady34]

Re: Aquanano40 CRShrimp tank....Plant melt & new TDS meter.

Im supplementing a tank with just easy carbo and tpn+ and the HC is growing fine mate. I fear it may be your lighting? 🙁

Regards

Hi Nathaniel, what are your recommendations for lighting vis a vis HC ?

Hi, just to add to that what are you dosing of easy carbo?
Cheers,
Ady.

 

[O'Neil]

Re: Aquanano40 CRShrimp tank....Plant melt & new TDS meter.

As far as I know Ady they only eat other snails

 

[faizal]

Re: Aquanano40 CRShrimp tank....Plant melt & new TDS meter.

Yep, i couldnt believe it, 3 of them holding it by the tail as it was trying to swim away then eaten alive from the tail up

That's like something out of that movie "Grey" with Liam Neeson,....

 

[Nathaniel Whiteside]

Aquanano40 CRShrimp tank....Plant melt & new TDS meter.

Im supplementing a tank with just easy carbo and tpn+ and the HC is growing fine mate. I fear it may be your lighting? 🙁

Regards

Hi Nathaniel, what are your recommendations for lighting vis a vis HC ?

Hi, just to add to that what are you dosing of easy carbo?
Cheers,
Ady.

Hey guys,
Well at the moment i have 22w on for 5 hours (5-10pm) and dosing 0.5ml daily Easycarbo & 0.5ml daily of TPN+.

(tank dimensions 30x30x35. So only 2 inches deeper than yours ady. Holding 30-33ltrs)

The growth rate isnt massive, but its definitely spreading. Ive got some blxya japonica in there too and all seems to be doing fine.

Fire red shrimps seem ok too.

 

[Nathaniel Whiteside]

Aquanano40 CRShrimp tank....Plant melt & new TDS meter.



Heres a quick snap to show how its going. Its not growing that slow actually. and I think its looking pretty healthy.

 

[O'Neil]

Re: Aquanano40 CRShrimp tank....Plant melt & new TDS meter.

I watched 3 of my assassins take out a cardinal like a pack of wolves! had pictures but lost my photobucket account somehow along with the pics i posted. Shrimp might be on the menu if snails are in short supply? They seem to hibernate in the gravel for months when there are no snails, i believe they are strictly meat eaters mate.[/quote]

Holy crap I didn't know that

 

[Ady34]

Re: Aquanano40 CRShrimp tank....Plant melt & new TDS meter.

Hey guys,
Well at the moment i have 22w on for 5 hours (5-10pm) and dosing 0.5ml daily Easycarbo & 0.5ml daily of TPN+.

(tank dimensions 30x30x35. So only 2 inches deeper than yours ady. Holding 30-33ltrs)

The growth rate isnt massive, but its definitely spreading. Ive got some blxya japonica in there too and all seems to be doing fine.

Fire red shrimps seem ok too.

Cheers for the info mate and the tanks coming along a treat...must be nice to see hc growing and green!
From your info that means about 2.5wpg in you set up with just under recommended dosage for easy carbo, no algae and plant growth with healthy shrimp.
Im dosing 2.5ml excel in a tank with 1.2 wpg and getting melt. If this isnt transition then im with you on the light so ill be adding to it regardless. I think if your having success with 2.5 wpg with no algae then ill be safe upping mine to around 2wpg and reducing my liquid carbon to around 1-1.5ml/day (running out of excel so ive bought some easy carbo to try). Ive read that smaller volumes of water need more light to get the same intensities?
Is it possible im overdosing the liquid carbon at the moment, i know some plants are susceptible to melt with it, but thought it to be vallis and some other narrow leafed varieties?
I know i can get fluval 11w clip on lights but does anyone know where you can get larger wattage ones like an 18w?
Cheers,
Ady.

 

[Nathaniel Whiteside]

Aquanano40 CRShrimp tank....Plant melt & new TDS meter.

Hey ady,

Thanks mate. Yeah I understand what you mean. I would definitely get another light unit as I think its more that than over dosing liquid carbon.
And yeah you could drop it down to a slightly lower dosage, although i don't think that would melt the Hc like you say.

Im happy how mines growing, so if you can get somewhere near that then surely it should rectify itself? 🙂

Itching to get on with next scape.
Patience is not 'my' virtue 😉

Regards,

 

[Ady34]

Re: Aquanano40 CRShrimp tank....Plant melt & new TDS meter.

Patience is not 'my' virtue 😉

Regards,

Ha, i know what you mean, i want these plants to be growing now but unfortunately it seems nothing good happens fast in planted tanks!
Bet your sat fiddling with all that manzy at home wishing you had some substrate!
Cheerio,
Ady.