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My new Oase 175 Styline

So I picked up my tank and oodles of goodies from Horizon. Complete novice doesn’t start to give the correct impression of how novice I am!

I’m waiting for my list from Horizon of exactly what I bought but here’s what I can remember...

Oase 650 Biomaster
Manzanita wood
Stones. Can’t remember which
Tropica soil
Tropica substrate
ADA sand I think it was
Dennerle Baikal - not put in yet
An additional light with blue and red can’t remember which
Additional white things to put into the filter (removed blue sponges)
Seachem Prime
Seachem stability
24 he Aquarist APT complete comprehensive planted aquarium supplement
Aquavitro Aquascaping tweezers and scissors
Oase spiral brush
Metal bristled brush for cleaning atones
Seachem scraper with pad and blade
Oase spare filter sponges blue
Aquarium Lab multi test kit - not used yet
Length of hose for water changes
Oase submersible pump. It got damaged in the post so am awaiting delivery of new one. Having to use cold hose pipe water to refil unfortunately but not for much longer hopefully
1.2 grow plants next
Pogostemon
Eleocharis
Lilaeopsis
Alternathera
Staurogyne
Vesicularia x2
Aquadip plants -
Ludwiga mini super red x 3
Aquafleur Bucephalandra Theia green
Tropica plants
Pogostemon 1
Cryptocoryne x 4
Hygrophila x 2
Limnophila x 1
Microsorum x 7
Becephalandra x 4
Then added:
Seachem purigen bag
Mini landscape seiryu rock
Plus more plants
Hygrophila siamensis 53b x 2
Helanthium rebelling green x 3
Cryptocoryne wendtii green x 2
Limnobium laevigatum x 1
Microsorium pteropus windelov x1
Bolbitis heudelotii x 1
Tropica aquarium soil powder
I now also have an Eheim intake strainer and filter intake pipe for water changes.
looks absolutely stunning:thumbup: hopefully your set up is finally starting to be more stable for you.:wave:
Oh I hope so! Although today I see I must have had some hitchhikers on the plants I put in yesterday - baby snails eek
Yes I can agree with that.

I think my suggestion of an instant increase to 5hrs then 3 small steps to 6hrs was possibly on the cautious side and born out of me not wanting to overly stress the plants.
Either way @Trakkajack if you followed the slowly slowly, catchy monkey approach your light period should now be at 6hrs anyway.
ok. Tomorrow will see a longer light period thank you
 
Im replying here to your post in your other thread, to help the conversation return to the journal, hope you dont mind :)

I think a lot of us low tech folks run around 10 hours lighting period, so 6 hours really should be the lowest limit.
I have been running mine on 10 hours for many months and recently went up to 12 following the advice of Christel, our new plant expert.

I have a theory that long lighting periods with relatively low light is beneficial for low tech setups.
Because the plants are only trickle fed small amounts of CO2, it makes sense to me that they could need more hours to "eat their fill".

back to my original journal!

All makes sense thank you - I will start tomorrow.
 
New plants only been in one day. This morning I wake up to lots of blooming baby snails. Very luckily last Thursday my friend brought me an assassin snail (not seen it since it was deposited into the tank) so hopefully it’s still in there somewhere and it can start eating the other snails that are appearing! Turkey Baster has also arrived as advised thank you!
 

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They look to be Ramshorn snails looking at the photo.
I see you have the Turkey Baster:thumbup: same one as mine:clap: you can use the turkey Baster to suck them out! Also the turkey Baster I use is for blowing out detritus in the crevices of the rocks plus for difficult areas where you can't get the gravel vac to go. Have fun with it!! I do!!🤣🤣 😍
 
I wouldn't be overly worried about the pest snails at this point unless you're seeing them in their dozens. If you are not adding any food to the tank then its unlikely you'll end with a snail bloom.

You should also remember that those pesky snails will help consume any unwanted algae and rotting or decaying plant matter.
You've also by default accepted to some degree that you need a small population of pest snails to feed the assassin snail, without a food source that will perish.

Without sounding like Elton John think of it as a circle of life ~ the pest snails will eat the waste and algae in the tank and then get eaten by the assassins.

So to conclude, if your seeing the pest snails in their dozens and like me you don't like them, by all means remove a few to keep them in check, but don't blitz them all for the sake of your tank and the assassin snail.
 
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They look to be Ramshorn snails looking at the photo.
I see you have the Turkey Baster:thumbup: same one as mine:clap: you can use the turkey Baster to suck them out! Also the turkey Baster I use is for blowing out detritus in the crevices of the rocks plus for difficult areas where you can't get the gravel vac to go. Have fun with it!! I do!!🤣🤣 😍
Yes I got the turkey Baster on your recommendation! I have an assassin snail in the tank somewhere now (my friend brought it last week but I’ve never seen it yet!) so was wandering if Kato (that’s the assassin snails name) would eat them?
 
So to conclude, if your seeing the pest snails in their dozens and like me you don't like them, by all means remove a few to keep them in check, but don't blitz them all for the sake of your tank and the assassin snail.
Oh ok. The circle of life ...
 
In my Reef I have trochus snails these are beneficial but mine only move about after lights are out. I shine a torch through the glass to see um. Kato could be under cover and come out late at night.;)
May I ask did you acclimate properly because snails are sensitive to change more than fish. I acclimated mine for a hour before putting them into my set up.
 
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The snails that have appeared are tiny babies. Not sure how many. Still no sign of Kato. I guess he’s on a secret mission...

Ramshorns snails, as in your image, are one of the best tank janitors you can get in my opinion - I don't consider them a pest snail, they will help keep your plants and tank lovely and clean if you let them. Their population will self regulate depending on the availability of food, and as the snails become adults, and the population will continually regenerate at zero cost to you, unlike expensive nerites. To me Ramshorns are to nerites what cherry shrimp are to Amano shrimp. If it were me, I would abandon the Assassin snail plan and embrace the Ramshorns as free friends, not foe.
 
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did you acclimate properly because snails are sensitive to change more than fish. I acclimated mine for a hour before putting them into my set up.
No the poor thing wasn’t at all. My friend came for tea and chucked him in the tank!
 
Hi all,
Ramshorns snails, as in your image, are one of the best tank janitors you can get in my opinion - I don't consider them a pest snail, they will help keep your plants and tank lovely and clean if you let them. Their population will self regulate depending on the availability of food, and as the snails become adults, and the population will continually regenerate at zero cost to you, unlike expensive nerites. To me Ramshorns are to nerites what cherry shrimp are to Amano shrimp. If it were me, I would abandon the Assassin snail plan and embrace the Ramshorns as free friends, not foe.
Can you explain that to me please? Nerites? ...? I was going to get amano shrimp. Should I get cherry?!
Neither Amano shrimps or Nerite species snail will reproduce successfully in your tank, both have planktonic stages that require sea water for development. You never have more than you purchased, but over time their number will shrink due to "natural wastage" and if you still want them in your tank you have to buy some more.

The difference with Cherry Shrimps and Ramshorn Snails is that they reproduce successfully in fresh (tank) water, producing mini versions of themselves (no planktonic stage).

They will form self-sustaining colonies, and (unless severe ill fate intervenes) you never need to buy any more.

cheers Darrel
 
Can you explain that to me please? Nerites? ...? I was going to get amano shrimp. Should I get cherry?!

Essentially what I meant was, neither Nerites nor Amanos can breed in freshwater (they both require brackish water to successfully produce or raise offspring). So the only stock you have, are the ones you buy, and they eventually die so you have to buy more.

Both Ramshorns and Cherry shrimp breed prolifically in fresh water without any intervention. This results in two things - firstly the population is self sustaining meaning your initial acquisition of either species is likely the last you'll ever need to make, providing you don't kill them, or let them get predated.

(EDIT: I see Darrel beat me to the punch on those two points lol)

Secondly, because both species are so prolific, their effectiveness in tank janitor duties, particularly algae control, becomes a numbers game. Nerites and Amano's are considered more efficient - gram for gram - at controlling algae. Amano's have been shown to consume around twice the algae to cherry shrimp for example, however a typical stocking of Amano shrimp in a 60 litre tank might be, say, 10-12 individuals. Introduce cherry shrimp and you can end up with hundreds of individuals. 100 individual shrimp constantly cleaning plant leaves and grazing on hardscape will always be more effective than 10-12 individuals, even when the latter is twice as efficient.

It's a similar case with Nerites, where the recommended stocking density is usually around one individual per 15-20 litres or so. In a 60 litre tank, that's 3-4 individuals. In my low tech I can only guess that my naturally occurring Ramshorn population is in excess of 30 adults - it's quite likely way more than that and I can only see half of them at any one time. Again, though Nerites are quite possibly more effective at algae control gram for gram, the numbers game puts the effectiveness much more in the Ramshorns favour.

I think the numbers game is important if you want the clean up crew to prevent algae. Prevention requires them to feed on and limit the growth of algae at the microscopic level long before it becomes visible to our eyes. Once we can see the algae, it is almost too late, as it is generally too large at that point for the algae eaters to tackle it. So the numbers game the Cherries and Ramshorn's achieve, ensures that each leaf surface and piece of hardscape is passed over, tended to and grazed upon much more frequently than would be the case with Nerites and Amanos, increasing their effectiveness at supressing it. At least that's my theory!
 
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Essentially what I meant was, neither Nerites nor Amanos can breed in freshwater (they both require brackish water to successfully produce or raise offspring). So the only stock you have, are the ones you buy, and they eventually die so you have to buy more.

Both Ramshorns and Cherry shrimp breed prolifically in fresh water without any intervention. This results in two things - firstly the population is self sustaining meaning your initial acquisition of either species is likely the last you'll ever need to make, providing you don't kill them, or let them get predated.

(EDIT: I see Darrel beat me to the punch on those two points lol)

Secondly, because both species are so prolific, their effectiveness in tank janitor duties, particularly algae control, becomes a numbers game. Nerites and Amano's are considered more efficient - gram for gram - at controlling algae. Amano's have been shown to consume around twice the algae to cherry shrimp for example, however a typical stocking of Amano shrimp in a 60 litre tank might be, say, 10-12 individuals. Introduce cherry shrimp and you can end up with hundreds of individuals. 100 individual shrimp constantly cleaning plant leaves and grazing on hardscape will always be more effective than 10-12 individuals, even when the latter is twice as efficient.

It's a similar case with Nerites, where the recommended stocking density is usually around one individual per 15-20 litres or so. In a 60 litre tank, that's 3-4 individuals. In my low tech I can only guess that my naturally occurring Ramshorn population is in excess of 30 adults - it's quite likely way more than that and I can only see half of them at any one time. Again, though Nerites are quite possibly more effective at algae control gram for gram, the numbers game puts the effectiveness much more in the Ramshorns favour.

I think the numbers game is important if you want the clean up crew to prevent algae. Prevention requires them to feed on and limit the growth of algae at the microscopic level long before it becomes visible to our eyes. Once we can see the algae, it is almost too late, as it is generally too large at that point for the algae eaters to tackle it. So the numbers game the Cherries and Ramshorn's achieve, ensures that each leaf surface and piece of hardscape is passed over, tended to and grazed upon much more frequently than would be the case with Nerites and Amanos, increasing their effectiveness at supressing it. At least that's my theory!
Ohh I see! Very well explained thank you. I understand now. Much appreciated
 
Hi all,
Secondly, because both species are so prolific, their effectiveness in tank janitor duties, particularly algae control, becomes a numbers game.
So the numbers game the Cherries and Ramshorn's achieve, ensures that each leaf surface and piece of hardscape is passed over, tended to and grazed upon much more frequently than would be the case with Nerites and Amanos, increasing their effectiveness at supressing it.
That is what I think as well. I've managed to <"kill all my RCS"> in some <"soft water"> and/or cichlid related mishaps, but a combination of Tadpole Shrimps*, MTS <"Red Ramshorn"> snails, Asellus and Crangonyx now <"perform janitorial duties for me">.

*edit That should have been "Tadpole Snails" (Physella acuta) and not "Tadpole Shrimps" (Triops spp.)

cheers Darrel
 
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Hi all,


Neither Amano shrimps or Nerite species snail will reproduce successfully in your tank, both have planktonic stages that require sea water for development. You never have more than you purchased, but over time their number will shrink due to "natural wastage" and if you still want them in your tank you have to buy some more.

The difference with Cherry Shrimps and Ramshorn Snails is that they reproduce successfully in fresh (tank) water, producing mini versions of themselves (no planktonic stage).

They will form self-sustaining colonies, and (unless severe ill fate intervenes) you never need to buy any more.

cheers Darrel
Thank you. I’m learning lots from this site and all you experts and it’s great that you all take the time to explain things to a numpty newbie!
 
Hi all,


That is what I think as well. I've managed to <"kill all my RCS"> in some <"soft water"> and/or cichlid related mishaps, but a combination of Tadpole Shrimps, MTS <"Red Ramshorn"> snails, Asellus and Crangonyx now <"perform janitorial duties for me">.

cheers Darrel

Not seen you mention tadpole shrimp before Darrel, they're a new on on me - they look positively prehistoric, like miniature Horseshoe crabs!

Do you find your Cichlids leave the Asellus and Crangonyx alone?
 
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