Homer_Simpson

Your tank looks absolutely beautiful Tex Gal. I know this goes against conventional wisdom, but I believe that frequent water changes to rid the tank of ammonia may actually be detrimental to a point. Sometimes just letting the tank balance itself may be the way to go and the ammonia may level off. They say that in a planted tank, there should not be any cycling at all. I am not convinced of this. I ran tests with my tanks that were heavily planted from the start and in theory, there should never have been an ammonia spike to due to high plant density, but I always found that was not the case. The ammonia and nitrite spike were still there when I tested and the only difference was that they would last 2 weeks vs a month for non-planted. I just did a weekly 50% water change and the spike disappeared within 2 weeks and this was the case even where I used soil as substrate. The other thing that I found was that when I changed 100% of the polyfibre in the filter of my established fully cycled tank during a weekly water change, I always ended up with an ammonia spike in a heavily planted tank. When I replaced only 50% of the polyfibre and kept 50% of the old polyfibre there was no ammonia spike. For me, this confirms that nitrifying bacteria still are required and play an important role even in a heavily planted tank.

I just set up a 15 gallon high test tank with ADA Amazonia II Aquasoil. I did not start off with the healthiest plants and my HC is all but dead and I don't know if it will rebound. It has only been 9 days since it was setup. I have not set up a web log on this one and will not until I see what it looks like after one month. No inhabitants yet. I haven't decided and will not until I know how the tank turns out in a month. Also, bumped the c02 to 40ppm instead of 30ppm to try and jump start plant growth since the plants were not that healthy to begin with.


***P.S. On the topic of shrimp. I had both Cherry Shrimp and Amano Shrimp and I always found the Amano Shrimp proved hardier and outlived the Cherry Shrimp, so you may want to look at Amano Shrimp. You can also keep Amano and Cherry Shrimp in the same tank without problems.

Tex Gal

Thanks so much. I'm liking the look. In a few days I should get some rotala sp mini type II and will put that in. It seems perfect as it looks miniature. I think it's such a cute, unusual plant and will look good in there.

Well I have never used the ADA aqua soil before. This is my first time. I do love the way it plants, but the ammonia thing is wicked! I have it down to .3 now. That is supposedly a "safe" range. According to the posts on here and the planted tank, people have said to change the water. The rule of thumb has always been dilute the pollute! Who knows?!! It sure has helped the plants just take off. I have doubled the rotala magenta narrow, stargrass, watersprite (finally removed it) and ludwigia. The riccia has more than doubled. I just removed a baby kleiner bar and replaced it with blyxa. Of course all this is to the end of my little shrimps! I hope soon they will be in there.

Thanks for helping. I do think it's beginning to stabilize. I sure hope so!!

Homer_Simpson

Keep in mind that ammonia only becomes an issue at higher PH levels. It is not supposed to be deadly at lower ph levels of around 6-6.5. And if you use water dechlorinators like Seachem Prime, they will also help neutralize the ammonia. Allegedly the Aquasoil I and II is suppose to lower water PH to 6 to 6.5 that is apparently the PH that cherry and amano shrimp are said to prefer although they can adapt to a variety of PH levels. Also, plants are said to prefer ammonia for growth, so the higher ammonia levels in theory should reallly help the plants take off and the more plants you have the more they will feed off the ammonia, until there is no ammonia left.

Tex Gal

I didn't know that about ammonia only being deadly at higher pH levels. My pH is low so maybe I'm fine now. I have plenty of CO2 in there also so..... Yeah I know the plants are munching away at it. I do use Prime so I know that helps. Thanks for that IMPORTANT info. I think I'll try to find more info on that. Do you by any chance know where some more info on that is?

Homer_Simpson

Here you go Tex Gal. Also, DataGuru who put this info together is a member on this forum and well versed in this and the EL Natural method. You can PM her if you have more specific questions she is the most qualified to offer you advise. But this table should help a lot in terms of determining the toxicity of your ammonia levels.
http://dataguru.org/misc/aquarium/AmmoniaTox.html

Tex Gal

My shrimps are in!!! New Rotala mini is in! 3 pygmy cories are in! 2 threadfin rainbows are in!! I'm so excited! The shrimp are moving around like crazy! They are eating everywhere! I don't know if they are more excited or I am! I have some px of the new rotala mini. It is beside the flame moss. It is such a little plant!! It will be adorable when the rotala stems straighten out heading for the light. The shrimp would not cooperate so they are kinda blurry. I really have an appreciation for you guys that have PERFECT shrimp pxs. How did you do it?

rotala mini beside flame moss on grid


2 pygmy cories - see shrimp blur in top back?!!


Cherry on riccia - not yet grown through mesh


Cherry at home eating

Tex Gal

Redid my tank today. Moved the Rotala Magenta Narrow over in front of the star grass, (far right). It needs to thicken up and grow. (I took most of it out and moved it to another tank.) Moved some Java wendelov behind the Star grass. Tied Fisssidens Fontanus on to another rock far left. Trimmed my new little Rotala mini and replanted it all in left front corner. I think it's gonna look good as it grows out.



What do you think?

feiyang

why put a big ball (is it riccia?) in your left foreground?? I think i like your previous layout better.

Tex Gal

Yes, I agree. I grew that out for use in my 125g when I redo it in a couple of weeks. I do have Fissidens Fontanus growing on the rock in the upper left that will kind of hang down. I'm working on getting my little rotala min type 2 to fill in and grow up like a little branching bush in the front left corner. It will have pink hues. I just got some anubias nana petite gold that I just put where the riccia was. I will prune off old leaves once it gets acclimated. Added some petite crypts behind the anubias. I think it will look good when the crypts fill in. I keep waiting for the downoi to take off. It is finally growing but is so slow.

Here is the latest px of it.

Tex Gal

UPDATE - Tank has grown out a litte. Still struggling with the downoi as you can see.