Taiwan Shrimp Tank (84 Liters)

[eozen81]

Got it, thanks for correction. Here folks have been using ADA for approx 2 years which means it's good to buffer pH for 2 years with approximate shrimp population. I was expecting to keep this rate as well because changing ADA is the most painful side of this hobby for me

[Shrimpy Daddy]

Actually after 2 years, it not just buffer the pH but it may go too low for your liking. This is one of the reasons why I revamped one of my tank over the weekend; the pH is at 5.6. To prevent the pH from plunging, you will need to siphon excess waste material out from the substrate every 6 to 12 months. If you maintain it well with proper dosing of nutrients, the tank can virtually last forever, except the ADA AS cracked into powder (only some bad batch).

[eozen81]

Actually I am not a person whose liking changes a lot, i.e. my Sulawesi tank is approx 4 months old and no issue about my liking conditions as my Cardinal shrimps are good about reproducing

My priority about this new Taiwan tank set up is again to establish a good habitat in which Taiwan Bees can reproduce well. Thus if I keep a good reproduction rate with this tank I am sure I will not tend to change the design or layout of this tank just because of my liking or get bored

Can you please explain siphoning excess waste material, how do you do that because it's a littly risky that you can miss baby shrimps who are really hard to see once making a siphon? Apart from that Are you sure ADA will continue decreasing pH from 7.5 to around something 6.0 for years and years, this is something I didn't hear before?

[Shrimpy Daddy]

Sorry, I may have confused you. What I mean by "not to you liking" is the pH plunges way too low than expected. Personally, I prefer pH between 6.4 to 6.8. This is the optimum range in chemistry aspect; it does not dissolve stuffs especially minerals too fast.

 

Regarding siphoning the substrate, you only need to do it when your substrate is full of waste material or gunk. You can see the level of waste material gathered from the side of your tank. When you see the level build up more than half of your substrate height, then you will need to siphon them.

 

To siphon the substrate safely, you need the following:

1. A piece of net with hole that is no more than 5mm.
2. an air tube or a 9/12mm tube (I prefer 9/12mm tube)

Tie the net to one side of the hose, usually I use wire-tie. When you are siphoning, you need to poke the end with the net into the substrate by about 1 to 2 cm before you let the water flow; you can control the water flow by using your thumb to control the other end of the tube or you can use a tap connector. Once you see the water flowing is cleared, then move to the next location. Since you only let the water flow when the tube is in the substrate, there is no way to suck in baby shrimp.

 

One key thing about siphoning is that it can only be done with matured tank. This is because when you disturb the substrate, there will be no toxic substances release out.

 

For my tanks, since the substrate has good eco-system, I only see the waste material build up once every 1 year or 2 years. However for new tank that before the ecosystem is established, it potentially can build up rapidly within the first few months but will slowly disappear over time. 

[eozen81]

Today (5th day after first setup) I measured ammonia and it's around 3.0 mg/L and I had done no Water Change yet.

Do you advise me to wait a while in case ammonia continue dissolving or should I do some water change at this times?

 

 

 

[Shrimpy Daddy]

3ppm of Total Ammonium is pretty high. You need to do blackout of your tank, which is don't turn on light and cover the sides of tank up to prevent light going in. This will prevent any algae from take the chance of high ammonia condition to grow. 

 

If you can get a test kit that test free ammonia (not total ammonium) will be useful.

 

Don't change water and let it cycle for at least two weeks straight. What is the pH and temperature of your water? 

 

Actually a couple of years ago, I did write an article of cycling ADA substrate without probiotics (traditional way) and you can take a look on the steps and what to look for: http://www.shrimpydaddy.com/p/cycling-ada-substrate-for-planted-and.html

[eozen81]

Thank you mate, I will do blackout as you advised. Also thanks for the article, I had read it before but since it was advising to use tap water I did not continue to read as I did use RO water and mineralized it with GH+ 

 

My pH is and TDS did not change at all from the beginning:

 

pH 5.3

TDS 220 microsiemens (RO + GH+)

[Shrimpy Daddy]

No worries mate.

 

"as I did use RO water and mineralized it with GH+ " <--- Are you using GH+ or the Sulawesi salt? I think I read in one of your post, you mentioned you re using Sulawesi 7.5, or maybe I misread. If you wanted to cycle ADA AS faster, you will need to use Sulawesi salt instead. Alternatively if you are using GH+, you can add 4dKH equivalent of Sulawesi salt into your current water.

 

At pH 5.3, the humus and ammonium will not be forced out and it will take much longer to cycle and/or age.

 

You can do anything to the water and don't need to worry about GH or TDS. Once the tank is cycled, you will need to perform a 90 to 95% water change.

[eozen81]

I have got 2 tanks as you can see from my signatures, I am using Sulawesi 7.5 for my Sulawesi tank, and GH+ for Taiwan tank set up.

 

I got your point and try to mimick that, thank you a lot for your appreciated informations.

[Shrimpy Daddy]

You are welcome.

[High5's]

A few of us use ugf's very effectively and it's for a reason they work well for shrimp keeping. Everything has it's pro's and con's and the pro's out weigh the con's using ugf's that's why we use them. We design them to suit our need's, yes they are simple in design less to break less to go wrong easy to maintain and cost effective. As we move away from less complex methods of shrimp keeping and simplify thing's It becomes more attractive to others interested in shrimp keeping and I think that's good for the hobby.

[Doc4PC2]

I just want to say, I love it, it is going to be an awesome tank!

[eozen81]

Hey guys, I have a quick question for Taiwan breeders: Do you do water changes on a regular basis or only top off?

[Doc4PC2]

I change about 15 to 25% of the water every two weeks. I also top off a little too.

[Shrimpy Daddy]

10% weekly and top-off via ATO system.

[countryboy12484]

10% weekly myself

[DETAquarium]

I only top off, unless TDS if off.

[eozen81]

Thank you guys, I am using a top cover to minimize the top off, thus I will do top off only unless TDS is very high. You enligthened me about this thank you all.

[eozen81]

2 weeks update:

 

50% Water Change done

Ammonia was high and that's the main reason of WC

TDS looks stable no huge increase/decrease

pH is still low (around 5.4)

Increased the temp around 26C (79F)

 

I am planning to make another 50% change 2 weeks later and then observe the parameters closely. Here a few pics from my wood and cones which I believe the shrimps will love them 

 

[Shrimpy Daddy]

Let the ammonium level remain high and don't change water. The more you change, the slower the cycling will be. What's your NO2 level?

 

Those furry things are fungi.

 

I saw your signature stated that you have a Sulawesi tank. Can you take a piece of the bio-media from the Sulawesi tank and throw it into this tank?

[eozen81]

Hello, yeah! Fungi, thanks for that. You can click to see my tank from my signature. I have been using HMF for all my tanks thus I cannot take out a piece   

Are you saying I need no WC and wait until ammonia stops dissolving then make only 1 full change? Because with this ammonia levels I cannot keep a shrimp over there.

PS: I have no test kit for NO2

[Shrimpy Daddy]

Oh... I forgot you are using HMF. Sorry, I have poor memory.

 

Seems like your bacteria is not growing may be caused by cycling with RO water. Since ADA AS is constantly leeching ammonium for up to two months, you need a NO2 and NO3 test kit to find out the bacteria is working or not.

 

If I don't remember wrongly, last time when I cycle with traditional method, after 2 weeks when completed the cycling, I have less than 0.2ppm total ammonium, 0ppm NO2 and 20 to 30ppm NO3.

 

There is another way to seed the water. If the HMF in the Sulawesi tank has multiple layer, you can take one layer out and wash the filter in the new tank. This will seed the bacteria.

 

Since you are cycling using tradition method, NO2 is the precursor of NO3, which is toxic at high level. Even though Ammonium will not kill and there is very little ammonia at that pH, you will have to worry more on NO2 than free ammonia. FYI, your test kit should be for total ammonium and to convert the amount of free ammonia, you can use this calculator: http://www.hbuehrer.ch/Rechner/Ammonia.html

[eozen81]

Ok I borrowed JBL test strips which I don't trust so much and both my SUlawesi cycled and new Taiwan tank's NO2 and NO3 is nearly zero

[Shrimpy Daddy]

Sulawesi tank cycled with near zero NO3 is possible. However for ADA AS, it is not possible; it has tons of ammonium salt. Most NO3 test kit will not be sensitive until 10ppm or above. 

 

Given said that, test strip is usually pretty inaccurate. Chemical type is better.

[eozen81]

21st day update:

- First shrimps added to the tank.

- Layout has been revised

- 1 cinnamon added

- %30 WC done (total change %70)

- Oxybooster added for quality oxygen

Got 1 CRS and 1 CBS from a pal to test if they will survive or go to the heaven. They were introduced to the tank after 3 hours acclimatization. They look fine so far but we will see. Here below a picture and a short video (before adding the shrimps)