Jump to content

Substrate in plastic tubs


Recommended Posts

I will be switching a tank over from neocaridina mode to caridina mode to lower the ph, and I'm curious if anyone has used the following method. The current inhabitants will move to a different tank.

 

I will be swapping the water with RO water remineralized with Salty Shrimp GH+. But, I do not want to remove the well established inert substrate I'm using. Can I simply add an active soil, such as Aqua Soil Amazonia, via a plastic tupperware tub to lower the ph? I will plant this tub (and around the tub) with moss, etc. to minimize its visibility. 

 

The benefits I see with this method:

 

  • I don't disrupt my existing, established substrate. 
  • Even more importantly, when the soil has lost its ability to lower ph, I don't have to tear the whole tank down. I can simply swap in a new tub of soil after cycling it.

 

I watched a few videos on Youtube (flip aquatics guy) that demonstrate this exact method. He uses them in bare bottom tanks, but suggested that you could easily add a tub over existing, inert substrate. Screenshot of video shown below:

 

Has anyone tried this? Found it successful? Failed? Any red flags come up?

 

589ccf84d0f10_ScreenShot2017-02-09at2_21_56PM.png.9ada08f06fa539b28bdc4402a3c80658.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ive been reading on here that new ada leeches a lotta ammonia. Ive seen flips videos and hes using fluval to throw in the tubs, which doesnt leech ammonia. I wanted to actually try layering some ada over my fluval but too scared thinking the ammonias gonna spike and kill my shrimp. If you do it.... let me know how it goes!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That should work just fine, but as 8  mentioned don't use ada. If you want to use inert+active substrate mix it is also good to place the active substrate in a large external filter, or external breeder boxes. This allows you to effortlesly replace the substrate when it is exhausted and does not take up space in the tank but the downside is that it might be more expensive. With the waterflow you also get more filtration surface for the bacteria. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Regarding using active substrate in an external canister or other filter- it wlkld make sense to use a larger size of substrate not a fine substrate I imagine.

I'm not great with water chemistry but could there be any issues arising if the power goes out and the substrate is starved of flow and oxygen and then switched back on? Or would this be the same as if it was any other kind of biomedia?
[emoji173] [emoji111] [emoji444]
Will

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've seen similar methods being done over seas with plastic cubes inside but the only difference is that people overseas use Undergravel filters with them, The other thing you should not over look is that by doing the tub method you lose a lot of the surface area where the Soil grows biofilm that the shrimp love to eat. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Uriel RT said:

I've seen similar methods being done over seas with plastic cubes inside but the only difference is that people overseas use Undergravel filters with them, The other thing you should not over look is that by doing the tub method you lose a lot of the surface area where the Soil grows biofilm that the shrimp love to eat. 

I believe the main purpose of the undergravel filters is to increase water circulation through the thick layer of active substrate, not so much for filtration. I could be wrong. A thin layer of substrate, either active or inert, could be placed on the tank bottom to increase surface area.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Ok. This is off to a really bad start. I aged some RO water and remineralized with Salty Shrimp GH. I emptied a very established 30g with some algae growth on the sides bottom (no substrate). I added the water, and all was looking good.

 

PH 6.5

TDS 120

KH 1

GH 6

 

I added two large plastic containers filled with Fluval Stratum (topped off with some java moss), figuring it wouldn't drop my ph much, but that's ok. It's really there just to add some stability. I was out of town for 24 hours. I picked up 20 CRS today to go into the tank, and I was thrilled to hear that the seller used almost the exact water parameters.

 

I got home, ready to start the drip acclimation process. I thought, I'll test my water, just to be safe. Today, my PH is maxing out on my test at 7.6. That means it's potentially higher. What would have caused such a huge increase in PH in 24 hours? I had some leftover water in a bucket, and that's holding at 6.5ph. I left my lights on overnight, in hopes of boosting some algae growth. I know lights can affect PH a little, but that wildly?

 

If so, will turning lights off bring PH back down to reasonable levels? I'd rather not kill off these CRS. They are nice. :)

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Update on this: Turns out that my PH test kit went bad. It was never up to 7.6, so all of my panic was for nothing. :) 

 

In the 2.5 months since starting this tank, the CRS are doing great. Healthy, growing, reproducing. I counted 40+ tiny babies this week. A few more berried females. 

 

So far, the tubs are working great. I'm starting another tank with them today.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@bostoneric - Read the top of the post. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It is an interesting idea but I don't like all the clutter in the tank, it would make it a royal pain to catch out shrimp.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I actually plan on doing this to some of my tanks, even through it doesn't give the natural look I love how clean it is. Less stress in opinion worrying if something is under the gravel leaching ammonia. You can also add just regular substrate on the bottom of the tank and keep the active substrate in the bins if you really want gravel all over.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I will be giving the tubs or trays in my case a go shortly in a large shallow 350L tank. Might drill lots of small holes, smaller than the substrate of course, into the trays to increase air flow, was also considering raising the trays a little off the ground to aid circulation and another hiding place for the shrimp. Nothing tried nothing gained ....   

 

might as well link this thread as kind of the same thing.... 

https://www.google.co.za/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=8&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjrw6S3-f7TAhUrIsAKHVBhB98QFghjMAc&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.shrimpspot.com%2Findex.php%3F%2Ftopic%2F1328-soils-substrate-and-bare-bottoms%2F&usg=AFQjCNGox-kHzTIRHY-NrxFXzKn8sj6Mig

 

 

shrimp farm 005 (Small).jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Depending on the thickness of your base layer that you are putting your tubs on,  you could trap gasses that would build up over time 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have this running in a couple caridina tanks since Feb, and it's working brilliantly. I started in Feb with 20 CRS in one tank, and now I'm up to probably close to 150 or more. And, the taiwan bee tank I have going has a ton of babies. 

 

I planted some java moss in the tubs, and it has grown to the point where you can barely see the tub at all. It looks good. My tanks are bare bottom, aside from cholla/leaf litter/etc., but you could easily put inert substrate in as well. When the active substrate in tubs no longer buffers, it'll be as simple as swapping out the tubs. I love the set up so far. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Update. This has been working really well. It's been 8 months, so I think it's safe to say this works, if it's your style. 

 

Some CRS enjoying fresh cholla. 

 

2017-10-07 12.14.48.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...