Co2,ferts, and shrimp

[Subtletanks91]

Does anyone have experience using co2 etc in a shrimp tank with a brighter light?

I've been wanting to do this for some times now but I'm scared to try it. I did the one two punch in my tank for some annoying algae, and I was scared to do that but it worked out fine and no one was harmed to my knowledge,,,,count is the same lol.

So let me know your concerns. Experiences. And weighing the pros and cons.

[danielt]

A definite NO to CO2

[Subtletanks91]

Well there goes that idea out the window lol

[OblongShrimp]

I know people have done it but it always seems to slow growth and breeding.  I have never tried it myself.

[EricM]

although i'm 99% against CO2 in a shrimp tank I know a few breeders who use it to control PH. 

its very low amounts though.

 

I have used it on high light planted tanks with success but always knowing that it really slows reproduction rates down of shrimp.

[danielt]

Main concern is the O2 saturation. Shrimp fry die pretty quickly in O2 starved environments. Also the acidic effect of CO2 is stronger than having an acidic pH. It's NOT the same thing although looks like. Acidic water is not the same as putting an acid in it which you do if you dose CO2.

[Liberty1776]

"Adding some algae eating mini shrimps to my 20 tall..."

That was my thought as I made my first purchase of red cherry shrimp at my lfs. It was actually recommended to me, along with the Oto, to help as a clean up crew for my first planted tank. I was having issues with algae on a few plants, and the 3 siamese flying foxes I had in the tank already werent eating all the algae I wanted em to so I put in 6 rcs and an oto.

Now this tank was my first attempt at a planted tank, and dirted at that, so I had a DIY co2 system I was using with a powerhead and sponge filter I controlled the rate of release by using an air flow valve and confirmed approximate co2 levels with a drop checker using the proper water in it, also had a hob on the tank already, just used some batting to cover the intake of that and got the rcs and oto in after acclimation and within the first week I had 1 loss. The rest survived this brutal beating:

50% weekly water changes done with TopFin water conditioner ( Had to do this as I was dosing dry ferts the "Estimated Index Method" way which requires 50% weekly WC

Cohabitated with the following fish - Otocinclus , Clown Loach x 2 , Siamese Flying Fox x 3

( got the clown loaches because I failed at disinfecting/cleaning some plants I got in the mail which gave me ramshorns, loaches took care of it quick. )

NEVER fed them any kind of specific shrimp food.

Tank received 2 spirulina wafer, and about 15 - 20 micro pellets of fish food every other day for foxes and loaches, and thats it.

I was able to successfully keep the shrimp up unto the point where I had to tear it down, I am currently in the moving process and downgraded from 5 tanks to 2, just got two 10 gallons now. Sucks but, oh what the future has in store... Dad is getting a garage =D ! well soon enough! Although the RCS are now in a non co2 ten gallon at grandpas house, they were happy and healthy.

I will also add that I tried something on my tank that I hadnt read about anyone trying that might have affected the parameters somehow, is how i turned off the venturi tube air intake during the day when i had the co2 on, and had it ON at night when I turned off the co2. I just figured that if im bumping up the co2 that the plants breathe during the day, maybe i should increase the oxygen going in at night, since they take in oxygen at night. This tank was doing awesome, and I was so close to saving up enough money for a good led, which was the last thing I needed for the tank to really do great, and that is how it started.... I was watching the shrimp more than monitoring the growth of the plants, i got hooked and havent bought a plant since then. Not because I dont want to, I just dont have money for it now, but thats ok cause I have learned to be patient in this hobby, and I am pleased to see it eminate in other areas of my life as well. Id rather buy some ShrimpKing food and cholla wood from theshrimptank, oh wait I did =)! Just waiting to pick up the package, been busy moving.

Back to business, I think its also important to note that I agree with Oblong and boston about the "slowing" effect. I say this because I see how it has also effected how often they molted, which was no where near as much as my other shrimp, the carbon rilis are doing now.

In short, I urge people to consider the challenge of balancing that extra parameter ( co2 ) as the rewards are amazing shrimp in a beautiful truly planted tank, if you can afford any mistakes that is. I kept RCS using DIY co2 and did pretty good, imagine a real deal co2 system solenoid, bubble counter... should be easy peasy.

As far as acid and what danielt was talking about, I was interested to read more about the topic and reasearched a lil bit, and still have more to read. I would like more elaboration on the topic if possible, maybe another thread cause this is good stuff. Im stumbling on terms like co2 bicarbonate equilibrium, buffering system... please consider sharing your two cents. Just from what I have read, acids are indeed very bad, but only some of the co2 forms into carbonic acid, which is considered to be a weak acid in the first place.

So we have a small amount of a weak acid that is created when co2 is introduced to h2o because all it needs is that extra proton from hydrogen and there you go, its a carbonic acid, its in our blood, its as normal as the sun coming up, and I am coming to the conclusion that its not bad in your tank, that being said, the bigger the tank the better, due to more wiggle room for parameters to shift. And I dont see too many 5 or 10 gallon planted tanks with co2 injection =) so i would say not to worry about carbonic acid. Ph spikes are the shrimp killer in the co2 injection scenario, its all about balance.

Lastly, this worked for me and theres no telling if it will work for you. Give it a try if you can afford it, otherwise, get some moss and some kind of wood, add a leaf from soothingshrimps leaf list and ur shrimp ill be alive and kicking, "fast" mode =P

Heres a pic of the tank when it was up and running, and a pic with a RCS in it:

links of carbonic acid research:

http://www.cs.duke.edu/~narten/faq/chemistry.html

http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aquarium/chemistry.php

http://ion.chem.usu.edu/~sbialkow/Classes/3650/Carbonate/Carbonic%20Acid.html