Jadenlea Posted May 16, 2015 Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 My mischling tank that I have struggled with so badly is making me sad again. I was very excited to have licked a bacterial infection and had my females berrying up like crazy. I went through a period of one berrying about every 3 -4 days. However... now I seem to have an issue with baby survival . 4 mommas have had their babies. but I am seeing almost no babies. They seem to be living for a few days and then disappearing. I know there is plenty of food as the tank is heavily planted and well matured. The parameters seem right. Nitrates 0 kh 0 Gh 4 -5 Ph 6.4 TDS 130 I can't figure out what could be wrong . It is disheartening. My one thought is the large bloom of hair algae. The shrimp were really loving it. At any one time, there would be 7 or 8 shrimp crawling through it and at least 2 of the mommas had their babies in it. I could see lots of babies the next day buried in the hair algae but I kept wondering.. How can those small weak creatures move in that stuff. It is dense. Could they have just gotten caught in it unable to move and just died? Thinking about that, I tore the tank apart today and pulled out all the hair algae. I had hoped to find lots of babies living in it but I only found one . I have also noticed the berries have stopped now for 2 weeks. That seems to sync with the really hot weather we had 2 weeks ago where the fans were on the tank and the water was evaporating. I had to top off each day. I wonder if the disturbance was enough to "Ruin the mood" Anyway, I know there isnt much advice you can give. This stuff is so individual and the parameters look ok. But I knew you would all understand how I was feeling today so I decided to post. Pic showing the plenty of plants for feeding and the big bloom of hair algae in the left corner (gone now) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glasshalffull Posted May 16, 2015 Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 You say you had a heat wave anyway the temps in the tank could have swung any that might be an issue sorry to hear just throwing something out there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted May 17, 2015 Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 If you don't have a cover, params swing wildly with evap. I also found a relation to hair algae and dead shrimp. I *think* the algae may be using up the oxygen too fast. I know some larger shrimp of mine and snails have gotten tangled up before in it and died. Overall, I think you did the right thing by removing it. TheGardenofEder 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jadenlea Posted May 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 I hope so Bryce. I ended up killing the pregnant skeleton shrimp. You know how much i loved her and was so excited when she berried. About 3 hours after all the tank work, I found her dead. Devastated. I was ready to tear the tank down last night and give up. And I am not a quitter. The tank does have a cover but I have to open it to attach the clip on fan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted May 17, 2015 Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 Believe me, I understand! Shrimpin' ain't easy sometimes. Feel free to pm if you'd like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stonedaquarium Posted May 18, 2015 Report Share Posted May 18, 2015 If you don't have a cover, params swing wildly with evap. I also found a relation to hair algae and dead shrimp. I *think* the algae may be using up the oxygen too fast. I know some larger shrimp of mine and snails have gotten tangled up before in it and died. Overall, I think you did the right thing by removing it. didnt know water evaporation makes parameters swing wildly??? could be one reason affecting my shrimps survival... problem is i need a fan to keep my water temp around 28C. otherwise without the fan the water temp rises to 31 or 32... would just dumping frozen ice bottles work instead in cooling the water? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyeGuy411 Posted May 18, 2015 Report Share Posted May 18, 2015 Just curious how did you measure your pH? My API test said my tank was 6.4 then I got a Hanna digital meter and the pH was 6.8-6.9, low pH does help with baby survival rate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DETAquarium Posted May 18, 2015 Report Share Posted May 18, 2015 I agree with Bryce, that you did the right thing pulling out the hair algae. After buying plants from multiple sources within the last 3-4 months two of my aquariums I filled with "Hair Algae", where I am in a constant battle of removal, as I always think the same, algae using up oxygen, and shrimp getting caught in it. These two tanks are being broken down within the next two weeks, simply to eliminate the hair algae or at least try. Honestly parameters look good, nitrates are at 0 I am assuming because you use Purigen? I felt the same way, bummed, whenever I lost about x4 Adults TBs in about a month. Shrimp have a funny way of changing your mood swiftly, though I lost 4 adults, tested parameters (checked out great), I could not find a reason for their deaths. Now two months later I have about 5 times the TBs from babies I couldn't see grow up. Hang in there. Keep asking us questions, and you will be back on track for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted May 18, 2015 Report Share Posted May 18, 2015 Some people find this effective for them. An effective way to minimize param swing when using fans for evap is to have an auto top off. didnt know water evaporation makes parameters swing wildly??? could be one reason affecting my shrimps survival... problem is i need a fan to keep my water temp around 28C. otherwise without the fan the water temp rises to 31 or 32... would just dumping frozen ice bottles work instead in cooling the water? stonedaquarium 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stonedaquarium Posted May 18, 2015 Report Share Posted May 18, 2015 soothing when you mean a top off is it a top off with just with remineralized RO water or just plain RO water? also just curious how do you use purigen when you are only using sponge filters in your tank? thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted May 18, 2015 Report Share Posted May 18, 2015 Plain RO, because just pure water is evaporating. Place purigen in a bag in back of your sponge filter. You want water movement to go by your purigen. stonedaquarium 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesHe Posted May 18, 2015 Report Share Posted May 18, 2015 I bought this a while ago to do auto top-off. works great. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00R28TO7I/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shrimple minded Posted May 18, 2015 Report Share Posted May 18, 2015 I bought this a while ago to do auto top-off. works great. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00R28TO7I/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 James, would you be so kind as to share how you set this up, any pictures, etc........ Very interesting, wanna learn more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesHe Posted May 18, 2015 Report Share Posted May 18, 2015 James, would you be so kind as to share how you set this up, any pictures, etc........ Very interesting, wanna learn more It's common practice in Asia. This is not my setup, but same idea. you need storage tank with RO water above, then run the tube to connect the float valve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted May 18, 2015 Report Share Posted May 18, 2015 Any idea where to get the plastic pieces to hang the float valves on the tank? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shrimple minded Posted May 19, 2015 Report Share Posted May 19, 2015 Any idea where to get the plastic pieces to hang the float valves on the tank? Was wondering if he drilled these in, I've got the same question James, thanks for sharing these, really awesome stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dendrobatez Posted May 19, 2015 Report Share Posted May 19, 2015 Saw this online and thought it was similar, I fell like it wouldn't be too hard to make one yourself with acrylic that sits higher like the one in the pic of the rack Soothing Shrimp 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stonedaquarium Posted May 19, 2015 Report Share Posted May 19, 2015 Plain RO, because just pure water is evaporating. Place purigen in a bag in back of your sponge filter. You want water movement to go by your purigen. will get hold a a bag of purigen and stick it atop my sponge filter... currently dont have access to those auto top up things for my tanks... would it be possible if i just measure the starting water level and measure the amount of water loss due to evaporation and just fill up with pure RO back to the starting water level? i know it could be such a chore but better a chore than to lose your shrimps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted May 19, 2015 Report Share Posted May 19, 2015 You can do that. I think AL10 had a post about taking the ball bearing out of a hamster water bottle and using teh bottle as an automatic refill system. Perhaps he'll chime in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loumeer Posted May 19, 2015 Report Share Posted May 19, 2015 It's common practice in Asia. This is not my setup, but same idea. you need storage tank with RO water above, then run the tube to connect the float valve. 15660256707_e65fcea4f9_b.jpg God, this is a scary setup. One of the se folat valves fails and your aquarium is toast with a huge mess on your floor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesHe Posted May 19, 2015 Report Share Posted May 19, 2015 God, this is a scary setup. One of the se folat valves fails and your aquarium is toast with a huge mess on your floor. That won't happen. you can have overflow just 1/4" above the auto top off water level. Dendrobatez 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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