Re-starting 15 gallon, 1st time with sand

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Okay, I pullled out a quarter of a 10 litre bucket of sand, this is what remains. Also stuck some of the plants in, althoughI might move the sword to the middle-right a little more. Was trying to leave that section a little clear since I thought the second dragonstone piece might go there. Had also planned to get a third piece at some point. Should make sure to have all the hardscape ready before ordering any plants next time.

And the thickest sand part in the back right corner

Hard to get photos without some floating plant cover. Have some Amazon Frogbit on the way, and some hydrocotyle tripartitia 'Japan' (thank you for linking the video to that plant elsewhere, @NCaquatics , I added it to my basket as soon as I saw it).

Currently planted;
Echinodorus 'rose'
Limnophila sessiliflora
Rotala 'bonsai'

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Much better.

 

[mbsqw1d]

I'd have to disagree to the comments made about 'dangerous' gas pockets created by bacteria in anaerobic conditions

As well explained here:

Substrate Gas Pockets

This came up in another thread so i thought i'd post it here to get a definitive answer. Almost every fishkeeper has heard of the poisonous gases which can accumulate in the substrate if it's not raked through every now and again, right? I personally have never heard of it happening to anyone...

www.fishforums.net

Such bacteria can be useful for a number of different reasons especially in planted tanks.

 

[FishGuest5123]

Anaerobic gas is a danger in ALL tanks, mainly planted tanks as its usually the roots of plants that will bring oxygen from the water column to the root tip and therefore this will oxygenate the substrate and this can create anaerobic gas pockets.

If you started with dry substrate and scaped this before adding water then very easy to trap air and it takes a while for this air to be released from the substrate naturally. Hence this is why we recommend stirring new substrate with anything like a thin stick and stirring this in a circular motion on the substrate.

Anaerobic pockets need to be disturbed to release their toxic gasses and you will likely smell this anaerobic gas.

I never knew about the circular motion. I always just made cuts. Thanks for that info .

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Would a mod be able and willing to move this to a journal section please?

 

[Ch4rlie]

I never knew about the circular motion. I always just made cuts. Thanks for that info .

A very knowledgable member, TwoTankAmin, recommended this method to me, and ever since that’s the method I use to eliminate as much air bubble when am adding new substrate or sand.

Having said that I don’t think it HAS to be circular motions but makes sense to me to do so as doing that method covers more area of substrate more quickly as you go along but whatever works best for you will be fine as long as you agitate the substrate to get rid of as much air bubbles as possible.

But I have pretty much always have had MTS as they do a great job of turning over the substrate and this in turn gets rid of air pockets. As I have said before on other threads, I think MTS are the gardeners of the planted aquarium, much like worms are in your garden

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Why am I still nervous to transfer shrimp into this tank? Same source water, established sponge filter taken from their tank, temp the same.


I know in my head that it should be absolutely fine to transfer them. There's no logical reason to hesitate, it's essentially a cycled tank with the same water I'd use to water change in their their tank. It's a 100% water change, but with less biofilm and algae... but I can feed them extra. Yet I'm still nervous.

I want to be sure that the heater is holding the right temp, and will probably do water tests anyway, before I move any. Might move a guppy or two first, just to reassure me.

 

[Essjay]

Would a mod be able and willing to move this to a journal section please?

Done

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Done

Thank you kindly!
@essjay, why am I still nervous to transfer shrimp to this tank? Is it because it still feels 'brand new' to me, even though I know in my head that it's an established filter in there do you think?

 

[Essjay]

Sometimes shrimps do better with an mature tank. That is one that has been running several months and grown a lot more micro-organisms than just filter bacteria. But considering the problems with the contaminated plants, it would be better to move them somewhere where there is no risk. If you have any decor that hasn't been near those plants, you could put them in this tank.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Sometimes shrimps do better with an mature tank. That is one that has been running several months and grown a lot more micro-organisms than just filter bacteria. But considering the problems with the contaminated plants, it would be better to move them somewhere where there is no risk. If you have any decor that hasn't been near those plants, you could put them in this tank.

I do think that's what's making me nervous, that it's not established other than in terms of filtration. Thank you. Found another dead shrimp just now, so will be moving as many as I can tonight. The stone/wood/plants/substrate in this tank hasn't been near the contaminated plants. At least the wood has been soaking and is producing biofilm, so hopefully the shrimp will appreciate that, although I'll feed them as well of course. Thank you for all your help.

 

[FishGuest5123]

A very knowledgable member, TwoTankAmin, recommended this method to me, and ever since that’s the method I use to eliminate as much air bubble when am adding new substrate or sand.

Having said that I don’t think it HAS to be circular motions but makes sense to me to do so as doing that method covers more area of substrate more quickly as you go along but whatever works best for you will be fine as long as you agitate the substrate to get rid of as much air bubbles as possible.

But I have pretty much always have had MTS as they do a great job of turning over the substrate and this in turn gets rid of air pockets. As I have said before on other threads, I think MTS are the gardeners of the planted aquarium, much like worms are in your garden

I do agree on MTS. I have one that is huge. I call him “grandpa”. He drags across the sand about like I hobble across the room when my knee is giving me trouble. Lol!

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I do think that's what's making me nervous, that it's not established other than in terms of filtration. Thank you. Found another dead shrimp just now, so will be moving as many as I can tonight. The stone/wood/plants/substrate in this tank hasn't been near the contaminated plants. At least the wood has been soaking and is producing biofilm, so hopefully the shrimp will appreciate that, although I'll feed them as well of course. Thank you for all your help.

I was also wary of adding cherry shrimp to my 20g long, as it had only been setup for 2 weeks. I went ahead and added them on the 3rd week, and they are doing just fine.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Moved 40 odd shrimp, maybe more, just a guesstimate really. I was going to try to count how many females/males/juveniles etc, but quickly realised that was a fools errand. I counted 12 adult females though, plus loads of males and a ton of shrimplets of different sizes. Still expect to be finding the odd one in the old tank that escaped my net.


They're settling in and down for dinner pretty quickly

The one in the background does seem to have the white ring of death Just hoping that this was caught in time to save a lot of the them, and I don't lose the whole colony. All was well with the shrimp until I picked up those plants at my LFS, kicking myself for not knowing about the pesticide thing before.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Hopefully that one will recover...

Good for you for adding them over, they look happy.