fs - rcs

[jeremyblevins]

haha obviously you don't know my luck very well it's more like 1 in 2.
i just wanted to make sure because i want to make a colony in my 55 gallon that can sustain itself and grow or shrink to fit the niche in the aquarium.
oh and john i could use your input on my sick gourami thread if you don't mind

 

[BlackMagic]

i see your from MASS? i live one hr away from MASS.
cant u ship first class on these? im sure the whole package shouldnt weight more than 12oz.

 

[MarkA123]

How long will you be selling these? I'm getting a 10g and want to have only red cherry shrimp and was wondering if you would still be selling them around December. If not I have a 3g I'll go ahead and order some and hope they breed so I'll have some for my 10g when it's done cycling in decmeber. What substrate do you recommend? I want sand no gravel so what's the best plant sand substrate?

 

[Dr. Scroggins..]

there are tons of options. i went with ADA Aquasoil and totally love it. it comes with some nutrients and has a good ability to suck up nutrients out of the water and hold them for root feeding plants. I have a friend that used Eco complete and he likes that.. 2 good options that are black. The ada aquasoil is more expensive and has two different sizes, i think sand, and regular which the granules are about the size of a pepper corn.

 

[timwag2001]

i see your from MASS? i live one hr away from MASS.
cant u ship first class on these? im sure the whole package shouldnt weight more than 12oz.

if i were shipping plants i would consider. but i'm not taking a chance on live animals getting stuck in the mail. sorry

 

[timwag2001]

How long will you be selling these? I'm getting a 10g and want to have only red cherry shrimp and was wondering if you would still be selling them around December. If not I have a 3g I'll go ahead and order some and hope they breed so I'll have some for my 10g when it's done cycling in decmeber. What substrate do you recommend? I want sand no gravel so what's the best plant sand substrate?

yeah, i never really seem to run out. i'll probably still have them

you can use just about anything from play sand to ada aquasoil. i personally like flourite. but thats just my preference.

 

[MarkA123]

Ok is black fluorite sand? And is it best for plants. I plan to have lots of plants. And I only want sand no gravel. Thanks and would a penguin 100 be ok for them in a 10g?

yeah, i never really seem to run out. i'll probably still have them

you can use just about anything from play sand to ada aquasoil. i personally like flourite. but thats just my preference.

 

[timwag2001]

what i use is the normal flourite. but there is black flourite sand too

click up top where it says "planted substrates"
Seachem Gravel


your filter is just fine. with any kind of filter its a good idea to put a pre-filter over the intake of the filter to prevent any shrimp, especially babies, from getting sucked up. some people use unused, unwashed pantyhose. i personally like the fluval prefilter sponge. i use it on most of my tanks, however i dont think it will fit on the intake of the penguin. here's a link to the one i use so that you can get an idea of what you should get
Hagen Fluval Edge Aquarium Pre-Filter Sponge at PETCO

 

[MarkA123]

Thanks what's the in the different flourites they all have different stats I don't know what half of them are. I like sand but they only have black so is there a white plant sand I can buy anywhere? And what lights/ferts do I need? Sorry for l the questions I've never had any live plants. One last question I don't want to use any co2 tabs or contraptions so will that greatly reduce my plant options. Thanks again

what i use is the normal flourite. but there is black flourite sand too

click up top where it says "planted substrates"
Seachem Gravel


your filter is just fine. with any kind of filter its a good idea to put a pre-filter over the intake of the filter to prevent any shrimp, especially babies, from getting sucked up. some people use unused, unwashed pantyhose. i personally like the fluval prefilter sponge. i use it on most of my tanks, however i dont think it will fit on the intake of the penguin. here's a link to the one i use so that you can get an idea of what you should get
Hagen Fluval Edge Aquarium Pre-Filter Sponge at PETCO

 

[MarkA123]

Ok nevermind fluorite is out I've read some reviews of it being sharp and stuff so now I'll go with something else like Eco complete. But I'm still wondering about my lights ferts and c02.

Thanks what's the in the different flourites they all have different stats I don't know what half of them are. I like sand but they only have black so is there a white plant sand I can buy anywhere? And what lights/ferts do I need? Sorry for l the questions I've never had any live plants. One last question I don't want to use any co2 tabs or contraptions so will that greatly reduce my plant options. Thanks again

 

[timwag2001]

dont go crazy over substrates with nutrients, most plants get everything they need from the water column. as far as white substrate i wouldnt recommend it. its difficult to keep it looking clean and often turns green with algae. as far as co2, just keep the lights low and you can make it without it. as far as ferts are concerned, again keep the lights low and you should be fine. but it wont hurt to add some just to be sure. buying them dry is the cheapest route.
you can use the pmdd method
PMDD:Mix with a ratio of 1/4 cup of PMDD to 2 cups water. Dose 1-4 drops per gallon per day. Start with the lowest dose of 1 drop per gallon per day and stay with that dose for 2-3 weeks before deciding to increase the dose. Increase the dose based on the needs of your plants. There are 76 drops in a teaspoon. (copied from aquariumfertilzer.com)

you can buy the dry ferts for this here Planted Aquarium Fertilizer - Dry Fertilizers, Dry Fertilizers, Planted Aquarium Fertilizer - PMDD Pre-Mix, PMDD Pre-Mix,=

dosing this way will last you F-O-R-E-V-E-R!

i personally dont use this method but it should do the trick for you

 

[MarkA123]

Thanks, although I do disagree about white sand. I like it for the reason that you can see when it gets dirty and if you overhead where as black sand you have to take a guess as to when it gets dirty and overfeeding. That's just my personal preference, I currently own white sand and love it, no algae or dirtyness probe. I'm just going to use something like Eco complete. And what do you mean by low light? I thought plants needed lots of light. I'll prob use the fert method, what lights should I buy. The tank doesn't include them and I don't know if rcs like low light or bright light. My cories and bettas hate bright lights, shrimp may love it. I know nothing about all those atinic fluorescent, incadescent, quad pc, t5 stuff so what do I need?

dont go crazy over substrates with nutrients, most plants get everything they need from the water column. as far as white substrate i wouldnt recommend it. its difficult to keep it looking clean and often turns green with algae. as far as co2, just keep the lights low and you can make it without it. as far as ferts are concerned, again keep the lights low and you should be fine. but it wont hurt to add some just to be sure. buying them dry is the cheapest route.
you can use the pmdd method
PMDD:Mix with a ratio of 1/4 cup of PMDD to 2 cups water. Dose 1-4 drops per gallon per day. Start with the lowest dose of 1 drop per gallon per day and stay with that dose for 2-3 weeks before deciding to increase the dose. Increase the dose based on the needs of your plants. There are 76 drops in a teaspoon. (copied from aquariumfertilzer.com)

you can buy the dry ferts for this here Planted Aquarium Fertilizer - Dry Fertilizers, Dry Fertilizers, Planted Aquarium Fertilizer - PMDD Pre-Mix, PMDD Pre-Mix,=

dosing this way will last you F-O-R-E-V-E-R!

i personally dont use this method but it should do the trick for you

 

[timwag2001]

plants do like light. but you cant have bright lights and no co2, it doesnt work like that. so keep it low. i dont get involved in the light debates. everyone has their own preference about what kind and how much light to go with. so you're gonna have to research that on your own, sorry.

as far as being able to see dirt, thats not a problem for me. i gravel vac everyweek along with a large water change. and i've never used white substrate, just passing along info that i've read in all the forums that i'm on

 

[MarkA123]

K thanks what kind of light do you use? Il Leo some research in te meantime it'd be nice to know what u use.

plants do like light. but you cant have bright lights and no co2, it doesnt work like that. so keep it low. i dont get involved in the light debates. everyone has their own preference about what kind and how much light to go with. so you're gonna have to research that on your own, sorry.

as far as being able to see dirt, thats not a problem for me. i gravel vac everyweek along with a large water change. and i've never used white substrate, just passing along info that i've read in all the forums that i'm on

 

[timwag2001]

2 of my shrimp tanks are low light and i use the hood that it came with but i use the spiral energy saver lights that you would use in a normal light fixture for your house, i think their called cfl. i have low light plants like moss, java ferns, crypts growing in them

another shrimp tank has a dual t5ho fixture and pressurized co2. all of the rest of my tanks have extremely high t5ho fixtures with pressurized co2.

 

[MarkA123]

Ok I'll probably just get a fluorescent strip light.

2 of my shrimp tanks are low light and i use the hood that it came with but i use the spiral energy saver lights that you would use in a normal light fixture for your house, i think their called cfl. i have low light plants like moss, java ferns, crypts growing in them

another shrimp tank has a dual t5ho fixture and pressurized co2. all of the rest of my tanks have extremely high t5ho fixtures with pressurized co2.

 

[timwag2001]

i've been thinking about picking up one of these
Odyssea Power Compact Lighting

 

[BlackMagic]

if i were shipping plants i would consider. but i'm not taking a chance on live animals getting stuck in the mail. sorry

look at my packing, those box will save buyer more money.
the most is $5 for shipping inside a box like that.

but i guess u ship the way it please you

 

[BlackMagic]

i've been thinking about picking up one of these
Odyssea Power Compact Lighting

i wouldnt buy anything from Odyssea.

i have use odyssea heater, filter, water pump for the pass month and i have to say ... they all broke down in less than 3 month.
the heater i got from odyssea was only use for 1 month, after 3 month of having it. the knot came off.

but again whatever please you, save money.

 

[Ziggy953]

i've been thinking about picking up one of these
Odyssea Power Compact Lighting

I would stick with the T5 fixtures you are using. Odyssea products tend to fail, speaking from experience.


Shoot me a PM when you have some plants and RCS available.