New shrimp - planted tank 2 x 1 x 1.5 ft.

[marx]

after several trys for a nano tank.. my shrimps keep dying. decided to give up and try a new thing.

just my simple layout - do give advice and suggestions

Tank - 2 x 1 x 1.5

Subtract -

2cm Borneo Wild Shrimp Soil ( left overs )
1 bottle BW - Balance
1 bottle BW - Bacterate
Old Deep Sea Mud
Shrimp Minerax
Shrimp Humic
ADA amazonia Soil

Plants :
A DW with some moss ( given by friend )
Intended carpet - Glosso , Hairgrass &
Utricularia
graminifolia
tentatively

[bravobb]

You way you place the layout reminds of Lego...
very cute the way you do it... but keeping them in place is another challenge.

[marx]

a little updates on the tank...
but one question..
i'm using the ADA soil.. but how come my PH level still so high ??

after setting up and dosing with abit of Excel, my recorded ph level is almost 7 ...

[Urban Aquaria]

a little updates on the tank...
but one question..
i'm using the ADA soil.. but how come my PH level still so high ??

after setting up and dosing with abit of Excel, my recorded ph level is almost 7 ...

Perhaps the other substrate additives you put in with it might have somehow affected the pH too?

Otherwise, maybe you can just wait and let the filter run for a day, then test the pH again, see if there are any changes.

[benjidog]

Plants have not grown. Tank not yet stable. So the ph will change after a couple of weeks.

[bennyc]

I am not sure you want to use Utricularia graminifolia as carpet.

Extract from Tropica

"Utricularia graminifolia belongs to the bladderwort family.Bladderworts are all carnivorous plants and many of them are associated with water. The genus name "Utricularia" refers to the bladders (trapping devices) whereas the species name "graminifolia" refers to the grass-leaved leaves. The grass-leaved leaves are exactly what distinguish it from the other approximately 210 species of bladderworts that have been described so far. The tiny grass-leaved leaves form an imbricate structure of freshly green leaves, which normally covers the bladders that are formed on the rhizome and the midribs. It flowers when it grows emerged.
However, what makes Utricularia graminifolia unique to the aquarist is the tiny 2 mm long bladders that in nature traps crustaceans and ciliates seeking shelter among leaves and rhizomes. The animals are digested by enzymes secreted by the into the bladders, and the released nutrients are subsequently taken up by the plant and used to support new growth. Utricularia graminifolia often grows in very nutrient poor environments and thus, it is a huge advantage to be able to explore alternative nutrient sources of particularly nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P) by trapping nutritious animals."

[darrentyl]

I got pretty high PH when I started with my tank with ADA soil. After running cycle for 4 weeks, now I'm having PH of 5.6.

[Urban Aquaria]

I got pretty high PH when I started with my tank with ADA soil. After running cycle for 4 weeks, now I'm having PH of 5.6.

That's interesting... usually for ADA aqua soil the pH would tend to be very low (below 6.0) during the initial cycling period, then later stabilize higher at 6.4-6.6 pH.

Your setup seems to move in the opposite direction... did you put any other additives or buffers into the soil or water?

[AQMS]

Hi, the red plant by the pleco cave is not an aquatic plant.
It is Hypoestes phyllostachya ..
check these site.
http://davesgarden.com/sitewidesearc...+phyllostachya

[marx]

its not?? darn.. bought it from seaview leh.. THOUGHT its supposedly an aquatic plant...

for additives i only used

Balance
Bacterate
Minerax
Old Sea mud

thats all.....

[felix_fx2]

seaview provide plants for viva/palu also.
the fourm has many people who think sell in fish shop must be aquatic.. think seaview without fail have land ferns, lucky bamboo & various reddish plants which are often mistaken as aquatic.
If you actually notice, it's actually quite normal thing to happen.

ADA soil does not give you low PH within 30 days then worry, since you have to cycle the tank. By then already dropped.

Btw, please refrain from using sms lingo inside the forum. The next one containing sms lingo will be removed instead of editing it for you.

[darrentyl]

My setup pretty simple and standard. Dose with old sea mud. Running with pre-filer through Eheim 2215 pack with Eheim substance pro and Mr Aqua CR.

My last experience was exactly what you describe. Having low PH and stablise once the tank fully cycled. That's why I posted this question too.

Haha.

That's interesting... usually for ADA aqua soil the pH would tend to be very low (below 6.0) during the initial cycling period, then later stabilize higher at 6.4-6.6 pH.

Your setup seems to move in the opposite direction... did you put any other additives or buffers into the soil or water?