[CARE] A water cycle

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For a Water Cycle (N cylce from http://www.fishlore.com) when we are doing the cycle of the tank, need to go through stage 1-3 (N cylce from http://www.fishlore.com)
(picture from http://www.fishlore.com)
1) NH3/ NH4 deadly to CRS.
2) NH4 (aerio bacteria) --> NO2, this process bacteria need O2 (air pump) and the bacteria can is ok to light.
3) NO2 (aerio bacteria)-> NO3 should be around the same process in step2, a filter and O2 (air pump) is good for this.

The last step 4 :

"Nitrates are not as harmful to tropical fish as ammonia or nitrites, but nitrate is still harmful in large amounts." (from http://www.fishlore.com)
and this is the most common problem for CRS breeders keeping NO3 below 25ppm
4) NO3-> back to tank / in air <--- this need anaerobic bacteria
(they prefer no light and no O2 to process )
"In saltwater fish tanks, live rock and deep sand beds can have anaerobic areas where denitrifying bacteria can breakdown nitrates into harmless nitrogen gas that escapes through the water surface of the aquarium. "(from http://www.fishlore.com)

Since my problem is high NO3 and the problem is from step 4,
I did the DIY, is strengthening Step 4 and providing larger environment for anaerobic bacteria thats why I use black tube and a long slow flow tube with running out of O2 (since the tube is at the end of the canister step2,3 the bacteria use it) and this is the reason I attach the tubing at the end of the canister.

Also, UGF can kind of turning the substract to a bacteria grow area. and i only use 2/3 area of the tank as UGF. left side without UGF mainly for plant and for grown anaerobic bacteria (susbtract lack of light). Right side is for aerobic bacteria grow. here is how and why I use UGF.

Then after running it 2-3weeks. before NO3 is 25-35ppm, the DIY did lower to Zero.

Thats about how its work,
if u have a same NO3 problem, here is my suggestion DIY that cost only the long black tubing for $15 from internet and a hole of the outflow.

but i didn't use it anymore, since my other pre fiter can do the same work.
from 20L thread
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[CARE] Questionnarie

HI, this is a CRS hobbyist send me some question about CRS!
posted the FaQ here. Hope it helps. hope its a helpful information.

i!! here is the questionnarie!

- What time do you have with the CRS?

I started to keep CRS since Dec 2007.
http://www.blogger.com/profile/04939110675551350879

Let's begin for the values of the water:

- What you value will you say that are the ideal ones for the CRS?

Ans) My tank normally :

pH 6.7
GH 6 - 8
KH 1 ~ 3
TDS 290 ~ 400
NO3 <5ppm> NO2 -> NO3 normally No3 is low they other 2 should be fine.
if suddently introduce large amount CRS to tank, the water parameter would change. or Any odd of CRS death Check NH3,4 and NO2.
NH3,4, NO2 should be 0 . and NO3 should under 25ppm
KH is not a big deal.

The Water has to be clean water, like drinking water, RO water. around 10-40 TDS.

- To keep these values like that, what filtering material uses?

Ans)

I would choose high Biological media since Biological filtration is a long run.
I would choose acidic bio media to keep the tank acidic, eg. Totto media, ph House. One more Eheim Substact pro doesn't affect pH much.
I am using Eheim, and Totto media.

- What type of filtration advises (interior, exterior( filter, of bottom ...)?

Ans)

Many breeder love to use part UGF.
http://kh2crs.blogspot.com/2008/09/tank-more-information-of-undergravel.html

My choice is Exterior + UGF.

- What substrat do you use in yours aquariums?

Ans)

A good substact also is vital to CRS. I use ADA I Amazionia.

- What size of aquarium advises you to raise CRS?

Ans)

I will choose 20gallon 2 feet or under, easier to setting up again after a year or later. 10 gallon and 20gallon to start CRS is much more easier than start CRS in 5 gallon in my experiences.
Larger size may be hard to re-setup.

As for the feeding...

- What food do you prefer? Arrange the following ones of better to worse: hayashi, biomax, mosura, shirakura, ebi - ten, ebikuma, benibachi.

Ans)

I use mix food. spirulina power, normal CRS food.
http://kh2crs.blogspot.com/2008/12/info-crs-food.html
every food is different, may be the best choice is feeding different one each day.
I special like G10 for small shrimplets and left to 2nd's for big CRS.

- What every all the time realize water changes? What percentage?

Ans)

http://kh2crs.blogspot.com/2008/08/info-when-and-how-to-do-water-change.html

- What do you think about the new mutations of the CRS?

Ans)

In my opinion, the original CRS is still the main stream. and a CRS can improve
the color, shell, pattern from the breeder.
Mutant probably is another kind of blood line like CRS. or a tool to improve CRS. but if using mutant breed back CRS, may have a risk or lowering the grade or the offspring. like Golden white shrimp (mostly would lowering the whitness of CRS) but using top grade GWS - snowwhite may get a higher grade offspring.

- Do you add to the water some type of chemical complement? (Minerals, bacteria ...)

Ans)

I add variety bacteria. Hagen has two : 1) red cap, 2) white cap. Using 3-4 Japanese CRS breeders (one is from EBI-ten) bacteria. An glass tube bacteria from Europe for emergecy or high No3 use.

- What function have the little red stones that you supports in your aquarium? http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn203/kelvin2go/1st_tank/082008update/whiteBody1.jpg

Ans)

The stone from above link are for decoration only.
However, the grey stone from this picture
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn203/kelvin2go/1st_tank/082008update/whiteBody2.jpg

That is EBI-Ten Old Sea mud stone.
- provide many materials
- stable pH
- helps to absolve bad substance.
- brush it back to grey stone to renew.

- Why do you put groups of different CRS in cut bottles?

Ans)
I put them in a bottles for selling. sometime grading is different in different people minds. I shoot a group of CRS and sell as what the picture show.

[CARE] Reciving new shrimps package? (updated on 10/19/2008)

When you open your package and the bag of the shrimps:
1) add 1 drop water conditioner
2) then accumulating (dipping few drops per sec) with tank water around 15 mins
3) dump the water in the bag and don't use it
3) catch them with net and put them directly to the tank

what I do the dipping is making a plastic cup with a hole on bottom for a air valve to control water.

Haven't update for awhile, busy about the moving.
I import some equipment for newly setup 20L gallon tank.
:) Hope I can post some picture later when I get my Camera on Nov~


Update for little tips:

As the NEWLY in CRS, they will try their best for finding hiding place, swimming to water output, because i think they are nervous about the new tank and water.

My experience :
I use a hanging filter before as CRS begging, the water level is little lower then the water output from the hanging filter. I added a sponge between water output to water level to avoid the water dropping sound. Second day, I found over 10 pieces CRS swim into filter and get through the sponge swim anti-gravity =_+. I am not kidding, they can swim very well if there has water even upward.
1 piece jump from the tank.

Friends experience:
1 of my friend use air sponge filter and introduce my CRS. After a day, he counted missing 1 piece.
So, he was finding like half a day and finally found the missing one inside the sponge filter.


Avoid the advanture of losing newly in CRS:
1) using undergravel and spray bar, not even frys can swim into it
2) lowering water at least 5 cm from top (some who like full tank water, at least lowering for 3 days for newly CRS)

[CARE] 5 important stages of raising CRS

There has 5 important stages for keeping CRS:

1) putting the new CRS into tank, and keeping alive
2) CRS carry eggs
3) Pregnant CRS keeping eggs (don't kick out the eggs) and healthy molt after releasing egg.
4) frys survival rate up to 60%
5) frys become adult

from Mr. Kuku @ http://www.coolshrimp.com/viewthread.php?tid=224&extra=page%3D1

[CARE] More information of UnderGravel Filter (UGF)

Here is the information talk about substract and UGF before
From the last article about substract(click above), there has some more to talk about UGF.

There has many different ways to keep CRS healthy and breed, you can learn from real experience or risking CRS life to try it.
If you are new to this hobby and don't want to risk your CRS to try, here I can suggest you a common method that I learn from Taiwan CRS forum to set up a tank by using UGF.
UGF can turn the substract into bacteria Bed for Bio Filtration.

How to handle the substract layer above the UGF?
Use ADA Amazonia I screen out the smaller substract by spinning on a mesh/ hole bowl (washing fruit /veggie/rices). So, only 1 bag can turn into "powder" and "normal" size soil, saving $ but take more time.

UGF > Pad cover guard > "normal" size substract 5-6 cm > "powder" size substract 3-4cm

Why setting up UGF in this way?
UGF (UnderGravel Filter) - will help the in flow more average, but the water go through the substract may shorten the life of substract. so, ADA amazonia I is better for solid form.

Pad cover - use thin filter pad/bio pad/laundry mesh bag to cover the UGF. to avoid the substract get into UGF for longer run of the undergravel avoid the flow going slower.

Normal size layer - give better flow of the UGF, and few chance to stuck the UGF.

Powder size Top layer- used because the CRS can easily pick on them for eating and prevent the frys dig into substract.

Which UGF is best for you?
1) Choose smaller size UGF of the tank.
eg. 2.5 feet tank use 2 feet UGF. (10 gallon UGF normally has 2 portion UGF, use half of it) to set up a balanced cycle for half tank for Aerobic bacteria bed and half anti-aerobic N-Bacteria.
2) strong joint between the gravel and the intake tube. I faced the UGF tube slip off and the substract all go down the UG plate. (become useless)

Thanks,
KH

[CARE] Substract / Black soil for CRS Diet

CRS eat almost 24 hrs, and 70-80% daily diet from water, substract/black soil, and bacteria.
Only 20-30% are actually from the feeding food.

A good stable(mature) tank with GOOD Substract they can survival very good, even you away for 5days or a week. good substract not only provide different elements, but also bacteria and shrimps love black soil.

If you use under gavel filtration, its better to use "normal' above undergravel and a "powder" layer above "normal", because this can provide more flow of the undergravel.

If you just normal filtration with sponge guard, you can use either, but many said top layer should be "powder" which they can eat easily.

Normally, I use only 1 bag 9L and choose the smaller substract by spinning on a mesh/ hole bowl (washing fruit /veggie/rices). I can use only 1 bag to get "powder" and "normal" size soil, but take more time.

ADA Amazonia I is better than II as many CRS breeder recommended. I think the same too. ADA I is hard to break into powder but ADA II can be easily push and turn to powder.

[CARE] CRS vs. Temperature

Hatching Days VS. Temperature
CRS is best keeping in 22- 25 degree (72-76 F).
A higher temperature let them grow faster.
If a CRS with Egg, in 25 degree needs around 25 Days for hatching eggs -> frys , but lower 22 degree will give birth with longer days 27-28 days.
So, I think around 23-24 degree is suitable for CRS.

CRS VS. Hot wave
CRS can survive max 80-81 but 82 may be will cause of lost.
Because the high temp, it will give lower rate of oxygen dissolve in water.
The best solution is using chiller, or at least a / some cpu fans to blow.
And also, turn the air pump with white oxygen air stone higher to balance the loss of oxygen.
I tried my tank using a computer fan keep blowing and keep around 78-80 F in San Jose(90F +), and add lots of bubble for air.
No obvious death at all.

[CARE] When and How to do a water change for CRS?

My signal of changing water:
1) When I remember, I will randomly do at spare time around 2-4 days
2) Do regular TDS testing, like my normal tank water is TDS 288, when it high to 295~300. I will give it a water change.

Some breeder's *Stable tank can do 50% ~ 70% water change and the CRS flys around 20 mins will become normal. and that is good 50%-70% can take out many harmful elements for CRS. A regular 50% water change is necessary to give them a signal for them to molt.

Normally, I add water / Water change not very regularly (around 3 days) but with small amount (3 gallon)and a 50% water change weekly.

In my opinion, in a *Unstable Tank a large amount of water change seem make CRS nerve/death/with eggs may dump the eggs/ frys may disappear.

The water sources :
- at least drinking water TDS aroud 30 for my drinking water
- accumulate the GH to 5 before put into tank
A good water sources solve many unknown problem of CRS and its the most important element for CRS.

I also use the dipping method to avoid sudden change of pH/GH in the tank for this sensitive species - CRS.

*Stable tank = strong cycled tank, great biological filteration for large amont of waste, can hold higher population/colony, more canisters helps, More water also have more stability.
*Unstable tank = cycled tank, but may be under cycling period (for me, first stage 3 weeks (after amonia spike, ok to put in CRS), 2nd stage 3month(plants, water flea grow, water will look blackwater ..), bacteria is not growing large.

[CARE] maintenance of Soil

I didn't experiences lots yet since I keep only half year, but I notice the soil does gone into powder form.
from what I read from other experience, There has few things to determine if the Aquasoil gone bad or from the CRS population of shrimplets and body whiteness. and there has some solutions.

Determinations of the soil:
1) if you notice the CRS shrimplets survival rate 60% drop a lot to few % compare to 2-3months ago. Like before you see many shrimplets fry around and grow up, but this month you only see few shrimplets swim around.
reason cause it:
- a) may be reach the max population if in a small tank like mine 10 gallon. normally, 2-3 feet tank
can grow to 1-2k crs with great Cycled tank and bio filtration like 2 canister for bacteria grown to handle the large amount of waste.
- b) may be the cycle of the tank going wrong
- c) may be the soil gone bad
2) large amount CRS's whiteness gone to transparent
- a) may be pH/GH/Water unstable (normally pH GH rapidly change they act different)
- b) may be soil
- c) unknown reason (normally set the tank up again)

Solution of the soil going bad soil:
1) Normal maintenance, when you see the powder form of soil, use a Gravel Vacuums or something stir the soil powder up and avoiding the powder and left over food keep sinking to the bottom. After you stir the CRS loves to eat at that substract lol. This method make the soil last longer.

2) I saw some breeders will use the a layer of new substract cover a old substract to balance the soil. but this method may be need to clean out the CRS and plants or do a small portion at a time.

3) Substract choice. There has many kinds of substract make for CRS. The new EBI best CRS susbstract also claimed last around a year. If ADA I and ADA II , many said ADA I give more solid form but great amonia spike and ADA II can faster setup but more soft into powder from. (I Do experience of both ADA I and ADA II, I like ADA I better even though the cycling period is longer around 3-4weeks. ADA II less than a week for me to put CRS in.)

4) don't use under gravel filtration. water go through the susbtract make the soil life shorter. (but i still perfer to use it , because the soil can be count to be a part of the bio filtration - bacteria grown if under gravel set)
5) if it a small tank lol just change susbtract and setting up a new tank may be faster.

Smaller tank is easy manage, but the water in tank may distributed/going bad fast; however, larger tank more water is more stable water tank for CRS.
I think 2 Feet tank around 2-30 gallon is a great choice. I have no choice to use 10 gallon lol.

The soil normally is not the major cause of the problem and always consider at last, but it still needs to be monitored.
The most important element for CRS is still water. Great water sources solve many unnecessary problems.