I'd show you guys a picture of it, but I don't have a camera right now. But I'd love to see pics of everyone else's tanks!
How bout yours Mustafa! I've bet you've got some great pics!
-Brandon.
Let's see those tanks.
Moderator: Mustafa
Let's see those tanks.
Hey guys, I was wondering if everyone could show some pictures of or provide links to pics of their shrimp tanks. I've got an invert only tank (just apple snails and shrimp right now) and to be honest with you, it's designed more for functionality and basically has no asthetic appeal whatsoever
I'd show you guys a picture of it, but I don't have a camera right now. But I'd love to see pics of everyone else's tanks!
How bout yours Mustafa! I've bet you've got some great pics!
-Brandon.
I'd show you guys a picture of it, but I don't have a camera right now. But I'd love to see pics of everyone else's tanks!
How bout yours Mustafa! I've bet you've got some great pics!
-Brandon.
I try to please the shrimp and not the people who look at them. Good point Mustafa. I'm going to try the oak leaves this fall when they start dropping to the ground. I remember you saying in one of your articles that they may lower the Ph somewhat when they start to decompose, but I don't think that would be too much of a problem as I've got crushed coral as a substrate and the Ph is already pretty high at 7.9.
I've read a couple other articles about using large tubs like Rubbermaid tubs to breed shrimp in. I'm not really to that point yet because I still like to see what's going on in there, but that definetely sounds like an easy and cost effective approach.
By the way, I finally saw 2 of the juvenile ghost shrimp this morning! They were floating upside down about 3/4" below the water's surface. I gave them some newly hatched brine shrimp and they seem to do okay with them. It takes them a while to chew them up, but I think they'll be okay. I'm so excited! This is my first shrimp brood!!
-Brandon.
I've read a couple other articles about using large tubs like Rubbermaid tubs to breed shrimp in. I'm not really to that point yet because I still like to see what's going on in there, but that definetely sounds like an easy and cost effective approach.
By the way, I finally saw 2 of the juvenile ghost shrimp this morning! They were floating upside down about 3/4" below the water's surface. I gave them some newly hatched brine shrimp and they seem to do okay with them. It takes them a while to chew them up, but I think they'll be okay. I'm so excited! This is my first shrimp brood!!
-Brandon.
What actually happens when the spinach becomes soft? Is it a breakdown of the cellular structure? If so, does freezing and thawing work too?
On another note, my wife just bought some wakame (a kelp-like seaweed). Well, actually, it is alaria, but close enough. According to the label, it is outrageously high in Ca and I and others. If some of this were to accidentally fall into my aquarium instead of my salad bowl, should it be softened up first? Is this a bad idea? (I know they will do just fine on flakes, but I still like to experiment.)
On another note, my wife just bought some wakame (a kelp-like seaweed). Well, actually, it is alaria, but close enough. According to the label, it is outrageously high in Ca and I and others. If some of this were to accidentally fall into my aquarium instead of my salad bowl, should it be softened up first? Is this a bad idea? (I know they will do just fine on flakes, but I still like to experiment.)
Hi Brad,
Yes, the plants' cell walls "explode" as the water content in the cells boils. Freezing and thawing should work, too, although I have never tried that. In that case the expansion of the ice in the cells should destroy the cell walls.
As to the Wakame, I don't think I've ever bought Wakame, so I don't know what the consistency of it is. I did feed dried Nori sheets (also a "seaweed") to my shrimp before. I just threw the dried Nori directly into the tank and it sucked up water and became soft. The shrimp ate it, but they weren't all that crazy about it. So...you can try to throw in a little piece and see what happens.
Mustafa
Yes, the plants' cell walls "explode" as the water content in the cells boils. Freezing and thawing should work, too, although I have never tried that. In that case the expansion of the ice in the cells should destroy the cell walls.
As to the Wakame, I don't think I've ever bought Wakame, so I don't know what the consistency of it is. I did feed dried Nori sheets (also a "seaweed") to my shrimp before. I just threw the dried Nori directly into the tank and it sucked up water and became soft. The shrimp ate it, but they weren't all that crazy about it. So...you can try to throw in a little piece and see what happens.
Mustafa
Good points about those greens. Spinach is pretty high in calcium, but for maximum calcium you should go with collard greens. Collard greens are packed with calcium and are pretty low on phosphorus, so there is less of a chance of an algal bloom. I've frozen spinach and fed it to my snails and shrimps before and it works great to soften it up.
However, collard greens are another story. Since they are so high in calcium and are very dense plants, a single freezing is just not enough. One freezing will work if you plan on leaving the leaf in the tank for 2 or 3 days because that is what it will take to soften it up, but collards are a little stinky and if you put a large leaf in there for a while you will definetely smell up your room. I've found the best way to serve collards to my inverts is to freeze it for a couple of days, thaw it on the kitchen counter for a few minutes, then just pop it in the microwave for a little while. That seems to work pretty good, and sometimes I'll freeze it again afterwards, but it 's not really necessary. I don't like boiling my greens though, as that leaches out some of the nutrients.
But give collard greens a try, they're very similar to Kale, and have just about as much calcium as turnip greens.
However, collard greens are another story. Since they are so high in calcium and are very dense plants, a single freezing is just not enough. One freezing will work if you plan on leaving the leaf in the tank for 2 or 3 days because that is what it will take to soften it up, but collards are a little stinky and if you put a large leaf in there for a while you will definetely smell up your room. I've found the best way to serve collards to my inverts is to freeze it for a couple of days, thaw it on the kitchen counter for a few minutes, then just pop it in the microwave for a little while. That seems to work pretty good, and sometimes I'll freeze it again afterwards, but it 's not really necessary. I don't like boiling my greens though, as that leaches out some of the nutrients.
But give collard greens a try, they're very similar to Kale, and have just about as much calcium as turnip greens.
here is my 10 gallon with cherries, java ferns and christmas moss... no shrimp visible in the picture... using a $20 webcam for now
maybe one day I'll be able to get some better pics of the shrimp playing on the moss.Oqsy
p.s. here's a link to a thread about this photo/tank at http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showt ... hp?t=10700