A few questions....

[TKD]

Hi all,

I was wondering as to how you do water changes in the shrimp tank.
Do you use a siphon or use the bucket method?

Do shrimp eat algae of the side of the tank?
Or should I just get ottos?

Thanks,

TKD

[Bradimus]

I was wondering as to how you do water changes in the shrimp tank.

For the most part, I don't.

Do shrimp eat algae of the side of the tank?

Mine do.

[TKD]

You don't do water changes Brad?

TKD

[Bradimus]

In general, no. I replace evaporated water, but that's it.

I keep relatively light bio-loads in heavily planted tanks. My plants remove waste at least as quickly as the animals produce it. Once the tank has reached a (semi) stable state, I try not to perturb it.

[vicker03]

change 10% of water every 1 or 2 week, shrimp like clean water but make sure the water is aged (leave overnite for 24hrs) as shrimp can't tolerate chlorine in the tap water.

[51Cornell]

I use a turkey baster for more control and since I'm not taking out all that much water (just a couple of gallons max at any one time), and I dump the old water into a bucket where I can check it to make sure I haven't sucked up any baby shrimp before I use the water for houseplants. I also have to do scooping out of duckweed since that stuff gets pretty thick real fast, blocking out hte light to the rest of the tank. I do water changes every month or two on most of the tanks--the more populated tanks get change more often. Water gets added any time the water levels drop due to evaporation. I leave all algae alone in the tanks since the shrimp will eat it, including the stuff growing on the sides (snails also eat it). I use water taken from one of several tanks with fish (fish tanks get weekly water changes) in the shrimp tanks.

[Shrimpmania]

I usually change 20% of water and tat is a routine for sunday morning

[TKD]

Thank you for your replys.

However I'm more interested in HOW you do your water changes to avoid getting the babies.

Thanks,

TKD

[Mustafa]

I use this product:

http://www.kensfish.com/files/25_water_changer.jpg

There is a pretty much identical product called "Python No-Spill" also:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/p ... CatId=3910


I stick that big part where the water gets sucked in into a pantyhose. That way even the smallest shrimp cannot be sucked in. This apparatus works automatically when you connect it to your faucet. The running water from the faucet sucks the water out of your tank, no matter how high or low your tank is. I am very happy with it.

Mustafa

Thank you for your replys.

However I'm more interested in HOW you do your water changes to avoid getting the babies.

Thanks,

TKD