Another new guy with a couple questions.

[froggydogg]

Hello everyone!

I recently found out about Opae after stumbling upon Ecospheres at a gift shop at the American Museum of Natural History in NY. I bought one of the smaller BYOES kits and put it together, then after researching found out that these aren't healthy environments at all.

I'd like to start a nice smaller desktop setup but sort of maintaining certain aesthetic elements of the ecospheres. I've purchase a half-gallon fishbowl (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005DG ... UTF8&psc=1), aragonite sand (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002D ... UTF8&psc=1), some small lava rocks (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007GC ... UTF8&psc=1), and some of the macroalgae from this site.

I plan on setting it up, adding the algae and letting it go for a few weeks before adding any shrimp. I plan on buying 10 shrimp from this site then adding them along with the liberated shrimp from the BYOES to this new setup once it's ready.

My immediate questions are:
1) Is 10-12 shrimp a good number to start with for this particular size setup?

2) With that particular sand, should I boil it first or just give a good rinse/repeat? Are the "beneficial bacteria" anything that will help this particular setup?

3) Is there any special preparation for the lava rocks other than a good rinsing?

4) Are the snails available on the site really that beneficial in getting the tank setup and cycling in an application of this size? If so, how many would be appropriate in this small-style setup?

I've never taken care of an aquarium but I really look forward to years of caring for these guys, any help appreciated.

[KenCotigirl]

Hello glad you found us.

1. Yes 10-12 is a good start
2. I just rinse my gravel
3. I just rinse the lava rocks
4. I believe the snails are useful. 10 is more than enough. They eat algae and help keep the tank glass clean.

Ken

[KenCotigirl]

Hello glad you found us.

1. Yes 10-12 is a good start
2. I just rinse my gravel (way too much sand use maybe 1/2 pound)
3. I just rinse the lava rocks
4. I believe the snails are useful. 10 is more than enough. They eat algae and help keep the tank glass clean.

Ken

[froggydogg]

Thanks for the reply Ken, I've read a lot of your posts learning about this hobby, and it's been some of the most helpful info I've read. Thanks!

I got the bowl set up last night and dosed it with a trace amount of "clean" ammonia to help the cycle along. My algae arrived today and I added that. I'll let it go for a while and keep a close eye on it. When that tests ready I'll add my BYOES shrimp, then order some from here. I'm excited!

[KenCotigirl]

Thank you. Just add pictures as you progress.

Ken

[froggydogg]

I do have a couple other questions.

1) Is there a certain type of light bulb (reflector style, not long tube fluorescent) that this tank would benefit from? I've read about daylight spectrum, 50/50, and a couple other types but never found one that everybody settled on. Any preference on color temperature, etc.? There is a little indirect sunlight where I have the bowl, but not enough to be the main light source.

2) The BYOES unit came with a small cluster of algae in it that has grown a very slight amount. This doesn't appear to be the same type as on this site that I now have in my bowl. Should I add this other algae to my new tank when I transfer the BYOES shrimp to their new home, adding another nutrient source? Or should I throw it away as it came from a less-than-optimal environment and may foul the new bowl?

Here are a few day one shots:

[KenCotigirl]

Froggy your pictures are not viewable. I use a led light from superbrightleds. 100-150 lumens i believe. Lay it on a piece of plexiglass on top of tank. One is a cool and one is warm. Pardon me what is BYOES?

[froggydogg]

Oops, those should be viewable now.

http://www.amazon.com/BYOES-650-Kit/dp/ ... ords=byoes

The Build Your Own EcoSystem (BYOES) is a kit to make your own Ecosphere of sorts. I saw them in a gift shop while visiting a museum in NYC and picked one up, as I didn't want to spend the money on a glass Ecosphere. After reading an Amazon review (also written by a Ken...) I discovered these are slow death chambers, so I became interested in raising a few shrimp the right way, and liberating the shrimp in my BYOES.

[KenCotigirl]

Very nice. I really like your lava.

[froggydogg]

Thanks Ken. Im contemplating getting a couple of the brackish snails from the store here, but I'm a little apprehensive they may knock over the small cave I've built for the shrimp. I may add one or two.

I'm still unsure if I should add the other algae (from the ecosphere) to my new bowl. Could it harm anything? It appears to be slowly growing, so I dont think it will die, just not sure if it can coexist with the other algae (from this site).

Another question came to me (one of many to come I'm sure), I've been testing the ammonia once a day. Does the 5 ML sample I'm taking have any notable effect of the salinity in such a small tank (half gallon)? I've been replacing lost water (evaporation and the samples) with distilled water, should I be adding any brackish water back to make up for the test samples? I can't test the actual water as my hydrometer is too large for to dip in the bowl, and I have no plans to get a refractometer.

I've read that frequent testing is discouraged and once my fishless cycle is more along I'll stop the tests, but in the meantime I don't want to desalinate the water if i have been.

[KenCotigirl]

Algae, i think you have enough algae in your tank. However that is your call. 5 ml should make no difference. Unless you are testing 5 times a day every day.

[froggydogg]

My ammonia readings have dropped to 0 each morning following my additions and the nitrites are coming down. Once they hit 0 (usually read between 0.55 and 1.0 PPM each morning) I'll add my liberated shrimp, then order some. There appears to be some algae forming on the decorative statue, which I take as a good sign.

The macroalgae has also grown so I don't think I'll need to add any other variety.

[KenCotigirl]

Froggy why did i call you Algae? Wait another week till the nitrites are zero then add shrimp. Algae/film growing is usually a good sign. The snails will multiply so only get 5 if you can. 10 shrimp fine. Order your shrimp about two weeks after you add the shrimp from the BYOES. GOOD LUCK.

KEN

[froggydogg]

Ken, I think you just said algae in response to my question about it. Even so, I've been called worse

I think I'm going to skip the snails, as this is a tiny tank. Only one of the two shrimp from the BYOES survived the original transition from tiny jar, to (ever so) slightly larger container. Once the nitrites drop I'll add it, then order the additional shrimp.

I was wondering if turning the light off might help the nitrite converting bacteria develop quicker? I've read elsewhere that the growing macroalgae might be competing for ammonia and drawing the process out. But I imagine, the effect would be slight, if noticeable.

[Harry]

I think you just need to wait a week or two for the tank to fully cycle and for the bacteria to develop. As far as the macroalgae, I believe it simply sucks up the nitrates as fertilizer, once the bacteria convert the nitrites to nitrates. Patience is the key.