first time setup for Opae Ula

[BaBa]

Hello,

End of last year I started a 5gal tank with aragonite sand and lava rock, half strength salt water.
No filter, no heater, temp prob somewhere between 65-70F like my other unheated FW tanks.

Mid of January I saw the first green algae speckles on the sand and ordered the snails, moss ball and macro algae from petshrimp.
This really kicked of growth of biofilm in the tank.
I think I wait until beginning February to order and add the shrimps. I will probably shoot for 15-20 for the starting population.

Very excited to have Opae Ulas soon

[redhotshrimp]

Your tank looks great! Keep us posted on how your journey goes!

[Mustafa]

Yes, nice color contrast! Did you glue those rocks together or did they come like that?

[BaBa]

Thank you for your kind words. I will update as it progresses.

I drilled a 1/4 hole in the lava rock and threaded them on an acrylic stick. All together glued with hot glue.

The macro algae is now in for a couple days but it doesn’t seem to look healthy. Attached a pic, is it looking normal or off? I have no clue.
Also the green algae spots on the substrate seem to vanish. Maybe snails grace them off???
Guess I will let this run for another month give or take before adding shrimps.

[Mustafa]

The macroalgae looked mostly fine, but it may be adjusting to your lighting situation. There seems to be a lot of light and your very white substrate reflects even more light back into the tank, so the macroalgae may be having trouble with all that light suddenly hitting it. I'd move it into a dark corner of the tank for now. They really need very little light. Is it still green?

How is everything coming along? Any updates?

[BaBa]

It’s coming along great. I didn’t moved the macro algae but I think you are right and it needed adjustment to the new environment. It has grown quite a bit in a month and a half now.
Tank is ready for shrimps I guess.
I have put in the order today and looking forward to give them a new home.

[BaBa]

They are finally here

They are out and about, swimming and grazing.
Most of them are nicely red colored.

[BaBa]

Spotted the first berried females (I saw two). I guess the tank is going in the right direction

[BaBa]

Floters everywhere

[LittlePenny]

Aww they are cute! so exciting

[BaBa]

Aww they are cute! so exciting

Thank you

I count 12 right now, there are one or two more each day

[BaBa]

Another batch of 20 released

[attygirl]

Congratulations on your success!!! What is your secret......

[BaBa]

Congratulations on your success!!! What is your secret......

Thank you...

Hardly a secret if it’s all laid out in the guide on this website

In my option; best way to success is resisting the urge to tamper with the system. Setup and forget.

[BaBa]

3 1/2 years and the tank is going strong. One move and some redecorating. I have never fed them, just occasionally topped off water. There are always some floaters out and about. Easiest aquarium ever
The macro algae fall apart, what you see is what is left. It’s not growing but it isn’t dying either.
The moos ball is floating since years at the top and looks in not a great shape. It seems the lighting is too strong or the wrong wavelength, who knows.