# snake_doctor's 40 Gallon Breeder / Iwagumi ?



## fplata (May 20, 2012)

Looking good. You need more plants man, I have some blyxia, you are welcome to pass by and pick it up 


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## stonevs (Nov 5, 2012)

Nice looking setup! Especially for your first.


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## snake_doctor (Mar 22, 2013)

Thank you for the kind words good sirs.

Got the Eheim 2217 running in the bucket... ~ 4 ppm of ammonia in it.





Temperature ~ 82 degrees F


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## plecostomouse (Jun 9, 2011)

good start!
but i agree, you need some more plants!


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## fplata (May 20, 2012)

It's a bit hot try to get it down in between 72 to 78


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## snake_doctor (Mar 22, 2013)

Oh, i guess i should have been more clear, the bucket is 82. Apparently bacteria like it nice and toasty. The tank is around 72.


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## fplata (May 20, 2012)

Perfect.


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## snake_doctor (Mar 22, 2013)

Too much water? Too little?


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## cmathews95 (Jan 4, 2013)

Thought about co2 yet. With hc you should.


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## spyke (Oct 14, 2010)

you know...you can make it rimless like i did with mine. Now would also be a good time to do it, since there is no water in it.


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## snake_doctor (Mar 22, 2013)

cmathews95 said:


> Thought about co2 yet. With hc you should.


Yes, you could say I've given it some thought:



Bought it used from Tom Barr. I'm hoping it still has some of those sprinkles he calls science on it.

Just missing some pipe fittings and the CO2 tank itself I believe.



spyke said:


> you know...you can make it rimless like i did with mine. Now would also be a good time to do it, since there is no water in it.


Tank is in my office. I'm worried about leaks/catastrophic failures... I don't think I can bring myself to do it.


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## fplata (May 20, 2012)

I would not make a 40 gal braced tank into a rimless tank. You are asking for trouble 


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## snake_doctor (Mar 22, 2013)

Day 1





Day 5


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## snake_doctor (Mar 22, 2013)

*Day 15*

Definitely see growth. Some leaves have yellowed, but I suspect i killed some stems when I pulled them from the mat. Added a bit of Plantex to the spray bottle, about 1.5 hundreths of a gram. The one root i can see on the front glass is about .75 cm deep.

Front left of the tank:



Front middle: 



Front right:


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## snake_doctor (Mar 22, 2013)

Added some more plants and flooded the tank.

Substrate rolled down a bit, rocks shifted a little too. I'm ok with the plant selection. Did not plant with my preferred species. 

Added:

Rotala indica (incorrect species name, correct is rotundifolia)
Vallisneria nana (I think, not sure of the species)
Lilaeopsis mauritana
Eleocharis acicularis


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## Gooberfish (Mar 27, 2012)

You are nailing this!


Thought about fish or shrimp yet?


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## snake_doctor (Mar 22, 2013)

Oh yes!

For schooling fish I really want cardinal tetras, but will settle for neon tetras depending on water conditions and wallet conditions. Haven't gotten a test kit for gh/kh yet. Or maybe even rummynoses, depending on availability. Chili rasboras maybe? CPDs?

Otocinculus, cause they clean and are cute.

Amanos, because no Iwagumi landscape is complete without them.

GBRs, once none of the other fauna die, I hear they are very delicate.

Dwarf Gouramis, if they don't kill anything else i've mentioned. Read they can sometimes be aggressive. I really want a few bigger fish, but not sure what would do ok in planted tank with small schooling fish.


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## snake_doctor (Mar 22, 2013)

Never thought I would see this in my own aquarium:



Is this pearling too or just co2 collecting?:


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## snake_doctor (Mar 22, 2013)

First wanted residents. Had to evict some snails that snuck in with the plants. Added 10. Hopefully that's not too many. Also, started getting little bits of blue green algae on the gravel and on some of the hemianthus. 

Some pictures of neon tetras, only because you probably have never seen them before.


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## austin.b (Feb 9, 2012)

That HC seems to be coming in great! Cant wait to see the tank with a full carpet :biggrin:


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## 7970 (Sep 1, 2013)

Lookin good! Just curious but did you clean your plants before placing them into your tank?


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## snake_doctor (Mar 22, 2013)

No, didn't clean them. Are we supposed to? I've heard of people bleach dippin' their plants. Sounds extreme to me. If i get snails, it would be a good excuse to get some assassin snails and watch them in action. Algae seems to be a more environmental problem rather than a communicable one. But what do I know.


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## fplata (May 20, 2012)

Snails are ok IMHO 


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## snake_doctor (Mar 22, 2013)

Seems some Riccia fluitans spores stowed away on the HC? Is that Riccia? Should I let it be or snip it? There is a couple more of these antlers. Funny how they didn't show up until I started dosing macros and micros.



HC melting? WHY?



Neons are swimming against glass in only one corner all the time!! Sick?!?! not really eating either, unless food is falling right in their face... using Hikari micropellets.



Video:


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## primo (Jul 28, 2013)

Unfortunately I don't have any help for you on the plants/fish. One thought might be CO2 with the tetras if they were put in and not acclimated to CO2. I've heard tetras are noticeably more delicate than cardinals.

And anyways, the reason I'm here... I'll bite on the flaming part! I quite dislike that your first tank is way prettier than mine! 

Very well done!


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## snake_doctor (Mar 22, 2013)

Eh, don't worry. I have a feeling things are gonna go south pretty soon. lol.

Interesting hypothesis about the co2 and the tetras. I've read fish usually go to the surface if they are getting gassed by co2. Also, I'm dosing about 1.5 bubbles per second, which is maybe not enough and that's why the HC might be melting?


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## fplata (May 20, 2012)

More co2


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## snake_doctor (Mar 22, 2013)

ok, thanks. i'll try more co2. 3 bubbles?


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## fplata (May 20, 2012)

Sure. Call me later we can talk about your tank 


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## snake_doctor (Mar 22, 2013)

I think I figured out the neon problem. They act normal if i turn the lights off. So i guess neons are not a good match with my finnex ray2? too much light? Maybe i should turn this tank into a shrimp only tank.


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## fplata (May 20, 2012)

What is your ph, I have cardinals on my tank and they do fine with my MH 


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## fplata (May 20, 2012)

Also how long have you had the fish?


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## snake_doctor (Mar 22, 2013)

Got them last weekend. 7.4 before co2 turns on, 6.8 after.


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## fplata (May 20, 2012)

South American tetras do best at 7 or below.


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## fplata (May 20, 2012)

By the way the after is artificial 


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## snake_doctor (Mar 22, 2013)

New residents over this last weekend:


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## snake_doctor (Mar 22, 2013)

Update:

Some bad news and some good news. 

Bad first:



Tank is covered in Stag and or other hair algae.

Good news: been stalking my largest female cherry...



The money shot!:



Looks like she almost drops one here:



Planning on buying as many Amano's as I can afford, maybe that will make a difference?


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## fplata (May 20, 2012)

Try dosing some excell at twice the recommended dose


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## snake_doctor (Mar 22, 2013)

I've read mixed results regarding shrimp and excel. I would hate to kill any of the shrimp for the sake of some cheap plants. Have you used excel in your shrimp tanks?


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## fplata (May 20, 2012)

They do ok in my experience, if they die you are welcome to come by and fish some out of my tank


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## greenteam (Feb 8, 2012)

are you using Co2 in that tank?


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## The Dude (Feb 8, 2011)

I use Metricide (twice as strong) in my shrimp tanks and I have zero problems. I would start out at half the recommended dose though and slowly go up over a period of weeks


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## The Dude (Feb 8, 2011)

Now that I think about it, your HC and Vals may not like Excel. I wouldn't do it with those plants. Most tanks have algae issues in the beginning. I'd let it ride out until your plant mass outcompetes it


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## snake_doctor (Mar 22, 2013)

greenteam said:


> are you using Co2 in that tank?


Yes, pressurized. Using a ceramic diffuser at about 3.5 bbs. I have the spray bar from the 2217 and almost a 45 degree angle to blow the bubbles downward. The drop checker is yellowish green. When the lights go off I go for almost complete surface agitation by making the spraybar point towards the surface for maximum oxygenation. Does that make sense to do? Dosing with a mixed macro solution of KNO3 and KH2PO4 for EI and Plantex CSM B for micros.

I initially had a filamentous diatom bloom which went away with manual removal and addition of snails and otos.

Thanks everyone for the feedback.


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## fplata (May 20, 2012)

HC will not be affected by excell, your Vals will, but they will recuperate.


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## fplata (May 20, 2012)

Now the dude does make a point, you are having new tank syndrome, however you still need to manage that algae. You can physically remove it for now. I use excel when treating most algae even in new tanks


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## fplata (May 20, 2012)

Yes continue to oxygenate your tank, it promotes beneficial bacteria growth


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## The Dude (Feb 8, 2011)

fplata said:


> Now the dude does make a point, you are having new tank syndrome, however you still need to manage that algae. You can physically remove it for now. I use excel when treating most algae even in new tanks


You think the HC will be OK with a direct shot of excel? I've been holding off on using it in my tanks due to that. I've got one tank where I'm having problems with hair algae in my Flame Moss and have been avoiding direct Excel and H2O2 for that very reason. There's no new growth, but I haven't been able to get rid of all of it manually


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## fplata (May 20, 2012)

Yeah you will kill your moss for sure with excel. A couple Amano shrimp will 


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## snake_doctor (Mar 22, 2013)

*added 6 amano shrimp over the weekend...*


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## fplata (May 20, 2012)

Where did you get those Amanos? I need some


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## GMYukonon24s (May 3, 2009)

I like your shrimp and nice job on the video.


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## snake_doctor (Mar 22, 2013)

fplata said:


> Where did you get those Amanos? I need some
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Planted Aquarium store. Not sure if they have enough left, pretty much cleaned out their tank. I would call before heading out.



GMYukonon24s said:


> I like your shrimp and nice job on the video.


Thanks, I appreciate that.


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## fplata (May 20, 2012)

update please  I like this tank


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## snake_doctor (Mar 22, 2013)

Finally got around to hanging the lights. Not the prettiest way, but it seems to work:

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?p=4566425&posted=1#post4566425

Some pics in that thread. Gave the stems in the back a heavy trim this last weekend, also the vals have grown so much that they almost touch in the middle of the tank because of the current flow. When i first planted, i did envision them arching and meeting in the middle.

sorta like this: http://highsundry.com/aquariums/meander_images/meander.jpg

Not the best pictures in that thread, i will get some tomorrow.

BTW, i would donate the rotala if anyone wants it, just beware that i have multiple types of algae in the tank... and snails... pond and ramshorn. I trim it weekly.


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## snake_doctor (Mar 22, 2013)

Thanks for the kind words Mr. Plata. Here are some more:

Hikari Algae Wafer getting ravaged:



Recognize the plant in this one? My otto likes it :smile: :



Is it a baby java fern? Came from the tank you gave me.

Here's one of the new tank, haven't decided what to do with it. Should I tear everything out and re-scape? Can i reuse the substrate? I definitely want it to be a shrimp only tank:



This is Rudolph, all the other shrimp make fun of him:



I did lose 1 shrimp this weekend. Bit shocked by it. At first I thought it was molted shell, but then realized it was a fatality. It was one of the adult blue velvets... should have taken a picture, maybe someone else could tell what killed him. He looked really white instead of transparent, milky.. is that normal for corpses of rather normally transparent shrimp? I think i saw the same one a couple of days before hiding inside the HC carpet not moving, he did react to me when i got close to him.

The berried red one is no longer berried... haven't seen any babies, hopefully they made it. One of the blue velvets is berried, i love how its so easy to tell with those ones. I'll try to snap a picture tomorrow.


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## snake_doctor (Mar 22, 2013)

Berried Blue Velvet:


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## fplata (May 20, 2012)

That is how the shrimp look when they die. How large and when was your last WC?


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## snake_doctor (Mar 22, 2013)

fplata said:


> That is how the shrimp look when they die. How large and when was your last WC?


I do 50% WCs. I had done it the previous weekend. I found him on the day of the WC on sunday. The one thing that I did change was the time of day. I usually did them on the evenings, but that day I had done it in the afternoon, that definitely made the tank hotter by about 3 degrees.

On a separate note, one of the Amanos looks berried? Are those eggs?


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## kwheeler91 (May 26, 2009)

Amanos babies won't survive in freshwater. 

If your still having hair algae problems you can knock it back with some peroxide. Pull out what is infected and spray it with some h2o2 and let it set for just a few seconds and then rinse well with water. Never tried it on flame moss but java tolerates it well and fissidens does fine with a quick exposure. Excel will definitely do more harm than good with moss though. Good luck.


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## snake_doctor (Mar 22, 2013)

kwheeler91 said:


> Amanos babies won't survive in freshwater.
> 
> If your still having hair algae problems you can knock it back with some peroxide. Pull out what is infected and spray it with some h2o2 and let it set for just a few seconds and then rinse well with water. Never tried it on flame moss but java tolerates it well and fissidens does fine with a quick exposure. Excel will definitely do more harm than good with moss though. Good luck.


It's a damn shame about the amanos, hopefully they'll at least be food?

Still have algae. Looks like I'm changing species, looks like some type of cladophora now.


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## fplata (May 20, 2012)

Sure food, they are burn in a larval stage. 


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