# 1 gallon snail tank journal (Pic heavy)



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

incase anyone it wondering... pics will have to wait


----------



## Aquarist_Fist (Jul 22, 2008)

connordude27 said:


> incase anyone it wondering... pics will have to wait


No pics? Blimey, I was so looking forward to seeing 13 measly Ghost Shrimp in an unplanted plastic box. :biggrin:


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

rofll i'll get them today!


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

11/3/08 
i'll get the pics when the plants go in (a great excuse for my procrastination issues:thumbsup:)

i also noticed one of the female's abdomen had a whiteish color with ?circles? i could hardley tell at this point... what are the chances of then being eggs? i would describe the color as milky right now but this is the fist day i've seen it


----------



## chase127 (Jun 8, 2008)

probably eggs. ghosts go thru a larval stage so you wont be able to see them when they hatch


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

ok thanks


----------



## Ugly Genius (Sep 27, 2003)

Aquarist_Fist said:


> No pics? Blimey, I was so looking forward to seeing 13 measly Ghost Shrimp in an unplanted plastic box. :biggrin:


That was pretty funny.


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

ya that was hilarious!


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

11/4/08
nothing much the white stuff is more pronounced in the shrimp


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

11/5/08
one shrimp down... total = 12

11/6/08
another one gone...... total = 11



i'm going to get some low light plants and just turn that tank into a jungle.... Any ideas on low lights that can grow in 7.0-7.2 PH and can be rooted in gravel? if cheap enough i might be able to get a small bag of eco-complete and put in both tanks... can that even go in a tank that uses a UGF?


----------



## chase127 (Jun 8, 2008)

i dont think they make tiny bags of eco  you could add anubias or java fern and moss.


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

i thought that stuff doesn't root because it will die


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

how much is the eco stuff on average at like petsmart?


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

11/7/08
nothing the stupid aponogeton bulbs still not working and its been a week...

i think i'm going to just start planting some plants in the soil i really need those low to medium low light plants that CAN be put in the gravel.... and that is common... please i need them soon like in the next 1/2 hour


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

11/8/08
yet another one gone...!!!!! total = 10

now i think i really need those plants or all my shrimps will die:icon_sad: does anyone think the plants will help? and is it normal for 3 to die in the first week? i really need people to answer the last few questions please...


----------



## chase127 (Jun 8, 2008)

ghosts are pretty touchy due to their poor breeding, theyre bred for food, not pets, so its normal to have a bunch die before you get a stable population. its always good to start out with ghosties but upgrade to cherries when you can! (and then remove the ghosts cause they'll eat your cherries!)


----------



## chase127 (Jun 8, 2008)

oh and a lot are wild caught so theres probably a lot of trauma in being farmed, shipped, thrown into a tank full of 100000 more of their brethren, and then sold and put into a new tank.


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

thats what i plan to do get the experience on the cheap stuff before i move on to cherries where mistakes are more costly
thanks for all the advice you and others have been a big help


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

11/9/08
nothing much but now i am getting some plants thanks to someone!:thumbsup:


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

11/10/08
1 more death the one eating it was far more aggressive towards the tube i use to suck it up then others who swam away quickly.....


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

11/11/08
no deaths......yet.......
Finally the development of this tank will begin!!!!!! (with pics!!!!!!) if i can find the dang camera that i swear has legs..... 

can i use the IMG code link from photobucket like i do for other forums?

well i picked up 2 rocks from outside and soaking them in hot water. i am also scrubing and did vinager test. i will boil them tonight and get pics of the empty tank and them the rocks and stuff. i will probably change substrate sometime but only 1/2 at a time so i don't lose that much bacteria 

friday or saturday is when i will get the whole process of planting in pictures thanks to an ROAK from Akamasha:thumbsup: 

with ferts can i dose leaf zone by API? or will that kill the shrimp? this is a liquid not root tabs

thanks everyone for following and answering my :icon_ques 's :thumbsup:


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!stupid camera!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! dang thing ran out of batterie and i don't have any more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! arrrrrrrrrgggggggggg i don't even think it saved previous pics and i was just about to get a half decent shot of the one with the white abdomen then it died (camera) *frustrating*


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

11/12/08
2 more down when i woke up 

i think they aren't getting enough food so they are killing each other for it..... this seem likely?


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

what would be better to dose Co2 tabs 1 2l bottle of DIY or excell?


----------



## @[email protected] (Oct 24, 2007)

CO2 tabs dont do anything.

use DIY CO2.


----------



## chase127 (Jun 8, 2008)

what are your parameters like? your shrimp shouldnt be dropping that quickly. i probably wouldnt add co2 or ferts in any form until you figure out why your shrimp are dying so rapidly.


----------



## @[email protected] (Oct 24, 2007)

why?
if he isnt doing so now, its obviously not that.


----------



## chase127 (Jun 8, 2008)

adding more chemicals to the mix of an already dangerously small tank wouldnt do anything to benefit the shrimp.


----------



## Ugly Genius (Sep 27, 2003)

A one gallon tank is quite difficult to keep balanced water quality-wise. I think it's prudent to keep the variables (CO2, fertilizers, et cetera) to a minimum until connor can determine what, if anything, is wrong. (It is possible that the shrimp were unhealthy from the get-go and the deaths have nothing to do with the tank's parameters. Or it could be pH shock. Or many other reasons independent of this tank. Of course can't know that just yet, but it is a possibility.)

Ghost shrimp, for reasons stated in an earlier post, are difficult to keep alive in a big, well-established tank, let alone a new one gallon one.

I doubt they are dying from lack of food or killing each other because of it. The visual absence of algae or other food matter does not mean there is not something in there for them to eat. Shrimp are scavengers and they can find food in the darndest of places.

But that's all besides the point...
We have not seen a single photo yet, have we?


----------



## luckydud13 (Jun 21, 2008)

Where the heck are the pictures?!?!?!


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

lol at the demand for pics stupid batteries went dead right in the middle of it......

i plan to get a master test kit but i'm short on cash so for now i am just doing quite a few water changes... 

friday i get a load of plants i just hope all the shrimp aren't all dead by then......

i'll find some way to get the pics i think i have some working batteries somewhere..

the one with the weird white abdomen is still alive i have no idea what it is the camera died as i was taking this pic

i have added gravel and filter media from my cycled betta tank and the 1g's water doesn't smell half as bad as it used too

i know where some batteries are now and i'll get the pics tonight and post tommarrow th rocks will change spots

i will further explain my ideas when i get the dang pics


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

im posting this from psp this guy is a life saver the psp charger could jack into the camera pics wil be tommarow


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

heres all the pics well some anything wrong yet?


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

anything yet?


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

dang do i need to upgrade!


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

and more........


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

almost at quota..... any problems yet? 



well thats all for now suggestions?


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

the thread tieing the swtang is making me mad....


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

Heres the plant list i have been told it all will grow in medium low lighting i will later dose ferts and possibly Co2

Rotala sp. Vietnam
Hygrophila polysperma 'Rosanervig'
Brazilian Pennywort
Dwarf Sagittaria
Suesswassertang
Amazon Frogbit
Peacock moss
Marimo Ball


----------



## luckydud13 (Jun 21, 2008)

Looks good, my sister has the same tank, think about upgrading the filter. For a quick cheap solution shove some media down the tube. As the air from the airstone rushes upward it causes water to run down into the media therefore cleaning the water.


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

i am thinking about possibly getting the whisper 1-3i as thats what is in my 1.5


----------



## @[email protected] (Oct 24, 2007)

i personally dont like the tank (the acrylic box i mean). i used that as a hospital tank before. but the light is a small incandescent right? totally unsuitable for plants. next, there is the shape; it just doesnt work for me. then, you either have to have a tube going through the middle, or you have no filter, and no aeriation. 

my suggestions:
-go to petco and pic up a 2.5 gallon tank (they are really small, but better dimensions), or even a 5 gallon.
-get flourite, or eco, or something other then the clown puke. sorry, but it has no nutrients, and looks weird with plants.
-get some kind of diffuser (hagen bubble ladder works for such small tanks), and DIY CO2.
-get an azoo palm filter or similar nano HOB filter.


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

personally i sort of agree 

i personally wish it was square 
i WILL get some type of substrate other than gravel and get rid of the "clown puke" 
i am thinking about diy Co2 but i would probably try chopstick method of defusion for Co2


This is sort of a trail as in i will be getting a 20g (after christmas) put my betta in that make it planted. i will use the extra substrate eco probably or DIY stuff the ghosts will stay in this and i will get some cherries and put it in the 1.5

if you could forget the tank and "clown puke" do you like the layout of the plants?


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

shrimp doing well ever since i got the plants


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

will <2.5 mg/kg of copper be fine for shrimp this is a 10g dose

heres the link
http://www.regulatory-info-api.com/PDF/LZ%20Metals%20mu%20sntzd.pdf


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

forget it don't answer i already know it is DEADLY even at half dose 

i lost 3 today and have 1 MIA i'm just going to put a betta in i think i know its small but would you rather have that or live and die in a cup............


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

bulb went dead on light using a 4 watt for now
there is 3 shrimp left
i think if they all die i'm off to do cherry shrimp...


----------



## Karackle (Dec 11, 2007)

Sorry to hear about the troubles....why were you dosing anything with copper in it? Unfortunately it seems that any amount of copper is deadly to shrimp, in fact, most people will say not to use copper in a tank if you ever plan on keeping shrimp in it again because they are so sensitive to it :icon_eek: sorry to be there bearer of bad news on that one. I'd probably seek more advice on that though as I've never used it myself. But that's the basics of what I found out when I was trying to figure out whether it would be ok to dose copper to get rid of snails in my 30, the answer was a resounding NO since I have 3 different kinds of shrimp in there. 

The tank has the potential to be a cool little pico tank, but I'd seriously think about getting rid of the undergravel filter it came with (probably not the best filter choice for a planted tank anyway.....roots will start to prevent flow through it pretty quickly in such a small tank) I'd replace it with an azoo palm / red sea nano HOB or some other nano sized filter. It'll help your overall WQ too. And then you wouldn't have a tube in the middle of your scape


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

i'm getting rid of the stupid tube if its the last thing i do!! it is so noisy!! 

i also plan on changing substrate to sand if i can make it to home depot

the 3 survivors are very tough

i'm going to see if the 3 shrimp can boot up the population i think there is 2 females and a male so....


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

o and i heard that people dose excel but i found out that is like .000002% copper...


----------



## @[email protected] (Oct 24, 2007)

people dose flourish, that has copper. excel i think, does not. 
but yes, their tanks have some copper, and in them are thriving shrimp colonies.

all tanks with plants have copper, or the plants die. copper is a micronutrient for plants. its needed in small, minute amounts, but amounts still above 0. so if shrimp naturally live near plants and algae, they naturally live with copper.


----------



## Karackle (Dec 11, 2007)

Oh oh oh, copper in one of the ferts, yeah that will be in way small amounts, people definitely keep shrimp with fert dosing. I thought you meant one of the copper medication treatments, much higher doses. Even so, in a 1g tank you have to be REALLY careful how much you dose, i thought i'd measured really carefully in the 1g i used to have and I killed my fish,  that's not just a copper issue either, that's just a too much of a good thing can be toxic when you're talking about fertilizers thing


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

i have to dose 1/5 of the real dose and i'm still not sure

i got playsand for home depot today looks much better i will get pics eventually when the dust settles

i made sure i rinsed it real well and i put a very very thin layer of gravel underneath to put bacteria in it

there isn't much silt but i have no filter now so i am running a pump during daylight hours..

the lightbulb i have is been replaced with a 7 watt as the temporary 4 watt one isn't temporary anymore


----------



## akamasha (Mar 25, 2008)

Its to bad that you don't live closer to me. I have a full setup 10 gallon tank with iron stand i could give you. I also have a ton of plants you could have to fill it up. I think the plants make it look good.And once your shrimp start breeding the plants will be filled in a bit more and the babies will have a nice home.It's a really hard thing to keep a smaller tank like that. Also it will get easier for you the longer that it's set up. I will be sending out the flourish tabs to you by friday but i'm not sure how much for you to use in that tank size.


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

thanks for all the plants again. i have read about the tabs and it goes by substrate area so i think 1/2 a tab will work

the brazillian pennywort is what i'm killing myself over:icon_evil i think i'll leave it a floating plant as i can't get it too root lol this stuff is great but just a pain! 

my favorite plant is the amazon frogbit. it's great looking and i just love it!:fish: the shrimp will if the pellets get stuck on the surface by one of these plants they will float upside down and grab them it's so cool

i'll get pics of the setup when the silt clears it looks better much better

thanks for all the offers again i tihnk when i get more/bigger setups i'll be trading a lot with you:thumbsup:


----------



## akamasha (Mar 25, 2008)

I think your tank can and will look great. 

Check this one out 

http://www.geocities.com/heartland/hills/2637/1gallon.html


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

Wow thats awesome!!


----------



## akamasha (Mar 25, 2008)

I know, the shape of tank your have can look great !!!! I do think that changing your gravel to a more neutral color could help it look more natural. Also i just got some java ferns and i know they would do great in your tank but they are a bit big right now. as soon as they grow some babies i can send some your way. Have a great night


----------



## Karackle (Dec 11, 2007)

Yeah, I hear ya, I tried to dose about 1/5 also, you gotta be careful, i'd probably go a little less to be safe....don't forget substrate and filters take up space too, and the smaller the tank, the larger the %space taken up by the substrate etc, which I didn't think of until it was too late. Just a word of caution  

I do think this has the potential to be a neat pico tank though! Glad you got some plants and I bet the sand is a great alternative substrate. I wish I'd caught your post on time, I would have suggested you try Schultz Aquatic soil instead, it's cheap and at the Home Depot also. Alas...if I have any left over after I redo the substrate in my 20g I'll let you know if you want to try it....no guarantees though, always hard to tell how far gravel will go until it's actually in the tank. 

Can't wait to see the new pics!


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

well right now a bacteria bloom is happening i'm guessing because of the change 

all this silt stuff is forming so tommarrow i do my first sand clean........ any suggestions on how to do this?

how do people fill up a sand tank without it going anywhere? it took about 10 mins to fill as the sand kept moving.

thanks everyone


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

no loud pump tonight


----------



## Karackle (Dec 11, 2007)

Oh one other thing I forgot to mention (your "no loud pump" comment reminded me) if you're not running the filter, I'd actually run the airstone 24/7....stagnant water can lead to trouble, i had problems in my pico tank until I started running an airpump to keep the water circulating. If it's the actual pump that's loud, try setting it on a piece of foam or a towel folded over a few times to dampen the noise. Works well for me! If it's still loud, you can also wrap it in a hand towel


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

o ok i'll do that! don't want more of a disaster...

i think i might get 4 more after a little bit...

i still need sand vacuming tips and how to fill the tank... in the next 1/2 hour would be great otherwise i'll be in the dark...lol


----------



## akamasha (Mar 25, 2008)

This is the process i use. It takes a while but works well for me 
I slowly stir up the water just above the sand and siphon out the stuff that floats up with and airline tube. Then i get a bucket / jug of water to refill the tank up above the tank some where / how then use an airline tube to siphon the new water into the tank to add the water back in slowly so not to disturbed the occupants or the sand. If you have a film of scum or whatever on the top of the water use a paper towel set it on top of the water first before the water change and pick it back up immediately to remove the scum/ film.


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

ok i'm off to try that! thanks


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

well the water vac was a success but very frustrating! lol i almost gravel vacced a shrimp...:eek5:

the Dwarf Sagittaria was the pain lol it came undone while vacing and it took forever to get back in...  is it possible to clip the runner stem(s)? the runners were the killer:icon_evil

i WILL NOT gravel vac for a week as i hope by then plants will be rooted and stop coming undone...

the memory card ran off so no pics for now


if i could have any 3 things in the world it would be...

Aquascaping tools
patience:tongue:
My plants to be rooted

lol i might post a wtb ad sometime when i got the cash:thumbsup:


the shrimp are doing great they have found one place and are scavenging away


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

off topic but is there any way to get all the smilies on the side bar?


----------



## akamasha (Mar 25, 2008)

if the dwarf wag has roots at all you can cut them off of the others.


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

o ok 

this evening i had a shrimp that had eggs except they ALWAYS turn white... why? are they dead?

one of my shrimps is whiteish and not moving is it ready to molt? i know its alive as it moves it's legs and i can see the gills moving


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

do ghosts lay eggs? 'cause i found some......... it was on the pennywort near the surface


----------



## fish_fasinated (Mar 30, 2006)

probably those bloody pest snails. pain in the butt they are


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

good by eggs........ muhhhhhhahhhhhaaaaa :icon_twis

another one gone but it's been a week i also have an MIA that is very invisable


----------



## Oscar17 (Dec 7, 2007)

connordude27 said:


> the Dwarf Sagittaria was the pain lol it came undone while vacing and it took forever to get back in...


I wouldn't vacuum around any plant... actually the crud is good for the plants.. I don't even vacuum my gravel any more! 

Regards,
Osc


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

well that counter acts ammonia levels no matter what the ammonia will always find a way to rise in level


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

i think i'm going to QT thte eggq in a sterillite container thing


----------



## Karackle (Dec 11, 2007)

i'm confused, what counteracts ammonia levels? and they shouldn't keep creeping up, ammonia and nitrIte should be 0 in a cycled tank, make sure you're doing daily small water changed to keep ammonia down, could be the ammonia that's been killing your shrimp if it's getting too high, are you testing it?


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

well i mean first in a cycled tank yes it should be 0
BUT if you go to long with out a water change you will still get small amounts of ammonia..
it's NOT ammonia i know for sure... but i haven't been testing i think it is because of previous explainations in other threads about why ghosts are so fragile... sorry if i'm being a bit defensive but i heard you can smell ammonia and if the water smells even remotely bad it means you have ammonia i am almost certain the tank is cycled or at least on the final stretch and the nitrates or nitrites are getting to them..... but i'm probably wrong knowing myself...


----------



## Karackle (Dec 11, 2007)

I'm not trying to be mean or anything, and no offense taken to being defensive. I'll say though that I've _never_ smelled any ammonia or had a foul smell during cycling, nor have I heard of being able to smell the ammonia, the only instance I can think of that you might be able to smell the ammonia would be if you were using pure ammonia to do a fishless cycle, but that's a completely different story. I'm just saying that if you haven't tested the water, you can't _know_ there is no ammonia. Once you get live animals into a tank, anything over .5ppm is too much ammonia, under .25ppm is better. I'm just trying to help, the smaller the tank, the harder it is to stablize, and with 10+ shrimp in a tiny new tank, I wouldn't be surprised if ammonia was part of the problems with the shrimp, but the larger plant mass in there now should help immensely! :thumbsup:

Still waiting on those updated shots with the sand and plants!


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

i no no offence was taken i really need that test kit

i really need that memory card!....


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

o and now only 1 shrimp left but i do have an MIA


----------



## Karackle (Dec 11, 2007)

sorry to hear you only have 1 shrimp left! But yeah, test kits are important, in such a small tank, all of the parameters can swing drastically just from a water change, for example if you water is soft but has a high pH like mine, the pH might drop to 5 or 6 (mine does) and then you do a water change and it bounces back up. Without a pH test kit though, there's no way to know something like that either. It's hard to maintain a blance in a small tank, especially since you don't have a filter. Are you doing small daily water changes?

I hope you find your memory card soon, i want to see pictures!


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

i actually do have a PH test kit lol i was a major fish newb so i just got it randomly 

i will spend all night looking for the memory card if i have too! lol i so want to take pics!


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

the frogbit and moss are doing great i'm worried about the dwarf sarigetti i really need diy C02


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

last one went bucket kicking........ but i am NOT giving up i will make a shrimp tank live and thrive!..... now got to wait on craigslist for cherrys


----------



## akamasha (Mar 25, 2008)

All the plants i sent to you came out of a non co2 med light tank. I only use seachem excel ,seachem flourish, seachem trace, and seachem plant tabs. They could just be in a little shock but i think they will bounce back as long as you feed them.


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

right now i'm dosing normal level ferts to help the plants rebound i'll get some secham ferts in a while i think i might even do Co2. anyone know if a lime diffuser will work? 

the plants are rebounding some are just losing leaves while new shoots are coming up. the frogbit is diffidently doing good


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

my QTed snails hatched! still a while till i can get ID


----------



## guitardude9187 (Aug 22, 2006)

best way of diffusing co2 in a tiny tank like that would be through the filter intake, less obstructions and simple to do. But definetly reconsider on the co2, if it's diy. It's very possible to over dose co2 very easily, so if you're keeping some kind of fuana then you should stick with excel.

I'm bringing my 1 gal back to life for some crs, it's been a couple weeks and they're still alive! wish me luck!

Good luck with yours


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

good luck with yours! i guess i'll get Excel and use DIY with check valve and stop valve for the next tank i get which i hope will be a 20g!


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

got some pics finally!!!!! but i need more attachment space  is there anyway to delete other pics?


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

man those PSP and Blackberry chargers/uploaders can be REAL useful!!  :thumbsup:


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

there they are... sorry for the poor quality i am using a camera that is a piece or crap mine broke


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

ok now you can up size them.......

some of the amazon frogbit used to be on a shoot but it popped off this is my fastest growing most healthy plant


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

the sunset hygro is sending new leaves upward!

the dwarf saggiratti is getting new GREEN leaves replacing the yellow ones


----------



## akamasha (Mar 25, 2008)

Its looking good. The plants are starting to bounce back and getting used to your water. I totally forgot to send out those flourish tabs. I will try to do it tomorrow if i can find some stamps. Maybe now that your tank has been set up a while you could get some new shrimp. Also is your tank temp really 80 degrees? it seems kinda warm.


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

akamasha said:


> Its looking good. The plants are starting to bounce back and getting used to your water. I totally forgot to send out those flourish tabs. I will try to do it tomorrow if i can find some stamps. Maybe now that your tank has been set up a while you could get some new shrimp. Also is your tank temp really 80 degrees? it seems kinda warm.


well the temp has been fluctuating from 74 to 80 but normally only from 74 to 76 or 78 but it normally isn't that warm 

well here is some better pics of the hygro which seems to be growing like theres no tomarrow i found 2 more leaves (just tiny ones) and it is turning pinkish on some leaves

the rotala sp vietnam is turning much more green today 

the frogbit is also constantly shooting new leaves

the lesser duckweed isn't growing as fast as i thought it would but some people would love that 

i'll try shrimp once i get a heater (i'm looking at the mini hydro or whatever ones) if i order that i'll also get 1-2 red sea nano filters......

dang it imageshack can't upload those too big...... so i'm going to try Photobucket html code

hope these worked they were a pain....


----------



## akamasha (Mar 25, 2008)

Very nice pics. You are going to end up with a great little planted tank !!! I can't wait to see it progress


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

i really miss my sony cybershot  lol 

i'll post pics often when stuff improve


----------



## akamasha (Mar 25, 2008)

What happened to your camera ? Also the root tabs are in the mail as of today. I sent 2 for now as they should last a long time in that tank. Also i'm getting a pretty rare easy to grow trident java fern, and i was wondering if you would like a piece for free, i can pay for the shipping  . They are really cool looking. Let me know k.


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

well i was uploading pics and somehow the screen broke and now it won't stay on.....

i'll try a fern  Thanks for the offer


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

wow they are cool looking (nice pic clwatkins10 aka foofooree on APC)


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

trhis won't be updated for about a wekk road trip....


----------



## Karackle (Dec 11, 2007)

looking good! Can't wait to see it fill in! 

For pictures, i've found the best way is to use photobucket, select the "640x480 (Large)" option before uploading (so you don't have to change the size later) upload your pictures, and then copy the "image code" from the drop-down menu below each picture, copy it into your post and voila, nice large pictures for us to see so we can really appreciate your tank!


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

ok thanks for the tip 

i will be checking in about once per day as this internet is death slow

i'll make sure too take lots of pics


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

i had an idea..... if i can pop out the clear lens and be able to put it back..... do you think tin foil reflectors will be an option? any input on this is welcome


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

well now for the specs again
*Tank Size*:
1 Gallon aquaveiw 
*Lighting*: 
7 watt bulb
*inhabitants*: 
none
*Plants*: 
Rotala sp. Vietnam
Hygrophila polysperma 'Rosanervig'
Brazilian Pennywort (see below)**
Dwarf Sagittaria
Amazon Frogbit
Suesswassertang
Peacock moss
Lesser Duckweed
Marimo Ball
*Substrate*:
play sand
*Filtration*:
none
*Ferts*:
Leaf Zone by API

** the brazillian pennywort is in qt but i am going to take it out and risk getting snails in this tank if there are any still alive (the snails)

does the tinfoil reflector idea sound good?


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

i have a few questions........

1) the tinfoil thing good or bad?

2) does the sunset hygro spread by shoots or trimmings? how tall does it get and can i trim it when it gets too high?

3) does the rotala sp vietnam spread by shoots or trimmings? and will it get so tall i have to trim it? the tank is roughly 6 in from sand to water line

4) how do i trim stuff?:redface:

5) *knock on wood* how come i'm not getting algae? i thought it is like a never ending battle but i haven't had to fight it in any of my tanks *knock on wood*

6) anyone have a rough guess on how long it takes for the plants to root?

thanks sorry if i sound too questiony (i am sure thats not a word)


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

well there is a white worm thing about a quarter inch long and it moves like an s

****EDIT****
i have a nematode in my tank glad its harmless!


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

well i'll be taking loads of pics as i heard thats how people like threads and how people resepond more.........

the smaller stem of the 2 sunset hygro stems is sending roots toward the sand and growing a lot

the frogbit is shooting 3 new leaves out

the moss is doing great along with the SWtang 

the marim ball is doing great

the duckweed is also starting to spread (Yay!!!  )


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

well there is a really cool patterned snail in the plant qt that i will move to the one as they aren't eating the pennywort it is like a pond snail with black dots 2 by 2 in a row it looks cool when it gets bigger i'll get a pic


----------



## akamasha (Mar 25, 2008)

I currently have 3 kinds of snails in my tank.
Zebra Nerite snail
Red Ramshorn Snail
and an unidentified snail.
Sorry couldn't tell you which one it is.


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

out of those i am 70% sure it is NOT red ramshorn snail 

i'm leaning towards unidentified as some of the sites say it is free swimming larve at fisrt but that wasn't the case

it could be the red ramshorn snail as i saw some pics of yellow ones

but the snail i saw has a shell pattern like a zebra snail


the snails are being fed on what i believe is hair algae as it is brownish and looks like hair that the tank is growing because high light + ferts = algae (just learned that) so i guess i'll have to wait till they get bigger



***EDIT*** i think it is the ramshorm snail as all descriptions of the eggs and some patterning fit


----------



## Karackle (Dec 11, 2007)

sounds like the plants are doing really well! Glad to hear it  

May I ask why you are QTing plants? 

Can't wait to see updated pics!


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

o i qted the pennywort as i was interested in what kind of snails would hatch

the pennywort is going to be grown floating  (gotta love those floaters )


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

i might get red cherrys in the next month or so


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

the tinfoil reflecters were added

the snails will be added soon

i'll get updated pics as the rotala and hygro is growing and the dwarf sag is sending healthy leaves out and getting rid of the yellow ones (hoping the snails will eat those)


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

New pics coming this weekend!

the rotala (the one i was worried about) is doing great!!!

are snails more tolerant to copper than shrimp? i thought i overdosed it but the snails are still doing great!!! (the 2 i put in)

the qt type thing has one snail that has an awesome shell pattern it has loads of spots compared to my other ones that have a few or none

i think they are ramshorn snails as they have the right shell and 2 are "red"


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

*New Pics*

well i got new pics using a better camera!! 
full tank shot








sunset hygro








roatla sp veitnam








snails








amazon frogbit









comments and suggestions welcome!


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

o and those are all no flash


----------



## Karackle (Dec 11, 2007)

Wow, it's really starting to look great! nice work with the scaling too!


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

thanks


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

tanks doing great the moss is starting to grow upward and the snails love carrots that were boiled for a few seconds

WATER CHANGE TODAY


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

so i've taken a milk cap (a large one) and cut 2 holes in it so the snails can get in it and i stick carrots (boiled for a few seconds in the microwave) in the cap which floats and the snails use it......... the problem is if i put a larger piece in it makes this cloudy film on the walls and a film on the plants that last a few days........ any idea what this is?


this isn't the end of the journal but i've learned a lot about keeping planted tanks and how to balance things (well i'll be coming out with another journal once i get my new tank)(a 10 or 20g) and we'll see how i do with that....... (i think i'll but some of the same plants as i love these ones and i'll also get others)

i think i'll need to trim the rotala as it is getting too tall for the tank and it looks better about a quarter inch below the water level

the duckweed is growing fast

the frogbit is sending shoots left and right

the moss is getting longer

the swtang is growing i think i don't now how it's supposed to grow

the hygro might need to be trimmed as i like it shorter than the rotala 

all the plants are doing well and are rooted 

thanks for everyones help and comments/ideas roud:

stay tuned for monthly/ bi-monthly updates/photos


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

this is about to turn snail crazy i've counted 13+ egg clutches


----------



## akamasha (Mar 25, 2008)

connordude27 said:


> this is about to turn snail crazy i've counted 13+ egg clutches


I'm jealous snails don't really breed all that well for me and i need them to feed to my puffers. P.s. I can't send out the trident due to a major lack of money till mid january. But i will send you some out as soon as i get some money. Sorry about that. I was laid off until mid-january


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

sucks that you were laid off

if you want i could send some when they hatch as my tank would be covered in snails or if you need some because the puffers ate them all and you're low on them


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

well i gave the tank a trim as the rotala and hygro were getting huge and so i can trade some plants i also trimmed the moss which seemed to triple in amount


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

well i hope i can get pics soon if not today...

the trimmed hygro is already growing like crazy along with the rotala

i've had these weird worm type things about an inch long.... i killed 3 but have at least one left....

i have probably between 50-200 snails between my 2 pictos but luckily they are small still but when they get bigger i'll ROAK a lot of them along with some trimmings or trade as thats very easy......

the moss is still growing like mad...

i'll get pics then suggestions on what to do.... 

my dwarf sag isn't doing that well except for 1 plant which is the one i'd keep as i think it might look better with the large plant in the middle

oh and more plants will be added today (floaters) like different types of duckweed



******EDIT***** my computer won't read the stupid card and keeps crashing:angryfire


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

heres updated pics enjoy i have recently given this a trim and traded for the plants that are in my 1.5g (see thread)


----------



## akamasha (Mar 25, 2008)

Wow Connor it's really looking like a mini jungle in there. I'm happy the plants seem to be doing well. I a getting paid on the 20th so i will be sending you out a package around then. As for the snails i bought about 100 from a guy near me for 7.00 so i'm set for a while thank you though. I will also be including in the package a small amount of a different kind of moss for you. It's called Fissidens fontanus it's slow growing so it wont take over the tank. To bad you don't live closer i have rcs babies i could give you.


----------



## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

thanks 

all these plants seem to grow like lighting and just keep going


----------

