# aquarium and beer...college.



## duff (Feb 26, 2006)

Looks good! but I can't see the beer?


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## radioman (Oct 29, 2007)

I have the same set up in my apt. at college. Except I have ADA powder and paintball co2.


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## TeamTeal (Mar 31, 2010)

misleading title!


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

hahahaha illl get some pictures of beer next to it


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

quick question guys, there seems to be like mold or somthing growing on my DHG... is this a bad thing? or just things that died on the DHG decomposing... everything seems to be growing in though despite that.


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

got my filter on the tank and all my co2 stuff!

shrimp come wed/thursday 12 blue pearl shrimp so excited!
hoping my DIY co2 doesnt make to much co2 :/


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## Newman (Jul 3, 2010)

it shouldn't but you should always be using a gang valve to channel extra CO2 out. 1-2 bubble per second is probably a good place to start.


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

heres a pic from today


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## Quentin (Mar 16, 2011)

You have the shrimp in there yet? Growth seems slow so far...But looks fine


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

shrimp are in the dilivery truck right now, just checked the tracker. 
yes growth has been slow mainly because i was waiting for my co2 defuser... it came in 3 days ago so only had co2 for 3 days. hopefully the extra bost speeds everything up! willl post pics of the shrimp. maybe tonight or when they get settled in.


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

*Shrimps*

what do u guys think? sorry cant really get a close focused picture from my iphone  

have about 14-15 shrimp!


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## gordonrichards (Jun 20, 2009)

co2 and shrimp! Watch out!!!


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

I have a air pumprunning 24/7 so i hope everything stays ok.


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

*better pics!*

sorry posting so many! lol 

giv me some FEEDBACK


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## iKine (Aug 4, 2011)

I remember reading a post a while ago from another member in college. Had a part in his dorm room and someone dumped a ton of beer into his little tank. Had a huge tank melt down aftwerwards lol. Make sure you have a good and tight lid!


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

hahah i would be so mad and upset lol!!! good thing i party in friends rooms not mine!


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## Dr. Acula (Oct 14, 2009)

Ha, I was so afraid that when people were over at our apartment, they would want to give my fish a drink. At least I have my own room I can put it in, rather than leaving it right out in the open.

Anyway, nice looking tank you've got there. I like it.


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

thanks your tank is amazing


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

*Small update*

What do u guys think?

Slow and steddy I guess, the DHG is really finily starting to take off, the HC is slow but i can see the runners starting to spread, shrimp are all good.

2 different molts today and more activity as far as shrimp then I have seen since I set the tank up. so maybe ill have some berrries!?!?

Who knows prob just dreaming.

Thanks for looking
-Matt


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

*Need some help guys*

Hi Everyone how you been?
Well I am going to have to stop the C02 in this tank because It seems to be way to much for the shrimp to handle, witch means the HC is going to die off and the DHG might...
That being said anyone have some ideas for plants I can put in the forgroud that doesnt need C02?
I am pretty upset because I was looking forward to a carpet but am alright with losing it if it means my shrimp are happy.
I am looking for a small semi compact plant that is just all around nice, maybe ill pull out the rocks and put some drift wood in there, idk what I am gonna do yet.
Plants need to be semi small since tanks only 2.5 gal.

Please give me your opinion and what YOU think I should do.
Thanks for your time and help.
-Matt


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

How would you feel about java moss? You could confine it in mesh and have it turn into a lawn. It also grows fast so it will keep ammonia/nitrites at zero. Not sure if someone mentioned this already, if so sorry for the repetition.

On a different note, I am also a college student! Grad school so I have my own apartment. Gotta say though I miss living on campus with free electricity and water P:


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

haah yeah the free electricity is very nice! lol I am thinking if I go with moss to maybe go with some flame moss, think that would do the same as java?


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

Yea that should work just as well. Were you planning on strapping it between a mesh? Or just letting it slowly root into the substrate? Just keep the moss away from that sponge


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

lol I think I might buy some kinda tiles, and mesh from a craft store, and just make tiles that why easy to clean,controle, and trim. i am sure my shrimp will love it! I think I am going to replace the rocks with some really nice drift wood I have just need to boil the crap out of it.


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

It is really weird but I ended up going around several stores and ultimately purchased this white fabric mesh. Very cheap, I paid under $1 for TONS of this stuff. Then I used clear fishing line to tie the mesh together. So far I use suction cups to make moss walls on my tank, if you were to lay the tiles down you would need something to weigh it.


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

you dont think the tiles itself would waigh it down? i was going to get like tiles from home depot and break them so they are smalled then wrap the mesh around it.


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

Ohhhh. I see what you mean. I thought you were going to make tiles out of ONLY moss and mesh. Yea the tiles from homedepot should weigh them down. Make sure you scrub the edges after you break it so it doesn't release particles into the water! Take pictures after, that sounds like a good idea since the moss will cover up the tile when it grows out!


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

*First berried blue pearl!!*

Woke up today to find my first berried shrimp. Pretty excited, all though goood chance she will drop the eggs early.


Sorry for the bad pics, ill try to spend some time with my phone now and get a good shot.


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

Alittle bettter, sorry only have IPhone


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

Hey everyone.
Have a question for everyone that always changes there tank around; I have a nice peice of drift wood that I want to add to the tank with some mosses and other plants that dont need the C02. By adding the wood I am going to remove the rocks and some of the HC.

Will all the moving around of the substraight cause any problums in my tank? Also will it effect my momma to be?

I will do a water change after I move everything around.
Thanks for all your help as always.
-Matt


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

changing everything up a bit this weekend and monday, have a peice of drift wood thats been submerged for weeks now, buying some new plants on saturday and should have everything all set up by monday. cant wait to get everyones opinion on the change.
just cant deal with the HC anymore with no C02, i am sure the plants with love the new plants anyways!


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

added my drift wood with some new plants, think i like it even though the wood might be too big for this small a tank, will post up some pics tomorrow, really tired now. looking forward to your imput.


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

pennfisherman said:


> Will all the moving around of the substraight cause any problums in my tank? Also will it effect my momma to be?


Hey Matt! I'm back to following your college tank . Generally you'll want to minimize the changes in your tank if you want a successful birth. I know its too late already since you already changed it but next time they get berried try not to change anything besides the water. Think about this, would you wanna give birth (imagine you're a woman haha) if some people randomly come into your house and move your furniture around ?

Looking forwards to your new setup!


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

Thats a great point! And I was going to wait for that reason i just got alitttle ancy. hopefully shes still carrying. I will be posting pics around 12 when my lights come on!


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

*like promised, sorry iphone pics.*

Sorry for the really bad pics, what do u guys think though?

Added:
Fissidens
2 Anubias 
Subwassertang

Bring my plant list to 
Fissidens, Anubias, Subwassertang, DHG, and HC.

Sorry for the crazy glue spots on the wood needs to grow in.

Thanks for looking please comment and give advice.
-Matt

P.S. Momma shrimp look good hanging upside down on the drift wood!


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

I was going to ask what those giant white globs were. All that crazy glue has dried right? When you were glueing to the DW was it damp or bone dry? How long did you let that glue dry?

Adding the driftwood definitely made the tank scape look a lot better! Hope the mom holds onto her eggs for you!


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

Oh! Btw, how's that seachem flourite black working out for you? My friend recommended I get some substrate (I have two 10 gallon bare bottom tanks ) to aid in my plant growth. I'm sure the shrimp won't really care either way.


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

It seems that the flourite is working very well, only way I can really say its doing good is I am using no frats and no co2 and I am still growing DHG and HC sure the HC growth is slow, but I am amazed its growing without C02.

As for the wood and how I glued it, well the wood has been soking for about a month now and is nice and waterlogged, there for I didnt wannna dry it and unwaterlog it. 
So I just took the wood out of the pot I was soking it in and put the glue where I wanted the plants to be then stuck the plants to it.

So the wood was dripping wet, all the glue dried before the wood hit my tank, because I soaked it for another hour before I put it in the tank.

Thanks for all the imput on my thread you have been a lot of help!

Anyone else??
-Matt


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

Glad the glue dried on wet wood! Next time you're in need of plants not sure if you know of gordonrichards. Great plant seller and lives on long island as well.


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

yes hes great meet up with him this weekend, thats who I got my plants from.


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## xxbenjamminxx (Aug 8, 2011)

Looks good! I really like it now with the wood more so then before (been following, just didnt say anything). Glad to hear that your DHG is still going without the CO2 or ferts. I am thinking of adding some to my 10g shrimp tank as well.


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

Benjammin, the DHG is growing well still lots of runners, one thing though its not nearly as green as it was with C02. Just though id let you know!

Thanks for looking


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## magma (Oct 31, 2011)

Hey pennfisherman,

Good luck with the babies! For HC and Dwarf hair grass, you need a fine powder substrate like amazonia soil powder or similar. The roots of these plants are very tiny, and need a finer substrate. Dwarf hair grass grew ok for me with just amazonia but newer really got going. I found much better growth when I finally figured out the soil powder link.

-magma


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

Thanks for the imput magma, Ill deff keep that in mind for the next tank I set up!


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

have my 2ed berried momma, still waiting for the first batch to hatch.


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

Good luck. Hope they hold onto their eggs. If the first one hasn't dropped it yet you'll be seeing babies soon :]


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

Found my 3rd berried momma... going to have 4823897562398 shrimp in about a month! lol this is pretty cool they all look happy and healthy too


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

What part of LI are you in? My GF lives in Flushing so if you're kinda close I could buy some of those extra blues off you at some point !


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

I live in suffolk so kinda far from the city but could maybe make a trip if you want some.


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

Ha! I went to SBU for undergrad. Too bad I didn't start the shrimp hobby until after I graduated D:


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

No way thats where I go lol!


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

I graduated last year. What year are you in?

Did they ever finish that new plaza thing between the library and union?


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

I am in my 2nd year. ummm I dont think so, they are making a new gym though.


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

Oh wow. We might've even seen each other on campus. Do you hide the shrimp tank during room checks? My RA friend had a 40g in his room lol. But he was the RA so I guess it doesn't really matter.


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

My RA thinks it really coool lol I just leave it out on my desk, and wow a 40G would be crazy in a dorm room.


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

So are you staying in a suite or hallway type room? I lived at roth for two years, then went to west. So AC all the way


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

I live in roosevelt hallway style. Pretty coool, Just sucks I have to take the tank home over christmas brake.


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

It's not actually that bad. Drain the tank down to like 20% water and take it home like that. While moving into UConn I was forced to stay in a hotel for 3 days. So I set up my tank in the hotel LOL! Had to move it to my apartment afterwards and it was pretty simple.

How far do you live away from campus?


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

not too far 40 mins. just hope everything doesnt get thrown all over the tank


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

found atleast 1 baby the other day. wounder how many are in there.

have to move the tank back home on tuesday. wish me luck.


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

40 mins isn't bad at all. Just drain the water in the tank down to like 20-30% and try to avoid any bumps :]. Good luck. Let me know the shrimps condition when you get home!


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

Ill def keep you updated with pics and everything! hoping my other momma pops before tuesday, afrade she might drop the eggs during the move, if so no big deal i am sure she will berrie back up soon!


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

Second mommas eggs hatched sometime over the weekend. Found as many as 6 babies at one time so there has to be atleast 15-30 in there!

Very exciting


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

Havent posted in a long time been very busy, tank survived the move home and back to school.
However once I got home headed down to VA visit my sister for christmas, didnt think anything of not having a heater on the tank since never had one on it, anyways when I returned home I relized my mom left the heat on very little while we were gone and my tank was running very huge day and night temp swings... needless today I lost all the babies 2 baches and a good amount of adults.

Another negitive side effect from being home was the only place I could put the tank got alot of extra sunlight, so I have been battleing alittle alge, nothing crazy.

Anyways tank has been back and set up in my dorm since late Jan, I counted 4 adults when I returned to school. Within a few weeks back I had my first berried momma, and as of yeasterday I had 2 berried mommas, looking at the tank today, one either hatched the eggs, or dropped early. Have yet to find any babies but they are very small and the tanks pretty grown in now so they may be in there.

Just wanted to fill everyone in sorry for the long wait. Ill try to post up pics ASAP, maybe in an hour or 2 but not 100% sure as I have a midterm tomorrow morning, need to study!

Thanks for looking as always! and please reply.
-Matt


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

needless to say*


and up intill yeasterday (had 2 mommas for about a week now) 

Sorry will spell check better next time.


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

Good luck on your midterm tomorrow man. And sorry to hear about the loss of the shrimp .


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

found some babies lastnight


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

*Picture time!*

Forgive the bad iphone pics.

On a different note, anyone have advice of safe way to eliminate Spirogyra algae with shrimp? Just used tweesers to pull out as much as I can. Also did a good water change/cleaned filter sponge, and shortened my photo period 2 hours.

Please comment love your intrest.
Thanks again
-Matt


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

I would think amano shrimp would eat it, the algae that is.


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

maybe ill pick one or two up.

haha your the only one that ever answers my thread lol, thanks


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## radioman (Oct 29, 2007)

Those fissidens look great.


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

Thanks, for the first month they did nothing, but as of recent they have blown up


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## skindy (Jan 30, 2012)

You tank looks really nice! When you move back and forth from home and the dorm, does your hardscape move around a lot or do you just remove all the big stuff before hand?


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

I leave everything, I just drop the water level to about 2/3 inches above substraight. Then i make whoever is driving with me hold it on there lap, it seems to work pretty well. the log moves alittle but not enough to scare me, and the rocks dont move at all, I berried them pretty good.

On a side note, counted 5 babies at one time, and there is SOOOO many hinding places so my honest guess it atleast 15 babies...I lost alot of my really really blue shrimp during that temp drops, so I may try to cull these guys alitttle but I really dont know.


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## skindy (Jan 30, 2012)

Do you leave all the fauna in there as well? I like that you make whoever is riding with you hold your tank


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

haha well they better or there walking :x kidding most of the time its my great girl friend, yes i leave everything in there. they seem fine and well after both trips. although its very easy because its only a 2.5 gal tank...


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## skindy (Jan 30, 2012)

Oh god, I just realized it's only a 2.5! For some reason I thought it was much much bigger - it might be the pictures, haha! Either way, still a hassle moving back and forth. I hated it so much in college. Every holiday, every break, every summer. I didn't have a fish tank back then but I had hamsters that lived in a 20g tank :|

You seem to have better luck than I did ... or more patience


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

hahah yeah its very annoying but inless my break is over 1.5 weeks, i just leave them, i have my light on a timer so i dont have to worry aboiut that and since its just shrimp they are 100% fine on algae for the break.


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

Babies are growing very fast, all is well alage seems to be pretty much under controle, a few strands here and there. 

Also my shrimp that just gave birth to the batch of babies, is berried back up, I got to be doing something right!  Exspecting the other female to drop her eggs in prob a week, maybe two. Hoping she berries up as fast as this one, have to repopulate my tank!


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

2nd momma gave birth within the last few days!

Have atleast 12(what I can count at one time, prob more like 15-20) babies from the first hatch, starting to get big and the color is really nice on them!
Really cool to see how small they were, I forgot but these new babies reminded me.


Thanks for reading feel free to shair
-Matt


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

Congrats again! Crap man... totally forgot that you were at Stony. I came down to visit during my spring break (last week). We coulda done a plant trade or something 

Oh well... I'll probably be back down again to hit up Jones beach when the weather gets nicer than it is now!


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

sounds good man, would be cool.


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## pennfisherman (Jan 18, 2011)

Missing my tank  been home since Friday, Spring break. Hopfully all is well till Sunday.


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