Morning from way down south.
I have a small 30cm cube in which ì have some 30 shrimps, and a seven tiny fish (galaxy rasboras and ember tetras).
A stone, a piece of root wood (underwater already for more than a year) with some mini anubias locked into its branches, some java moss and on the sand, a few cryps.
All doimng super fine - at least for the last 9 months. Regular weekly 40% water change, occasional dosage of Seachem Flourish and the odd "drip" of Seachem Excel.
HOB filter working fine, and lighting on for 5 hours a day.
I started with 4 shrimps, so must have been doing something right..
However...of late.... a dead shrimp is appearing almost every day, very few babies are being found (even accidentally siphoned), the fish are OK but yesterday one started swimming uoside down and in circles (not good..).
My question is where could the sudden (albeit slight) spike of ammonia be coming from? The sand?? Is this spike the cause of the shrimps' demise?
Every time I do a partial water change, the shrimps seem to perk up a little.
I DID brush some excel on small clumps of BBA a few weeks ago, but a very very little amount.
I read somewhere (here I think) that the bubbles that form under the sand could have h2s in them which is also not good for a tank.
water parameters are:
pH7 / GH 8 / Kh 2 / Nitrites 0 / Ammonia 0.25. Same water source being used for my main aquarium which with Amazon soil gives me a pH of 6-6.5 and healhty fish and plants.
My sand is that ultra-fine white aquarium sand.
The anubias are growing beautifully (better than in my main tank), the cryps are all sprouting new leaves, although to be fair, theit colour is fading and the roots are incredibly long (presumably looking for nutrition in the sand).
Will now be doing a 100% water change, but wonder if I should also change the sand for something else (larger grain sand, amazon soil (expensive...) and then allow for a refreshed possible ammonia cycle again..
Any thoughts/hints really appreciated!
Thanks
I have a small 30cm cube in which ì have some 30 shrimps, and a seven tiny fish (galaxy rasboras and ember tetras).
A stone, a piece of root wood (underwater already for more than a year) with some mini anubias locked into its branches, some java moss and on the sand, a few cryps.
All doimng super fine - at least for the last 9 months. Regular weekly 40% water change, occasional dosage of Seachem Flourish and the odd "drip" of Seachem Excel.
HOB filter working fine, and lighting on for 5 hours a day.
I started with 4 shrimps, so must have been doing something right..
However...of late.... a dead shrimp is appearing almost every day, very few babies are being found (even accidentally siphoned), the fish are OK but yesterday one started swimming uoside down and in circles (not good..).
My question is where could the sudden (albeit slight) spike of ammonia be coming from? The sand?? Is this spike the cause of the shrimps' demise?
Every time I do a partial water change, the shrimps seem to perk up a little.
I DID brush some excel on small clumps of BBA a few weeks ago, but a very very little amount.
I read somewhere (here I think) that the bubbles that form under the sand could have h2s in them which is also not good for a tank.
water parameters are:
pH7 / GH 8 / Kh 2 / Nitrites 0 / Ammonia 0.25. Same water source being used for my main aquarium which with Amazon soil gives me a pH of 6-6.5 and healhty fish and plants.
My sand is that ultra-fine white aquarium sand.
The anubias are growing beautifully (better than in my main tank), the cryps are all sprouting new leaves, although to be fair, theit colour is fading and the roots are incredibly long (presumably looking for nutrition in the sand).
Will now be doing a 100% water change, but wonder if I should also change the sand for something else (larger grain sand, amazon soil (expensive...) and then allow for a refreshed possible ammonia cycle again..
Any thoughts/hints really appreciated!
Thanks