Coffee with Teejay

[TeeJay]

Back by popular demand it's coffee with TeeJay! Yes my postings have been infrequent as of late. Lots going on to say the least. But I know it's been awhile since I gave an update on the shrimp sanctuary. The new Anubias I put in a few weeks ago is doing well. No melting at all so I think it will make the transition to my hard water fairly well. 

As far as the bacterial bloom it is nowhere to be found now. It took a solid 5-6 weeks of water changes and good gravel vac to go along with it. Best believe that's a mistake I won't let happen again. Some of the best lessons are learned the hard way. Also adding the mini disk airstone helped make a difference as well. 

I think the colony has crown well enough that I will be able to start adding shrimp to other tanks. I'll probably start with a dozen or so in there neighbors the Cory tank. 

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 2/16/2023 at 7:48 AM, TeeJay said:

The new Anubias I put in a few weeks ago is doing well. No melting at all

I don’t believe I’ve ever had an anubias melt, come to think of it. Plenty of other things melted, but not anubias.

 

On 2/16/2023 at 7:48 AM, TeeJay said:

As far as the bacterial bloom it is nowhere to be found now. It took a solid 5-6 weeks of water changes and good gravel vac

That’s crazy how long it took to go away. 
 

I finally found Harry’s shrimp store. I had to Google it and then it led me to the page. For anyone trying to find it on Etsy you have to type HarryShrimpStore with no spaces. I got a combo pack where it has 5 almond leaves and 3 cholla wood for like ten bucks. I think the little shrimplets will enjoy the cholla, and the almond leaves I can always use more of. All the inverts eat them and they are great for the betta’s water.

I noticed all the different kinds of lollies. Have you tried any of them?

Edited February 16, 2023 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[TeeJay]

On 2/16/2023 at 8:48 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

I don’t believe I’ve ever had an anubias melt, come to think of it. Plenty of other things melted, but not anubias.

 

That’s crazy how long it took to go away. 
 

I finally found Harry’s shrimp store. I had to Google it and then it led me to the page. For anyone trying to find it on Etsy you have to type HarryShrimpStore with no spaces. I got a combo pack where it has 5 almond leaves and 3 cholla wood for like ten bucks. I think the little shrimplets will enjoy the cholla, and the almond leaves I can always use more of. All the inverts eat them and they are great for the betta’s water.

I noticed all the different kinds of lollies. Have you tried any of them?

No I never purchased any. Why pay for them when I just make my own sticks with repashy on them. Small world aquatics is good to get botanicals from to. They have quite a bit of different fun things.

On 2/16/2023 at 8:58 AM, TeeJay said:

No I never purchased any. Why pay for them when I just make my own sticks with repashy on them. Small world aquatics is good to get botanicals from to. They have quite a bit of different fun things.

Yes anytime I have bought a barteri it always completely melted back and never returned. All of the other variants of Anubias I have tried have done well tho 

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 2/16/2023 at 8:58 AM, TeeJay said:

No I never purchased any. Why pay for them when I just make my own sticks with repashy

That’s what I thought too. Plus the flavors were weird. One of them was cinnamon?? I don’t know how I feel about putting stuff like that in my tank. I trust Repashy.

[TeeJay]

On 2/16/2023 at 9:07 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

That’s what I thought too. Plus the flavors were weird. One of them was cinnamon?? I don’t know how I feel about putting stuff like that in my tank. I trust Repashy.

Exactly. And I just give fresh veggies and we'll like I do for lemony Luna and the wanted snails. For the unwanted snails I use them as traps. 

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 2/16/2023 at 9:09 AM, TeeJay said:

Exactly. And I just give fresh veggies and we'll like I do for lemony Luna and the wanted snails. For the unwanted snails I use them as traps. 

Look how weird the flavors are

[TeeJay]

On 2/16/2023 at 9:13 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

Look how weird the flavors are

I mean the cinnamon and paprika see to be the main odd ones. But I would think they have found a benefit to them. But also people will buy anything if you make it fun or fancy lol. And I'm no exception. I have been caught up as well in buying stuff we really don't need but think we do lol 

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 2/16/2023 at 9:17 AM, TeeJay said:

I mean the cinnamon and paprika see to be the main odd ones. But I would think they have found a benefit to them. But also people will buy anything if you make it fun or fancy lol. And I'm no exception. I have been caught up as well in buying stuff we really don't need but think we do lol 

I have bought stuff online on my phone while laying in bed, LOL.. more than once! 

[nabokovfan87]

On 2/16/2023 at 6:07 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

That’s what I thought too. Plus the flavors were weird. One of them was cinnamon?? I don’t know how I feel about putting stuff like that in my tank. I trust Repashy.

Cinnamon bark is used in shrimp tanks. A lot of keepers will use stuff like that, stinging nettle, spinach, etc to get certain minerals to them. Helps with diseases too. Cinnamon is wonderful for you. Usually listed as Ceylon bark on a lot of botanical websites. Same thing. There is a ton of fake cinnamon and fake vanilla, so just be careful on source. 9/10 when you're buying something fancy for cooking you almost always pay for junk.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinnamomum_verum

[nabokovfan87]

On 2/16/2023 at 2:42 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

I’m ready for coffee with @TeeJay

Just got this email.

MY GOODNESS YOU ALL. Run.... Don't walk. 😂

I highly recommend the WBE (world's best espresso) if you like cold brew.  All good stuff. Hopefully you find one you like and they can grind it for you.

 

Glad the shrimp are doing good for you. Do you have any ideas on how many adults you have in the tank now? Is there a minimum you want to keep? @TeeJay

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 2/16/2023 at 11:32 AM, nabokovfan87 said:

Just got this email.

MY GOODNESS YOU ALL. Run.... Don't walk. 😂

I highly recommend the WBE (world's best espresso) if you like cold brew.  All good stuff. Hopefully you find one you like and they can grind it for you.

 

Glad the shrimp are doing good for you. Do you have any ideas on how many adults you have in the tank now? Is there a minimum you want to keep? @TeeJay

The packaging looks like Marlboro. 🤨

(No, I do not smoke)

[nabokovfan87]

On 2/16/2023 at 9:49 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

The packaging looks like Marlboro. 🤨

(No, I do not smoke)

Calibrate your screen! 😂

It is just a white bag with a orange base.

Edited February 16, 2023 by nabokovfan87

[TeeJay]

On 2/16/2023 at 11:32 AM, nabokovfan87 said:

Just got this email.

MY GOODNESS YOU ALL. Run.... Don't walk. 😂

I highly recommend the WBE (world's best espresso) if you like cold brew.  All good stuff. Hopefully you find one you like and they can grind it for you.

 

Glad the shrimp are doing good for you. Do you have any ideas on how many adults you have in the tank now? Is there a minimum you want to keep? @TeeJay

You know I really have no idea. I would pretty much have to pull out all of the plants and rock cave and wood just to find them all. My best educated guess is I'm probably close if not over 100 adults.

[nabokovfan87]

On 2/16/2023 at 1:20 PM, TeeJay said:

You know I really have no idea. I would pretty much have to pull out all of the plants and rock cave and wood just to find them all. My best educated guess is I'm probably close if not over 100 adults.

Time for a big cull then!  Can't wait to see it.  A few hundred shrimp in a bucket is always fun.

Edited February 16, 2023 by nabokovfan87
Cannot type on laptop keyboards. :(

[nabokovfan87]

On 2/16/2023 at 6:13 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

Look how weird the flavors are

Totally reminds me of watching Jackie Chan Adventures Cartoon and having Grandpa explain what vitamins to eat. LOL

Moringa, no idea.
Spinach, yep. Lots of goodness there.
Algae, very broad term, but yes.
Walnut, hopefully safe, healthy, but feed in moderation.
Artemia, yes they like brine shrimp
Bee Pollen, very good.
Spirulina, the best!
Pumpkin, very good
Nettle, very good for digestion
Mulberry, very good, commonly used leaf botanical food
Paprika, very good for digestion!
Cinnamon, wonderful for the heart and digestion, immune booster
Beetroot, very very good one, hopefully it doesn't stain the water beet red! 😂
Cucumber...  Hard no.  Zucchini is better.

Here's some fun videos.

I haven't seen this one before.  WOOOT. Learning something new today.

 

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 2/16/2023 at 4:30 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

Totally reminds me of watching Jackie Chan Adventures Cartoon and having Grandpa explain what vitamins to eat. LOL

Moringa, no idea.
Spinach, yep. Lots of goodness there.
Algae, very broad term, but yes.
Walnut, hopefully safe, healthy, but feed in moderation.
Artemia, yes they like brine shrimp
Bee Pollen, very good.
Spirulina, the best!
Pumpkin, very good
Nettle, very good for digestion
Mulberry, very good, commonly used leaf botanical food
Paprika, very good for digestion!
Cinnamon, wonderful for the heart and digestion, immune booster
Beetroot, very very good one, hopefully it doesn't stain the water beet red! 😂
Cucumber...  Hard no.  Zucchini is better.

Here's some fun videos.

I haven't seen this one before.  WOOOT. Learning something new today.

 

One of the reviewers was feeding a few sticks at once and said the shrimp would always avoid the spirulina if they had options. They would only eat it if it was the only choice in the tank.

[knee]

On 2/16/2023 at 1:30 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

Moringa, no idea.

 

Moringa is a popular vegetable that we use in cooking a traditional Filipino food called Tinola.

The leaves kinda look like spinach but in dwarf form

Here are some benefits to them

1. Seven times the amount of Vitamin C in oranges.
2. Four times the calcium in milk.
3. Four times the Vitamin A in carrots.
4. Two times the protein in milk.
5. Three times the potassium found in bananas.

Edited February 16, 2023 by knee

[nabokovfan87]

On 2/16/2023 at 2:15 PM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

One of the reviewers was feeding a few sticks at once and said the shrimp would always avoid the spirulina if they had options. They would only eat it if it was the only choice in the tank.

Mine love it!

If they only know to eat spirulina then..... 😂

It's definitely something I've heard before and adding something like garlic or krill should get them to go for it and let you blend in some of the healthy stuff.

The few times I've tried to feed zucchini or leaves, they couldn't be bothered. Only thing that ever eats that stuff is the snails.

On 2/16/2023 at 2:16 PM, knee said:

Here are some benefits to them

1. Seven times the amount of Vitamin C in oranges.
2. Four times the calcium in milk.
3. Four times the Vitamin A in carrots.
4. Two times the protein in milk.
5. Three times the potassium found in bananas.

That's awesome. Glad to know what it is!

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

Very interesting! Thanks @nabokovfan87 and @knee for looking all of that up!

[TeeJay]

Morning fellow nerms. Just thought I would give an update. So the 20 gal tall I got for free. Seemed to develop a very very slow drip/ leak from somewhere. Around the black rim of the tank. Of course I'm paranoid about that issue now ever since I had a small crack in the Cory adventure tank. So I went ahead and tore it down and cleaned the filters and dried them out. 

I've decided to just get a new 20 long tank for this adventure. That's what I originally wanted but the tall fell in my lap so I went with it. I guess it just gave me a good reason to get the actual tank I wanted in the first place. And as well I think the 20 long will be a better fit for the next type of fish (peacock gudgeons) that I want to house in this tank after I raise a spawn of plecos. 

So I have a 29gal tank stand being delivered today that the new long will go on once I get it in about a week or so. 

I did get a free solid stainless steel table from work and was going to use that but once I got it home and put it where it was going to be it just took up to much room and was to bulky. So within 10 days or less I should be able to have the new tank and stand setup and can get all of the filtration going once again. I'm not worried about a time frame since I know I still have plenty of time before it will have fish in it. But I would like to get it set up ASAP so I can let it get seasoned and biofilm growing strong.

[TheSwissAquarist]

Can’t wait to see some BNP wrigglers! 
Some of mine:

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

So I have a ton of diatoms, hair algae, and microfauna in the tank right now. Do you think I should still add bacter ae @Minanora @TeeJay @Guppysnail?

Edited February 19, 2023 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[TeeJay]

On 2/19/2023 at 11:46 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

So I have a ton of diatoms, hair algae, and microfauna in the tank right now. Do you think I should still add bacter ae @Minanora @TeeJay @Guppysnail?

I mean you can still use it as a food source.but I know your like me and feed a very good varied diet. I still use it but only about once a week. As your population grows they can make pretty quick work of osa the the fun stuff growing so it never hurts to add a pinch on occasion. 

[TeeJay]

So this evening after work I picked up the new 20 long tank and lid. As well yesterday the new tank stand was delivered. So I got to work getting it put together and started getting a dry fit in where I'm going to have everything positioned in the tank. Made sure to get the tank stand level as well. Next day off is Wednesday so that's when ill get it filled out in the wood and get the filters up and running. This is my first 20 long tank. I'm really liking the look of it so far. It will stay pretty plain while I grow out the pleco babies but I have ideas growing in my mind on how it will be setup later on when it gets turned into a tank for peacock Gudgeons one day.

Edited February 20, 2023 by TeeJay

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

So @TeeJaywhat you could do is lay two curtain rods in the stand and use that as a middle shelf for lightweight stuff, little baskets of fish food or whatever.

Baskets kind of like this

Maybe you’d choose black to match the stand

Or you could do a tension rod with a piece of nice looking shower curtain, and that would hang down in the front and hide the stuff under the stand. Keeping the area neater.

Did you know Ace sells a 2 g white bucket? Perfect for water changes on 10 gallons

Edited February 20, 2023 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea