# Low Tech RCS breeder tank plant ideas



## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

Two thoughts:

I originally populated my cycling 10 gallon with some Marimo moss balls and a sprig of guppy grass that had been hiding in my main tank. The guppy grass has since broken apart, the leaves have melted, and the stalks have turned brown. My first thought is - why on Earth would guppy grass do that? Here's my water parameters between the two tanks:

30 Gallon (main)
pH 7.0 degrees
Ammonia 0.25 ppm
Nitrite 0 ppm
Nitrate 5 ppm
Temp 76 Fahrenheit
KH 7 degrees
GH 8 degrees
Iron 0.5 ppm
Phosphate 1.0 ppm

10 Gallon RCS breeder
pH 7.8 degrees
Ammonia 0 ppm
Nitrite 0 ppm
Nitrate 80 ppm
Temp 74 Fahrenheit
Haven't tested the other parameters, but can assume GH and KH are same since I don't mess with them and the water in both tanks is out of the same tap.

Would a degree shift in pH and a higher nitrate concentration kill off guppy grass? I was sad to see this and for the life of me cannot figure out why it perished.

Secondly, this leaves my tank pretty bare. I'm running a low-tech setup, i.e. no CO2, no ferts, just 2" of Fluorite mixed with blue gravel and two T8 bulbs pushing 40 Watts between the two. What can I add to the tank that is both inexpensive, requires little effort to grow, and Red Cherry Shrimp will love?


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Very common for plants to do that when shifting. I hear shrimp love java moss. Can't get any easier to grow than that stuff. My little tiny bit I started with is probably 10-12 times what I started with 2-3 months ago. Hook good lighting up to it and it takes off.


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## mfgann (Oct 21, 2010)

My 10G low tech has guppy grass, cabomba, wisteria, java moss, red ludwigia, dwarf sag, corkscrew vals, hygrophilia polyspermia, dwarf hairgrass, and pellia. Plus some *#&$ duckweed.

The shrimp seem to like most all of it, but the wisteria is a great quick grower that is nearly impossible to kill. Java moss is also very good for them and the shrimplets. The lighting I have is two pigtail daylight CFLs 6500K. No ferts for a while now. Everything seems to grow great.


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## mfgann (Oct 21, 2010)

Oh, I'll add my params for good measure..
My pH has crept up to 7.8, sits at 7.6 in my 30G.
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
nitrate 5 ppm
Temp sits around 73 (thermometer set at 71, but room temp keeps it a bit higher).

I don't test anything else.

Fauna include maybe 30 RCS, 2 otos, and 2 kuhli loaches.


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

Sweet! My RCS breeder tank is now home to Jacques Cousteau, my new crayfish. So no more RCS babies, but they were doing just fine in my 30 gallon so they can stay there where it's safe


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## mfgann (Oct 21, 2010)

Ah, well that is cool. Can crays catch shrimp? Do they bother plants? I've been curious about them


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

Crays will get their claws on anything they can catch, and will eat anything organic. I'm from Maine, and the cray's close cousins lobsters used to hang out near sewage outlets. Gross, I know, but as with crabs and in some ways shrimp, all crustaceans like them are garbage eaters (cleanup crew).


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## mfgann (Oct 21, 2010)

Niiiiiiiiiice.. Well, I've heard the RCS referred to as the cockroaches of the tank, and I believe it, but they're contained and look better


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