moss ball in turtle tank (2024)

Here are a few more i took last night..

Wow! Thank you for the props on the setup!

Honestly, my main goal was always to create a little working eco-system.. So everyone in there has a role that they all play to keep the system from falling apart at anytime…

Here's my overall "methodology" if you will

• Lots of Live plants
  

• Mix of artificial plants (to keep the Tasmanian devil-like turtles from thrashing through everything - and as another area for algae build-up for everyone else in the tank)
  
  • Temples & Anubias have been my most successful plants - and withstand a good beating as long as they are cared for..
    
  
  

• Mixture of species - I've got a little bit of everything in both tanks - (I've not updated my signature listing for some of my new guppys, shrimp, etc..)
  
  • There are 3 full-sized Crayfish (Percambreus Alienni) in the large tank and have not ruined too many plants honestly.. They live and cohabitate quite well in general with everyone else. I've found that as long as they eat routinely they aren't destructive to plants..
    
  • There probably 50+ Dwarf Shrimp (Blue Velvet, Cherry, Bloody Mary - all breeding constantly)
    
  • 2 Mystery Snails - 2 Ramshorn
    
  • Tetras
    
  • Guppys - with babies born last Sunday
    
  • 6-7 Cory catfish
    
  • 4+ Amano Shrimp (they have successfully bred as well - and I have 5 babies in there!. I have no idea how that happened as thats supposed to only happen in brackish water
    
  • 5+ Red-Nosed Shrimp (also breeding outta nowhere!
    
  • 3-4 Ghost Shrimp (that are nearly full-size to go fishing with!) (they've been breeding too, but the fry never seem to survive)
    
  
  

Definitely a "Clean-Up" Crew by any definition

• Heavy Filtration - running a SunSun 304B on small tank and 404B on big tank (both with UV)
  
  • UV has made a big difference for sure - but more or less extends the time between cleanings as opposed to truly keeping the water perfect at all times)
    
  
  

• Water Changes REGULARLY - either 1-2x a week I'll do about a 10% water change (probably a total of 15 min process for both tanks)
  
  • 6-8 weeks 80-90% water change
    
  
  

• Chems/Fertilizers - I use Seachem ferts on a strict routine that I try not to ever miss.. (you can actually see my little dosing schedule hanging to the left of my big tank..
  
  • Iron
    
  • Potassium
    
  • Flourish
    
  • Excel
    
  
  
• (2 minutes a night to pour a half cap of liquid in the tank.. Super simple)
  

• Simple Cleaning practices - I'm not as anal as my wife likes to tell our friends when they see my setup.. She portrays me as somewhat OCD - which simply isn't the case..
  
  • I do look daily for any dead plant or animal matter and pluck it out..
    
  • I try to clean my glass every few weeks..
    
  • And more or less keep a watch on it - BEFORE it ever gets out of hand..
    
  • okay so maybe i'm a little OCD
    
  
  

HOWEVER - aside from the water changes the biggest thing that keeps these tanks clean (IMHO) is water circulation..

If that water is stagnant at all - issues will ensue.. Much like a ditch with water versus a river - things that move don't collect waste as easily..

In both tanks I keep a medium to low-medium current moving that water (generally in a giant circle around the tank) at all times… My spray bars are just barely below water level and I've got my air stones/wands placed in front of them to push the bubbles around as well.. This practice is truly what keeps my water clear - despite the various filtration systems, equipment, chems, etc..

My smaller Hexagon tank is only about 4 months old - and I cut that center piece of wood myself out of a giant friggin' piece I got from my LFS.. (don't ever do that, it was NOT fun)… I've fallen in love with crustaceans over the last year or so, and dwarf crayfish have captured my attention a lot lately.. So my Hex is a shrimp and cray tank primarily.. 7 Mexican Dwarf Crayfish (2 Males) - 4 Cajun Dwarf Crayfish (Schufeldti) 1 male, and one lonely Blue Dwarf Cray male (his 3 buddies didn't make it during shipping )

Lots of Live plants (temples and anubia )

Carib-Sea Super Naturals for freshwater substrate (black and tan mixed)

2 Mystery Snails

And 3 male guppys that were attacking the female in the big tank - so they are in timeout til they behave..

Medium-Strong Current..