Tank Two Retrofit 01 Plan and the Infusoria Success

[botia]

First, I am pleased to report a good batch of Infusoria culture did
bloom today, and I expect the green stuff to follow within days. Two
days ago, with the aid of my new Lumagny Zoom 60x - 100x microscope,
I had nothing moving - then boom. Though I presumed in error the
kind of detail I would get for 100x, I am pleased with the scope thus
far. In order to get greater light reflection, I utilized a thick
magnifying lens as the plate for the drop to be examined, a black sheet
of paper below the lens, and I aim the light indirectly. It took me a
few days to rig it just so, and for a while I thought that I wasn't
catching life because of focus and light problems. Lumagny was worth
the buy, greatly. I have once again started back up injection of the
biomass into Tank Two. The color change of College indicates approval,
but until I bloom some significant green (Chlorella and Diatom rich)
things are just decent. In theory - if and when the batch goes sour,
and College dodges the pump outlet, I can peer into the batch and
determine, what a bad batch looks like.
On the tank conversation plan -- I have formed this brief, but
before I spell it out, I need to notice an error in stating the size of
College. I noted 6 plus centimeters in an earlier post, and did so by
guessing. Recently, I pulled out its molt and found that its body from
the short array to tip of tail, is just over 5 centimeters. On to the
Retrofit plan.
Mission Statement:
The goal of an adequate habitat for the remaining young Atyopsis
moluccensis involves retrofitting its existing habitat within Tank Two.
Though Tank Two - a thirty gallon capacity freshwater tank setup -
is at present a stable environment for the wood shrimp (College), a
study revealed that along with the required mate replacement in order
to facilitate procreation, a construction modification of Tank Two is
also required in order to include a "brackish" zone, whereby
permitting the (future) gravid female an adequate place to release her
fertile eggs. Based on the on-going study results thus far; the
conversion of Tank Two from a strictly freshwater habitat, into a
compact closed system estuary replication, or CCSER, is in theory
feasible, but the project not without real challenges. Given my lack
of marine biology knowledge and aquaculture experience, the retrofit
design thus far I am not at all confident of an efficacious result to
my liking - ergo; the likelihood of successful CCSER employment, at
present assessment; poor. CCSER technique, much of my approach rooted
in W. H. Adey aquaculture 'live water' over traditional sterile
water approach, that I am aware of to date is unproven outside of a
handful of experimental stations, and certainly none this size -
making it that much more difficult to implement.
Retrofit Brief:
At present, and as noticed (Tues, May 16 2006 8:53 pm), an experimental
mechanical/biofiltration unit - the K'an II - is online and
operating far beyond design parameter expectations in Tank Two. A
total of twenty-three gallons of aquarium water cycles through the unit
which is connected to a Hagen water pump - Aqua Clear Powerhead
(rated for a 5 - 20 gallon Aquarium) 127 gph. Connected to this
pump, nine filtration housing units have been employed before K'an II
(K'an I never employed), with some moderate success in stable water
management. The K'an II reflects the effort of incorporating the
known strengths of each previous water management system used. The
current stability in affect Tank Two validates Dr. Adey in a key area
concerning 'live' water. If done right, water changes are far few
than the current 'pet retail' wisdom suggests. I won't mention
names. Further, this stability now provides the needed reference point
which to facilitate the plan of inclusion a "brackish" zone within
Tank Two. Again, the study of brackish zone is ongoing, ergo the
general strategy though in place, various issues continue to emerge,
and affect the specifics of TTR01 plan. Given the young age of the
shrimp and the list of variables yet considered, the timetable for
TTR01 is indefinite and no implementation expected before 2007. If all
does go well, unexpectedly -- my next step will be to patient the
K'an and Tank, and publish...the breeding of the Atyopsis.
Present parameters; Tank Two is a 30 gallon tank holding about 23
gallons of fresh water with no addition Dr. Wells freshwater aquarium
salt, pH 7.6 and stable. Iodine added 4 drops this week. No water
change. Carbonate hardness of 2.5 and stable, water temp 24.5c
dropping to 23c during night. Low levels of nitrate, stable. Daphinia
population large and stable. Blood worms population exhausted. Hydra
population exhausted. Common water Snails small and stable, harvesting
canceled. Cyclops population small and stable. Java ferns (4) stable
and barely growing. Java moss (four bunches) stable and barely
growing. Amazon swords (2) flora stable and growing. Lotus (1) flora
stable and rapidly growing. UnID "Spout"grass flora, stable and barely
growing. UnID "I" worms population small and stable. The wood shrimp
about is about 5.4 centimeters in length.