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Nano Tank 17l - Rescape update

GreenGrow

GreenGrow

Member
Joined
26 Jun 2011
Messages
115
Location
UK
Hey guys,

Thought I'd start another journal for my new tank that I am setting up!

Its going to be the tank which I take back to Uni with me, so I thought why not start up a Nano CRS Tank?!

Here are the specs:
Tank: 40x20x20cm = 17l
Lights: UP PRO-L 43cm 2x24w Twin Florescent. (only going to use one bulb)
Filter: Boyu - EF-05 = 150lph
CO2: UP Regulator with solenoid valve and JBL 500g Canister.
Ferts: EI
Substrate: ADA Amazonia Powder 3l
Hardscape: Mini Landscape Rock
Flora:Hemianthus Callitrichoides
Fauna: Crystal Red Shrimp

Had abit of time mucking around with the rocks when they came from Aqua Essentials:
IMG_4698.jpg

IMG_4699.jpg

And decided that this was my favourite:
IMG_4689.jpg

I had a problem when I decided to attach the lights as the brackets came very low down into the tank which ruined the feel of it, so Emyr(also a UKAPS member) and myself decided to put together a mini stand, that would hold the filter, raise the tank, and also have a lighting bracket.


Emyr knocking it together:
IMG-20120715-WA001.jpg

Filter compartment and lighting bracket:
IMG-20120715-WA003.jpg

First undercoat on:
IMG-20120715-WA000.jpg

Finished product:
IMG_5195.jpg

Close up of tank:
IMG_5196.jpg

Not too sure about the colour of the lighting, so have ordered another bulb form Lampspec.

All in all everything has gone swimmingly well!

Massive thanks to Emyr who gave alot of his time to the construction of the stand :clap:

Plants arrive shortly so will keep you guys updated.

As per usual, and thoughts, comments, and questions are welcome :thumbup:
 
Re: Nano CRS Tank 17l

This rock and CRS does not go together, they will push KH to sky high chose inert rock or neocaridinas instead.
 
Re: Nano CRS Tank 17l

Looks really well made and well done for going th DIY route.

I wonder if the flow might be quite strong and blow the substrate around?
 
Re: Nano CRS Tank 17l

edmills said:
Thanks mate, I was worried but the flow is not very strong at all so should hopefully be ok!

I thought the rock was inert?!
Click to expand...
Does the rock "fizz" if you put acid on it ?

Vinegar might do it, but I used Killrock descaler (formic acid) on one of my rocks and fizzed like mad, thus confirming it was limestone, thus would harden the water.
 
Re: Nano CRS Tank 17l

I'll have a bash at that later. The substrate causes the water to become softer, so would it be possible for them to equal the other out? If not there is always the option on putting water softeners in the filter such as peat?
 
Re: Nano CRS Tank 17l

Radik said:
This rock and CRS does not go together, they will push KH to sky high chose inert rock or neocaridinas instead.
Click to expand...

I would tend to agree on this although your substrate should lower your parameters down to an acceptable level, the rock will probably up it to an unacceptable level for CRS.
The thing you have to think about is it's a lot harder to maintain water parameters in such a small tank footprint.
I love the final scape you have chose but if it was me I would lower the substrate level down a bit.

What grade you going for btw?
 
Re: Nano CRS Tank 17l

Thanks mate, the thing with the substrate is that I anticipate it to lower when the water is added ect. At the moment I would agree with you that it is very high.

I'm pretty sure that I'd just go with K4 grade as they look really nice.

Otto...With the soft substrate and the potential addition of water softeners into the filter, will it be able to keep CRS with in this set-up?
 
Re: Nano CRS Tank 17l

edmills said:
Otto...With the soft substrate and the potential addition of water softeners into the filter, will it be able to keep CRS with in this set-up?
Click to expand...

What water softeners you using?

The rock you have chose people do use in CRS setups but they are usually much bigger tanks.
If you want your CRS to thrive in my opinion I would take the rock out completely and just have moss and maybe some other plants. Sounds pants I know but I think you will have better results without it.
Lots of plants will suck up ammonia and other bad stuff very quickly while your cycling the tank.
Btw your using CO2 as well right? well that will help bring down the ph, just make sure its consistent and be carefull not to have the CO2 too high cause you will kill your CRS! (lower CO2 levels for shrimp than fish)
Personally I wouldn't use CO2 but there's no reason why you can't use it with shrimp as long as your careful and monitor it.

Temperature should be between 21-23 and the pH should range from 6.2 to 6.8, gH should be between 4-6 and kH should be between 1-2. Although it's debatable as you will see that some other people have used very different parametres and succeeded.
I have kept CRS in the past and they died one by one after a few months and I had the parametres perfect, they are very sensitive especially the higher grades. I think my failure was down to the tank not being fully mature. I plan on trying again in the very near future but I would probably leave the tank to mature for at least 12 weeks this time.
This may be overkill waiting time as others are successful after only 4 weeks.
Check out Ady34's journal his A grade CRS are doing great 😉

Once you have steady parameters and a well established tank, CRS (apparently) are as easy to keep as cherry shrimp.

Subscribed to your thread as I think this will turn out to be an interesting project :thumbup:
 
Re: Nano CRS Tank 17l

I also forgot to mention you need a pre-filter over that glass intake or any baby shrimp will get sucked up!

The fluval edge sponge pre-filter will be perfect for this but if you think its unsightly you could get a steel one.

http://www.seapets.co.uk/products/aquar ... ponge.html

Aquaessentials said:
Mini Landscape Aquarium Rock has become very popular with Iwagumi aquariums where the main focus is on the rocks and the plants complement the over all set up. World famous Aquascaper Takashi Amano uses these rocks with great effect in many of his set ups - the only difference is he calls the rocks Seiryu Stone.
Click to expand...

TGM said:
ADA Seiryu Stone - Please note that this rock may raise pH and hardness slightly. Using ADA Aqua Soil will resolve this.
Click to expand...

If your you really really want to use rock I would go for an inert rock like Manten Stone.
 
Re: Nano CRS Tank 17l

Does not matter what TGM wrote about Seiryru stone with that amount of stone will push KH sky high.

As Ceg would say there is no way out of the matrix 😀

I had similar size tank similar amount of stone KH was 12 and soil been useless in 2 months. It is calcium carbonate rock all that carbonate will be sucked in to soil (soil high CEC) untill it is saturated later when you remove those rocks soil will dump this carbonate back to water. And I was using RO Water with mineral 0KH.

With Co2 this effect is even more boosted as co2 is acid and will help dissolve caco3 in rock in to water level.

Another undesirable effect is pushing TDS too high.. you may start at ideal 100 for CRS and will be pushed to 200 then you do water changes and you get unstable TDS jumping low/high.

Manten stone is out of reach for normal people you can get Dragon stone that one is 100% inert and pretty nice.

Maturing tank for so long is overrated it just make no sense.

We do push shrimp to tank after one week. We tested even on second day with berried C. Breviatas. And guess what... full of babies now and all strong growing well. Yes all active soil.

There are products to kick start you, use Mosura BT-9 to seed with bacteria, Genchem Biozymes will on other hand help populate tank with microorganism.

The key is not to overfeed which will cause you shrimp death and to keep on water changes, no rotting plants etc.
 
Re: Nano CRS Tank 17l

Hi,
Id tend to agree with what has been said and the if the stone will effect your water (i believe anything veined typically does) then fluctuations are inevitable if your trying to work against the natural actions which wont be great for the shrimp. I would say maybe think about different shrimp more suited to the set up and water...maybe if your looking at red and white go for rilli shrimp which still look pretty cool but have a higher range of acceptable TDS (up to 500 i think from what i remember).
Maybe get things set up and as you suggested check out the perameters....but i suspect that large amounts of that rock in a relitively small volume of water will raise TDS, KH, GH etc.
Cheerio,
Ady.
 
Re: Nano CRS Tank 17l

nice setup mate crs very fussy though as radik and ady stated your also going to dose ei which i think will push your tds higher im sure someone will correct if im wrong shrimp ime really dont like large waterchanges either especially in small volumes of water cherries or rillis as ady sugested would be a better option for the setup your aiming for :thumbup:
 
Re: Nano CRS Tank 17l

Love the look of this tank will look even better when filled with plants and water. I look forward to seeing the progress pictures
 
Re: Nano CRS Tank 17l

Hey mate,

I don't want to be an echo, but what Ady said is spot on buddy.
The volume of water will make WCs and balancing parameters an absolute nightmare.

Id recommend something like sakuras or again as Ady states Rilli shrimp. Both are very hardy and will if your fairly careful at water changes! Be okay.

Look into drip acclimatisation, using an airline and an airline tap. Will make WCs a lot easier on both you and the shrimp. Drip water in at 1 drop per second and you'll be fine.

Welcome to a major headache :lol:
 
Thanks very much for the input guys! Looks like a will have to re evaluate the CRS. Luckily it wont be some time until i move some inhabitants in what with moving the tank down to uni.

The main thing I want out of the shrimp is that they are small so they help create a sense of scale in the tank... Any suggestions for replacing the CRS that are similar size?

Cheers guys
 
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