# Caridina Dreaming - Shrimpy Update



## Arana (9 Sep 2019)

And so it begins again...

After another visit to @Aquarium Gardens today i have purchased a new AG 45cm that will become first and foremost a scape but also a dedicated Caridina tank.

I think i have everything i need to start, minus the plants, so i will start to work on the hard scape this week.
This one will be a bit of a slow burner so bare with me.

More to come soon...


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## Deano3 (9 Sep 2019)

Looking forward to folowing this one mate

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## Jayefc1 (9 Sep 2019)

There tanks are nice 
Is that the twin star 450e 
I've been waiting for the 450s to come back in for my 45p 
Glad to see you have MTS too lol


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## Arana (9 Sep 2019)

Jayefc1 said:


> There tanks are nice
> Is that the twin star 450e
> I've been waiting for the 450s to come back in for my 45p
> Glad to see you have MTS too lol



Yes is it the 450e mate 

MTS Anonymous for us then mate


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## Arana (9 Sep 2019)

Here is the full kit list...

*Tank*:
Optiwhite 45 @Aquarium Gardens  45x27x30cm

*Light*
Twinstar 450E
*
Filter*
Oase BioMaster Thermo 250 Aquarium External Filter with added Neo Media Pure and Soft

*Glassware*
Blau Glass Inflow & Outflow 13mm 

*Substrate*
ProdiBio AquaShrimp Powder and Neo Soil mix

*Hardscape*
Black Lava Rock
Gnarled Manzanita Wood 

My plan is to attempt to run this without CO2, but i reserve the right to bottle out and add CO2 at the first sign of struggling plants.


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## Jayefc1 (9 Sep 2019)

Did fillipe have a influence on your choice for the black lava rock lol


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## Jayefc1 (9 Sep 2019)

Arana said:


> MTS Anonymous for us then mate


It's not an addiction if you can say it out loud
Haha
I HAVE MULTI TANK SYNDROME lol


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## Arana (9 Sep 2019)

Jayefc1 said:


> Did fillipe have a influence on your choice for the black lava rock lol


No someone much more influential, the misses! She wanted it in the other tank but I bravely overruled her 

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## Jayefc1 (9 Sep 2019)

Ohhh wow you are brave as I'm guessing she holds the purse strings like mine does lol


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## Arana (9 Sep 2019)

Forgot to add to the Hardware list that i also purchased a RO\DI unit as this will be a soft water tank for the Caridina.


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## Arana (10 Sep 2019)

I have managed to find time to add some frosting to the back, trim the mat and now i am leak testing. I did warn you it was going to be a slow burner


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## Arana (11 Sep 2019)

Starting to play with hardscape now, currently looks nothing like what myself and Steve came up with @Aquarium Gardens 

just the fist draft and still playing with ideas.


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## CooKieS (11 Sep 2019)

That left Roots pointing in the right direction looks out of place , otherwise nice start


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## alto (11 Sep 2019)

Love that sinuous wood


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## Arana (11 Sep 2019)

CooKieS said:


> That left Roots pointing in the right direction looks out of place , otherwise nice start



Agreed Cookie, here is a slight tweak which is a bit better i think, i will need to live with it for a day or so and try a few other ideas.


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## alto (11 Sep 2019)

I vote for the first - prefer the tension from that R pointing left most wood, it also provides depth as closest curve is bigger and then dwindling in distance (supporting the back right wood)

Of course CooKieS does better tanks than me


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## Kalum (12 Sep 2019)

I can't open this thread without signing California Dreaming in my head, always good when your journal has a soundtrack to go with it

Can you angle the bit of wood in question anticlockwise a bit more in the first layout? 2nd layout it just looks a bit put of place but I'm loving the rest of it, really interesting pieces and nice layout!


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## alto (12 Sep 2019)

Kalum said:


> California Dreaming





I managed to read the topic as that several times


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## Arana (12 Sep 2019)

alto said:


> I managed to read the topic as that several times


Couldn't Resist 


All the leaves are green
And the Rotala is red
I've done a large trim
On a water change day
I'd be safe and warm
If I was in a LFS
Caridina dreamin'
On a water change day

Stopped into Aquarium Gardens
As I passed along the way
Well, I got down on my knees
And I begin to pay
You know i like to plant bold
Dave knows I'm gonna pay
Caridina dreamin'
On a water change day


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## alto (12 Sep 2019)

Now you just have to record it and sell on ukaps!


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## CooKieS (12 Sep 2019)

I play guitar so if.I Can.help...


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## Arana (12 Sep 2019)

I would sing but I might make your ears bleed! 

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## Arana (12 Sep 2019)

I am happy with the right side but cannot decide on the left side, create tension or flow? please let me know your preference or comment if you have a better idea 
Obviously i reserve the right to completely change my mind tomorrow and start from scratch 

1.





2.




3.




4.




5.




6.




7.


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## alto (12 Sep 2019)

B.U.T

 we’ve not discussed (!) plant options/ideas 

How can I possibly choose 

First 
- strongly vote for versions where the L side is more open, this creates more asymmetry which I always prefer

Have you also been looking at access - which comes back to plant details of course
Or will you follow Jurijs Green Aqua Diorama 60P


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## DeepMetropolis (13 Sep 2019)

I vote for 2 and 3..


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## Jayefc1 (13 Sep 2019)

Its 1 for me


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## CooKieS (13 Sep 2019)

I vote for removing that left piece completely, take the whole hardscape a bit more to the front and let some place for background plants in the back 

Dome shaped stems would look cool, adding details on the front too


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## Arana (13 Sep 2019)

CooKieS said:


> I vote for removing that left piece completely, take the whole hardscape a bit more to the front and let some place for background plants in the back
> 
> Dome shaped stems would look cool, adding details on the front too


I will be bringing the rock forward a touch, but the wood is almost touching the front glass already so I am  restricted somewhat. I have some Rotala Orange Juice on order for the background already 

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## Arana (13 Sep 2019)

Jayefc1 said:


> Its 1 for me


1 & 3 are pretty much the same and that is how I have left it since taking the photos and I have not felt the urge to change it. If I still feel the same by Sunday I think I will start gluing it in place 

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## CooKieS (13 Sep 2019)

Arana said:


> I will be bringing the rock forward a touch, but the wood is almost touching the front glass already so I am  restricted somewhat. I have some Rotala Orange Juice on order for the background already
> 
> Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk


 
Ha sorry, it looks far from the front glass on the pic 

Curious to see how this orange juice differs from the others coloured rotala sp, nice choice


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## alto (14 Sep 2019)

Some top down views would be awesome addition


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## alto (14 Sep 2019)

CooKieS said:


> vote for removing that left piece completely


I defend the right of that wood to continue it’s existence!


(It can always come out later)


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## Arana (15 Sep 2019)

OK this where we are now, i have changed the angle of the large rock slightly and brought some of the small ones forward a touch. I am happy with the wood now and the next job is to start gluing it in place.


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## Arana (15 Sep 2019)

The Hardscape is now glued in place using cigarette filters and superglue, i have added some detail rocks and the rest of the substrate. I will start to prepare the hardware this week in readiness for the plants 
Thanks you to you guys for your input


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## Matt @ ScapeEasy (21 Sep 2019)

Looks good, not managed to log in for a while, but I think you chose right... 

Planting plans?


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## Arana (21 Sep 2019)

Matt @ ScapeEasy said:


> Looks good, not managed to log in for a while, but I think you chose right...
> 
> Planting plans?



Thanks Matt, All the plants have been collected from @Aquarium Gardens today and will be going in tomorrow, i will post a full list and photos then.


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## alto (21 Sep 2019)

Arana said:


> Thanks Matt, All the plants have been collected from @Aquarium Gardens today and will be going in tomorrow, i will post a full list and photos then.


 A nice drive


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## Arana (22 Sep 2019)

Finally time to plant! 

I have a nice selection from @Aquarium Gardens and a load of cuttings from the 90cm, that should keep me busy today while keeping one eye on the Rugby. 









Will post some progress shots and a full plant list later, anything left over will probably end up in my big Wabi bowl


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## Arana (22 Sep 2019)

Finally planted  just need to add water and set the filter up, once the dust has settled i will get some more photos.

*Full Plant List*
Marsilea Crenata Tissue Culture
Alternanthera Reineckii ''Mini' Tissue Culture 
Staurogyne Repens Tissue Culture
Rotala Orange Juice
Ludwigia sp. mini super red
Bolbitis heteroclita ‘Difformis’ Limited Edition
ANUBIAS NANA BONSAI
Bucephalandra sp. Lamandau Mini Red
Bucephalandra Theia
Sagittaria subulata
Hygrophila pinnatifida (from other tank)
Javafern Windelov (from other tank)


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## Steve Buce (22 Sep 2019)

Looks great, now where are those shrimp


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## Arana (22 Sep 2019)

Steve Buce said:


> Looks great, now where are those shrimp


Coming soon 

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## Arana (23 Sep 2019)

Now with water 

Getting quite a lot of tannins leeching but the daily water changes should take care of that


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## Monkfish (23 Sep 2019)

Looks bloody amazing!


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## Arana (23 Sep 2019)

Monkfish said:


> Looks bloody amazing!



Thank you 

Look forward to seeing it develop and getting the shrimp established.


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## Arana (23 Sep 2019)

First water change tonight, so much easier that the 90cm, i was done in 15 minutes


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## Paul27 (23 Sep 2019)

Very nice


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## Arana (23 Sep 2019)

Paul27 said:


> Very nice



Thank You Paul


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## Deano3 (23 Sep 2019)

Wow thats looks great and heavily planted thats defently what i am doing when set up my 45p

Dean

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## Arana (23 Sep 2019)

Deano3 said:


> Wow thats looks great and heavily planted thats defently what i am doing when set up my 45p
> 
> Dean
> 
> Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk



Thanks Dean, i look forward to seeing yours


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## Deano3 (23 Sep 2019)

Arana said:


> Thanks Dean, i look forward to seeing yours


I am on doing stand but back to work for 4 days then will get it painted.then try get set up in next few months want to plant heavily and use easy plants as not to fail, fingers crossed. Keep the updates coming.

Dean

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## Sarpijk (11 Nov 2019)

Hi, any updates? I am thinking of trying this limited Bolbitis Difformis mini.


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## Arana (12 Nov 2019)

Sarpijk said:


> Hi, any updates? I am thinking of trying this limited Bolbitis Difformis mini.



The Bolbitis Difformis mini is doing great, it is a slow grower but looks beautiful.
Most of the Marsilea Crenata melted and only about a quarter remains, i filled the foreground space with Eleocharis acicularis Mini, Eriocaulon cinereum and Cryptocoryne Pygmaea, these have done really well 

I have added an Eheim skimmer and this just comes on for 20 minutes twice a day which is enough to keep the surface clear.
All of the plants are doing well relying on just the root tabs, they have already needed one trim and they are now due for another one.
The only algae issue i encountered was a bit of staghorn on the Windelov, so i just removed the affected leaves and put it back in the main tank as it prefers it there.

This is how it looks as of today:





And here is a few of the stunning Caridina inhabitants:


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## Paul27 (17 Nov 2019)

Looking great


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## alto (18 Nov 2019)

Still non-CO2?

It’s looking amazing



Arana said:


> Most of the Marsilea Crenata melted


another plant I don’t understand, it’s either dead easy (and subsequently tries to take over the tank) or I lose most of it through initial melt (if I’m patient it will come back in bits ... and maybe more, if I’d been faithful to maintaining its place)


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## Janci (18 Nov 2019)

That looks great.
Did you change the outflow pipe? Too strong flow?


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