• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

Out of Africana - shrimp nano

Lindy

Lindy

Member
Joined
29 Jun 2012
Messages
2,824
Location
Ayrshire, Scotland
juwi.jpg
Hi, took down the old scape in this 30cm cube as it had been designed with dwarf puffers in mind. Also was itching to do something with all my Co2 stuff as the 54l is now a dedicated shrimp tank so decided to go high tech with the cube.
Substrate is ADA Africana(hence journal name) This was dried out in the oven before rescaping but I still got a muddy bit so I've bought another bag and will syphon out the mush at the front and replace with new. I also need to top up the back as well, 3litres just wasn't enough for a hill even using lava rock as a filler.
Hardscape is redmoor root and ADA sado akadama rock.
Plants are just what I had; Mini Java fern, Hygrophila pinnatifida, Lilaeopsis Mauritiana, Montecarlo/Elatine hydropiper, Hydrocotyle tripitarta and a bit of Sagittaria platyphylla. There is also some coral pelia rubbed onto some lava rock and moss tied to the wood which I think is Christmas moss but not sure.
Light is a tmc mini 400 tile suspended 30 cm above tank. There is frosted vinyl on the glass lid for now while things settle in.
8mud.jpg

I'm really not liking the mossy branch farthest right so think I will take it out.

voxh.jpg


nxgk.jpg


Co2 is at 1bubble per 1.5sec so drop checker is lime for lights on.
Filter is an eheim ecco 130 with a home made spraybar and eheim green inlet and outlet. I have some acrylic lily pipes coming from HK that only cost 10.99 posted so will wait to see how bad they are! They are 12/16mm crook outlet to attach my spraybar to and an Inlet. Will change my tubing for clear and want to add an external heater at the same time.
Thanks for looking🙂
 
Looking good I like the idea of the scape, almost a rocky outcrop thats caught drifting wood,

Let me know how those acrylic pipes work out im looking at some on ebay for the same price so im guessing the same ones 🙂
 
Looks really really good. I like the layout. The hardscape all blends in well

I agree with you on the farthest right branch its too thick. The one at the front leading to the glass stands out a bit too also as it doesnt look part of it if that makes sense 😕
I think it's the end where it has been cut and raises up from the substrate.
Still very nice though

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 2
 
Alastair said:
I think it's the end where it has been cut and raises up from the substrate.
Click to expand...

Thanks Alastair, I'm planning to raise the substrate level a bit but might not be high enough to hide cut end. Hopefully the moss will grow and cover the ugly bits. The bit we are talking about is a part of the larger root but the upright bit on the right is a piece I thoughtfully tied on:banghead: Should just be a question of snipping the tie to remove it.
 
Got some goodies through the post today. More ADA Africana and Tropica specialised fertiliser from the green machine and after waiting for a few weeks the acrylic inlet and outlet arrived from HK. Considering they only cost 10.99 posted I'm pretty chuffed with them.
tgrh.jpg


q1qb.jpg


I have a new hydor external heater coming so need to order my clear tubing.
Also took off the bit of wood farthest to the right and it looks better. Will top up the substrate and take pics when it clears.

Thanks for looking..
 
Yeah, I'm pleased with them. The slots into the inlet are pretty small but I'm thinking of taking the cap out of the end and put a shrimp guard over it and that'll stop it getting blocked.
 
Topped up the substrate, lifted the rocks a little so they weren't lost. Removed the big branch on the right.

p69f.jpg


1rw7.jpg


adrw.jpg



I didn't syphon out the mush as I could just see everything sliding down so put new stuff on top. Looking forward to my tubing and heater coming so I can put all the clear stuff on.
 
Looking really nice. That tile is really bright even with the frosted glass. I hope it won't cause problems 😕 what co2 setup do you have on this?

Ali

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 4
 
aliclarke86 said:
Looking really nice.
Click to expand...
Thanks!
Its an UP aqua A-165 reg/solenoid, Flo 1kg co2 bottle and up aqua atomiser(in tank). Basically what I had running on the other tank until shrimp took over. I think my phone camera makes it look a bit brighter than it is. Hoping to get the frosted stuff off as it takes away most of the shimmery sunlight effect. We'll see...
 
Oxydator-Mini-150x150.jpg
Just ordered one of these Sochting Oxydators from Hobbyshrimp to see if I could raise the co2 levels and have happy shrimp too.
 
steveno said:
... btw thxs again for help me change my scape journal name.
Click to expand...
No bother🙂
Have added some moss stones between the wood and rock so looks more island like. I have Elantine hydropiper growing that should carpet but now not sure I want a carpet! I put some shrimp in to clean everything up and they've done a great job. I took them back out today as I've taken the frosting off the glass and turned up the co2🙂 Will put some back in once the Oxydator arrives.
 
I have added some moss stones round the base of the wood. They are coral pelia, unknown and round pelia. Perspex pipes look good on but the intake hugs the glass so much it is going to be very difficult to put a shrimp guard on. Even putting the eheim intake cap over the end has made it sit at an angle. Would be fine if you didn't have shrimp and didn't mind cleaning slots daily🙂 May invest in some cascade glassware later but would rather buy shrimp right now.
jej6.jpg

I had the light sitting on the glass cover for the photos.
4odj.jpg

Here you can see the co2 mist getting blown down the front of the glass🙂

ulc0.jpg

The light kind of bleached the colour out the rocks.

z0mi.jpg

Drop checker a lovely lime green. Just waiting now for the Oxydator to arrive and then I'll put some shrimp back in.

Cheers for looking
 
Lovely start lindy! Nice little Island scape.
When it fills out and the moss takes off on the lower sections it really will look well.
Acrylic-ware looks excellent. (or doesn't look excellent because you can hardly see it :lol: )
 
The bubble count is at 1bps, drop checker lime green. Last night looking at the tank(staring obsessively) I got the feeling that algae was about to appear. I don't want to increase the co2 anymore as the aim is to get shrimp in so have raised the light another 10cm so is now orbiting at 40cm out😵 I have taken the frosting off the glass lid as it had stopped any shimmer in the tank. You still get shimmer 40cm out but I'm thinking a controller might be worth the cost.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top