Wandering

[Gill]

Couldn't help myself while browsing on eBay, and bought a nano desktop tank all in one.
Will sit on my Desk next to the Work Setup I have.
This will be shrimp only, but undecided on what shrimp to get for it.
As Always I start out with a plan and along the way it evolves into something else.
I have an idea in my head, about having a Moss only tank. Though not sure on which to use yet.
No substrate in this, just Marimo Balls cut in Half and flattened out and glue to the base and sides and back wall of the tank.
Hopefully this will look like the idea in my head. With little sprigs of planting here and there amongst it all. Will prob use alot of Buce and anubias in this.

There is only 1 aquarium in Coventry that i know of now. And that's the local MA Radford, Sadly cant use my staff discount there as they are not setup for ex-employee discount. Like we were in the garden centre.
I will pop to the range as it only a few mins away to get the basic supplies as i just need basic stuff nothing fancy. And the range is cheap for that.

 

[Gill]

I visited PAH after doing the weekly shop bright and early today. And came away with a little bag of goodies. Didn't need alot as it's a very basic tank.
They didn't have any gravel/sand I liked so will need to get that later on.
Just got staple stuff. And of course my go to - pure balls which I have been using for a good few years now. And like whatever they do in the tank. The only reason I got the teeny tub of crispa was because of the dainty spoon it comes with.
I did not get any plants as they looked very poor and dry and some had flies in the tropica blister, So took for the staff to dispose of.
Did go to the range, and my word what a dishevelled place the aquatics section has become. Did not stay long in there, but did get some Christmas stuff for home.

 

[seedoubleyou]

What’s the tank Gill?

 

[Gill]

What’s the tank Gill?

Its just a little acrylic nano from Betta. For its size it has a big space for the filtration, so may mod that in the future.
I just wanted something to tinker with until I get the main tank for the kitchen area.
I know the tiny castle is corny and all, but it looked so quaint at the size it is. Was looking for a willow hide for the shrimp, but nothing caught my eye.
Might take a trip to Nuneaton as I think there are still a few decent pet shop in around the town centre.
There was a EA1500 going locally for only £315 with cabinet and loads of stuff, but i have no way of moving it myself.

 

[Gill]

Decided not to do a bare bottom tank. So the tropica will be capped with unipac black sand which has been ordered

 

[Gill]

Ordered the sand, and then this morning realised I have an old bag of Hugo Kamishi. So will wash that ready for setting up.

Both the Nuneaton stores have closed that I was thinking of. So nearest is Hinckley unless anyone else can think of a decent one within a reasonable distance.

In other news i went swimming for for the 1st time in a long time. And managed 10 lengths in 45 mins. I am now cabbaged on the sofa with legs like jelly.

 

[Gill]

everything has been ordered, Decided on some cheap crystal reds to try again.
Tank should be here in the morning aswell as the shrimp(which can stay in a tub till i set it all up)
plants and glue are on the way.
Wood boiled and soaking in the kitchen weighted down to help it stay down.
Not sure what type of botanicals to use in this, there are alot of sellers now offering nice little bundles of leabes and such. so may get one of those in the future for this.

 

[Gill]

Stuff is arriving today.
Tank is out for delivery and Marimo moss has arrived. Did not order enough, so there's enough to cover the base layer and that's it.
Also i will be attempting to set this all up while suffering from full blown manflu. Its taken out alot of people at work this week. So people are working from home all week to keep the lurgy from spreading.
The Bag of Hugo Kamishi has been binned, Dunno why but it was extremely hydrophobic and no amount of washing has worked.


Shrimp have just arrived - my fault for not telling the seller when to send them, There was no heat pack so they are a bit lethargic.

 

[Gill]

For £21.99 including delivery I am really Happy with the tank.
Its by SunSun not Betta and is USB powered.
Filter is 200LPH which is decent enough for this size, and the LEDs are vvbright, x6 white and x2 blue.
I need maybe 5 more marimo balls to complete the backwall of the tank. And then I will order some Buce and anubias to glue to the marimo moss wall.
I flattened out all the marimo balls and placed them on the tropica substrate. And then superglued with tiny dabs of glue to the backwall .
Hardscape has been added, and decided against the little ornament, looked far too big in this. The Wood Hardscape just about fits, did have to snap off one branch to make it fit. And I like the play of shadows it is creating.

This is not going to be anything special, just something to look at while I work.
I am undecided whether or not to add any stems plants to this yet. may change my mind if I see something I like in PAH.

 

[Gill]

Pix
It really is such a nice size for the price of it.
I have added the shrimp about an hour ago, and they have been very busy exploring and grazing.

Can anyone guess why this particular peice of wood spoke to me.

 

[Gill]

So far so good, done a water change this morning. And all looks good. Shrimp nice and active grazing everywhere.
The hardscape wood has been soaking a few days so might not get any slime on it, if it does then will remove and clean it.

I am gunna do water changes frequently x3 a week on this due its small volume and capability for build ups of toxins quickly.

 

[Aqua360]

Pix
It really is such a nice size for the price of it.
I have added the shrimp about an hour ago, and they have been very busy exploring and grazing.

Can anyone guess why this particular peice of wood spoke to me.

Looks a bit like a face hugger

 

[Gill]

Looks a bit like a face hugger

Ooh I see that now,
But to me it's the Octopods from Monsters - the monster film set in South America. And I also see the head of a female Indian Elephant

 

[Gill]

Finally feeling better from Covid today, sore throat has gone and so have the chills and aches and pains. Still have cramps and toothache and jaw still aches. but feeling alot better than the start of the week.

Ordered plants from K2Aqua and as always quality is brilliant. I like that they prepare all the plants for planting for you. you just have to give them a rinse to remove and left over gel from the invitro medium.
I ordered - I Am trying my Hardest to keep the plant choices to the scale of the tank:
Christmas moss - 20 grams,
Hydrocotyle sp Japan mini,
Buce - Cherish - So dainty
Buce - Sintang - So dainty
And spent a while glueing it all to the wood and the tank etc. Used a new glue not used before industrial strength medium viscosity as didn't want runny glue and more control over where it goes.
I created an emersed area that i like to do with the moss, trip and a few sprigs of the buce sintang.
Left alot of the the branching free of planting for the contrast and covered others heavily in moss etc.
really liking how it looks, already. going to order a few more buce later on to add to all the crevices created by the flattened out marimo moss. And just leave it all to grow how it wants to.
Shrimp have been busy grazing on all of it as usual.

I have also covered the inlets with the Christmas moss to hide those and also glued moss around the top of the sump area to let it grow over and into the water.

Apologies for the messy food waste, sneezed earlier when feeding and it dumped so much crispa wafers into the tank. I netted out as much as i could with out having to tear it all down and start again. Hopefully the shrimp will eat the left over amounts.
Also ordered some of my fave snails the Pink star ramshorns. Will keep a check on the population by dumping anything that get bigger than i like for the aestheitcs into a tub in the garden. So will leave them till they lay eggs and then all the adults will go outside or into a tub in the window for now.

I have changed the light to my Nano one, as the LED is blocked by the emersed island. And the nano light fits this just right.

Might swap out the filter and just have this rimless as the power supply for the filter is in the lid itself. I have a 300LPH spare nano filter somewhere in the garage i think.

Time for pix.

 

[Gill]

I have replaced the Light with a cheap 9W Led Luminaire from Ebay for under £20. Looks good and there is a little overhang as is 30cm long, but dont mind that.
Have ordered some more buce and started dosing x1 pump of premium tropica ferts per week.

 

[Aqua360]

Finally feeling better from Covid today, sore throat has gone and so have the chills and aches and pains. Still have cramps and toothache and jaw still aches. but feeling alot better than the start of the week.

Ordered plants from K2Aqua and as always quality is brilliant. I like that they prepare all the plants for planting for you. you just have to give them a rinse to remove and left over gel from the invitro medium.
I ordered - I Am trying my Hardest to keep the plant choices to the scale of the tank:
Christmas moss - 20 grams,
Hydrocotyle sp Japan mini,
Buce - Cherish - So dainty
Buce - Sintang - So dainty
And spent a while glueing it all to the wood and the tank etc. Used a new glue not used before industrial strength medium viscosity as didn't want runny glue and more control over where it goes.
I created an emersed area that i like to do with the moss, trip and a few sprigs of the buce sintang.
Left alot of the the branching free of planting for the contrast and covered others heavily in moss etc.
really liking how it looks, already. going to order a few more buce later on to add to all the crevices created by the flattened out marimo moss. And just leave it all to grow how it wants to.
Shrimp have been busy grazing on all of it as usual.

I have also covered the inlets with the Christmas moss to hide those and also glued moss around the top of the sump area to let it grow over and into the water.

Apologies for the messy food waste, sneezed earlier when feeding and it dumped so much crispa wafers into the tank. I netted out as much as i could with out having to tear it all down and start again. Hopefully the shrimp will eat the left over amounts.
Also ordered some of my fave snails the Pink star ramshorns. Will keep a check on the population by dumping anything that get bigger than i like for the aestheitcs into a tub in the garden. So will leave them till they lay eggs and then all the adults will go outside or into a tub in the window for now.

I have changed the light to my Nano one, as the LED is blocked by the emersed island. And the nano light fits this just right.

Might swap out the filter and just have this rimless as the power supply for the filter is in the lid itself. I have a 300LPH spare nano filter somewhere in the garage i think.

Time for pix.

Looking good Gill!

 

[Gill]

Made an Impulse Buy yesterday, I just couldn't walk out the store without them. They were just too cute and hardly see them anymore.
I have a couple of Micro Preds - Scarelt Badis.
So far they have ignored the shrimp, if they herd them like in the past it will be very fun to watch them acting like sheep dogs in this nano.
I will try and get some nice shots of them once they have settled in.

 

[hydrophyte]

Lovely little setup! This has only been going for ten days? It looks mature already.

 

[Gill]

Lovely little setup! This has only been going for ten days? It looks mature already.

Thanks, I have taken my time with the planting to get a good sense of scale while getting a grown in look.
Far more plants to be added, want some red and purples to go in next with buces.

 

[Gill]

My Blue Bolts weren't delivered, Dad did not hear the doorbell. And the Postie refuses to leave them in the porch.
Hopefully they are ok tomorrow.