# Other Aquarium Forums > Freshwater Fauna > Invertebrates >  New shrimp tank - 30 cube

## solidbrik

This forum is indeed poisonous. .shortly after starting my 2 ft iwagumi..am preparing my shrimp only office tank..just bought the equipments from Aquarisy Chambers today (pocket is totally torn..but WTH..let's try the bleed once and succeed route):

Tank - ANS opticlear 30 cube 
Filter - sicce whale 120
Tetra sponge filter set to replace the inlet of the sicce
lowkeys speed sand 
RAC substrate
And a bonsai-y tree root wood ( worth its weight in gold..super ex..call me stupid..but the shape just gets to me. Will provide pics in due course)
Light - gotta get something budget like a up aqua or something..can't afford to keep spending like this..lol

Seems like a high end setup..didn't even spent half the amount on my existing 2 footer at home!..lol. But to think of it, the advise I get from fella hobbyist at the shop is priceless! Love the place as i had been hanging around for multiple times without even making a single purchase and not once was I shunned or frowned upon. Its really a place for hobbyist to share and to be taught. Not the kind of just-buy-the-most-expensive-but-maybe-useless-items-and-please-get-lost shop. 

Plan now is to tie weeping moss onto the tree to create a willow tree effect..end product is to have a tree with a crown just like a real tree, with droopy flowy crown. Position of the lone tree to be confirmed..either at a corner or take the center stage on a 'dune'..depending on how it looks on my desk..its gonna be a 2 sided view (right angle) so gotta try the placement out.

As for carpeting..thinking of low creepers like HC/MOSS (do not know what kind of moss to consider) or something with a bit of height like dwarf hairgrass (Japan variant)..

Any suggestions/comments on scape and flora choice? Will be injecting diy co2. 

Am now soaking the wood to leech any harmful substances, and over the next week will be slowly bringing the equipment to office to set up.

To be continued... ... ...

----------


## Darick

hahaha..... Now you know this forum power. "victim" of this forum. You are the first and won't be the last. hahahaha..... Enjoy your hobby.

----------


## Josiah

Any pictures to upload?

----------


## solidbrik

Bonsai tree wood...
uploadfromtaptalk1405160415242.jpguploadfromtaptalk1405160426065.jpguploadfromtaptalk1405160436222.jpguploadfromtaptalk1405160444305.jpg

For the other items. .not much point for pics..its just commercial items..  :Smile:

----------


## sbladerz

Yore bonsai tree wood is awesome! Very appealing to the eyes.
What shrimps are you considering? 
Going to follow this thread. Look forward to more updates.

----------


## solidbrik

Haha...thanks sbladerz..its actually a tad big for the cube..probably 18/20 cm tall n 23/25 wide..(just added hot water. So can't take it out to measure..lol)..but I just love the shape..

The scape problem is now hoe to compliment the big tree that kinda already fills up the cube..not much of slope will help cuz it's footprint is almost 60% of the entire base..thinking HC or dwarf hairgrass or UG or moss(again dunno what kind of moss too)? Votes anyone..lol

Shrimps will be CRS first (a beginners shrimp)..then see how things progress..wanna try breeding n ensuring survival of the shrimplets..that will be the achievement and sign for progression..

once successful with crs..will slowly progress to more advance shrimps..

----------


## solidbrik

Hey guys..Some updates on my office tank..

HC DSM.. 
uploadfromtaptalk1406478699150.jpg

After a week decided to flood..and surprisingly..It was rooted!!!!!!!

Anyway bonsai tree. .from uploadfromtaptalk1406478752444.jpg
to
uploadfromtaptalk1406478783371.jpg

Works in progress...
uploadfromtaptalk1406478812575.jpg

End product that with diy co2
uploadfromtaptalk1406478854458.jpg

Next up..will be getting some commando crs shrimps once I test the water parameters. .

----------


## qool

Can pm me the price and place you got that wood from? It is very nice

----------


## solidbrik

Hi Bro..got the wood from aquarist chamber. .They are near to kovan mrt..along upper serangoon road..

as for price..They have different sizes so price will vary..got mine for $100+..

Yes. .It expensive. .but I haven't seen such woods anywhere else. .  :Smile:

----------


## solidbrik

Hi guys..If I do not have a skimmer..how do I get rid of the surface film that is built up?

----------


## TheAquarist

Paper, serviet, newspaper. Just use either one, place it over your surface then remove after its soaked

----------


## solidbrik

Thanks aquarist..that's what I did..but dunno if that's the right thing to do cuz of chemicals in these items..particularly paper (bleach) and newspaper (lead, ink)..haha...using kleenex now..haha

----------


## solidbrik

Another question ..how do I get my HC to pearl..lol..im using aquazonic t5 super sun tubes (2 x 6 watts X 12000k)..timing regime lights on from 1000-1400 and 1800-2100..Off the rest of the time..change t5 tubes?

----------


## Urban Aquaria

> Hi guys..If I do not have a skimmer..how do I get rid of the surface film that is built up?


The kitchen paper towel to soak up the surface oil film can help, though you'll have to manually do it regularly to keep the oil film at bay. In the case of your tank, since its newly setup, the surface oil film is coming mainly from the soil at the moment, once the tank settles in it'll usually stop appearing (but it'll usually appear again when you have livestock and feed them well anyways).





> Another question ..how do I get my HC to pearl..lol..im using aquazonic t5 super sun tubes (2 x 6 watts X 12000k)..timing regime lights on from 1000-1400 and 1800-2100..Off the rest of the time..change t5 tubes?


Plants pearl when they photosynthesize at such high rate that the oxygen they produce exceed the oxygen saturation level in the water... for this to occur, the plants need to have ample light, CO2 and nutrients to maximize their rate of photosynthesis.

For tanks without Co2 injection, its usually the lack of sufficient Co2 that limits the plants rate of photosynthesis, so they'll tend not to exhibit any pearling effects (even with strong lights and lots of nutrients), or only pearl much later in the photoperiod.

That being said, its possible to get visible pearling effects in non-Co2 injected tanks though... usually in tanks with very high water temperatures, as warmer water holds alot less oxygen so its oxygen saturation level is much lower. 

The plants in my outdoor tanks and containers which routinely hit >33°C temperatures in the mid-day afternoons directly under the blazing hot sun all tend to pearl like crazy.  :Very Happy:

----------


## solidbrik

Thanks UA. .I am currently on co2. .1 bps. .Is the light regime ok?  :Smile:

----------


## solidbrik

Thing is tank temp range is 23/4.. probably too cool so higher saturation levels?

----------


## Urban Aquaria

> Thanks UA. .I am currently on co2. .1 bps. .Is the light regime ok?


Okay, since you using Co2 injection and there are no livestock in the tank yet, you can increase the bps rate and increase the light photoperiod to encourage plant growth.

Try to go for one single longer photo period, rather than split period, so that it doesn't interrupt the plant's photosynthesis (less need for them to have to repeatedly ramp up and down their photosynthesis activity).




> Thing is tank temp range is 23/4.. probably too cool so higher saturation levels?


Yeah, cooler water can hold more oxygen so the oxygen saturation point would be higher, therefore the plants may require abit more photosynthesis rate and time to start showing pearling effects... but they will still eventually pearl readily if supplied with ample lights, Co2 and nutrients.

Note that faster growing plants generally tend to pearl much faster and more visibly, while slower growing plants tend to pearl slower and less visibly... so it depends on the plant types too.

----------


## solidbrik

Nutrients I'm only thinking of daily brighty n twice a week flourish..do not want to affect parameters for the shrimps. But I read too much lights and/or ferts will cause algae..now dunno how to strike that balance. .Any formula for a now fauna-less tank?

----------


## Urban Aquaria

> Nutrients I'm only thinking of daily brighty n twice a week flourish..do not want to affect parameters for the shrimps. But I read too much lights and/or ferts will cause algae..now dunno how to strike that balance. .Any formula for a now fauna-less tank?


Yeah, that's the challenge when having to cater to both plants and shrimps... its usually one or the other, or have to compromise.

The most ideal planted startup environment is to have the entire tank densely covered in fast growing stem plants, then jack up the lights, Co2 injection and fert dosing... the plants will grow and pearl like crazy and soak up everything, leaving very little for algae to even gain a toe-hold in the tank.

For your setup with moss and HC as the main plants, they are not exactly super fast growers, so you'll just need to keep the light moderate (your current lights should be okay for a start) and inject enough Co2 to make sure its not a limiting factor (since no livestock yet, just inject until the drop checker show green-yellow color).

Nutrient-wise, i'm not sure how much macro nutrients like nitrogen and phosphate are released by the RAC soil you are using (compared to ADA amazonia aquasoil), but since its a soil designed for shrimps, i'd assume its nutrient content for plants is much lower, therefore you may need to dose additional macro + micro ferts if you start to see deficiencies in your plants.

----------


## solidbrik

Yeah..now I dare not overdose..cuz the main focus is on the shrimps..  :Smile:

----------


## solidbrik

Drop checker in yellow zone..lights on since 9.30..2 pumps of brighty k..still no pearling. .I just want to see them pearl for once..any advise? Lol

----------


## Urban Aquaria

Pump in even more Co2 injection, overdose macro+micro ferts, then get a MaxSpect Razor 120W and switch it on for 12 hours at 100% intensity shining directly on the moss and HC... confirm you'll get to see the plants pearl, then quickly take photo and video for keepsake before they get burnt up and algae take over the whole tank.  :Grin:

----------


## solidbrik

Lol..Thanks ah!!!!

Anyway I'm gonna pull out the co2 system from this tank to install in my iwagumi tomorrow..to get this office tank ready for shrimps by sun..read that they dun care much for co2..n the dissolved co2 needs a few days to be released totally..

its gonna be reverted into a super low tech tank without any ferts. .co2 etc..A SHRIMP focused tank! Lol

----------


## solidbrik

N hopefully my home monte/hair grass tank will see some pearling. .lol

----------


## solidbrik

Hi guys..need your advise..how come after soaking my wood for 2 wks. .nightly water change of hot/boiling water once a day..when I put it in tank..mould still grows..see left of picture..but when it was in the water for 2 weeks. .there's not even a tinge of mould..Is it harmful or just leave it if I'm keeping a crs tank..uploadfromtaptalk1406871803675.jpg

Also..The weeping moss suddenly melting by quite a bit. .is it because of the sudden removal of co2 and brighty k..and they gotta re-adapt? I'm certain the source of the is healthy. .so its my tank problem

----------


## Urban Aquaria

Yeah, that's the typical mold/fungus growth that pops up on new wood pieces, it can still appear even after the wood has been boiled and cleaned... they are just feeding off the residual organic material on the wood surface. Usually they will disappear after a while, or the shrimps may help you clear it.

The weeping moss melting could be in an adjustment phase since there was a change in the water parameters, your setup is also still new and cycling anyways so the moss could still be trying to adapt, they will usually bounce back in time.

----------


## solidbrik

Hmm. ..I will try to clean off what I can..

Anyway. .anyone know if ro and distilled water can both be used for shrimps? Thinking of newater even! Lol

----------


## ZacNg

I also got the mould on the exact wood, just wait for a few weeks and it will go away. You can use RO/DI water but would need to re-mineralised it.

----------


## solidbrik

OMG!!! Just tested office tap water (127tds)..and my home tap water (57tds)..and osim water purifier (56tds) and my neglected 'kinda' tank at home (116tds)..

The readings dun make sense to me..aren't tap water all supposed to be the same..but the office water is double the tds readings..and a neglected tank is only 116tds..like that I no need buy distilled water..just bring water from home to top up office shrimp tank can liao right?

Weird!!!

----------


## solidbrik

Haha..zac. .u also another AC poisin-ed..haha

----------


## Urban Aquaria

> OMG!!! Just tested office tap water (127tds)..and my home tap water (57tds)..and osim water purifier (56tds) and my neglected 'kinda' tank at home (116tds)..
> 
> The readings dun make sense to me..aren't tap water all supposed to be the same..but the office water is double the tds readings..and a neglected tank is only 116tds..like that I no need buy distilled water..just bring water from home to top up office shrimp tank can liao right?
> 
> Weird!!!


The tap water TDS can differ based on the plumbing and pipes in the building (sometimes the pipes may be older so a lot more "stuff" acclimated in it), and different areas of Singapore can also have varying tap water parameters at different times too.

----------


## solidbrik

Lol..my office is definitely very very very old..like that I will just bring home water to top up shrimp tank..lol

----------


## solidbrik

Brought the co2 kit back..and I see pearling in about 1st after introducing co2. .now thinking if it's the light source or do Monte pearl more easily than HC..using up aqua pro z on Monte..vs aquazonic t5 supersun tube (10000/12000k) on HC

----------


## Urban Aquaria

> Brought the co2 kit back..and I see pearling in about 1st after introducing co2. .now thinking if it's the light source or do Monte pearl more easily than HC..using up aqua pro z on Monte..vs aquazonic t5 supersun tube (10000/12000k) on HC


Could be a combination of factors.... maybe the MC is already transitioned and adapted to your home tank, compared to the new HC in your office tank? MC does tend to transition quicker and pearl abit easier than HC (though i've had both plants established side-by-side in one of my tanks and both pearl at around the same time). 

Maybe try the Up Aqua Pro Z lights in your office tank, it might have more usable light spectrums that the plants can utilize more efficiently, since its designed for growing plants.

----------


## solidbrik

Traced the problem..The aquazonic t5 10000k is the culprit..today brought my home pro z led and the HC started pearling after 2hrs. .Note that tank is non fert..co2 on 1 bubble per 4-5 seconds..

----------


## solidbrik

uploadfromtaptalk1408541892673.jpgsaw this cocoon looking whitish thing on the tank wall..anyone has any idea what this is? Too far to focus properly.

----------


## Urban Aquaria

> Traced the problem..The aquazonic t5 10000k is the culprit..today brought my home pro z led and the HC started pearling after 2hrs. .Note that tank is non fert..co2 on 1 bubble per 4-5 seconds..


Thanks for sharing your experience with the lights... looks like the specific spectrums in those lights do make a difference in plant growth.  :Smile: 




> uploadfromtaptalk1408541892673.jpgsaw this cocoon looking whitish thing on the tank wall..anyone has any idea what this is? Too far to focus properly.


Need a clearer photo to help ID... at the moment, can only see white specks in the current photo.

----------


## solidbrik

Ya man..and it really does matter..and till I finally head down to qianhu to get that 1ft plant light for the aquazonic.. guess the led is there to stay till my tank is carpeted..its so amazing to see my weeping moss pearl too..

Anyway was googling. .seems that specky thing might be seed shrimp. .not infestation yet..and read it doesnt harms shrimps..so guess will just leave it as is for now. .

----------


## solidbrik

Finally!!! Now I wait...  :Smile: 
uploadfromtaptalk1411722066306.jpg

----------


## Ingen

Did you crs uproot your HC?

----------


## solidbrik

Despite hearing many stories..They didn't. .what I did was to grow the hc for awhile to let them root before introducing the shrimps..In fact a stray piece of weeping willow was on the base and I didn't notice..when I finally did and pulled it out, realised the roots are quite long actually. .at least an inch? Disturbed a bit of the substrate by pulling it out..

Anyway now that the mummy is berried..I had since removed the co2 injection..intention is to eventually remove the hc when they die off, leaving bare substrate with just a bonsai willow tree..

----------


## cherabin

The bonsai wood looks epic and sure makes lots of people such as me very tempted to buy. Are you using any chiller for this tank?

----------


## solidbrik

@cherabin..thanks..No chiller as yet..but will get one..when I upgrade to prl..  :Smile:

----------


## Streamer

Nice setup. Your crs doing ok without chiller?

----------


## solidbrik

Yeah..so far ok..*fingers crossed*..The tank is in office..so day time ac is on..am assuming the night time temperature should not go up by much. .average at about 25-26 degrees?..probably the high temp is a reason why they are not getting berried easily..After couple of months, only recently did 1 mummy get berried..will monitor to see if she manages to give birth successfully..EDD should be probably around last week of Oct..

----------


## Gavan

Hi bro, new to the forum! Joined AQ more for the marketplace. Hence redirected here after seeing your HC ad..

noticed that you're using "home recipe" CO2. can ask what is your recipe? successful?

----------


## solidbrik

Nice to meet new friends..my co2 dispenser is the 51co2 set from taobao..recipe is the sodium bicarbonate and citric acid..all readily available at poon huat...

Following the online proportions..The output is pretty stable..Each mixture can last bout 2 months thereabouts..at 1bps (as accurate as the diffuser counts)..

As for growth. .I see noticeable growth and pearling..so to me..its successful. .of course. .to me is all agar agar..not too concerned as to EXACT measurements..but if can't take the agaration. .then a proper solenoid and tank set will be the way to go.. 

Hope this helps.. :Smile:

----------


## Gavan

> Nice to meet new friends..my co2 dispenser is the 51co2 set from taobao..recipe is the sodium bicarbonate and citric acid..all readily available at poon huat...
> 
> Following the online proportions..The output is pretty stable..Each mixture can last bout 2 months thereabouts..at 1bps (as accurate as the diffuser counts)..
> 
> As for growth. .I see noticeable growth and pearling..so to me..its successful. .of course. .to me is all agar agar..not too concerned as to EXACT measurements..but if can't take the agaration. .then a proper solenoid and tank set will be the way to go.. 
> 
> Hope this helps..



Hey man, glad to be part of this community as well. I am totally okay with agar agar. no money for more expensive jellies :P 
may i know which proportions you use? i know the info is readily available online but there's so many variations of it. wanna get a feel of what you've tried yourself. also, i can't find the 51co2 set. is it something like this thing? http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=...id=16730157152

Thanks for the help man!

----------


## solidbrik

I'm using this http://51co2.com/a/shouyeyi/2013/0527/26.html..let me find the proportion and post

----------


## acetone

> Attachment 43288saw this cocoon looking whitish thing on the tank wall..anyone has any idea what this is? Too far to focus properly.


Its a seed shrimp.

----------

