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Shallow and long?


Subtlefly

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Hi team,

So I am really excited by the unreal shallow aquscaped tanks that I see online and I love the idea of keeping shrimp.  I have some native red nosed shrimp breeding in a pond outside but really want to put some red or blue cherry shrimp in an aquascape where I can see them do their thing.  

ada 60 F  60x30x18 is the right price and I see beautiful examples online but I feel 30 litres is not enough, especially considering hardscape and soil going in. (what do you think?)

ada 90 F 90x30x20 would be my ideal choice but its sooo expensive. $600+ and then freight to Bundaberg! (Wife says no)

Mr aqua Komoda 3ft 90x30x30. - great tank low iron glass but the dimensions are losing the shallow look

Mr Aqua Komoda 4tf 120x30x30 - great tank, low iron glass - lots of room for shrimp and a school of celestial danios or chilli rasboras - dimensions might work for shallow look, but lights, plants and filtration getting expensive at this point (plus freight!)

lastly and temptingly Mr Aqua 12 gallon bookshelf - 91x21x24. But I cant seem to find low iron glass version in Australian shops?  (or are they low iron?). This tank would be perfect but I am worried if I get this tank(one shot at getting it right) I might be unhappy in the long run?

Do you guys have any preference here? ( which one and why?)
 

Am I missing any ultra clear shallow tank alternatives?  I have seen some mention of FireAqua bookshelf tank online but I cant find a retailer.. and I see you guys talking about aquamaxx tanks but where do I get one of them?

Thanks so much for your time and efforts- if you have a tank pref can you suggest the light you would pair it with?   It will be a low tech planted tank (wife says no CO2). 
Budget around $800 for setup of tank lights and filter maybe ( obviously less means plants and shrimp can be added sooner!)

any advice welcome.. 

cheers sub
 

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So an update...  I called the store that said they had an ADA 90f on their website and they dont have one.  ADA dont even make that tank anymore.  
So guys help me out.. do you consider that the 60F 600x300x180 is too small for a small school of celestial pearl danios or cilli rasboras and shrimp?  30 litres
This would certainly help me out with the overall build budget! 
I have also found a fireAqua tank being imported into Western Australia that is 900x300x240.

I am still in the budget and planning stage and would really appreciate your input team.

Thanks for your help

sub

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10 hours ago, Subtlefly said:

600x300x180

600x300x180 tank is perfect for CPD or chilli rasboras.

 

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I have 10 chilli rasbora and a killi in a 30(ish) litre tank and they are doing fine and seems about right in size!

I hope to get some shrimp for trial at some stage to also go in there but thats for a later date, when things get back to a bit more normal.

Simon

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Ok so a further edit - I have been talking to a high quality tank maker in Brisbane and am leaning toward getting a custom tank made - rimless, starfire low iron glass, polished edges, as close to ADA quality as humanly possible.  Using Dennison from Mary's Aquarium in Bris.  Final dimensions would be 900x400x200 mm which would come in at 72 litres.

Price is actually great compared with what the ADA 90F was going to cost! 

Even with using an ADA 60F my original budget was probably a little wishful thinking, but if I am only going to do this once I really want to get an amazing aquascape going.  Still really interested in your thoughts about lighting, filtration and anything else you can think of!  

At the moment the thinking is filtration will be eheim classic 150 or ecco pro 130 (considerations are quiet and energy efficient)

Lighting I would like to go for 1x Kessil A160 located high (I know Kessil says this will not be enough but for no CO2 I feel that it might be) or 2 x Kessil A80 (this is what Kessil recommends for a tank of this size - I wrote to them when I was looking at the 900x300x200 ADA tank) - I really like the pendant style of hanging light - (and the shimmer) any other recommendations on lighting welcome!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jaw02PY5ya4  Here is a 60F lit by Kessil A160 and there seems to be heaps of overlap for a larger tank?

Thanks team and have a great day - interested in your thoughts!

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You have obviously done your research and I look forward to seeing how it progresses/goes. It all sounds very exciting and well planned out!

I looked up the lighting and saw this video, don't know if you have already seen it but it seems quite informative (A80 model)!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZNKR2-kWbA

With the filter you just need to be sure that the intake is shrimp safe so they don't get sucked into the filter?

Do you know what water you will be using, Tap or RO and if tap water what the parameters of your tap water are. Usually you can use tapwater for cherry shrimp unless it has extreme parameters?  I am probably getting a bit ahead at this stage though?

Simon

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So we have a rainwater tank under our house and I have a pond in the yard - was kind of planning on using rain water or water that has been cycling through my backyard pond, native pacific blue eye fish and native red nosed shrimp out there doing their own thing.  

If I am stuck and in a drought then I might have to resort to filtered tap water...  does this sound like a plan?

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It is best to test the parameters of the 'source' water and go from there. Many people use dechlorinated tap water successfully with cherry shrimp (me included), but rainwater or RO water you will need to mineralise the water. I guess it is a bit too early at this stage as you don't have the tank yet, but you may want to ge the test kits so you are ready to go anyway - TDS meter/pen, GH, KH, PH and of course ammonia/nitrite/nitrate for cyclng the tank. I guess you can make life easier when you have the tests by testing the different 'sources' so you can get any minerals etc ready as well, and decide which source is going to best suit cherry shrimps? Rainwater is likely near to RO water so will likely need minerals added, and what is the storage tank/guttering made of, as some metals are toxic to shrimp, especially copper?

Sorry, got a bit off original topic. All the equipment you originally listed looks good and well thought out from what I saw but as I am in UK it isn't the same 'stuff' here so hopefully someone from Australia will help with that aspect.

Simon

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Thanks for your input.. the tank is cement and is under our house, its what I use to top up my outdoor pond when it loses evaporation and the shrimp living out there are breeding.  I will certainly look into test kits but to begin with I am just going to cycle the tank with plants.  Thanks again!

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12 hours ago, Subtlefly said:

the tank is cement

Cement/concrete leaches a lot of minerals into the water. That's why on occasions you see discoloration caused by crystalline deposits of salts on concrete surfaces. These deposits often contain compounds such as calcium, sodium and potassium hydroxides or carbonates, bicarbonates, chlorides, and sulfates of calcium and magnesium.

So definitely test the water for pH, KH, GH and TDS parameters.

The older the rain tank, the less it will release these minerals. So it might be ok. 

 

With regards to your question on lighting, it depends on the type of plants you plan on keeping. That said, the Kessel will grow most plants you put in that tank. 

Edited by jayc
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So do you think you would get away with 1 x Kessil A160?  Or play it safe with 2 x A80 ?

Cement tank been there since 1968  but I will check the water.

Thanks

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4 hours ago, Subtlefly said:

So do you think you would get away with 1 x Kessil A160?  Or play it safe with 2 x A80 ?

What plants are you going to keep in the tank? Low light mosses and slow growing anubias? then yes, that will be enough.

 

4 hours ago, Subtlefly said:

Cement tank been there since 1968  but I will check the water.

Good idea. Best to be safe.

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