journal Aquaone AquaStart 320

[BristledOne]

So a mate linked me an add for a cheap tank that didnt look to worn out, hadn't planned on setting up another tank before the divided 3ft but here we are :p

The plan for this tank is to try to be as budget wise as possible, using items I already own to get it up and running.

The tank came with the stock 11W CFL but no filtration, originally this tank would have come with an undergravel filter but I wouldnt have been using that anyway as I plan on using an active substrate.

Tank:: AquaOne AquaStart 320 (bought secondhand for $15, no filter)

Filtration:: Air driven sponge filter(s)

Lighting:: 11w stock CFL

Heating:: 55W AquaOne that I had lying around

Substrate:: Cal Aqua Lab's Black Earth premium (leftover from another scape)

Substrate additives:: Benibachi's Beemax Enzym and Mironection powder, 2tsp of each

Hardscape:: Lavastone and Driftwood

Plants:: Whatever I can gather, includes some Javamoss, ambulia, java fern and a crypt

So first off I had to give the tank a bit of a clean, I'm always worried when buying a secondhand tank that the previous owner may have used a chemical to clean the tank out before sale. So for this reason I give the tank a spray down with water several times before moving on.

Once I've given it a clean out next up is the layers of Benibachi's Mironecton powder and BeeMax powder, I've used a good heaped 2tsp of each making sure I cover the whole bottom of the tank evenly.

Now that I've got the additive layer down I like to put down a small layer of substrate before placing my hardscape to try to spread the weight out more and prevent any cracking of the bottom, this is just paranoia really but with these small aquaone tanks they have a rim that the tank sits on meaning pressure is focused on the center.

Now time for the hardscape!

I tried a few different layouts before settling on a single peice of driftwood and two peices of lava rock I was given, the lavarock was actually being used as a filter medium so comes pre-loaded with bacteria. Both peices have had javamoss tied on about a week ago, the smaller of the two I tried a dry start method on and the growth rate is surprising, it's already covered the white string used to tie it on. The larger piece obviously has some catching up to do!

Now for some plants!

I hate planting, they never seem to stay in place for me so I've tried planting them then after pouring a small amount of substrate over them to further weight them down

I'm pretty content with the way it is, so time to start flooding!

I've been typing this while a 4mm airline slowly adds some water into the tank. I'll pause here and come back when it's flooded (and hopefully not flooded my desk too)

Ok, well flooding is complete! Seems most plants have stayed in place so I'm happy, even the javafern which I'm a little shocked about

Ok so all complete, now I just have to wait for the tank to cycle and the PH to balance out. Aiming for a ph of 6.2 - 6.5, I wouldn't be surprised if it ends up at 5.8 or so but *fingers crossed*

The main purpose for this tank will be to focus on my RCS, I'll be selecting my favorite male and females and trying to make my RCS into something to be proud of.

This is a picture of my favorite female that will be one of the starting colony

Thanks for taking the time to read my thread

Happy shrimpkeeping!

-Bristled One

:rockon:

[Twellsy]

Looking good mate , nice nano for $15

Its amazing what you end accumulating over time , when I won my cube I had everything I needed to get it up and running aswell

[BristledOne]

Cheers Twellsy!

yeah sometimes hoarding can have it's advantages lol. Especially with MTS :p

[Squiggle]

Sweet setup dude, looks amazballs! Can't wait to see it teeming with shrimpies! :encouragement:

[BristledOne]

In regards to my ph, I cant find a better way to describe it then by using Jeremy Clarkson to say it for me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LR3uFfT-qtM

My PH was still hanging around 8.0 today, even with 2 IAL in the tank, active substrate and some added benificial bacteria to get the cycle going. I found NO ammonia has been leached from the soil and so there was no food for the cycle to begin! So I've put in a bit of an algae grazer last night and some snails, hoping they disturb the substrate a bit and feed the nitrogen cycle.

However after 12 hours (since putting in the food and snails) the ph is still at 7.9. So What I've done is put in a powerhead filter just to try to get the current moving and to disturb the soil. Once the ph has lowered I'll remove it and go back to just the air driven filter. after about a half hour he ph has dropped to 7.2 so I suspect this will fix my ph drama!

[K9932]

I have nothing to add to the PH but I did load the youtube vid from my phone which took effort and time, but god it gave me a good laugh.

Tehe ^_^

[Squiggle]

Are you using tap water or RO water? Also, what is your KH?

[BristledOne]

Howdy ya'll

Thanks K9932 :)

Squiggles the KH tester I bought recently from a LFS doesn't work so I need to buy a new one, currently using tap water but I have an RO unit on order so will soon be making the jump to RO+SS minerals

I found with a powerhead in the tank the PH dropped quite fast to the desired range, once removed though as the waters calmed the ph slowly rose again. It's currently at a PH of 7.1 and sitting stable, I'm going to move in the few RCS I plan on keeping from my current breeding colony. Easier to move the best then to cull the rest, the tank's population went nuts breeding and the quality dropped as a result. This is an attempt to re-focus efforts to get the best I can from my current bloodline. In the picture below I'm hoping the juvenile that can be seen on the right is a male *fingers crossed*

[Squiggle]

Definitely sounds like you tap water has a high KH & is fighting the buffing capacity of your soil, this will cause your soil to exhaust very quickly, you really need to get your RO going & remineralizing the water with SaltyShrimp, your soil will be able to work more effectively once you do. :encouragement: