My first Iwagumi attempt

[Matuva]

I had a spare tank laying around on a shelf. Thought it would be a good idea  to have it on my desk at the office, having it cycled and then having some red cherries or even tiger or CRS.

 

Air conditioner is free at the office, eh he 

 

So, here is the tank : 37 x 25 x 20cms.

 

 

I put the rocks and a few Anubias nana this morning : 

 

 

I need the carpet and some more moss. Carpet plants have been ordered ' Hemianthus callitrichoides cuba' and I will add some 'star grass' once I have enough grow in my other tank.

 

This tank will sit there 1 month to cycle before I put any shrimp inside.

 

Stay tuned!

[kizshrimp]

Nice start! I'm keen to watch it develop.

[Matuva]

Thanks!

 

I will post pictures each time it will be updated, and then once cycled with the shrimps, probably red cherries juvies to start a colony... at least I find some tigers or CRS/BCS to take benefit of the free air conditioner ;)

Edited March 1, 2015 by Matuva

[Matuva]

Sorry guys, could not upload any more pic on this. It is said I can upload up to 3.47KB of files... can't go far with this  , my pictures are about 200KB...  will try later.

[larrymull]

Where did you order the Hemianthus callitrichoides cuba from? I am on the look out.

[Matuva]

I had to order mines from ebay sellers in Europe and US. Terrible losses each time due to shipping times, only a few stems survive and I'm now trying to have these left to recover.

 

I'm pretty sure you can find it in OZi land ;) and I saw you have pretty native carpeting plant (forgot their name though)

[OzShrimp]

If your trying to upload images directly to teh forum you will be limited. You can host them on an external site like photobucket and post them by pasting the direct link for each pic after you click on the polaroid icon with tree in it

[jayc]

Or the better option to increase your upload limit ... become a premium member 

[OzShrimp]

Or the better option to increase your upload limit ... become a premium member 

yeah or that :P

[Matuva]

Premium now 

Edited March 5, 2015 by Matuva

[Matuva]

Sooo, update : 

 

somemore anubias nana, 2 stems of Stargrass

 

 

Another Anubias, the Purpurata I think, but not sure

 

 

and a view from the other side 

 

 

The tube will disappear as soon as I recive my new pump

[kizshrimp]

larrymull you can buy HC from Liverpool Creek if you need some. 

Matuva my favorite Aussie native carpet plant is Glossostigma elatinoides. That's probably what you were thinking of but there are some others. 

[Matuva]

That's it

Thanks kizshrimp

[Matuva]

I don't have all the plants inside the tank, but as I have to make sure I save the last couple of blues I have, I decided to put them in this tank.

 

The female : 

 

 

The male, with his nice racing stripe

 

 

and for the fun, a native ( about 4~4.2 cms long). This one sits in another tank at home. Much more robust, they resist fine to high temp

 

Edited March 16, 2015 by Matuva

[Matuva]

received plants, but the trip was too long: cuba was completely melted, and riccia completely disintegrated 

Though,  found some green stuff in the riccia, so I might have luck enough to recover a good one in several weeks...

 

So, no upgrade about plants in this tank.

 

Though, I had a very nice Birthday gift yesterday: I received 8 very healthy CRS and the seller added 2 gold bees as a gift, + he swap one grade "A" with a "SS no entry hinomura"     Thank so much to him for that

 

I have forgotten my phone and pictures, but I will post some pics of these very nice shrimps asap

 

Those RCS are really nice ones. 

Edited March 26, 2015 by Matuva

[Disciple]

Good stuff man.

 

I am glad you got some shrimp in the end.

[Matuva]

Yes, thanks to him. Very helpful, and nice shrimps

 

I'll post some pics tomorrow

[Matuva]

Found one dead CRS this morning 

After counting and counting again, I find 4 CRS and 1 golden bee. A 5th CRS appears 1 hour after, from the cave under the anubias...

Haven't seen the no entry SS RCS yet...

Now they hide again, only 3 CRS show. I hope the missinig golden bee and the 2 other CRS are just hidding too

I will test water parameters after I bring back the test from home at lunch time.

 

I have test TDS and found a 84 ppm value. Too low?

Edited March 26, 2015 by Matuva

[jayc]

 

Though, I had a very nice Birthday gift yesterday: I received 8 very healthy CRS and the seller added 2 gold bees as a gift, + he swap one grade "A" with a "SS no entry hinomura"     Thank so much to him for that

 

Did you buy from someone on SKF?

 

CRS hiding in a new tank is normal. 

[Matuva]

Yup, they come from a SKF member.

 

I hope they just need to hide , just time to get used to their new home...

At the moment, there's only one wandering in the tank, bottom left corner on the picture, can't see anymore.

 

 

May be the tank is not planted enough?

Edited March 26, 2015 by Matuva

[Matuva]

CRS hiding in a new tank is normal. 

 

They were all very active when I put them in the tank Wednesday. At the moment, there's absolutely none showing. I can see some of them in the cave, with a torch...

 

The only one who shows normally is the blue/black cherry male, even the female is hidding

 

So, they should show again soon? I was afraid something is going wrong in the tank...

Edited March 26, 2015 by Matuva

[jc12]

I find the best time to see them is when I feed them in an open area and they'll usually all crowd around after a few minutes. I like to feed shrimp snow during such times as it allows them to graze while I watch/count.

[jayc]

Shrimp also like to hide when they are in the moulting process.

 

You said you found one dead, did you check your water parameters again?

[Matuva]

NO3 : 0

NO² : 0

GH  : 8°d

KH : 6°d

PH : 6.4

CL2 : 0

 

Temp : 24°C

[2OFUS]

Gh and kh are alittle bit high

Edited March 27, 2015 by 2OFUS