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The Most Awesome Shrimp Tank Journal Ever!


OzShrimp

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Standby! gotta take daughter to swimming lesson then i will edit this post.

So maintain all that excitement you had when you read the topic! I assure you it wont be worth it! lol

 

Okie Dokie heres the update.

So i got my cheap $29 Kmart tank and raided my storage containers and this was what i had to work with.

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The amazingly best tank ever, from Kmart :P

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Regardless of the cost of the tank It is always enjoyable setting up a new tank. Stage 1 was adding my left over UP Aqua Shrimp Soil

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The came the adding of the sponge filter. Now given the height of the tank i am not overly satisfied with this filter given that the outlet is right below the lid it gives minor splash back which you may see later. I also replaced the filter media in the bottom to seachem matrix for greater surface area for the bacteria.

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I have hidden my Fluval Stratum 50w heater behind the sponge filter but unfortunately i dont think the damn thing works lol. Havent seen it turn on once so far. Just one of the problems i encountered lol. Also lost the suction caps to it so I am using one of my spare eheim heater holders which is slightly too big so It doesnt hold it firm just kinda sits in it.

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Out of sight out of mind though,

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The fun began filling up with no bucket! had to use a cordial holder drink thing which only meant about 20 trips back and forth lol. Tap water was used as i will use RO water once it is cycled. Heater is set to 26 (if it turns on)

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Something magical happened after i added water. About 20+ CRS shrimp magically appeared in my tank! Talk about instant colony!

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Here comes my fully setup tank! Its the best scaped tank in the world in my opinion, 

I started with lush invisbilitis plants along the back followed by its miniature invisi grass along the front. You might also note that my thermometer is not fully in the water. Thats because the damn suction cap dont work no more lol. Its no longer in the tank.

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I am thinking i might just add a bit of bolbitis sorry cant recall spelling right now. I have a light on the way from the tech den which i am looking forward to arriving.

This tank is only to give me something to do since I am in the process of clearing my last big tank to save some money to put towards a rack. Its been decided we wont be able to buy a house now for another year atleast so stuck in rentals which will continually impact on having a decent setup if we have to move regularly. Atleast with this I can pull it down and put it back together quickly.

With the exception of the tank and the light on order everything else i had laying around. It just doesnt all work haha.

 

You were warned this would be the best tank journal ever!. 

 

So my plans are to add the piece of bolbitis, did have 1 piece of Cholla wood left but i cant find it in the left over removal boxes lol so that will be found one day. And when the tank cycles hopefully acquire a pair of shrimp. The filter will be replaced with a lower laying one and will have to replace the heater and thermometer for sufficiently acting ones lol

Edited by OzShrimp
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There you go all updated! save your laughs to the end. This is the budget edition of shrimp keeping lol. Kinda worried when it comes to summer comin back lol 

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LOL well done Oz! Very similar to my first attempt! Do you know my shrimp bred the best way back when I didn't know what I was doing! You better save some money just In case you have a population explosion! Remember Squiggles little 10 litre work tank? His CRS or CBS can't remember which bred like mad in that ! 

Ya gonna need more tanks!

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Have had to down size Ineke cant afford to run the big tank and keep pulling it down and resetting it up each 6 months or so. So the plan is i will play with this one for the time being to give me something to do and the money i make from selling what i dont use will go towards the eventual procurement of a rack.

 

Going from something this big to what i got now is a big change lol.

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I have even considered seeing if I can lay a few of these front to back along my 4ftr stand then i can run multiple of these at a time but I would still have the problem of cooling in summer unfortunately hence why i hold off. 

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He is Back!

Edited by Disciple
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7 minutes ago, Disciple said:

He is Back!

yeah i figure i gotta have something lol, in a couple of weeks i will try and source a pair or shrimp unknown what yet then go from there. To maintain the tank numbers i will probably try and breed them but sell excess numbers and put money aside to the rack fund.

Gotta fund the shrimp dream lol.

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Little tanks can still be a lot of fun but also very testing on the mind. This is my old 36L tank I had on my desk, 3 years since it got decommissioned.... I still miss it!

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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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I think this one is 20 something litres. enough for a few shrimp to party

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I was just kidding I understand where you are coming from.

Fans are great Oz my big tank ran for 3 years with just fans. Small tanks are a bit harder but it's possible. 4  computer fans with temp controller worked better than my chiller which has a 2 degree lag. 

Ya still gonna need more tanks ????

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2 minutes ago, ineke said:

Ya still gonna need more tanks

reminds me of that JEEP ad.

"You're gonna need a bigger boat".

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Its been a while since i cycled a new tank, in best off getting the bubbles out of the soil arent i?

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That little kid is great in the Jeep ad -what father wouldn't want their little son to say that!!! Jeep must have got it from us! we were sprouting that years back!!!!

Oz yes get the bubbles out where possible. I'm cycling a tank at the moment and transferred some moss into it. There must have been some little shrimp on the moss or driftwood as there are at least 2 shrimp in there and the ammonia is 2!!! They seem fine and as the tank is big I don't really want to try and catch them-I would have to take all the plants out  -so hopefully they survive the cycle process!!! 

That's tank number 14 now -I didn't like the uneven number!

 

Edited by ineke
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Was surprised how many bubbles were in the soil lol.

Got majority out except under my filter. 

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My plan is to replicate @newbreeds rack system eventually. We gotta move house again in January then next August we will be in a position to purchase our own home so another moving lol

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Love the invisibilis plant layout @OzShrimp! Your Aquascaping has come a long way!! Lol

Good to see you have a new tank to play with, I love new tank setup time, and still focused on long term rack goals. Gives you plenty of time to plan it out as you want it!! 

 

 

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On 5/8/2016 at 10:34 AM, newbreed said:

Love the invisibilis plant layout @OzShrimp! Your Aquascaping has come a long way!! Lol

Good to see you have a new tank to play with, I love new tank setup time, and still focused on long term rack goals. Gives you plenty of time to plan it out as you want it!! 

 

 

I'm getting a new tank on Sunday for Free! Its gonna be my first real step in having a rack like yours. It was like a gift from the gods 40x40x40 just no stand to put it on but oh well super excited.

 

Then i will transfer everything over. Those invisibulus plants are a pain in the ass, then my 6yo will have the kmart tank for a Betta. Shes super excited.

Was keeping the new tank a secret but too excited lol

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Edited by OzShrimp
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Swapped out my heater to my spare 50w eheim heater this morning and guess what, that dont bloody work either lol! 

 

damn just saved myself some money, turns out half the bloody power board dont work so had to go get the heater out of the bin lol :(

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So i got my petworx Nano led light in the mail this morning, needless to say i am not impressed overall with it. I was firstly quiet surprised that the design had no screw through the clip section to help it attach to the tank more securely. 

 

Prior to picking it up from the pet shop I went to pet barn to buy a new thermometer and whilst i was there I also brought an Aqua one Touch led figuring i would need an extra light when i get the new tank my daughter could have the Aqua one light.

Well I was pretty impressed with the design of the Aqua one light atleast far more so then the petworx one. The light is slim line rectangular however the head is on a swivel joint has 2 screws to attach to the tank and also has more leds' I however cant find anywhere on the box which states the strength of the led but does say its for planted and is a 3w/6w light. 

One of the benefits to this light also is that i can have white, white/blue or just blue.

Anyhow still having heater problems although their working their not working like they should and would dare say being in a box and knocked around in moving so many times may be the cause.

Intend on writing a review on the aquaone light seems like a great little light! 

 

Its a good thing my daughter dont know about lights cause i think shes gonna end up with the petworx one now lol

Edited by OzShrimp
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10 minutes ago, OzShrimp said:

So i got my petworx Nano led light in the mail this morning, needless to say i am not impressed overall with it. I was firstly quiet surprised that the design had no screw through the clip section to help it attach to the tank more securely. 

 

Prior to picking it up from the pet shop I went to pet barn to buy a new thermometer and whilst i was there I also brought an Aqua one Touch led figuring i would need an extra light when i get the new tank my daughter could have the Aqua one light.

Well I was pretty impressed with the design of the Aqua one light atleast far more so then the petworx one. The light is slim line rectangular however the head is on a swivel joint has 2 screws to attach to the tank and also has more leds' I however cant find anywhere on the box which states the strength of the led but does say its for planted and is a 3w/6w light. 

One of the benefits to this light also is that i can have white, white/blue or just blue.

Anyhow still having heater problems although their working their not working like they should and would dare say being in a box and knocked around in moving so many times may be the cause.

Intend on writing a review on the aquaone light seems like a great little light! 

 

Its a good thing my daughter dont know about lights cause i think shes gonna end up with the petworx one now lol

I have the petworx light as well and similar to you, my only gripe is the lack of a screw to secure the light to the tank. It does put out a nice light and for the price, I will be buying a few more just for bare bottom tank setups for growing out fry in the garage.

Looking forward to your review on the Aqua One light.

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46 minutes ago, jc12 said:

I have the petworx light as well and similar to you, my only gripe is the lack of a screw to secure the light to the tank. It does put out a nice light and for the price, I will be buying a few more just for bare bottom tank setups for growing out fry in the garage.

Looking forward to your review on the Aqua One light.

I will write it up tonight after girl guides (im not a guide obviously :P) lol 

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Got a piece of driftwood with anubias attached this morning and inside had some extras including flame moss on driftwood, fern i cant remember the name and some pennywort. 

have put them in with the beta. 
Plan is tomorrow I get my new tank and then next weekend all of this will come and go into the new tank and my daughters rainbow gravel will go in lol.

 

I figure the longer i leave the filter in with the betta the more it will be cycled so still not looking to add shrimp for maybe another 3 weeks to be on the safe side.

 

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Will be over the moon once i get a stand and can set it up

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Well taaaaaadaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, my stand is finished. 

Its not perfect but it will do the job, bask in the glory of my flaws!

Big thank you to @perplex for the stand design. The stain actually cost more then the wood including cutting. Wood cut to size and the mdf off cut cost me about $35. 1ltre of stain, 100 nails and brushes cost me about $70 lol.

In factoring in the amount of drill bits that broke in the making of the tank i think it would be close to $150 for this dodgey ass thing lol. Not to mention i also didnt realised the tank wasnt 60x60x60 until i already had everything cut to size hence why the tank is so small in comparison.

 

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