I have a nice RCS colony going in a 10g (journal located here: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/12-tank-journals/931425-doods-10g.html). I havent done much with it since setting it up but regular maintanence and harvest some shrimps out of it to feed my Altolamps. I did thin the plants out of it and move some to my 75g. Ive learned a lot since setting it up and now I am going to take that knowledge and apply it to a 20H I have and move my shrimp colony to a new home.
The tank is a standard AGA 20H with the dimensions L = 24 1/4" W = 12 1/2" and H = 16 3/4". The back has been painted black.
I plan on using the same driftwood and will move the plants in it over to the 20H and add some trimmings from my 75 to fill it out. The following is the list of flora this tank will have:
Java fern
Bacopa caroliniana
Ludwigia repens
Alternanthera reineckii 'rosaefolia'
Staurogyne repens
Vesuvius sword
Indian red sword
Peacock moss
Java moss
I will be stocking this with my rcs colony, 6 oto, and 3 nerites.
One of the things I am going to do is take stainless steel mesh, or I may use that plastic art mesh, and create a screen for the peacock moss and place it at one end and create a moss wall.
Substrate will be pretty typical for low tech. 75% clay rich yard dirt and 25% cat litter (the el cheapo special kitty all clay litter from wally world) covering a sprinkling of osmocote plus and capped with black diamond blasting sand.
This tank will be diy heavy starting with filtration. Filtration will be provided by a home built filter constructed of pvc and filled with floss, purigen, and ceramic bio-media with all water pre-filtered at the intake by an ATI FilterMax #2 sponge pre-filter. Water will be drawn through the filter by two small power-heads. For the design plans see this thread: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/20-diy/1037113-diy-internal-canister-v2.html
Lighting will be provided by a diy light system built from the remains of two 18" fluorescent light assemblies mounted in a diy canopy. The lights will be Zoomed 15 watt florasun and a 15 watt tropicsun. I havent decided yet what I will build the canopy out of but I will be building it this coming weekend. Most likely I will construct the canopy of 2x2 frame and 1/2 plywood which I have on hand. The canopy will have a hinged front for easy feeding access.
Sticking to the diy theme the stand is diy as well. I dont have the best carpentry tools so the stand has imperfections but will serve its purpose. The stand is the same length and width as the tank and is 28 1/2" tall. The frame is 2x4 and is skinned with 1/4" Luon and trimmed out with 1x3. The top and bottom shelves are 1/2" plywood. The coating will be antique walnut colored polyshade. I have almost completed the stand, would have finished tonight but I didnt have the nails for the trim. Here it is as of this evening.
I look forward to getting this finished and cycled so I can get my rcs in it.
The tank is a standard AGA 20H with the dimensions L = 24 1/4" W = 12 1/2" and H = 16 3/4". The back has been painted black.
I plan on using the same driftwood and will move the plants in it over to the 20H and add some trimmings from my 75 to fill it out. The following is the list of flora this tank will have:
Java fern
Bacopa caroliniana
Ludwigia repens
Alternanthera reineckii 'rosaefolia'
Staurogyne repens
Vesuvius sword
Indian red sword
Peacock moss
Java moss
I will be stocking this with my rcs colony, 6 oto, and 3 nerites.
One of the things I am going to do is take stainless steel mesh, or I may use that plastic art mesh, and create a screen for the peacock moss and place it at one end and create a moss wall.
Substrate will be pretty typical for low tech. 75% clay rich yard dirt and 25% cat litter (the el cheapo special kitty all clay litter from wally world) covering a sprinkling of osmocote plus and capped with black diamond blasting sand.
This tank will be diy heavy starting with filtration. Filtration will be provided by a home built filter constructed of pvc and filled with floss, purigen, and ceramic bio-media with all water pre-filtered at the intake by an ATI FilterMax #2 sponge pre-filter. Water will be drawn through the filter by two small power-heads. For the design plans see this thread: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/20-diy/1037113-diy-internal-canister-v2.html
Lighting will be provided by a diy light system built from the remains of two 18" fluorescent light assemblies mounted in a diy canopy. The lights will be Zoomed 15 watt florasun and a 15 watt tropicsun. I havent decided yet what I will build the canopy out of but I will be building it this coming weekend. Most likely I will construct the canopy of 2x2 frame and 1/2 plywood which I have on hand. The canopy will have a hinged front for easy feeding access.
Sticking to the diy theme the stand is diy as well. I dont have the best carpentry tools so the stand has imperfections but will serve its purpose. The stand is the same length and width as the tank and is 28 1/2" tall. The frame is 2x4 and is skinned with 1/4" Luon and trimmed out with 1x3. The top and bottom shelves are 1/2" plywood. The coating will be antique walnut colored polyshade. I have almost completed the stand, would have finished tonight but I didnt have the nails for the trim. Here it is as of this evening.
I look forward to getting this finished and cycled so I can get my rcs in it.