ThatGuy's 10G Iwagumi Shrimp Tank

[ThatGuyWithTheFish]

Yay, I got all my stones! Now I have a rock scape that I can really appreciate. And I have all 4 stone types (oyaishi, fukuishi, soeishi, suteishi). I used Sieryu stone. I like the scape, but I'm not quite sure about the flora and substrate scape. Should I go all HC and have a very high, sloping back? Or should I keep about like this, and go for a DHG belem background?

[Geniusdudekiran]

Nice, but the large stone on the right needs some work.

I would suggest moving it closer in toward the left and angling it back.

But that is just my two cents.

[ThatGuyWithTheFish]

Originally Posted by Geniusdudekiran

Nice, but the large stone on the right needs some work.

I would suggest moving it closer in toward the left and angling it back.

But that is just my two cents.

Hm, yeah. That stone is hard to work with, as it is a bit bigger, and concave on the other side (facing the gravel). So I really want to downplay its significance with a flatter angle. I moved it a bit, but hopefully it will make more sense when I have all the gravel in.

[ThatGuyWithTheFish]

Yay! I got some shrimp stratum from h4n to finish up my hardscape. Any last advice before I start planting tomorrow?

[ThatGuyWithTheFish]

A bit more than a week later, and my tank has HC, is flooded and cycling. I put two Zebra/Tiger nerites in to poop up, but I think the 3 algae wafers and pinch of flakes did it's job, because ammonia and nitrates are high. Hopefully the Tetra SafeStart will make it ready for PFRs by next Monday. My HC melted a lot and has this white strandy stuff covering it. I'm dosing 1ml of Excel each day for CO2.

[Yamaz]

Your tank looks good.....Thanks for Ray Allen

[ThatGuyWithTheFish]

Wow, it's been too long since I've update this. My tank is now cycled, and houses a Zebra Nerite, Tiger Nerite, and 20 Fire Reds from jimko. I'm also going to get some mature PFRs from msjinkzd for color and breeding. I have most of the HC I'll start off with, just one more pot to fill in a few more spaces. It's growing well. The shrimp move around so much!



HC bunch with a grazing fire red:


It's so hard to get a decent shot of my shrimp with my Point and Shoot. Turn around you!


There we go.


HC is much easier to photograph, it stay still. But you can see two photobombs...

[moosenart]

update!

[ThatGuyWithTheFish]

Alright, several pots of HC and 72 hours straight light later, the HC has really grown. I wonder how many more months I have until it fully carpets?

I've also added two otos. I don't think they eat GDA though. Here's one munching on a piece of zucchini.

The fire reds have also colored up very well. Too bad there are 8 RCS, 6 Sakura, 4 Fire Reds, and maybe one PFR. I'll cull out the RCS and buy adult PFR next time. Maybe using BW Crimson and Color will help F1, though. I've seen at least 5 saddled ladies too.

[ThatGuyWithTheFish]

30 minutes worth of Cladophora removal:


Yuck, I hate it so much! >:C It smelled so bad it made me feel ill.

Also, hurry up and get pregnant ladies! XD

[ThatGuyWithTheFish]

Cladophora is mostly gone, but I find some every few days. GDA/GSA is gone from the spaces I've scraped, too, but is caked on glass in some areas. I've had 2 berried shrimp drop there eggs, and I don't know why, other than it's their first. Known parameters are:

pH: 7.2-7.4
kH: 3-4
Nitrates: 10ppm

I'll also think I want to remove the otos. They don't do anything in terms of eating algae, and one freaks out and darts around the tank, even knocking into shrimp sometimes. Pics tomorrow maybe.

[tryank]

Originally Posted by ThatGuyWithTheFish

Alright, several pots of HC and 72 hours straight light later, the HC has really grown.

Did I read this right? You leave your lights on for 72 hours straight? I just planted some HC in a new tank, so... if you've done it before and had good experiences with it I might have to try it. I thought the HC had to have a daily break to have a chance to grow. ? I'm a noob though!

[ThatGuyWithTheFish]

Originally Posted by tryank

Did I read this right? You leave your lights on for 72 hours straight? I just planted some HC in a new tank, so... if you've done it before and had good experiences with it I might have to try it. I thought the HC had to have a daily break to have a chance to grow. ? I'm a noob though!

No, it was by accident. But the HC seemed to like it, as well as the algae, though.

[ThatGuyWithTheFish]

Here's my third berried shrimp. Hopefully this one won't drop...


And here's a FTS of the HC carpeting progress. The middle is doing so well because it gets the most light, and I planted it the most. I might buy some more HC to fill in the sides. Hopefully it'll be fully carpeted by Christmas.

[ThatGuyWithTheFish]

Okay, I think I've figured out why the females were dropping their eggs. The TDS was 490, and the GH was 13. So I used distilled water for this water change and it's down to 380! I'll be using distilled at least until I can get the TDS down to ~200. And I can now say that the middle is practically carpeted. I just have to wait until it can be trimmed so I can make it even.