Confused journey of another nano

[MABJ]

Hey guys!

This will officially be my first journal here. You can skip the story and just look at pictures at the end if you like, but I'll be sure to keep a current picture, along with updating the confusing story as I go!

I've wanted another tank for a long while, but I didn't know exactly where to drop money. Well I saw the very first fish tank I ever bought dusty in my garage shortly before the semester began, and I decided it would be the perfect place to reinvest.

It is a vanilla looking 2.5 gallon tank, ripe with potential. Potential that is fermenting, as I can't come up with ideas for it! I already know its inhabitants. They will be 4 red cherry shrimp, two small CPO crayfish and possibly -- maybe -- someday a trio of H. Formosa (Least Killifish). I do have a few things I know I want for the tank. I want it to use its entire top and bottom area with a scape, but I don't want to delve into the high tech arena. I don't do CO2 yet, so high lighting is out.

-- More story time! --

So I was very unhappy with the way the tank looked, also that many of my things either weren't shipping, or shipped wrong. So I decided to change everything up. Admittedly, I borrowed from a few other people's ideas, but they all will get their credit!

-After getting sick of the standard 2.5, I fell in LOVE with Somewhatshocked's new nano: a 2.5ish gallon Deep Blue Professional tank that is a whopping 18" long, 6" deep and 7" high. It is an impressive footprint for anything I may put in this tank. I've got a lot of possible ideas, but I'll give my little CPO's their shot first . Needless to say, I found a good deal online, and I got it for $32 shipped.
-I got screwed on a light purchase from Dr.Fosters&Smith, but they took a return, so after searching around, Somewhatshocked gets credit again. He helped me pick out a mounted 300 lumen LED unit, which puts my tank right on the low-mid light line. Just what I wanted. The light will cost $35 shipped, but with a RAOK won gift card from l8nite, it will cost me $10 shipped.
-When visiting a friend's apartment, I fell in love with the sandstone he had in his tank. Bananariot gets credit for pointing me in the direction of Bartohog who sold me the sandstone for $32 shipped. I got to pick and choose the stones, which they both guaranteed haven't, and wont, leech into my water. Fresh from a mountain in Arkansas, they needed cleaning. I fixed them up and plopped a few in. I've still got a TON of stone left, so this was definitely a great purchase. The amount of stone in this tank will get a price tag of $11, as I'll be using the other stone for a long time to come.
-I got screwed on aquabid, but in a futile attempt to save some of my plants, DogFish kindly shipped me a package of plants which currently are they makeup of my tank. They desperately need permanent homes for their roots and that light, so I hope it all works out soon. Final cost? ($7 shipped)
-I've added a black background to the tank, I think it looks awesome, but I'm open to changing the color. I've rescaped a few of the plants.

Everything is coming together, but it doesn't mean I don't still have goals!

Goals for this tank:
*Improve on aquascape
*Try my hand at keeping a lower PH around 7.0, keeping KH around 5
*Possibly breeding my cute little CPO rulers of the tank.
*Possibly attempt a moss wall
*Keep it low budget -- possibly under 100 for tank only use

As I want to keep it low budget, I'll mark where my money has gone this far.

Expenditures:
15 watt heater, which probably won't get used on the tank -- $8 shipped.
Azoo Palm HOB filter, which I will hopefully insta cycle with media from my up-and-running Spec -- $12 shipped.
300 Lumen light fixture -- $10 (Normal cost of $35) shipped
Half bag of Fuval Shrimp Stratum -- $6 shipped (I got a whole bag, but it was split between two tanks)
1/3 box of amazing sandstone -- $11 shipped (I'll use the other 2/3 on other tanks)
Plant package RAOK -- ($7 shipped)
Tank itself -- $32 shipped

Total budget: Roughly $100
Total spent on this tank to date: $86

--

I've recently bought things for my tank which truly aren't necessary, but I decided I wanted them anyways!

I purchased a second filter, a black background, Tom Barr driftwood and a shipment of H4n plants!

A quick thank you to Acitydweller, DogFish, l8nite, bananariot, bartohog, somewhatshocked, H4N and my friends from other forums who also registered here, along with many others who have taken time to help me out.

Current tank picture:

[MABJ]

Okay, here's some beginning photos.

Full tank, just planted a few things.. Not their permanent homes..



Shot from the top.. This is my driftwood I took from a trip to Puerto Rico, so probably palm wood.



And a shot of some of the critters who will soon hopefully inhabit the tank.



Game time: can you pick out the 6 inverts?

--

The driftwood is slowly sinking, it barely dipped into the water a few days ago, but it's soaking quicker and quicker.

Any suggestions thus far?!

[MABJ]

Azoo filter in! This thing is SO cute.

I also put in a tetra heater, which keeps the temp around 78. Necessary since it is so cold.

I stuck an adjustable heater in my spec, so I'm happy about that because I wanted the temp around 72 in there. I'd like to try some different shrimp.

I'll keep this posted Praying for an instant cycle!

[EnigmaticGuppy92]

this looks promising what plants are you thinking of??
nice dw

[MABJ]

Thanks!

I am not thinking of much! It's a confused tank :P Lol.

I've got anubias nana, bacopa, a variety of other stem plants and some moss.

I want to do something simple, so I may just do driftwood, moss and anubias.

I'll put my stems in my spec :P

I'm getting some more / different driftwood for the tank from Tom Barr.

I know I would like a moss wall

[EnigmaticGuppy92]

a moss wall would be cool

[c_gwinner]

You gonna keep those cherry shrimp (what they look like to me) with your CPO? Not worried about the CPO snacking on them and attaching them.

Nice looking tank by the way. Hope your driftwood becomes sedentary and sinks for you soon haha. Will look nice and clean and not like an Ark is in there.

[MABJ]

Originally Posted by c_gwinner

You gonna keep those cherry shrimp (what they look like to me) with your CPO? Not worried about the CPO snacking on them and attaching them.

Nice looking tank by the way. Hope your driftwood becomes sedentary and sinks for you soon haha. Will look nice and clean and not like an Ark is in there.

LOL an Ark. It is sinking a lot. More and more, and I bet the higher temp will help.

Yes. They're all going to be good friends. They inhabit a tank now, with only a little give and chase. I think since there's so few, they should be OK. But the Crays certainly are meat eaters lol.

And yeah I just haven't decided what moss to use yet lol.


From MABJ's iPhone
2G Fluval Spec ~ fauna and flora in the works!

[MABJ]

Ok my light should get here Friday or Thursday.

I've also got driftwood on the way from Tom Barr so I'm very excited about that.

About the light: it is a 9W 50/50 CFL clip on. The price was 11.99 and it was part of a JBJ picotope set. Dr. Foster & Smith offered it separately though.

I plan on testing this light out, however I know one half of it is blue hued and the other half is 10k acintic. The light is 2 pronged, so I believe I can get a replacement.

I've spotted a few 50/50s that are 6700k 9W. Should I be doing this swap?

Thanks all


From MABJ's iPhone
2G Fluval Spec ~ fauna and flora in the works!

[MABJ]

Wow. I feel screwed over by fosters and smith. They said they were selling a 9W lamp... They sent me a lightbulb. I will not be buying from them ever again. Return package out.

Next up? Does anybody have a light they recommend for this tank? I'm looking on amazon for a few lights. I see a ray light I like, but it says it only is compatible with 1/8inch acrylic aquariums.. Mine is glass with a rim.

Hey I warned that this was a confusing one lol.


From MABJ's iPhone
2G Fluval Spec ~ fauna and flora in the works!

[CPD]

I managed to get a dymax LED onto my 2.5g


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[MABJ]

Originally Posted by CPD

I managed to get a dymax LED onto my 2.5g


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Do you have a link? Do you know the kelvin, wattage and lumens?


From MABJ's iPhone
2G Fluval Spec ~ fauna and flora in the works!

[CPD]

Originally Posted by MABJ

Do you have a link? Do you know the kelvin, wattage and lumens?


From MABJ's iPhone
2G Fluval Spec ~ fauna and flora in the works!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004K7..._d_detail?pd=1 but I couldn't find the kelvin, wattage or lumens


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[MABJ]

Originally Posted by CPD

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004K7..._d_detail?pd=1 but I couldn't find the kelvin, wattage or lumens


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Thanks very much I'll let you know what I think when I get to a computer. I'll post all the lights I'm considering.


From MABJ's iPhone
2G Fluval Spec ~ fauna and flora in the works!

[MABJ]

Small update --

I'm officially replacing the tank. The standard 2.5 was not doing it for me.

I've got a brand new 18 inch long Deep Blue Professional tank. Only 2.3 gallons, but such a big footprint. So I'm happy.

I've got sandstone coming from bartohog on Tuesday, and I'm ready to start this thing off. Not sure if I'll do moss as a majority yet. Still experimenting.

I do have nematodes already, if that doesn't tell you something lol. So hopefully it means I'm getting a decent biofilm started.


From MABJ's iPhone
2G Fluval Spec ~ fauna and flora in the works!