Crystal Red Shrimp - 10 gallon - build thread!

[phoenixkiller]

New thread! I am actually tearing the tank down AGAIN, due to a pH issue in Eco-Complete. I purchased another 9l bag of ADA Aquasoil (I ruined a different amount of the expensive magic dirt by washing it), and the tank should be down sometime this week.

DO NOT POST UNTIL I HAVE POSTED 6 SPACE SAVERS!

Tank Specifications:

Aquarium:
This is the standard ten gallon aquarium, black rims. A few scratches due to its age. Used first as an aquatic turtle tank, then for a wild Texas Tortoise, then turtles again, then fish, then Red Cherry Shrimp, and now this. Dimensions are 20" long, 12" high, and 10" front-to-back.

Lighting:
I use a Menard's full spectrum desk lamp. It is 6,500k, 27w lamp, works fine for what I use it for. I would like to upgrade to a better, more efficient light, so please PM me if you have a 20" light strip layin' around.

Substrate:
I am most proud to announce I will be using magic dirt, Aqua Design Amano (ADA) Aquasoil - NEW Amazonia. This stuff is not cheap, and hard to come by. Glad someone local had some that I could pick up for cheap (Special thanks to The Planted Tank Forum member Lkittredge!!)

Filtration (All specs):
Primary filter is an Aqueon Power Filter, of the QuietFlow series, model is Aqueon QuietFlow 10. I have added an extra large portion of Seachem Purigen to squeeze in there.

Secondary filter is an oversized sponge filter. Works well, bit big though.

Heating:
I use a crappy, cheap Top Fin 50w heater, nothing fancy. Gets the job done, has yet to fail me though. I have heard poor reviews of this series from Petsmart, I must have gotten lucky.

Living Inhabitants:

Flora:
I am going to turn this into a beautiful moss tank, here's what I got so far:
Fissidens
Mini Fissidens
Rose
Mini Christmas
Taiwan

Fauna:
As of today, only a booming colony of Ramshorn and Pond snails. This will contain A or S grade Crystal Red Shrimp though.

Sustenance:
Foods, supplements, snacks.

Main foods are Jake's Om Nom Nom Complete Veggie, Organic Barley, Veggie Sticks with Extra Calcium, and Shrimplet Growth. I have TONS of 2-day portions of all kinds of high brand shrimp foods, for all species of shrimp (Special thanks to pejerrey for his kind RAOK of shrimp food samples!!). I also have a small vial of each of Mosura Mineral Plus and Old Sea Mud Powder.

Got some plants shrimp can graze on, as well as some portions of Cholla wood, and pieces of driftwood from various online sources.

Fertilizer Dosing:
None, as some ferts contain the heavy (And shrimp-toxic) metal copper. I have an assortment of root tabs if needed though.

Carbon Dioxide Injection:
None. I do not want to risk the lives of pricey-er shrimp with CO2 injection.

Water:
The precious substance. Using jugged distilled water from local store, mixed with proper amounts of Seachem Prime and Bee Shrimp Mineral GH+. You can probably guess the parameters. (pH is 6.5 or so)

Pictures to come, don't have time at the moment.

Thanks for reading, please subscribe!

If I left anything out in this first post, go ahead and lemme know what I left out, I'll be happy to include it!

[phoenixkiller]

Got a few pictures! Just set up the tank today, thankfully the ADA Aquasoil hasn't really been stirred. The back glass panel won't be empty for too long, I just want to finish soaking a driftwood piece.

[phoenixkiller]

Space Saver 2 out of 6

[phoenixkiller]

Space Saver 3 out of 6.

[phoenixkiller]

Space Saver 4 out of 6.

[phoenixkiller]

Space saver 5 out of 6.

[phoenixkiller]

Final Space Saver.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=199815 Crystal

[bostoneric]

Nice details.

Any reason distilled over RO water?

[sayurasem]

Can't wait for pictures!

[somewhatshocked]

Looks like the start of a cool journal.

A heater likely won't be necessary for shrimp. So you could leave that out.

Prime also isn't necessary if you're using RO/DI water.

[phoenixkiller]

Originally Posted by somewhatshocked

Looks like the start of a cool journal.

A heater likely won't be necessary for shrimp. So you could leave that out.

Prime also isn't necessary if you're using RO/DI water.

My house stays cold due to a few people upstairs (My college siblings) that want it colder. So I just have one in there just in case.

I add Prime just because it has ammonia/nitrIte detoxifying properties, and it just makes me feel secure, adding conditioner.

Thank you!

[somewhatshocked]

Prime just raises your total dissolved solids. With Crystals, that's something you need to keep in check at all times. Best only to use it if it's necessary.

Unless your tank gets below 50, you probably won't ever need a heater. I only use them in tanks with heavy breeding and in areas where I can't keep things 60 and up.

[phoenixkiller]

Originally Posted by somewhatshocked

Prime just raises your total dissolved solids. With Crystals, that's something you need to keep in check at all times. Best only to use it if it's necessary.

Unless your tank gets below 50, you probably won't ever need a heater. I only use them in tanks with heavy breeding and in areas where I can't keep things 60 and up.

Oh. I see. I'll quit using the Prime then. Don't want the TDS to get outta control there.

I'll take out the heater. I just remembered that CRS do like the temp to be low.

Thank you!!

[BoxxerBoyDrew]

Can't wait to see this one develop!

I really want to set up a tank just like this, but it will probably be a 20g since I have one laying around!

Great mixture of mosses too! Really want to see them grow!

Subscribed!

Best of luck to Ya!
Drew

[phoenixkiller]

Originally Posted by bostoneric

Nice details.

Any reason distilled over RO water?

No, but I recently ordered a good quality and fair priced RO/DI system (5 stage, 75 GPD) from a fellow hobbyist who had no use for it.