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CRS Spec Journal

31K views 186 replies 31 participants last post by  MABJ 
#1 · (Edited)
Hey all, thanks for reading another of my journals. This tank has come a long way, and I'd like to preface the whole story of this tank with a full tank shot that I'll keep pretty current.



------- The journey from the beginning.

I've been saving this for a weekend project, and a lot of my business just cleared up, so I can finally get to this!

I've recently started an 18" long 2.5 gal tank and it has sucked up my time and resources, but it is set up and has fauna in it now. But now this tank will be my focus for a while!

So if you don't know the dimensions of a Fluval Spec, it is almost awkwardly tall.

Roughly 10" tall, 6" deep and 7" across. Something like that.

I'll have some rocks to work with Rock Mineral Rubble Natural material Chemical substance


And some driftwood
Natural material


And of course the tank, which will be a clean slate. No plants, removing this gravel and cleaning the tank up.
Glass Aquarium decor Handwriting Freshwater aquarium Fish supply


Basically I'll be working with a cycled this:
Paper product Paper Paper towel Toilet paper Toilet roll holder


Finally, I hope to keep nerites, ramshorns and only CRS in this tank.
 
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#44 ·
Hey thanks for clocking in :) nope. Still working on cycling the cray's tank. Just got the filter in and everything.

Should only be a few weeks and I'll get some beauties in there. This should hopefully be worth the wait. I haven't planted my fissidens or Hydrocotyle yet.
 
#45 ·
Going to officially do this tank tomorrow. Excited. I'll work with some fissidens and Hyrdocoyle species.. I think is how you spell it. Anyways, props to h4n.
 
#46 ·
CRS Fluval Spec rescaping

Hmm I never did get around to adding the fissidens that day, and the Hydro died on me.

But here's a pic of the cray. I'm kind of sad I'll be moving him. He has made a nice home here.

Plant Natural environment Terrestrial plant Organism Vegetation


He always sits right in there while he's resting. When he explores, he explores everywhere.
 
#47 ·
CRS Fluval Spec rescaping

CRS will be here in three days. I will post picture updates very soon.

I got 14 shrimp from Nick. I'm not big on the SSS look anymore. My tastes have changed I guess, and I've decided on the three-line CRS and two-line CRS.

So in grading terms S and SS.
 
#48 ·
CRS Fluval Spec rescaping

Ok I made some big progress today. I patched what little of the small bottom slit was showing, so nothing will be getting in there ever again.

I pulled and moved some mosses, and I FINALLY glued down the Anubias.

The Don of this tank was captured and acclimated to his new home, and this is ready for the new inhabitants in two days.

As for the GH and KH, I'm not good at reading them, but KH was at 0-1 and the GH was at 4-5. PH was at around 6.2. Nitates near zero thanks to the floaters.


.
 
#50 ·
CRS Fluval Spec rescaping

And the shrimp are here and in!! I acclimated them for 1 hour and poured them in. They're SUPER cute. Plant Vertebrate Organism Vegetation Grass


There are 13 three-band (S Grade) and two two band (SS grade)

I think they like the high current.

Plant Wood Organism Trunk Tree
 
#52 ·
CRS Fluval Spec rescaping

I see now why people build shrimp tanks. I love the visual balance in this tank too. :thumbsup:
Thanks a bunch :) they're doing well so far. The tanks parameters have been steady, and there are zero tank shock deaths so far.




MABJ's iDevice used for this message :p
 
#53 ·
CRS Fluval Spec rescaping

Alrighty I JUST figured out my official GH and KH. I figured out the whole formula thing, and the whole test strip thing is in fact inaccurate. I previously thought I had 1 KH, 3 GH.

Since I finally read it right, I have:
5 GH
Less than 1 KH
150 TDS.
Roughly 6.2 PH

That is SPOT ON for CRS. I'm now super confident they're going to do well for me.

My nitrates barely register, ammonia and nitrites don't register of course.

The shells look great two days in :)
 
#54 ·
CRS Fluval Spec rescaping

Plant Gas Terrestrial plant Gadget Machine


Full tank shot

Plant Botany Wood Natural environment Branch


A few shrimpers :)

Plant Leaf Botany Terrestrial plant Vegetation


Not sure if that's algae or diatoms they're feeding on... Suggestions?

Hair Eye Human body Plant Wood


Same shot, different angle.

Plant Automotive tire Bag Helmet Luggage and bags


Several are always in the back munching :)

Well I hope you guys enjoy.
 
#57 ·
CRS Fluval Spec rescaping



Well the sump has open bars, so they're just exploring. They can't get to the dangerous part anymore :)

I'm using the best Nikon cool pix.. It looks like a DSLR but isn't. In hindsight, I'd get a DSLR any day, but this does take good pics.

If I could find a reasonably priced camera and lens, I'd buy one probably.
 
#58 ·
CRS Fluval Spec rescaping

I love this little thing! Are you finding it hard to maintain parameters? And have you done any research on breeding? Supposedly they done very often in smaller tanks


- Mumford
Hey thanks a bunch!! I've also read breeding happens in smaller tanks.

I've read SO much on CRS. This was no impulse purchase. I trained for months to make sure I could keep their water, get their environment ready and finally get them from my man Nick.

It has been 150 TDS for about 2 months. I do not do partial water changes, I only top off. If I do partial water changes, I remineralize the water to 150 TDS that I'm replacing.

I just learned my true GH and KH but they were steady, I just thought they were a little different.

I suppose it is nice to have such a small volume of water. You see them really well, they have a chance to breed and food is always nearby.

As far as reading up on breeding, everything I read points to keeping params really steady and it'll all just kinda work itself out. That is my goal.
 
#59 ·
CRS Fluval Spec rescaping

Tiny update. I left these guys for a week for spring break. I've put them where they will be exposed to natural light each day.

Before I left, I made sure the water was 100% topped off and fed a large portion of something they IMMEDIATELY took to. I recommend ravengates's pumpkin chips to everybody with inverts.

Plant Leaf Botany Natural environment Organism


Jamie said it doesn't disperse in your water like some compressed food, so I fed a little extra. There are plenty of ammonia sucking devices in the tank, so I'll rely on that and take the risk so they have a healthy dose of food for the 7 days I'm gone :(...
 
#61 ·
CRS Fluval Spec rescaping

Looking real good bro!
Thank you very much! I hope I do get some to breed. I've got another tank I'd like to populate, plus this isn't near max capacity :)
 
#62 ·
CRS Fluval Spec rescaping

The moment of truth is tomorrow. I left my tanks on break for 7 days. We'll see if they're ok when I get back tomorrow morning :(. I'll keep you updated.
 
#63 ·
CRS Fluval Spec rescaping

! My shrimp are all alive yay ¡

Super happy. I literally don't think anybody died, and as I feared, the water did drain past the sponge, but not by too much.

I just gave them a big helping of food. It pays off to think ahead. I didn't set the tank up in a hurry, so there was plenty of biofilm.
 
#65 ·
CRS Fluval Spec rescaping



Thanks for your kind words! This is definitely my favorite tank now. I sleep next to it.

Well my crayfish used to do that, but I don't know if the shrimp will.

They haven't yet, but be assured if they do, I'll be shooting pictures.
 
#69 ·
CRS Fluval Spec rescaping

Need some advice guys..

Possibly switching out my light. Breaking down another tank, so I've got a spare light that is very nice. Let me know if you'd select it over the stock light. I'll post pics soon.




MABJ's iDevice used for this message :p
 
#71 ·
CRS Fluval Spec rescaping

I'd sill like input, but I'm liking the way the half strength light looks.

Here are some nice shots.

Shadows among the recovering Anubias. It is recovering quick. The roots immediately started growing upon attachment.
Plant Water Terrestrial plant Pet supply Grass


Plant Leaf Natural environment Wood Organism


Some shots of food time today.
Plant Terrestrial plant Aquatic plant Underwater Grass


Plant Botany Leaf Natural environment Organism


Plant Organism Terrestrial plant Underwater Natural landscape



Finally, a few shrimp took a ride on my tweezers lol.
Plant Botany Window Vegetation Terrestrial plant
 
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