Vlad's 10 Gallon Shrimp Tank

[Vladdy]

I made the journal a while after setting up the tank. Also some of my pictures disappeared and I had to delete some of the entries because there were no pictures to go with them.

Here's a list of all of the materials. Every time I buy something for the tank, I will add it to this list. The list does not include fish, fish food, or plant fertilizers.

Two 10 watt fluorescent light bulbs: about $10
Tank which came with light, and old filter, which I don't use anymore:$30
Bogwood (currently not using): $11
Gravel (only use part of it now): $6
Play sand (40lbs): $2.39
New Filter: $26
Banana plants: $5
2 unknown plants: $4.50
Dwarf cup rotala: $2.30
Anacharis: $2.30
Hornwort: got from friend
Pheonix moss: got from pond, bleached
Micro sword: $5
Thermometer (hidden behind filter): $1.50
Stand: $70
3 crayfish (gave them away): $2.25
10 ghost shrimp: $1

It all adds up

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I changed the substrate to play sand. I bought a 40 pound bag at Wal-Mart for less than two and a half bucks. I took out the bogwood because it kept growing this slime on it which kept getting on my plants. My micro sword wasn't growing very well in the gravel. I hope it will grow better in the play sand. Also, the dwarf cup rotala grew a lot better. In the previous picture, where it is to the right of the bogwood, it looks nothing like in this picture, where it is to the right of the anacharis. The tank looks like a little stream. I like how I took that picture with the ripples on top of the water. I want the Egeria densa (anacharis) to grow taller so that it will look like in the second picture. Don't know what to do with that ugly little clump of moss. My micro sword and my 2 unknown plants are starting to grow some algae on them. I don't know how to remove it. I don't want to bleach them. Now I'll start write down the date.

-5/18/09


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I put the bogwood back in, as requested. I'll give it another chance, but if I see any more slime, out it goes. Sorry for the bad picture. When the water clears up, I will update it. I also took out one of the unknown plants. It was an algae magnet. I also miss the blackwater look that the bogwood gave to the tank. I want to get some South American fish, but I can't because the tiger barb might pick on them. He doesn't pick on the molly though. For some reason, my hygro, I don't know exactly what kind it is, the leaves are melting at the tips. I also added a little more sand.

-5/19/09


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I got 10 ghost shrimp. 7 of them are berried. Don't know how to breed them. Need some advice. I also took out the mopani wood and added some brushwood and a coconut shell.

-5/27/09

I'm having trouble adding an image because of my new web browser.

[IMG]http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/images/yourtanks/yt_2816e.jpg[IMG]
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UPDATE: This tank is not in service anymore. I now have a 20 gallon tall.

[FrostyNYC]

Couple things. What is the intensity of your light? What kind of bulb? What wattage? Do you have a reflector?

Pool sand is inert, so you're probably going to have to dose ferts. Most of your plants are relatively easy except for the microsword. How much you have to dose depends on your lighting. You might consider trying out DIY CO2 with yeast and a soda bottle.

Your substrate looks a little low. How deep is it? Also, you might consider sloping it to add some depth, with higher sand in the back and lower in the front.

Is that a tiger barb and a molly? Is the tiger barb nipping at the molly yet?

[Vladdy]

Originally Posted by FrostyNYC

Couple things. What is the intensity of your light? What kind of bulb? What wattage? Do you have a reflector?

Pool sand is inert, so you're probably going to have to dose ferts. Most of your plants are relatively easy except for the microsword. How much you have to dose depends on your lighting. You might consider trying out DIY CO2 with yeast and a soda bottle.

Your substrate looks a little low. How deep is it? Also, you might consider sloping it to add some depth, with higher sand in the back and lower in the front.

Is that a tiger barb and a molly? Is the tiger barb nipping at the molly yet?

Thanks for the advice . The tiger barb doesn't nip the molly. Whenever he would nip her, she would chase him around. Now he doesn't nip her anymore. He just does his own thing. He used to nip his buddy. He nipped him to death. Another one of my tiger barbs stopped eating and died. The lighting is 20 watts total. I got a reflector for it.

[FrostyNYC]

Tiger barbs should really kept in groups of at least 6, and more than that is better. If you keep less than that, as you noticed, they tend to die.

Your microsword is probably not going to make it in your tank. 20 watts in a 10 gallon is not enough lighting to support it. What kind of bulb do you have? (twisty compact flourescent? T7 strip light? T5 strip light?) There are better ground covers for low light tanks. How many hours a day are you leaving the light on?

[Vladdy]

The light is a compact spiral bulb. I leave the light on more than 12 hours a day. The micro sword is doing great. If it survived the conditions at Petco, it will live in my tank.

[blair]

I think yours looks great You just need some rocks or driftwood to add a focal element. Try to keep the attention of your 'focal element' place it at 1/3 O.C. (visually partition the tank into thirds and place the object on the line of one of those side partitions. It will throw an asymmetrical balance for your tank that will feel dynamic yet appropriate.

To stop the wood from growing slime try wrapping it with moss using cotton thread. It is sort of a PITA, but looks awesome when it matures. It will need occasional trimming to keep it under control. I will be doing this in my 20 gallon very soon

Here is what I mean...

http://www.adana-usa.com/images/gallery02/24.jpg

As for shrimp, stick to Red Cherry Shrimp, Amano, or Snowballs to name a few (note that a combo of shrimp can be difficult... Amano's tend to be bossy and hoard food and cross-breeding can occur between certain types of shrimp). Shy away from Crystal Red and Bee.

The RCS and Snowball will have no problem breeding and thriving in a 10 gallon. Others are more delicate and require very difficult water conditions (pH under 7) and more space to breed. My CRS in the 10 gallon lived, but never accomplished much else. I now use only Aqua Soil to keep the pH under 7 for them in my larger tanks and pay more attention to the parameters.

However, my snowball is currently 'berried' in my 10 gallon Keep it simple to start.

[Vladdy]

Wow! That's an awesome tank! I could never get mine to look like that. My bogwood is back by request.

[Vladdy]

Thanks for your comments. They helped me a lot. I also cleaned all of that nasty algae.

[zavikan]

take your time looking for the 'right' piece of centerpiece. Once you find it, you'll simply know it. It wont be a 'well gee, maybe this will work...'

Going sand eh? you are adventurous

I like how your piece of wood peeks out of the sand in the front a bit. gives the bottom that endless feel. like its earth.

I used to have driftwood proped against the glass....thought it was a pain to clean. something to think about.

James

[Vladdy]

Thanks for the advice.

[jfrank85]

Whats wrong with using sand?

[FrostyNYC]

Originally Posted by jfrank85

Whats wrong with using sand?

Lots of people use sand and love it. However, it's inert (doesnt supply any nutrients) so you have to be sure to dose ferts if you're going to keep demanding plants. Also, depending on how fine it is, you can get anaerobic pockets from compaction. Also, white sand gets dirty and ugly in my experience. Algae, mulm, etc. I do like how it looks when clean. Reminds me of the beach.

[jfrank85]

I use sand all of the time. yeah it can be a challenge to up keep but ive got mts and corries that help with that.

[sewingalot]

Cute tank. What are your plans for fish? I am surprised the tiger barb isn't mean to your molly. Must be one tough girl.

[zavikan]

when ever I had mollies, they ruled my tank...just me?