vca2004's 16g Shrimp Scape - NEW Update 12/27/09

[vca2004]

I've been in this hobby for 11 years now and have always had planted aquariums. I am from Germany and people there have never been big on plastic plants . I took a two year break after my 70gal (http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/my...7-vca2004.html) ran perfectly and things got boring to me.
Now I am back and I guess I am gonna stay in the hobby now. Buying and selling for much less is just too expensive .

Tank Stats:
16 gallon - 20"x10"x18.5"
DIY sponge filter w/powerhead 109 gph
50W Ebo Jager heater
(2) 20W 6500K GE Daylight Spiral Fluorescent (2.5wpg)
Carbon via Seachem Excel

40% ADA Aquasoil Amazonia II
60% CaribSea Tahitian Moon Sand
Malaysian Driftwood
River Pebbles

Plants:
Cabomba caroliniana
Microsorum pterous 'Narrow'
Ludwigia arcuata
Anubias barteri 'Nana'
Echinodorus tenellus
Hemianthus callitrichoides

Future Livestock:
Crystal Red Shrimp
Otocinclus sp.
(Nerite Snails)

Tap Water:
pH 7, kH 5, gH 9, Nitrate 0.34 ppm, Sodium 5.2 ppm

Tank Water (after 2 weeks):
pH 6.2, kH 0, gH 3.5, 76°F


And now finally the pictures:

Day 1

[vca2004]

And of course I had to move things around again and again . So this is what it looks like on Day 16. I found a nice forum member from my area, who sold me a bunch of Narrow Leaf Java Fern and the L.arcuata. Eventually the Cabomba should hide the filter and heater.

I already have zero ammonia and >1.6 mg/L nitrite in the tank since a couple days. Can't wait to put the Otos in soon.

[pKaz]

Looks Awesome!

[Down_Shift]

wow that's one good looking tank!!!
And that thing looks ALOt bigger than a 16g!! It's going to look really good for shrimp!

[xximanoobxx]

FYI, if that heater is the Eheim Jager/Ebo Jager one, the heater can only be submersed up to a line about 1/2" from the top of the unit.

I've read it somewhere..
Tank looks awesome!!

[vca2004]

Originally Posted by xximanoobxx

FYI, if that heater is the Eheim Jager/Ebo Jager one, the heater can only be submersed up to a line about 1/2" from the top of the unit.

I've read it somewhere..
Tank looks awesome!!

Yes, it's an Ebo Jager heater and it IS fully submersible. You can look it up on the manufacturers website (http://www.eheim.com/base/eheim/inha...ail_24552_ehen). It's an internet myth that for some reason is cannot be fully submersed. That line is just for reference so one can see the minimum amount it should be submersed.

And thanks to xximanoobxx and everybody else for the compliments. It's still a work in progress and just a matter of time until I move stuff around again .

[THaehn]

Looks amazing. Subscribed for sure. Do you have any other pictures / information on your 70 gallon. That was really cool with the cichlids breeding. Looking forward to this
one.

[vca2004]

The tank is cycled after 22 days !! Actually it was cycled a couple days ago, but I added some more ammonium hydroxide just to make sure. Did a 50% water change and bought 4 Otociclus vittatus. I'll post some pictures once they regained their color.

My pH went back up to 6.4, kH 0, gH 4.5. Basically the perfect parameters for some CRS .

[Digsy]

Looks great so far! I'm looking forward to the updates, especially when you get the shrimp.

[billb]

Hi Vanessa,

I love the built-in tank - really well done. I have not done my homework on this subject yet but do you have any concerns about using Excel with shrimp?

Bill
Ps - That is a great piece of drift wood for shrimp. Looks like it has some nice hiding places.

[vca2004]

Thanks everybody.

@billb: The shrimp should be fine as long as you don't (accidentally) overdose the Excel. I don't know this from personal experience as it is the first time that I don't have regular CO2 on a tank, but I've read that in many posts/articles from seasoned shrimp-keepers.

[vca2004]

Here are a few pictures of my Otos...

[Strick]

Beautiful!! A+!

[Wicket_lfe]

That is awesome!

[vca2004]

Did some replanting again today on Day 28. I know I shouldn't mess with it that much and let the plants grow for a while. But I just can't keep my fingers out of the water and so far I always thought the scape was kinda off (the Never Good Enough syndrome)...

I had to take out all the Ludwigia as it was just decomposing without CO2 and so little light. But it was a freebie, so I'm not very troubled by this .
I also took out all the Java Fern plantlets as they too were melting, whereas the large fern is doing great. Besides that I took out the driftwood, cut the front edge (previously hidden by Anubias) off with a saw. That gave me more depth for a nicer layout in this 10" slim tank. Separated the Anubias rhizomes further to fit them into the little nooks and crannies of the driftwood because I was tired of the cotton thread coming loose.

HC is hanging in there. I started taking out all the rockwool that I planted it with initially and it seems to help it adjust.

I am still debating with myself, if I should exchange the Cabomba with a reddish stemplant in the corner by the filter...