[senor0kun]

Tank
Mr. Aqua 12-Gallon Long

Lighting
36" Current USA Satellite+

Filtration
Eheim 2211
ADA 11mm Lily Pipe Outflow
CAL AQUA LABS Influx X1 (13mm)

CO2
ADA CO2 Advance System
Do! Aqua Diffuser

Substrate
Fluval Shrimp Stratum 8lb bag x3

Hardscape
Petrified Wood

 

[Fiftymeatballs]

Scape looks great, love the petrified wood.

What are your plans for plants? I'm a little confused as to why you went shrimp stratum over aqua soil but then opted to buy ada's c02 setup? I ask that because I have used aqua soil with amazing results and if was given the opportunity to buy one item from ADA it would def be aqua soil hands down.
I take it you plan on growing a carpet since you have c02 and your setup is iwagumi.

 

[senor0kun]

Scape looks great, love the petrified wood.

What are your plans for plants? I'm a little confused as to why you went shrimp stratum over aqua soil but then opted to buy ada's c02 setup? I ask that because I have used aqua soil with amazing results and if was given the opportunity to buy one item from ADA it would def be aqua soil hands down.

Thanks, I'm still playing with the rocks, while I wait for my light to get in.

I picked up the soil at the LFS when I picked up the rocks. small grain is supposed to be good for shrimp. I'm thinking dwarf baby tears and hairgrass.

Haven't decided on fish yet. suggesions?

 

[Fiftymeatballs]

Shrimp stratum has no nutrients in it for your plants roots which will make it harder to get that carpet you want. Some root tabs could help. Also the satellite plus is low light on most standard size tanks, on a tank as shallow as yours I think it's considered medium. I picked one up for a moss only tank last month, still testing it out. I recall a post where someone on here could not grow DHG for their life with the satellite even with co2 and EI. Not sure how well it's going to do for plants like HC that like a lot of co2 and light. Sorry to sound so negative it's not my intention.



What type of shrimp you going for?

 

[senor0kun]

I'm digging the scarlet badis and some sort of filter feeding shrimp - flower, viper, or bamboo

 

[acitydweller]

nice hardscape arrangement.

as a long time user of Fluval shrimp stratum, i highly recommend avoiding it if the intent is to keep shrimp. Its just too unpredictable and there is not benefit other than asthetics... There are better alternatives out there.

 

[senor0kun]

Thanks, @acitydweller. What do you mean unpredictable?

I feel committed to the substrate at this point. I did spend a fair amount of change on it already, so I'd hate to dump it. I added a 4lb bag of the regular plant stratum and put about 10 flourish tabs in the bed, so I should be good as far as plant nutrients go.

I'm also planning on using flourish excel and CO2 to help with the carpeting.

On asthetics, I'm hoping it will be a non-issue, since I'm planning for complete ground cover.

Thoughts?

 

[senor0kun]

Today's hardscape update. Project "simplify arrangement". Tomorrow, lighting, flourish excel and test kit. Inching closer to picking up plants.

 

[NaturePlanted]

Beautiful tank! Great job on the layout simple and clean.

 

[senor0kun]

Thanks, @NaturePlanted! I've been staring at this thing for a month, and I'm imagining that the plants will help a lot. I got my lighting, test kit, and fertilizer today, so planting begins this weekend.

 

[senor0kun]

Lighting installed.

 

[senor0kun]

 

[andrewjohn007]

Solid set up! I'm aboard for the journey...

 

[andrewjohn007]

Holy crap, your riparium hybrid is stellar! Representing Clutch City!

 

[senor0kun]

Thanks, Andrew! I just rearranged the layout, so I'll be posting some new photos soon. stay tuned.

also, on this one, I should be picking up some livestock soon. water has stabalized, and plants are growing.

 

[senor0kun]

Here's a photo update for the day. all three plants are doing nicely. the baby tears are getting some green hair algae, so I reduced the lights by an hour and did a 30% water change. will add algae eating creatures later this week.

 

[senor0kun]

Added first round of livestock this week.

25 Orange Bee Shrimp
5 Clown Killies

Next will be 3-5 Scarlet Badis.

My ADA CO2 kit is crapping out on me, so I'm considering going for the paintball CO2 tank and Aquatek Regulator Mini unit for size and integrated solenoid.

Anybody have experience with this setup?

 

[Projectp]

I have that setup and its been great so far. With a 20oz tank its a small package easy to hide

 

[senor0kun]

awesome, thanks.

 

[tetra10]

consider a double stage regulator, dont go cheap on co2 equipment. Save up and spend it on something that is of high quality and will last. Non dual stage regulators have an "end of tank dump" where the co2 tank empty's all at once and it can gas your fish if you do not pay attention to how much co2 you have left. Just putting this out there. Talk to the forum members oldpunk or bettatail, they are super knowledgeable on this subject but bettatail has been busy lately. Either way, do some research and you can thank me later.