Please suggest foreground layout for Low tech shrimp tank

[cs_sg]

Hello,

This is my 2 weeks old shrimp tank. Just rearranged the driftwood today.

I'm using Blyxa japonica in this tank so I need to dose my KNO3 every 2 days.
I'm going to have a 18W PL over this 15gallon.




For the bare foreground, please throw in your ideas, whether I should just:

1) Leave them as it is.
2) Get more Blyxa to fill in the spaces close to the driftwoods.
3) Tie more moss on pebbles and place around the driftwood.
4) Please suggest an easy foreground plant for this non-CO2 tank. (No hairgrass please)

Tank Spec:
Dimension: 46x37x37cm (slight curve front)
Lighting: currently using 2x18WFL < Going to change to 1x18W PL
Fan 24hrsx7
Temp around 27deg
Substrate: Lapis sand with root monster.
HOB Filter
Dr Mallick's Aqua and Micro once a week.
Pinch of KNO3 twice a week.

Plants:
Moss: Erect Moss, Taiwan Moss, Mini Moss
Petite Nana
Blyxa japonica

[|squee|]

Nice wood!

Two ways you can do...

1) HC all over the place.

2) More blyxia and moss, and white sand covering 1cm of the foreground.

[Fei Miao]

Just stick with moss on the fringe of the wood and leave the forground bare would be nice.

[Phillipians]

IMO, i think adding some more japonica on the left background would look quite good to ensure that there are no gaps in btw at the background. Also the front right side DW (or is it a stone with Moss?) should be moved more to the left so that the focal point of this tank is more to the left and not all over the place. then the right hand side what you can do is to either tie Moss to mesh and use as foreground or create more a more 'mossy' feel by adding more moss to the side of the DW and leaving the foreground bare.

If you really are interested in a foreground, the best recommendation would be e.tenellus, as it is neither light demanding nor fert demanding but be forewarned that it is a rather invasive plant that can overtake the whole foreground of your tank.

[turtlehead]

Fill the foreground a little more with moss and leave the sand. Or add HC and moss.

[Justikanz]

I would suggest adding more japonica to the left side and shift the moss (that's moss on the right, right?) out a little. You can either

1) Leave the substrate bare as it is now and let the moss grow out, or
2) Grow more moss on wire meshes and lay them on the bare substrate, or
3) Add pelia or mini-pelia, either directly on the substrate or mixed with moss on wire mesh.

Oh, you might want to float some hornwort to cover the filter on the left.

Just my 2 cents.

[ranmasatome]

agreed.. leave the foreground bare... it looks nicer.. you can get some white sand to fill up if you want.. i think some petite nanas will be nice in the cracks and holes..

[cs_sg]

Thank you for the replies

With only 18W over this tank, I think I'll give HC a miss unless it grows well in a non-co2 and 1.2wpg lighting.

I'll look around for the sand you're talking about.
Just pour over the current layer of lapis sand right?

Lets see how well these moss grows.
More petite nanas sounds good!

[cs_sg]

I would suggest adding more japonica to the left side and shift the moss (that's moss on the right, right?) out a little. You can either

Oh, you might want to float some hornwort to cover the filter on the left.

Just my 2 cents.

I took out the hornwort since my Blyxa needs the NO3.
And the hornwort distract my view

[cs_sg]

YAY!! Just when I was planting my foreground plants, I found cherry shrimplets! The first spawn in this 2weeks old tank.
I thought I lost those eggs..........

Can you spot the shrimplet?

[cs_sg]

I've planted more Blyxa, added some crypts and a few E.tennellus to let it creep across the bogwood and moved the flat piece of taiwan moss to the right.

Can't find the sand when I was out earlier so I'll just leave the gravel as it is. I don't want to disturb the preggy shrimps just in case they decide to drop their eggs.

Here's some pictures of the tank. Feel free to throw in your suggestions.

[Weirong]

ZENishly done... Nice...

Perhaps a suitable background to cover the filter will be good?

[cs_sg]

Background, like Oyama paper to cover the filter?
or do you mean that filter inlet?

[Justikanz]

Oh, yes, you can have some paper to cover up the filter.

One thing, there was a thread discussing on melting crypt and its poisonous effect on shrimps. I dun dare to introduce crypts to my shrimp tanks. I have a C.willisi in my office tank before I converted it to a shrimp tank and I am constantly afraid of the crypt melting...

But this is just my paranoid 2 cents worth.

[cs_sg]

Oh, yes, you can have some paper to cover up the filter.

One thing, there was a thread discussing on melting crypt and its poisonous effect on shrimps. I dun dare to introduce crypts to my shrimp tanks. I have a C.willisi in my office tank before I converted it to a shrimp tank and I am constantly afraid of the crypt melting...

But this is just my paranoid 2 cents worth.

That's a 2 million dollar Caution!!
Why were I planting those crypts when you were replying to this thread?
I read Lawrence's thread at least few times and it really slipped my mind when I was happily planting those crypts. I even wrote on my notepad 'No crypts for shrimp tank' when I first started this setup.

Anyway... expensive lesson learnt watching the deaths every hour...

[Weirong]

Background, like Oyama paper to cover the filter?
or do you mean that filter inlet?

Yes, to cover up the filter. If it's possible not to view the filter inlet, that's even better.

You mean your shrimps are all gone now???

[cs_sg]

Yes, to cover up the filter. If it's possible not to view the filter inlet, that's even better.

You mean your shrimps are all gone now???

25 dead, not counting those shrimplets.
The remaining ones are dying, lying flat on its side, stuggling.

I'm going to do a complete water change and leave the tank with just the plants and snails to cycle again. Threw away all media in the HOB filter too.

All remaining ones:

[Justikanz]

Aww... So many berried... And the cherries are very red too...

Btw, Chyrl, where did you get them from?

[Weirong]

Oh God! That's a sad sight! I have never seen my Cherries die like that before but I can understand how you feel. I have had a small platoon of Otos wiped out in a matter of hours before...
You live rather near me, so if you ever need any Cherries, can get from me. FOC! Cheers!