Early Stage of Nano Tank Setup

**Cloud-Strife** · 15th Apr 2008, 22:45

Hi all,

I'm just a beginner, playing around with nano tank (25cm x 30cm x 40cm) specialized for shrimps. My tank only have the followings:

2 x 11W 4500K Tubes
4 x Computer CPU Fans
1 x Power filter(waterfall) filter
1 x Thermometer (to make sure the water temperature between 25 -27 degree)
2 x ADA driftwoods
ADA Bright Sand
Christmas Moss
Windelove Fern
JAVA Fern
6 x Yamatos
25 x Cherry Shrimps
3 x Blue Samui Shrimps
1 x Wood Shrimp
2 x Oto

I'm going to buy a CO2 systems, some Power Sand Special and riccia in next few days. Can anyone teach me how to improve the layout of my tank with all these limited resources?

Can I put rummy nose and SAEs into the tank without endangering the shrimps and the shrimplets?

Thanks

**Shadow** · 15th Apr 2008, 23:59

you need to hide the driftwood base somehow, either using rock or plants. You can also buried it

Your substate is very thin.

Power sand special is for base substrate. You better of with aquasoil. Typically power sand is under thick layer of aquasoil. However, most people use aquasoil only, without base fert.

**tcy81** · 16th Apr 2008, 01:04

since now your moss and ferns are tie to your wood.
maybe you can take it out first then use a cardboard to push all your bright sand to the front.
Then add Amazonia soil into the background.
Then you can add some stones/rocks to hide your wood as suggested by Shadow.
With amazonia soil, you can add some background plants.

**aquanatix** · 16th Apr 2008, 01:49

Hmmm..is it just me or is that algae i see on the DW branches?
How long has the tank been up cloud?Care to share lighting regimes?
Anyway i agree with shadow,base a little too thin. Makes it problematic should you decide to "upgrade" in future and stem based plants or even carpeting lawns.
If theres one thing i learnt its that more soil never hurts! Gives your tank a more natural feel and it also subtly covers up the unnatural looking base of the DW.

**Cloud-Strife** · 16th Apr 2008, 13:39

Hi Shadow, tcy81, aquanatix,

My tank has been set up about 1 and 1/2 months ago.

hmmmm ....
Power sand special at the most bottom, amazonia at the top of it but at the background of the tank, then push all the bright sand to the front. Am I correct?

Can I tie the riccia on the wood blocks and use them to cover the driftwood base?

Thanks

**Shadow** · 16th Apr 2008, 15:09

Power sand is not necessary, your tank is small so I would say that skip the power sand and go for aquasoil.

can, it is all depend on your creativity. I just don't like extrim transition. In your case, flat sand follow by 2 vertical block of wood. However I do see nice aquascape with big vertical rock before, so I guess it is depend on your creativity.

**Jervis** · 16th Apr 2008, 18:49

Remember not to touch the substrate with shrimps inside... in fact any living creature. I did a minor rescaping once and 2 of my shrimps died the next day

**Cloud-Strife** · 16th Apr 2008, 19:49

hmmmm ....
can i pump out the water of the tank into a dark container and put all my shrimps and shrimplets inside, then i do my landscaping, then put back everything into the newly landscaped tank ?

**torque6** · 16th Apr 2008, 20:07

like i posted in your other thread, your tank will have algae problems.

**Cloud-Strife** · 29th Apr 2008, 23:49

I've bought some Power Sand Special, Amazonia M, Glosso, Riccia and CO2 system to make my tank more lively.

I tried to do re-landscaping based on the suggestion given by Shadow and tcy81. First, I divided my tank into 2/3 parts (1 part at front, 2 parts are the back) Then I laid a layer of Power Sand Special at the most bottom of the background section. Next, I put Bright Sand I used previously at the front part, then I put Amazonia M at the top of the Power Sand until 2 inches high.

I've trimmed the Java Moss attached to the driftwood so it wont look so disorganised. The 2 pieces of driftwoods are put in the centre of the tank as the focus and the based of the woods are hidden by blocks of riccia. For the 2/3 parts of aquasoil, I planted glosso and spread them evenly.

For the CO2 system, I set 2 bubbles per sec. After 3 days, my riccia and glosso start to pearl O2. I guess all my shrimps are kinda happy with the new environment. The cherry shrimps become very red including the shrimplets.

My problem now is I'm still dunno how to remove the algae attached to the main driftwoods.

Can you all please advise on the solution and also comment my landscape?

I've tried my very best to do the landscaping.

**Jungle-mania** · 29th Apr 2008, 23:56

Its the green dust algae. Leave it, it will go off on its own as it has a life cycle. Removing it only prolongs the cycle. Have enough shrimps should keep the aesthetics intact.

**Jervis** · 30th Apr 2008, 00:06

It's a total makeover!!! A great one! Good photography too

**planted86** · 30th Apr 2008, 00:19

nice... the algae makes it look more natural....

**bee-fin** · 30th Apr 2008, 04:23

Awsome tank it looks great, and it looks natural.

**torque6** · 1st May 2008, 23:43

Cloud,
A very well decorated restaurent dessert, felt hungry looking at them

**Cloud-Strife** · 2nd May 2008, 22:07

Thanks for your compliment torque6.

My riccia getting taller already. soon the tank will look more natural with the 'bushes'. will post the 1 week old photos soon.

**Jervis** · 2nd May 2008, 22:31

I must try Riccia one of these days... looks wonderful in your setup

**Cloud-Strife** · 3rd May 2008, 00:41

Yesterday I noticed some of my shrimps were at the driftwood near the water surface.

one of my very red shrimp passed away.

I've found that the water surface movement is very slow. I guess the O2 content is too low.

This morning I washed the filter inlet sponge. Indeed the sponge was heavily clogged. No wonder the water flowing out is not swift becos of the clogged inlet sponge. I add in airstone to pump in more O2. Since then, the shrimps doing their jobs happily again among the 'bushes'.

However, I notice that since I add in the airstone, my riccia stop producing pearls. Can anyone tell me what's going on? Is it because my O2 bubbles disturb the CO2 content in the water? Or the riccia detects sudden change in the environment, so they need time to adapt ?

**Cloud-Strife** · 3rd May 2008, 09:41

Dear all,

Attached are the photos of my tank after 1 week. These photos are taken in the morning when the plants not yet started their daily photosynthesis. When viewing the whole tank, it seems like there is not much progress/growth.

But I notice riccia start to grow. See how long are the leaves if compared to my previous post.

Glosso also start growing in the background.

The young leaves of Java Fern also start to grow, with the stem becomes stronger and shedding the old leaves.

I've added 4 tank mates. 2 rummy nose and 2 otos