Little Low Tech Shrimp Tank

[qngwn]

Hi all,
I’m currently in the process of setting up a low tech shrimp tank for my living room.
Credits to all my friends who have given me the support, from the tank, to the filter, and the know-hows of going by a low tech setup.
Tank: Front Curved Tank 35X23X20cm
Substrate: Used Gex Soil
Hardscape: Left over driftwood and rocks from previous scapes
Filter: Eheim Liberty 75
Light: Dymax Astro 7200K 15W
CO2: None
Others: Auto Top-up via float switch, little fan to turn on when lights are on
Flora: Mini Fissiden, Japanese Hairgrass
Fauna: Neon Tetra (Currently, for cycling purposes)


01-01-13, Hardscape before DSM.





01-01-13, DSM for fissidens to take root into driftwood to avoid tying using string.



09-01-13, Flooding after 1 week of DSM and planted japanese hairgrass all around.



12-01-13, Added 10 Neon Tetras from my 2ft Tank to help cycle the tank water.


Realised yesterday, that the fissidens are turning brown, and not sure of the reason why. Is it because of changing from emersed to submersed growth? or is it cos of the chemicals in our tap water? or is it cos of the lack of fert?

Temperature has been able to be kept at aaround 26-28 range with the help of the little fan.

Please comment, thanks.

[wongce]

Haha, now i got "kaki" in creating "nike" scape tank .... hahaha

[deric79k]

mini fissiden need low light , japan hair grass need high light . please correct me if i was wrong

[qngwn]

Haha, now i got "kaki" in creating "nike" scape tank .... hahaha

This Nike scape the tick not very nice ah..

[wongce]

who say not nice... nice ah... looks better than my nike scape once it matures...

[ken90ken]

I tried the same DSM for fissidens too. I'm using mini fiss, chopped and grown on wood, rocks and soil.

After 3 weeks i flood the tank, when its changing from emersed to submerge growth, i observe only 5% turn brown, the rest were this very dark green. Not all the fissidens will survive after flooding the tank, some will die off.

Temperature: 25 deg C (Not sure if its because of this)

Edit: I also notice that most of the fissidens that don't survive receive less water than the rest during emerse growth. That could be a reason also..

[qngwn]

mini fissiden need low light , japan hair grass need high light . please correct me if i was wrong

Well dissidents require low light, not sure if jap hair grass can grow in low tech with just sufficient lighting..

I'm trying to keep the temp down as much as possible to 26 deg


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[qngwn]

who say not nice... nice ah... looks better than my nike scape once it matures...

Just wondering if it will mature, especially the jap hg. Not sure it the lights are enough.


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[qngwn]

I tried the same DSM for fissidens too. I'm using mini fiss, chopped and grown on wood, rocks and soil.

After 3 weeks i flood the tank, when its changing from emersed to submerge growth, i observe only 5% turn brown, the rest were this very dark green. Not all the fissidens will survive after flooding the tank, some will die off.

Temperature: 25 deg C (Not sure if its because of this)

Edit: I also notice that most of the fissidens that don't survive receive less water than the rest during emerse growth. That could be a reason also..

25deg should be alright for fissidens, just not too hot. Is it because that don't provide fert? Did you use the yoghurt method when applying the fissidens?

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[5stars]

Does US Fissidens need high or low light?

[ciaossu]

hi i think they prefer medium-high light and water has to be cool. although i've no problem growing them in 27-28degree however they grow quite slow.

[5stars]

I noticed that the US Fissidens in my high light tank with CO2 is slightly brown, even those in the shade of other plants, compared to the US Fissidens in my non-CO2 tank, which are dark green but grow really slowly and small. Both tank are fan-cooled to around 27-28 degrees Celsius.

[mincedmeat]

You flooded within one week of DSM? All of the fissidens rooted by then?

[qngwn]

Does US Fissidens need high or low light?

From what I have read, they do not need to have high light to grow.

[qngwn]

I noticed that the US Fissidens in my high light tank with CO2 is slightly brown, even those in the shade of other plants, compared to the US Fissidens in my non-CO2 tank, which are dark green but grow really slowly and small. Both tank are fan-cooled to around 27-28 degrees Celsius.

How is the lighting for the one without co2? I just put co2 into the small tank to boost some growth.. Hopefully it will help.. Cos don't want any algae issues in there..

[qngwn]

You flooded within one week of DSM? All of the fissidens rooted by then?

Yes, only one week. However as I pour water from the driftwood to let it flow down into the soil, some of the fissiden floated away, maybe cos I pour in it directly with too much force..

[qngwn]

Some updates for the tank:

Replaced black oyama with frosted vinyl - thanks to bro tongyang
Added cherry shrimps and bumblebee horned nerite snail - feeding them Crab Cuisine and Algae Waffles
Changed lighting to Up Aqua Z-series LED
Temporary CO2 injection to boost plant growth for Chinese New Year







This is the tank before replacing the black oyama.


Going to remove CO2 during CNY, and no more CO2 after that. Hopefully by then will be more or less self sufficient, except for the mosquito larvae.
Anyone has suggestions on getting rid of them, but also not getting rid of my shrimpers?



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[mincedmeat]

Try adding some fishes. Maybe boraras or rasboras.

[qngwn]

But do they eat larvae? I've got neon tetras too, but then they don't eat the larvae. Maybe have been eating good food..


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[mincedmeat]

Why don't you starve the neons for a couple of days. Once they are at that stage, they probably won't be too picky on their choice of food.