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60L Shrimp Tank - "Hope"

Good job, you achieve roots trough rock look. If you have less space for planting just reduce the number of the rocks, It is all about your preference. More rocky skape and less plants, or plants will dominate showing a little rock. Love your skape. Any plant choice yet? Carpet? The big root looks interesting but has totaly different texture than the bruncy redmoor. You can burry it and create terrace with it and the rock, placing the other root on the top, just IMO tho. i will show u what I mean
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I used i piece of unnecesarry drift wood to lift up the whole skape creating height and depth wich looks like spiral. It is just an example. After just put another level of Aquasoil creating more space for planting. Use one of the corners of your cube, giving depth to the oposite corner for example. You can make some extra levels by placing and burrying rocks together. So they will hold the aquasoil high at all times. bare in mind that you skape can colapse if the supporting wood/ rocks are not placed correct. Give it a shot thinking of the natural forces of gravity and water pressure. think what willl be your waterflow as well. If your skape will block the flow and create dead spots. Lift your "hillside" of the skape with mesh bags of gravel or the best Powersand or Lava rock.
And after all ENJOY you work no matter what....
Hope that will help:)
 
Hi Clone,

Many thanks for taking the time to chime in with such an in depth reply. Most appreciated!

I have changed the rock layout in the back left corner that gives more space and looks better at the same time.

Am heading to work at the moment so can't upload a pic at the moment.

As for planting I'm thinking a mix of Anubias / Crypts & Echinodorus mainly.

Some dwarf hairgrass Inbetween the root triangle.

Some mini anubias on top of the roots.

Crypts etc for foreground.

Java Fern to go in the middle of the larger tree.

Weeping Moss cascading down its branches.

Other plants are: Bolbitus heudelotii / Lobella cardinalis/ Hygrophila impai

I have 16 plants in the basket:

3 Background
5 Mid Ground
8 Foreground

Maybe it's to much it's hard to tell! :)

Thanks again,

Murray
 
My plants arrived today from Aqua Essentials :)

I had ordered to much and didnt know what size they would arrive in so it made for some adjustments but overall I am very happy.

Received an Echinodorus Compacta that is about 50cm tall - Alot of plant for £2.99. Need a bigger tank lol

Will have to monitor the growth and trim as necessary - Am sure some will thrive and others wont but that seems par for the course.

Here are the pics:

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photo_3.jpg

photo_4.jpg

Still needs to settle down and a wee tidy up.

Just need to install the air pump and diffuser then put the lights on a timer (Will try a 5 hour photoperiod I think)

It is nowhere near as good as the tanks in this Journal I am well aware of that - Im sure the amount of plants may cause issues but as it stands I am delighted :)

Best wishes,

Murray
 
Small update.

Smashed one of the spare Seiryu stones (Beach rock did a perfect job cracking it in 3 just as hoped)

Used the 3 pieces to attach 2 Anubias & 1 Java Fern to using some clear elastic hair bands I got from Morrisons for £2 which made the job very easy.

Had received some Weeping moss that I tried to attach using thin fishing line to a couple of areas of Redmoor without much success so just tied them to the stainless steel mesh using the bands then curved then over the twigs. Hopefully in time the moss will grow out and cover the mesh.

I am still very happy with the tank - Will measure parameters later on today and hope to introduce cherry shrimp within 3 weeks. My LFS had some nice intense coloured shrimp but the tank isn't ready and I don't want to rush into things.

Some better pics taken with my DSLR:

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A few minor strands of hair algae - One planaria :stop:

Just have to wait and see how things progress.

Many thanks,

Murray
 
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Its looking good! If you are able to, you might want to think about upgrading your filter though. The Eckfilter XL only pumps at 150lph which might be ok for an unplanted tank but you need something around 600lph with the plants.
 
I have just been using one light for 5 hours from 11am to 1pm then 2pm til 5pm.

Have now updated to 10am - 1pm then 2pm til 6pm.

Am not sure if that is better or not :)

Thanks,

Murray
 
Hi Squid,

Thanks for the input I did wonder about upgrading to say an Eheim 2213 external filter or similar.

Will need to do my homework I feel - Flow rate is good around the tank but naturally the plants reduce the flow.

Thanks,

Murray
 
Hi Murray

Great start nice and heavily planted and looks good to.

I would definitely upgrade your filter I upgraded to an ehiem 2215 on my 30l it runs 620lph which I thought would be over kill but its perfect your looking at the 2213 id say it will be a bit under powered for you 60l dont be afraid to go much bigger and just use the taps to alter the flow to suit your tank also the benefit of going much more powerful the filter will always have all the adjustment you need as the plants grow and flow is restricted

Mark
 
If you do for one of the Eheim classics (2213, 2215) make sure you get one with the double taps and filter media. They make maintenance so much easier. Not everywhere sells them with the taps and they are expensive to buy separately.
 
Thanks again for the help with the external filters its all very new to me.

I can see the need for them as when I look at the tank the leaves are basically not moving in the bottom and mid section.

I have has a look around provisionally and like the look of the Eheim 2215 or the JBL CrystalProfi - Budget is around £100 or the filter would need Lilly pipes at some point I guess.

Would need to be able to control the flow rate as I don't want to be over stressing the shrimps!

Here are the tank parameters:

Temp: 23c
TDS: 87
PH: 7.6 (Same as tap water - Tested for high range but was a slight red colour that i couldn match on the chart - didn't change much from solution) May seek a digital ph meter.
GH: 5
KH: 4
Ammonia: 0.50
Nitrites: 0
Nitrate: 0

Thanks again,

Murray
 
My preference is the eheim as thats what I have and have had many models although there is a lot of people who love and highly recommend the jbl's so I dont think you would be disappointed with either, as for lily pipes for me there a no, again personal preference but imo a spray bar is the only way to go and if you dont like the look of them look into a diy acrylic spray bar or one of our sponsors do glass spray bars

The eheim + package comes with the taps and are easy for maintenance and flow adjustment and I believe the jbl has flow adjustment to, an external filter will be the best money you have ever spent also another bonus with the external filters is that they give you the option to use an external heater again personal preference but it gets another piece of equipment out of the tank :)

Mark
 
What are you going to use to raise your Tds? Does the rock you have raise it at all?
 
I will be using Mosura Mineral Plus solution to raise the TDS to around 150-200?

The rock raises the TDS to some extent but will use the solution and measure it with a meter.

Thanks,

Murray
 
I used it in the past and it made a big difference with GH & TDS :)

Have done a bit of research on external filters - Nobody is sure what the future will bring but I enjoy the hobby and given more space and funds it would be nice to get another larger tank.

So being a person that aims to buy the best I can I am looking at getting one that would last me.

Initial favourite is the Eheim 2073 its
  • For Tank litre: 350 ltr
  • Pump Output: 1050 ltr
  • Canister Volume: 7.4 ltr
  • Delivery Head: 1.8m
  • Filter Volume: 4.5 ltr + 0.5 (pre-filter)
  • Power Consumption: 16 w
  • Dimensions: 440 x 290 x 240
Would probably be overkill for the 60L but maybe I would add lilly pipes etc - Still trying to work it all out.

One point of note is I currently run the cube with a glass cover that came with the tank. I doubt the intake / out take tubing would fit in the gap either get a custom made lid or just remove the lid and hope the shrimp dont leap for freedom.

Keeps the grey cells active :)

Many thanks,

Murray
 
My dennerle cube has the glass lid to all I did was get a glass hole cutter ( ebay around £6 ) and take the 2 back corners off then you can use the lid and have your filter pipes in place, if you dont fancy risking drilling the lid take it to a local window maker, glass suppliers etc and they will sort it for next to nothing :)
 
Thanks for the info abou the glass lid! :)

This forum never ceases to impress with knowledge and friendly attitudes.

I think I will order the Eheim 2073 for the tank tonight. It seems to cross all the dots etc and is a decent price with enough future proofing to last me for a while hopefully!

Sure should be an upgrade over the 150lph Eckfilter.

Just hope it's the right thing to do :)

Many thanks,

Murray
 
I have ordered the Eheim 2073 from Amazon.de.

Total cost was £116 which compared to the UK cheapest which is £175 is nice.

Hope it will keep the little guys and girls happy lol :)

Will be a new experience.

Tank is doing fine no melting or algae issues - Have done a 50% WC and dosed the Mosura goodies.

Aim to purchase around 20 red cherry shrimp within 2 weeks. Parameters depending naturally.

Best wishes,

Murray
 
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