# Another 12 gallon long



## senor0kun (Sep 3, 2012)

*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


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## Fiftymeatballs (Mar 30, 2011)

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.


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## senor0kun (Sep 3, 2012)

Fiftymeatballs said:


> 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?


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## Fiftymeatballs (Mar 30, 2011)

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?


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## senor0kun (Sep 3, 2012)

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


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## acitydweller (Dec 28, 2011)

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.


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## senor0kun (Sep 3, 2012)

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?


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## senor0kun (Sep 3, 2012)

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


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## NaturePlanted (Nov 20, 2013)

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


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## senor0kun (Sep 3, 2012)

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.


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## senor0kun (Sep 3, 2012)

Lighting installed.


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## senor0kun (Sep 3, 2012)




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## andrewjohn007 (May 8, 2013)

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


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## andrewjohn007 (May 8, 2013)

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


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## senor0kun (Sep 3, 2012)

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.


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## senor0kun (Sep 3, 2012)

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.


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## senor0kun (Sep 3, 2012)

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?


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## Projectp (Oct 7, 2013)

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


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## senor0kun (Sep 3, 2012)

awesome, thanks.


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## tetra10 (Aug 5, 2012)

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.


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## senor0kun (Sep 3, 2012)

January 3 Update

Orange bee shrimp colony is holding strong after a few weeks. Only a few jumpers, and maintaining good color. I have observed some pretty cool color changing going one. Lots of fluctuation from a drab orange grey to extremely dense, almost opaque, true orange coloring. No breeding signs yet.

I also ordered and received two scarlet badis trios. An amazing little fish, and my second time having a few.

The brass tetras that I added sortly after the shrimp don't seem to be doing all that well in the aquarium. I've lost about 4 or 5, about half the original group, to jumping. The rest seem safe in that regard, but may be having a tough time getting used to their environment, or my expectations for their behavior is incorrect. They tend to spend a lot of time to be what sreems like hiding in the dwarf hairgrass. I may need to get some shade makers to help them out a bit. it will be a while before the plants have grown in, and I can train them on a little less light.

Some pictures.


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## senor0kun (Sep 3, 2012)

My eheim 2211, which I've had in service for about 6 years and have only ever fixed the drive shaft of the propeller, started giving me some trouble. The flow has been reduced about 75%. Couldn't fix it before I left the office, so I turned off the CO2 and reduced the lights a bit. Hopefully the reduces stimulation will keep the water quality up for a few days until I can address the issue. I also did a 20% weekly water change, so I'm going to let myself think it will be okay.


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## senor0kun (Sep 3, 2012)




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## Thatshrimpguy (Aug 16, 2013)

How is the setup you have with the lights on the hc Cuba? Would you get a second set of led or nah?


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## rdmustang1 (Oct 20, 2013)

Very nice. You should take some straight on shots and crop just the tank. It would make for a very nice picture.


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## senor0kun (Sep 3, 2012)

Thatshrimpguy said:


> How is the setup you have with the lights on the hc Cuba? Would you get a second set of led or nah?


The lights are working great. I don't think I need a second set. I have to get my CO2 regulated with a solenoid before I make adjustments to the lights. 

I also just added a second Eheim 2211 pump. The single pump was not enough to keep film from collecting on the surface, and provide adequate flow around the entire tank. As a result, I've a significant growth increase from my hair grass. All inhabitants seem to be fine with the added flow, fish, shrimp, plants.

Will update with some new photos soon. I can't, in good conscience, take shots with the eheim inflow/outflow tubes in there. Ordered a new outflow from Aqua HK on ebay, will be here in a week. I'll order my inflow from Cal Aqua Labs when I get my allowance.


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## senor0kun (Sep 3, 2012)

rdmustang1 said:


> Very nice. You should take some straight on shots and crop just the tank. It would make for a very nice picture.


Totally. I need to bring my camera equipment and a tripod up to the office for some proper shots. The iphone isn't going work over the long run.


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## senor0kun (Sep 3, 2012)

Quick three-photo stitched image of this weeks progress. Still iphone.


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## parrottbay (May 14, 2012)

Looks awesome, curious if the plants are an orange, pink or a red?


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## senor0kun (Sep 3, 2012)

Posted a couple videos on youtube...

video 1
video 2

Can I embed youtube videos here?


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## senor0kun (Sep 3, 2012)

parrottbay said:


> Looks awesome, curious if the plants are an orange, pink or a red?



Thanks, Parrottbay. The plants have a bit of all three. The closer to the surface the redder/pinker it gets. They're pretty close to green towards the bottom.


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## senor0kun (Sep 3, 2012)




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## The Trigger (May 9, 2012)

Wow that's a beautiful scape


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## senor0kun (Sep 3, 2012)

Thanks, Sam. I feel like I need something with more visual weight in the upper right area.


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## senor0kun (Sep 3, 2012)

Here's some closer-ups. All shot with my 12-24mm f4.0 nikon lens.


































I'll bring my 50mm and Macro lenses up soon. They'll work better for "in the tank" shots.


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## senor0kun (Sep 3, 2012)

some macro shots...


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## ikuzo (Jul 11, 2006)

thumbs up for the mixture of hairgrass and red stem plants
i didn't even think it would work until i see this


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## NanoDave (Feb 25, 2013)

Very nice and elegant build. I really like you live stock selection. Nicely done


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## senor0kun (Sep 3, 2012)

ikuzo said:


> thumbs up for the mixture of hairgrass and red stem plants
> i didn't even think it would work until i see this


Thanks, Ikuzo. I'm really liking the contrast in leaf color, leaf shape, and height. I'm thinking of adding a 4th plant in the upper right. perhaps something with a dark olive color, cryptocrine, perhaps.


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## senor0kun (Sep 3, 2012)

NanoDave said:


> Very nice and elegant build. I really like you live stock selection. Nicely done


Thanks, Dave. It's kinda fun having to hunt around to find the inhabitants, I love the scarlet badis. The shrimp are also cool, they change color quite frequently, and it looks as though a few are carrying eggs. The clown killi, unfortunately, is the last of a group of 5 that were initially introduced. It seems very healthy and happy.

I 'm thinking I need a school of fish to take up the main water column. I purchased some brass tetras, but they just hang out in the giant red rotala.


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## senor0kun (Sep 3, 2012)

Update -- I'm now running two eheim 2211s. I picked up another cal aqua labs 13mm inflow, and went the cheap route with an eBay AquaHK 11mm outflow.


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## PeterN1986 (Jun 15, 2011)

Beautiful tank! I love the footprints of the long tanks (12/5/3 gallon longs) And great shots too. Dunno how you get any work done. I know I don't with my desk tank lol. 

What was the reasoning behind getting a second 2211? I would think one 2211 would be enough for a 12g.


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## senor0kun (Sep 3, 2012)

PeterN1986 said:


> What was the reasoning behind getting a second 2211? I would think one 2211 would be enough for a 12g.


The tank is so long and my outflow pipe is rather narrow, so there were some really low flow areas, almost dead spots. the second filter serves more of a powerhead function i guess.


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## PeterN1986 (Jun 15, 2011)

senor0kun said:


> The tank is so long and my outflow pipe is rather narrow, so there were some really low flow areas, almost dead spots. the second filter serves more of a powerhead function i guess.


I see. I think the stock spraybar would resolve your flow issue. It's easy to cut down to length. Then again, some people find it ugly going across the width of the tank.


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

What a cool shot!



senor0kun said:


>


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## jimmyjam (Dec 25, 2008)

looking good so far , i love the shots


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## Maiko (Mar 10, 2016)

What kind of plant is the red one? Awesome scape


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