# msnikkistar: 23G Rimless (12/30/11: Starting the new year with a bang)



## SHMaRiM (Apr 21, 2010)

haha. what do ya got planned hardscape-wise?


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## msnikkistar (Mar 23, 2010)

Have no idea yet. I got shopping happy when I saw jcardona1 was selling it with all the plumbing and canister and heater. lol


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## SHMaRiM (Apr 21, 2010)

you should get me the hookup on some blue tigers eh?


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## msnikkistar (Mar 23, 2010)

No no no no no! All mine! lol

I just recently added another 50 to my btoe. lol


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## SHMaRiM (Apr 21, 2010)

Those are seriously my favorite. I want! hard to find. How much do those go for?


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## msnikkistar (Mar 23, 2010)

You know, it all depends on who you buy it from. Could be as low as 4, and then as high as 10.


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## accordztech (Dec 6, 2004)

wow, you literally just got the tank and already posted a build thread. No wonder you didnt make the meeting =)


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## msnikkistar (Mar 23, 2010)

I was busy spray painting the outflow of my new tank and talking to Jose for awhile when he dropped it off


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## SHMaRiM (Apr 21, 2010)

psh. I'd pay 10 if they were high quality. darker blue ones ))


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

Are you moving the ones in the 5 gallon over to here?


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## msnikkistar (Mar 23, 2010)

Yup yup


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

Yay! New home for the cuties. Or should I say mansion? :hihi:


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## jcardona1 (Jun 27, 2008)

No water yet????  Can't wait to see it running!


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## GitMoe (Aug 30, 2010)

Quit it. I've been thinking about ordering everything for a new invert tank all morning. Every time you post a thread it hurts my bank account...

...can't wait to see where this goes.


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## antbug (May 28, 2010)

msnikkistar said:


> You know, it all depends on who you buy it from. Could be as low as 4, and then as high as 10.


Or you could be super lucky and live next to the shrimp queen. Then they're even cheaper . I saw your posts about Jojo's this weekend. I need to go as well. Hit me up when you know when you're going.


That tank is going to look awesome once complete.


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## non_compliance (Dec 1, 2009)

So glad you got this tank... so jealous too.  You better do something awesome with it though or we will all be let down. lol!


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## Da Plant Man (Apr 7, 2010)

GASP! May I suggest a awesome idea?

http://www.aquascapingworld.com/gallery/images/1/1_plantedtank_islandscape.jpg

Can't wait to see it progress!


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## msnikkistar (Mar 23, 2010)

I am getting more nana to fill it out even more, but here's the progress!


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## accordztech (Dec 6, 2004)

What equiptment are you running? Any co2


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## Moe (Jan 22, 2004)

whats up with the fuzzy wood? LOL


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## accordztech (Dec 6, 2004)

Looks like normal to me when adding new wood for the first week or so


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## msnikkistar (Mar 23, 2010)

Fungus, it's normal for new wood 

No co2, has a cascade 1500 and custom plumbing. It's pretty neat. But the protein skimmer sometimes gets too high and it'll suck up air and make it look like I have co2 since there is a custom co2 reactor built in too if I ever decide to switch it to a planted.


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## accordztech (Dec 6, 2004)

What substrate is that, crushed coral? Does it affect your ph


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## snausage (Mar 8, 2010)

accordztech said:


> What substrate is that, crushed coral? Does it affect your ph


Crushed coral increases your pH and can increase your tds overtime. 

Interesting setup; I love the dimensions of the tank you're using. My sulawesi tank was the only tank I've ever had where anubias didn't thrive. 

Is this just going to be cardinals, or are you stocking other species as well?


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## problemman (Aug 19, 2005)

Following this


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

Your driftwood has a cold, msNikki.


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## msnikkistar (Mar 23, 2010)

snausage said:


> Crushed coral increases your pH and can increase your tds overtime.
> 
> Interesting setup; I love the dimensions of the tank you're using. My sulawesi tank was the only tank I've ever had where anubias didn't thrive.
> 
> Is this just going to be cardinals, or are you stocking other species as well?


Nope. I plan on housing yellow cheeks, cardinals, white orchids, and hopefully harlequins. The harlequins I am holding off on until later. I do want tigris though.


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## Da Plant Man (Apr 7, 2010)

Why is there a Indian almond leaf in there? It seems like that would lower the pH when you want to get it higher... I can't wait to see shrimps in there! Are there any fish that go with Sulawesi shrimp that you are going to put in there?


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## msnikkistar (Mar 23, 2010)

The Indian almond leaves won't lower it significantly enough. With the amount of crushed coral I have in there, it doesn't touch it. Always 8.2 pH.

The cardinals are in it, but its so much bigger then the 5G that I can't ever see them lol


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## Da Plant Man (Apr 7, 2010)

Yay! Got any close ups of the cardinals? Or can you literally not see them?


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## fishykid1 (Apr 5, 2010)

msnikkistar said:


> I am getting more nana to fill it out even more, but here's the progress!



Are those my little anubias's that you got a few weeks back? If so WOOT! If not, where are they, grr! lol

Eeh, should have looked at next page! WOOT!


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## whizzle (May 12, 2010)

Any updates?


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## msnikkistar (Mar 23, 2010)

So as of today, this tank is now a planted tank. This will house my black tigers I will be getting.


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## FDNY911 (Dec 6, 2009)

Is that a dead fish in there? What kind of Substrate is that?


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## msnikkistar (Mar 23, 2010)

No, he is alive.

Fluval Stratum


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## sampster5000 (Oct 30, 2010)

Did I read correctly when you mentioned a protein skimmer? On freshwater?


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## TwoStrokeKing (Mar 24, 2011)

I like the planted much much more! very nice!


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## msnikkistar (Mar 23, 2010)

Protein skimmer is great for the film from co2 =P


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## Jeffww (Aug 6, 2010)

msnikkistar said:


> Protein skimmer is great for the film from co2 =P



I think you mean surface skimmer. A protein skimmer is a big set up with a pump and venturi that sucks up water and fills it with micro bubbles to pick up organic waste from the water. They do not work in freshwater.


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## sampster5000 (Oct 30, 2010)

Thought I had missed a new invention or something! Surface skimmers are awesome as well.


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## Chucker (Apr 9, 2011)

Jeffww said:


> I think you mean surface skimmer. A protein skimmer is a big set up with a pump and venturi that sucks up water and fills it with micro bubbles to pick up organic waste from the water. They do not work in freshwater.


Protein skimmers don't need pump and venturi, and they do work in FW. However, airstone driven ones are less efficient, and the reduced surface tension (in general) for FW leads to larger bubbles, also meaning less efficiency. 

(Now back to our regularly scheduled shirmp tank thread)


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## msnikkistar (Mar 23, 2010)

Uhh yea surface skimmer. I dont know reef lingo


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## jkan0228 (Feb 6, 2011)

msnikkistar said:


> Protein skimmer is great for the film from co2 =P


Where does the film come from? Isnt it better that the film keeps the bubbles from going out into ther air so they diffuse longer?


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## bsk (Aug 18, 2010)

I love the new look but what happend to the cardinals?


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## Jeffww (Aug 6, 2010)

Chucker said:


> Protein skimmers don't need pump and venturi, and they do work in FW. However, airstone driven ones are less efficient, and the reduced surface tension (in general) for FW leads to larger bubbles, also meaning less efficiency.
> 
> (Now back to our regularly scheduled shirmp tank thread)


For the large part, airstone driven skimmers have been phased out. Pump skimmers are far more efficient. Additionally, I'll have to disagree, they will not work in freshwater. You might get skmate but you'll end up filling up your cup with next to nothing unless you run it really wet. You might as well just do a water change.


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## msnikkistar (Mar 23, 2010)

jkan0228 said:


> Where does the film come from? Isnt it better that the film keeps the bubbles from going out into ther air so they diffuse longer?


The film comes from the oil in the co2 tank usually. It creates a oily looking film on the water surface that most of us hate to look at.



bsk said:


> I love the new look but what happend to the cardinals?


Well....See what had happened is, I dosed my tank with no planaria. It killed ALL of my mini sulawesi snails, and my larger tylos, which created a nasty ammonia spike, which killed all the shrimp in the tank.


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## tnt808 (May 6, 2011)

wow that sucks hope the tank bounces back.


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## roybot73 (Dec 15, 2007)

msnikkistar said:


> ...The film comes from the oil in the co2 tank usually. It creates a oily looking film on the water surface that most of us hate to look at...


If this was the case, wouldn't the regulator, solenoid, tubing and diffuser all get fouled with oil? It's an organic protein film caused by overfeeding, a dirty filter or any other number of reasons. It happens in my non CO2 aquaria as well.
From user "daveedka"

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-1290.html

"A couple of things to consider on the oil in the tank thought. Oil floats on liquid, not on gaseous Co2, When the tank is standing upright, the liquid all sits in the bottom of the tank, As the pressure drops, the ratio of gas to liquid increase inside the tank (liquid level drops) so the chances of the oil escaping are pretty slim to begin with even if the the tank has oil in it which is usually not the case. CO2 is used widely for metal inert gas welding applications, If oil came out through the gas in these processes it would ruin the welds. therefore this being a primary use for this gas, I imagine some precautions are taken. In the heavy equipment/mining industry that I work in Co2 is viewed similar to nitrogen, what comes out of the bottle needs to be inert, and contaminate free at all times. I have never seen it otherwise. I wouldn't hesitate to pump gas from a welding shop or a paintball shop either one directly into my tank. If you are truly concerned get it from a soft drink vendor, but I would not be."


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## msnikkistar (Mar 23, 2010)

Interesting, I always heard it came from co2. lol

Learn something new everyday. Ask me about shrimp, and I can tell you. Ask me about co2, ferts, fish, and the rest, and I have no clue


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## Centromochlus (May 19, 2008)

Some water dechlorinators can also cause an oil film.


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

msnikkistar said:


> Interesting, I always heard it came from co2. lol
> 
> Learn something new everyday. Ask me about shrimp, and I can tell you. Ask me about co2, ferts, fish, and the rest, and I have no clue


Haha, you sound like me. Except, my 'no clue' list is much larger. How about some close up pictures of your new planted tank, Nikki?


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## msnikkistar (Mar 23, 2010)

Because Sara is my favorite mod


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## antbug (May 28, 2010)

I like it! Only probelm is your black tigers are going to hide and we will never see them.


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

msnikkistar said:


> Because Sara is my favorite mod


Awww.....and you are my favorite suck up. :flick: I love it. I couldn't get a feel for it before, but now I am liking it a lot. Except your cory looks lonesome. lol


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## msnikkistar (Mar 23, 2010)

Is there brown on my nose? lolol


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

LOL, now you are talking poo. I can't hide from you guys. Someone :help: me.  What happened to the shrimp that were in here, by the way? Are they still around?


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## msnikkistar (Mar 23, 2010)

Died from a bad ammonia spike


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

Oh, I didn't realize you lost all of them from that no planaria mishap. Such sadness.  Are you planning to get more in the future or are you like me and staying way for now?


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## msnikkistar (Mar 23, 2010)

I will once I get my house and have more tanks. Right now I have collectoritis with other shrimp. LMAO


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

We all have our weakness, lol. I am collecting ludwigia plants now. I am obsessed with the plants from this side of the world.


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## msnikkistar (Mar 23, 2010)

LOL

I added a ton of needle leaf. What do you think Sara?


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

I like it. Takes your eye away from the equipment. You know what would make this tank perfect? Sitting in my living room. I really think that is what it needs.


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## msnikkistar (Mar 23, 2010)

LMAO! You would. Hahahaha


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

Can't blame a girl for trying.  Your tank must be special, because as a whole I'm not a fan of rimless tanks, so there. :tongue:


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## msnikkistar (Mar 23, 2010)

YES! I win!


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## oscarsx (Mar 15, 2011)

lol/10


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## msnikkistar (Mar 23, 2010)

I am getting the tank stocked up in preparation for the Black Tigers. And I just got Ninjas for the heck of it, since they need saltwater to breed like Amanos. Enjoy.


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## orchidman (Dec 15, 2010)

love that pleco! Great tank nikki!


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## msnikkistar (Mar 23, 2010)

I got 3 of those guys. Probably the CUTEST fish I have ever seen in my life.


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## orchidman (Dec 15, 2010)

what is it?


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## msnikkistar (Mar 23, 2010)

L183 Starlight Bristle Nose Pleco


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## orchidman (Dec 15, 2010)

ooohh! gotta save up, alot! was it expensive?


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## msnikkistar (Mar 23, 2010)

Not too bad. Message bsmith he sold me mine


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## shrimpnmoss (Apr 8, 2011)

Pleco is shrimp safe?


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## orchidman (Dec 15, 2010)

will do, once i have a tank for him though. how big is he?


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## msnikkistar (Mar 23, 2010)

Most plecos are safe as long as they are not carnivous. I am testing the waters out with these guys because they are omnivores. But, I think if I feed them enough, they should leave the shrimp alone.

They only get to about 4.5 inches max. Sometimes smaller.


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## shrimpnmoss (Apr 8, 2011)

Okay...sweet looking plecos....r they the same ones bsmith breeds? Please let us know how they fare with your shrimpys.


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## Sd760 (Apr 25, 2011)

Nice.


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## Hyzer (Mar 9, 2010)

msnikkistar said:


>


 Drooling. Is it weird that I like that snail as much as the fish?

There are Banana Slugs around here. Now I know what they would look like with a shell. :icon_lol:


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## creg (Feb 21, 2011)

whoa that plec and snail are seriously cool


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## msnikkistar (Mar 23, 2010)

Yes, the plecos are from bsmith


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## orchidman (Dec 15, 2010)

Hyzer said:


> Drooling. Is it weird that I like that snail as much as the fish?
> 
> There are Banana Slugs around here. Now I know what they would look like with a shell. :icon_lol:


no, the snail is pretty cool to!


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## msnikkistar (Mar 23, 2010)

30 of these


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## karatekid14 (Jan 16, 2011)

Amazing shrimp, as always


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## 10gallonplanted (Oct 31, 2010)

3rd picture looks very very cool. And that pleco! I wish I had something besides nanos so i could get onee!
You always have the best, I am jealous.


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## shrimpnmoss (Apr 8, 2011)

Jeez...Blk Tigers always looks so evil.....


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## Couesfanatic (Sep 28, 2009)

looks like a black widow spider.


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## jl209 (Mar 2, 2006)

Ahhh evil shrimp!


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## HolyAngel (Oct 18, 2010)

Wow that Pleco is gorgeous! And so are those shrimp!


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## accordztech (Dec 6, 2004)

You disapeared! How has everything been! Updates!


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## Geniusdudekiran (Dec 6, 2010)

Hehehe can't wait to see what you do with this! Give us a hint!


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## msnikkistar (Mar 23, 2010)

It's been awhile. I decided after all the ruckus that happened in the last few months in my personal life, it was time to take a step back and remember exactly where I started out. With the love of shrimp, and my beloved Nanumi.


For those of you who don't know. I lost nearly all my shrimp when I went out of town and had someone else take care of my tanks while I was going on and off for a total of 3 weeks out of 4. Needless to say, I came back to only RCS and Blue pearls left alive. Everything, and I mean, everything was dead.

So I decided, since I was bringing in a shipment anyways, why not take this chance to restock all my tanks with the things I love the most? So that's exactly what I did. Shrimp have always been something that gave me pleasure and was able to relax me when watching them. At some point in the last 4 months, that love got sidetracked. With me being able to step back from business, I am remembering that monetary gain was and should never be my main focus but to be able to educate and learn about the creatures that are so vastly different from their hideous cousins, the spiders. 

So, now on to the update. The black tigers, well all dead. So I decided to turn this tank to my CRS tank. I was able to special order some SSS+ at the very last second of this shipment. It was either stick more bags of RCS or Amanos (What the heck does a person do with 300 Amanos? I SMELL RAOKS COMING TO TPT. lol) So I opted for the SSS+.

So here's to restocking my PERSONAL tanks  75 SSS CRS, 100 A-S CRS, and 30 SSS+ Crowns/Flowers.

Thanks Frank, for reminding me why I came here in the first place. I lost sight of that, and I greatly appreciate your friendship and the smack I need sometimes when I loose track of who I am.



















































































































Oh and Charlie, one of my new CPO's says hi!


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## CmLaracy (Jan 7, 2007)

beautiful shrimp


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## jiang604 (Dec 28, 2009)

msnikkistar said:


> Thanks Frank, for reminding me why I came here in the first place. I lost sight of that, and I greatly appreciate your friendship and the smack I need sometimes when I loose track of who I am.


yep, just remember that money can always be made. What you love and enjoy comes first money is just a bonus.


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## jkan0228 (Feb 6, 2011)

Will your CPO ever eat your CRS?


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## Geniusdudekiran (Dec 6, 2010)

Omg. Those are the sexiest shrimp I have ever ever ever seem. Wow!


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## swissian (Aug 30, 2010)

Wonderful! I am glad that you are going back to what you love! The shrimp look absolutely lovely!


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## Cynth (Sep 11, 2010)

I am so sorry to hear that you lost nearly all of your shrimp. The new shrimp are beautiful.


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## msnikkistar (Mar 23, 2010)

jkan0228 said:


> Will your CPO ever eat your CRS?



Charlie is in the compartment tank that I am breakign down soon in leu of 3 10 gallons. I made it into a NEO only tank =P


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## ch3fb0yrdee (Oct 2, 2008)

Awesome update Nikki. I was gone, out of the hobby, when you were starting up so I missed all of your informative posts and pictures. Glad you're back doing something that brings you joy. 

I just recently got back into the hobby and the first thing I did was restart my invert rack, buy inverts and plants, and got the ball rolling. I had a similar idea as you, setting up 10 gallons for neos. 

Just curious, is that frozen blood worms you're feeding your CRS?


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## msnikkistar (Mar 23, 2010)

I do feed them bloodworms occasionally, once every 2 weeks or so, but they are actually snacking on shell sheds lol


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## ch3fb0yrdee (Oct 2, 2008)

Snail sheds? Are you referring to snail poop... hahha

Or are you referring to the occasional unlucky snail that happens to cross your path and be within your finger-crushing range? :hihi:


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## msnikkistar (Mar 23, 2010)

I believe the latter is the correct version LOL


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## msnikkistar (Mar 23, 2010)

Next morning photos. Their coloration is pretty nice now.


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## Ben. (Mar 29, 2011)

That amano is huge! haha


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## wetworks (Jul 22, 2011)

very nice shrimps!


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## !shadow! (Jan 25, 2010)

nice nikki. Sorry to hear about your loss. I've been missing out on your threads. Did the bkks die as well? hopefully not


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## msnikkistar (Mar 23, 2010)

Yes.... They all died too


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## jkan0228 (Feb 6, 2011)

That shrimp is getting sexier and sexier every day!!


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## ADA (Dec 31, 2010)

omg.. nice! Subscribed!


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## Alaizabelle (Apr 7, 2011)

Aww, sorry to hear about your shrimp crash  

But it's a great time to restart, and looks like you started off really well! Those CRS are gorgeous!


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## h4n (Jan 4, 2006)

nice new shrimps!!!!


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## Geniusdudekiran (Dec 6, 2010)

MoAR pIxTuREs!!! :hihi:


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## FDNY911 (Dec 6, 2009)

Nik, good to see you still hanging in there. Take care.


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## OiZO (Feb 2, 2010)

now i have to wonder if the shrimp really died or if it was all part of her scam to walk off with the cash...


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## jkan0228 (Feb 6, 2011)

Aren't you doing the same?

I don't count... :hihi:


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