# d2mini's 12g Long Office Oasis - SHRIMP!!!



## Brian_Cali77 (Mar 19, 2010)

Looks good... 

I recommend getting a Fluval 106. It's like the newer Eheims at a lower price. I have it on my 6g rimless and in my office. It's super quiet. It has a modular design, flow control, and self priming.

For lighting, the Finnex Ray 2 is great. It's strong enough for carpeting plants. You'll need a co2 system for sure. You should get the Aquatek mini regulator for paintball. It's sold through Aquatek in their Amazon and eBay stores. However, through their eBay store they throw in free stuff like co2 tubing. It comes with a bubble counter and integrated check valve. You'll just need to buy a diffuser and paintball tank.


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## Barbgirl (Feb 24, 2012)

Definitely need to get some sort of fisssiden or moss on that amazing driftwood, it will eventually grow up and out of the tank nicely!

Also just want to say that site you linked in your sig is awesome!


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## Kai808 (Jul 19, 2011)

Congrats on getting the 12 gallon long! Have you checked out the 12G Rimless Club yet? That should give you some inspiration for now. You do have an interesting piece of wood with some good character. That 100° angle looks unnatural to me and if you do keep the wood, you'll need to suspend the light higher off of the tank.

I would suggest mini fissidens and mini pelia for a low maintenance tank. You probably won't need CO2 if you go that route. If you do go with HC (dwarf baby tears), you'll need the CO2 and you'll need to trim it to have a nice carpet. It is a PITA to trim but looks nice.

Good Luck!


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## hecto33 (Jan 7, 2013)

some flame moss on that wood growing out of the tank would definitely look grat


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## d2creative (Jan 24, 2013)

Yeah, see! I'm torn on the wood! It's cool, but at the same time I really like the simple iwagumi layout and the way it projects that crazy sense of scale.

But if I was to keep the wood, in regards to the 90 degree bend, i'd probably bury the bend. Maybe add a little more branches to that upright portion.

I might have to go pick up some ryuo stone, add the soil and start playing around.
Thinking I would go pretty heavy on the right side with rock and plants and then have a fairly bare left side, maybe with some white sand.


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## d2creative (Jan 24, 2013)

Kai808 said:


> I would suggest mini fissidens and mini pelia for a low maintenance tank. You probably won't need CO2 if you go that route. If you do go with HC (dwarf baby tears), you'll need the CO2 and you'll need to trim it to have a nice carpet. It is a PITA to trim but looks nice.
> 
> Good Luck!


Thanks!
Are you saying that neither the fissidens or the pelia need trimming?
Do they get planted into the substrate and grow roots? Or is it like riccia that needs to be attached to something?


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## Green_Flash (Apr 15, 2012)

For a filter I would go with an eheim, proven workhorses of the planted tank. A 2215 or 2217 (your choice) should provide a lot of biological surface area.

For media, I would upgrade and stuff it with ADA Bio Rio and a bag of Purigen for water polishing. 

Lighting you could use a Finnex Fuge Ray or Ray 2 or a simple T5 single or T8 or T12 fixture.

CO2 regs you could build your own, but buying a pre made one would be easier and simpler. I would take a look at GLA regs and Atomic Regs. Those are nice quality and get reliable reports. Again, as a CO2 beginner you don't want gas leaks or reg failure.


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## Kai808 (Jul 19, 2011)

d2mini said:


> Thanks!
> Are you saying that neither the fissidens or the pelia need trimming?
> Do they get planted into the substrate and grow roots? Or is it like riccia that needs to be attached to something?


They both need trimming but maybe once every 6 weeks or so. They are slow growers (especially the mini pellia) so you will need a lot to start off. If you do a dry start you can cut it up and spread it on the substrate or you can also attach them to something. 

Check out Chad's journal. He has a nice fissiden carpet going on.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=191906&page=7

You can also check out Meow's journal. She has an all moss 12 gallon long.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=175894

I sure you'll come up with something great! Your reef tank room is awesome!


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Since it's an office tank and you're new to this world of scaping planted tanks (though, obviously not new to tanking or amazing reef tanks!), I wouldn't go high-tech with CO2 and such. I'd consider things that are truly low maintenance like Crypts, Anubias and mosses. You can do some amazing things with just those three types of plants. Add in some small Hydrocotyle and other plants for impact and you're all set.

That'd mean you can use cheaper, more sleek lighting, won't have to do any work other than water changes and feeding.

Iwagumi is tons of fun but only if you have someone just as skilled as you to take care of things while you're on vacation. 

For filtration, an Eheim 2213 or 2232 will provide the perfect amount of flow if you do a full-length spraybar. I've tried a 2215 and flow had to be metered down to the point of almost causing issues with the filter itself. Filter + sponge pre-filter = just right.


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## d2creative (Jan 24, 2013)

Green_Flash said:


> Lighting you could use a Finnex Fuge Ray or Ray 2 or a simple T5 single or T8 or T12 fixture.


Thanks for the info!
Would the finnex lights need to be raised?



Kai808 said:


> They both need trimming but maybe once every 6 weeks or so. They are slow growers (especially the mini pellia) so you will need a lot to start off. If you do a dry start you can cut it up and spread it on the substrate or you can also attach them to something.
> 
> Check out Chad's journal. He has a nice fissiden carpet going on.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the links!
Looks like chad used some kind of matting material? But you're saying if I dry start it can go right in/on the substrate?



somewhatshocked said:


> Since it's an office tank and you're new to this world of scaping planted tanks (though, obviously not new to tanking or amazing reef tanks!), I wouldn't go high-tech with CO2 and such. I'd consider things that are truly low maintenance like Crypts, Anubias and mosses. You can do some amazing things with just those three types of plants. Add in some small Hydrocotyle and other plants for impact and you're all set.
> 
> That'd mean you can use cheaper, more sleek lighting, won't have to do any work other than water changes and feeding.
> 
> ...


Yeah, i see where you are coming from.
I guess I hoped things could grow out a bit over a week or so and I could trim when i got back. What would be difficult to delegate would be any kind of dosing. I'd really want to limit co-worker participation to just feeding. I know even that can get tricky (I currently have a saltwater nano at the office) but everyone loves having the tank and seems to enjoy helping out once in a while.

I'll look into those plants you mentioned and do some searching on low-tech.
But I'd be curious to know if some co2 can still be implemented to encourage growth, stave off algae and just contribute to a healthier tank?

And the spray bar you mentioned... since I already have an MP10, can that replace the need for the bar? I also heard that having a powerhead can help chop up and better distribute the co2 bubbles (if i end up going that direction).
One thing I read somewhere about the smaller ECCO line like the 35 was that it was not enough flow for such a long tank. Again, was thinking maybe the MP10 would help?

Thanks for all the replies... very helpful! And thanks for the kind words on my reef tanks. At least you know I'll give this tank my best efforts. roud:


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

MP10 = potential shrimp blender. You'll be better off not keeping shrimp if you want to use a powerhead like that. Using a spray bar eliminates the need for extra flow. 

2232 (I have one on my 12gal) is perfect with a spray bar. In fact, I have the quick disconnect turned down a bit.

CO2 can be a good thing. But it won't be necessary at all if your lighting is in check. And if you want to keep anything other than Neos (many do but it's not always a good idea), I'd avoid it. Keeping lighting in check will mean you'll have no algae.



d2mini said:


> Yeah, i see where you are coming from.
> I guess I hoped things could grow out a bit over a week or so and I could trim when i got back. What would be difficult to delegate would be any kind of dosing. I'd really want to limit co-worker participation to just feeding. I know even that can get tricky (I currently have a saltwater nano at the office) but everyone loves having the tank and seems to enjoy helping out once in a while.
> 
> I'll look into those plants you mentioned and do some searching on low-tech.
> ...


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## d2creative (Jan 24, 2013)

So just to clarify, are you saying we shouldn't use any powerhead in a tank with shrimp? I use vortechs because the flow is adjustable and it's push/pull is so wide compared to koralias. Plus the different modes and random flow. I currently run the mp10 on my 6g saltwater nano, and have MP60's running on the big tank, both with shrimp. Of course the shrimp are a lot bigger! 

Is there a good reference somewhere for which plants would be best for a non-co2 tank?

Thanks!


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Unless it has a sponge over the intake, you shouldn't use a powerhead in a shrimp tank. Sometimes the Koralia works out okay but even that can be a shrimp blender.

There are only a handful of plants that will require CO2. Most can be grown without CO2 and many will do fine (but grow slowly) in lower lighting levels.


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## d2creative (Jan 24, 2013)

Ok, I dumped in a bag of aquasoil and some ryuo stone and when i stepped back this is what appeared. The empty space would be light colored sand. I'll be mulling over/tweaking this for a bit.












MEANWHILE.... I really need some LIGHTS!!!!
I've been through the build threads and still confused. I guess I'm looking for something with medium light. Was looking for a finnex fugeray but having trouble finding the 36" and the two is too bright. Marineland? The new one from Fluval? :help:

For plants I'm looking at doing a bunch of taiwan moss front and flame moss center with something taller in back.


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## Conrad283 (Dec 10, 2012)

Search for aqua.vibrant on e bay. They have the 36" fugeray in stock.

Scape looks great


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## Green_Flash (Apr 15, 2012)

Yeah that looks great! You're a natural. 

On the FugeRay question, raising would be good but you could also add some floating plants if the light is too strong. Too bad they don't have a dimmer option.


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## madness (Jul 31, 2011)

Floating plants can also do a lot of good when it comes to slowing algae and sucking up nitrates from the tank.

A lot of people going with Iwagumi style tanks don't want the floaters in there though. Personally I love Amazon Frogbit.


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## OVT (Nov 29, 2011)

*Re: d2mini's 12g Long Office Oasis - GROUP BUILD!*

Or you can let some stem plants grow all the way to the top and continue to drape across the surface.

via Droid DNA Tapatalk 2


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## d2creative (Jan 24, 2013)

Conrad283 said:


> Search for aqua.vibrant on e bay. They have the 36" fugeray in stock.
> 
> Scape looks great


Thanks! I found it! :bounce:



Green_Flash said:


> Yeah that looks great! You're a natural.
> 
> On the FugeRay question, raising would be good but you could also add some floating plants if the light is too strong. Too bad they don't have a dimmer option.


Thank you! That's true about the floating plants. Either way, the regular fugeray should be plenty of light, right?



madness said:


> Floating plants can also do a lot of good when it comes to slowing algae and sucking up nitrates from the tank.
> 
> A lot of people going with Iwagumi style tanks don't want the floaters in there though. Personally I love Amazon Frogbit.


Thank you! 



OVT said:


> Or you can let some stem plants grow all the way to the top and continue to drape across the surface.


Thanks, yeah i have that now in my betta tank. I think this one will be a bit more minimal with shorter plants. I think.


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## d2creative (Jan 24, 2013)

Got the Fugeray! :bounce:

Been staring at and slightly tweaking the scape, too. But overall I've stuck with the same layout. But still nervous about signing off on it and filling with water. :confused1:

Now I just need to get the filter. Ended up leaning towards the 2213/15 for cost and track record. 13 will do if it can handle the 36" length. Thoughts?

Oh, and i happen to have some sand sitting here that was left over from my reef tank setup. It's Dowell Sea Floor aragonite and says it's good for marine, reef and african cichlids, due to the high ph. Since I'm only going to use it in the "river", will it be pretty much harmless? Or should I get something else?
It's still in the (open) bag, never seen water.


Here's some iphone pics of the current setup...


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## d2creative (Jan 24, 2013)

Bump for the sand question and any final thoughts on the eheim.


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## alkatraz (Jul 28, 2012)

*d2mini's 12g Long Office Oasis - GROUP BUILD!*

Scape looks great! The substrate looks very thin nearing the river, i believe it may not be ideal depth for some plants but that depends on what you're planting of course. Can't comment on your other questions.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD


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## manzpants92 (Dec 6, 2012)

Really good scape. I really like the look of that big rock on the right side, but having it facing towards the front of the tank kind of shades right under it, so depending on if you go with a carpeting plant you might wanna flip it around so it faces the other way so you don't get that one spot to lack light. 

I think the sand is a super cool idea and would add a lot, the only problem is i feel that when a lot of people go for a mix and have a small section sand that the multiple substrates get mixed and then it just looks dirty. If you can keep it clean though and not have them mix it would look awesome


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Looking nice. Substrate depth near the sandy areas will be fine - I routinely have similar depths with no issues in my tanks. Even when it comes to plants and rooting.

As far as the "sand" (aragonite) you mention, don't use it - it's going to mess your paramaters up. The amount you'll be using would be enough to shoot your hardness up and put your pH at 8+ for an extended period. Go with nice pool filter sand or some other decorative, tiny gravel. (Though, if it were me, I'd ditch the sand pathway completely, fill it with soil and use a plant of some sort of carpeting species that's different than the rest of the tank - use the plant to be the pathway - sand will eventually get dirty.)

Eheim 2213 is perfect for this tank when using a spray bar. I've used both 2213 and 2232 (Ecco) with no issues. Even have to turn the flow down a bit.

Have you made any decisions on CO2? You'll have to use it + ferts unless you raise the fixture.


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## d2creative (Jan 24, 2013)

Thanks for the comments! 

Big rock... yeah it looks worse in the pic but i went ahead and straightened it a smidge. Plus the light was pushed way back when i took the pics. There is almost no shadow at all the way it sits now. 

Eheim... ok i'll order the 2213. Thanks!
But will a spray bar mess with the look of this layout???

Sand... bummer! would have been convenient to use what i already had especially when i only need a couple cups worth. Maybe I can find a light colored soil to use instead of sand. I liked the idea of a completely different texture and color there. My plan is to use a lot of mosses in the tank so what do you think would be cool to plant as the "river"?

co2... well, i originally planned to go the co2 route in my initial post but that idea got poo-poo'd for maintenance reasons. I'm still open to the idea. I purposely got the regular fugeray, not the 2, but sounds like it still may be too much.


Oh, and what about a heater? I've seen some inlines for canister filters. Would like to keep things as clean as possible. Suggestions?


Thanks!


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## Green_Flash (Apr 15, 2012)

Yeah I agree the coral sand would be undesireable to use in a planted environment.

I would recommend ADA Cosmetic Sand, they have lots of natural types, textures, sizes and colors. Small bag should be plenty and not too expensive. If you drop by ADG, Frank should help you out. 

I think the green spraybar would be distracting. ADA makes a glass spraybar, 2,3 and 4ft version, but they only come with the Waterfall series of tanks. I would ask Frank if you could order one as a replacement part or something, which I am sure is possible because what if one were to break, you would need a replacement. 
I do wonder why they don't offer them for sale separately specifically, I think they would sell quite a few. 

For the heater, I would recommend the Hydor inline heaters.


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## d2creative (Jan 24, 2013)

Yeah or I guess I could just make my own spray bar. 
In this style tank would you run it across the top of the tank?


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Check some of the many 12gal long journals here on the forum for spray bar ideas. You could use acrylic, PVC, even cheap rigid tubing. All depends on the aesthetic you want.

The easiest would be to use rigid tubing or PVC. Either could be painted to match your background.


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## rocksmom (Mar 6, 2012)

Another option instead of the spraybar is a jet lily pipe. I just set mine up with one and the thing has crazy flow in a big circular pattern. It's on an eheim 2232 which has a very similar gph rating to the 2213 (127 vs 116).


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## d2creative (Jan 24, 2013)

Thanks!
What is a "jet" lily pipe? Haven't seen that type. Do you have a link? Google is failing me.


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## rocksmom (Mar 6, 2012)

Here's a glass one from Do Aqua: http://www.adana-usa.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65_67&products_id=736

Stainless Steel one from ADA: http://www.adana-usa.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=76_26_44&products_id=83

BorneoWild also makes a SS one: http://www.borneowild.com/prod_v.php?g=1&l=6&c=14&p=61&stxt=

I'm sure there are others. The ones I got I believe are AquaPipes brand, but they don't make them anymore. I found mine on the SnS a couple weeks ago.

ETA: I hope those links are okay. Sorry if they have to be removed.


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

The trouble with lily or jet pipes is that they'd have to be dangerously strong to reach the full length of the tank. A 2232 (which I use) or 2213 (previously used) leave a lot to be desired on that front but are perfect with spray bars.


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## sayurasem (Jun 17, 2011)

Cant believe I missed this thread. Such a unique scape!


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## d2creative (Jan 24, 2013)

Thanks for the jet pipe info!
I'll start with the eheim, probably make my own more attractive spray bar, and then later I can look into the jet pipes if I still want to, but sounds like the 36" length of the 12g may be an issue.




sayurasem said:


> Cant believe I missed this thread. Such a unique scape!


Thanks! 


Yesterday I picked up some white sand for the river, the filter and heater should be here tomorrow and I've had some plants sitting here that need to get placed today/tomorrow. So the tank should be at least partially filled... today?!


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## sayurasem (Jun 17, 2011)

Don't forget to join the 12g long club


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## RobMc (Oct 16, 2012)

Gah, my favorite nano tank. Awesome scape my friend. I think a jet inlet will be fine. The tank is long and narrow so if you have the drain on the opposite end you should have no problems.

Just stock it with fauna that enjoys a swim in the river.

ps always thought it would be cool to do one of these tanks as a riverscape with some white cloud minnows.


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## d2creative (Jan 24, 2013)

Thanks, Rob!
The only problem i might have with pipes on both sides is the height of the soil on the right.

Ok, here is the final scape before i plant it and screw it all up!


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## d2creative (Jan 24, 2013)

Alrighty, I got my taiwan moss tied to little slate pieces and started filling. 
I need to bring in more water tomorrow and get the filter hooked up. 
I have that nice Amazonia soot cloud and layer on top of the water. :tongue:

I still have to get my flame moss (mid-ground) and dwarf hair grass (background) planted.


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## Green_Flash (Apr 15, 2012)

Very nice! For the soot, you wouldn't happen to have a wet vac handy? :biggrin:

You probably already know before you hook up the filter to have the water clear n clean (prevents clogging, algae problems etc).


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## d2creative (Jan 24, 2013)

Well, i kinda figured it would be a good idea to take a paper towel or something and lay it on the surface to lift out the stuff on top. I put my hand in and it came out covered in nastiness, lol.


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## d2creative (Jan 24, 2013)

Filled, planted and filter hooked up! 

Unfortunately I ordered the 5/8" size heater instead of the 1/2" :icon_mad: so I need to either find one locally this weekend or order another and return this one to amazon. So the plants are going to be a little cold. Hopefully they are ok till early this week.

It's hard to tell but tied to the slate pieces is Taiwan Moss in the foreground, some flame moss in the mid-ground and dwarf hair grass in the back.

The filter was thrown together really quick but eventually I'll get more hose and put the spray bar on the other side and/or make a custom longer one to span the tank.

I also gave the tank it's first dose of Green Brighty, Brighty K, and Green Bacter.

What do you think so far?


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## Conrad283 (Dec 10, 2012)

Looks great


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## Green_Flash (Apr 15, 2012)

When it fills in, it will look really nice.


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## d2creative (Jan 24, 2013)

Conrad283 said:


> Looks great


Thanks! 



Green_Flash said:


> When it fills in, it will look really nice.


Yeah, I hope so! haha
I guess we'll see. :icon_smil


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## assasin6547 (Feb 6, 2013)

Must. Resist. Buying. 12. Gallon. Long. Right. Now.

That is going to be amazing when it fills.


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## d2creative (Jan 24, 2013)

UPDATE:

Been doing (almost) daily water changes. 
Ammonia is down to about .25 and will start keeping tabs on nitrates tomorrow. 
Haven't made any changes since i got the hydor inline heater installed early last week. 
Still need to pick up some thin walled tubing to create a longer, clear spray bar. 

Continuing (almost) daily dosing of Brighty K, Green Brighty Step 1, and Seachem Excel... and Green Bacter after each water change. 


*MARCH 15th, 2013*









*MARCH 25th, 2013*


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## d2creative (Jan 24, 2013)

Well, it's been 3 weeks since planting/filling.
Ammonia is at zero, nitrates are around 3ppm.
I'll get a new pic tomorrow as I just did another water change, but the moss is really taking off and filling in!

So can anyone point me to some good information on keeping shrimp? 
I do know that some prefer certain water conditions vs others. Judging by my water parameters I think I'm good to go with Cherry Shrimp but open to suggestions.

Would also know if there is any preferred places to buy online? I still need to look around locally.

And considering the size of this tank, and the fact that shrimp will be my main livestock, is there a type of fish you would suggest that would also work well?

Thanks!


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## andrewss (Oct 17, 2012)

wow this is a most excellently scaped 12g long - man these tanks are awesome


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## dasob85 (Feb 4, 2012)

wow, this looks really nice.


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## JAYGEE (Apr 2, 2013)

Looks good, and I see you're in Houston! I just might have to pm you on some info when I start setting up my 12l this weekend!

Keep it updates coming!


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## Rbp917 (Dec 9, 2012)

The layout is great, I like the look of the sand in the central area.

Would putting the intake on one end and the spray bar on another be effective on a tank proportioned like this one?


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## rocksmom (Mar 6, 2012)

d2mini said:


> Well, it's been 3 weeks since planting/filling.
> Ammonia is at zero, nitrates are around 3ppm.
> I'll get a new pic tomorrow as I just did another water change, but the moss is really taking off and filling in!
> 
> ...


Check out the shrimp and inverts subforum here. Lots of info there. Here's the sticky thread with several links you can check out: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=184517

While I agree you should start with neos, don't necessarily feel limited to just cherry grade shrimp. Neos are all pretty hardy and have the same requirements, although I have read that the yellows seem to be a little more difficult. When I bought my first shrimp (blue velvet neos) I thought I was going to kill them all for sure. Turns out the things were bullet proof. They're now in several tanks, a goldfish pond, and overwintered in a whiskey barrel. Granted we're in California, but we still had nights in the 20's. The things are everywhere.

As far as a source, check out speedie's shrimp here in the SnS. He's got some really cool red supreme neos for only $3. You'll find lots of other people selling shrimp on there as well.


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## d2creative (Jan 24, 2013)

andrewss said:


> wow this is a most excellently scaped 12g long - man these tanks are awesome


Thanks! 



dasob85 said:


> wow, this looks really nice.


Thank you! 



JAYGEE said:


> Looks good, and I see you're in Houston! I just might have to pm you on some info when I start setting up my 12l this weekend!
> 
> Keep it updates coming!


Sure, anytime. 



Rbp917 said:


> The layout is great, I like the look of the sand in the central area.
> 
> Would putting the intake on one end and the spray bar on another be effective on a tank proportioned like this one?


Thanks! Yeah, the intake is too long to put on the other side where the soil gets real high. And I'll be extending the spray bar all the way across once I get some clear tubing. Will eventually replace the intake with clear as well. 



rocksmom said:


> Check out the shrimp and inverts subforum here. Lots of info there. Here's the sticky thread with several links you can check out: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=184517
> 
> While I agree you should start with neos, don't necessarily feel limited to just cherry grade shrimp. Neos are all pretty hardy and have the same requirements, although I have read that the yellows seem to be a little more difficult. When I bought my first shrimp (blue velvet neos) I thought I was going to kill them all for sure. Turns out the things were bullet proof. They're now in several tanks, a goldfish pond, and overwintered in a whiskey barrel. Granted we're in California, but we still had nights in the 20's. The things are everywhere.
> 
> As far as a source, check out speedie's shrimp here in the SnS. He's got some really cool red supreme neos for only $3. You'll find lots of other people selling shrimp on there as well.


Awesome! Much appreciated. :thumbsup:

So most shrimp are non-aggressive and can co-mingle?
How many can I have in a 12g long?


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## rocksmom (Mar 6, 2012)

d2mini said:


> Awesome! Much appreciated. :thumbsup:
> 
> So most shrimp are non-aggressive and can co-mingle?
> How many can I have in a 12g long?


Neos will interbreed and you can end up with wild-type (brown) babies, so you'll want to stick with one type. But you could have say amanos (they'll help with algae problems), CRS, and cherries all together. Here's a chart from Planet Inverts that shows what shrimp can be kept together: http://www.planetinverts.com/Will These Shrimp Interbreed.html

As far as how many in a 12 gallon... a lot. Just don't overfeed and keep a close eye on your water quality.


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## sayurasem (Jun 17, 2011)

I like that white sand


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## Clavius (Sep 30, 2010)

Wow! This tank is awesome! Nice work.


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## Green_Flash (Apr 15, 2012)

For shrimp safe fish there are Zebra Oto's, regular Oto's and some also have tried Chili Rasboras and CPDs with good success. Might eat the baby shrimp though.


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## Bananariot (Feb 28, 2012)

This is impressive, I'm excited to see how the moss grows out. I'm planning on trying a similar thing with either weeping or java when I get a new place and I can resetup my 12 long for longterm.


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## d2creative (Jan 24, 2013)

rocksmom said:


> Neos will interbreed and you can end up with wild-type (brown) babies, so you'll want to stick with one type. But you could have say amanos (they'll help with algae problems), CRS, and cherries all together. Here's a chart from Planet Inverts that shows what shrimp can be kept together: http://www.planetinverts.com/Will These Shrimp Interbreed.html
> 
> As far as how many in a 12 gallon... a lot. Just don't overfeed and keep a close eye on your water quality.


Excellent. Thanks! 



sayurasem said:


> I like that white sand


Thanks! 



Clavius said:


> Wow! This tank is awesome! Nice work.


Thank you! 



Green_Flash said:


> For shrimp safe fish there are Zebra Oto's, regular Oto's and some also have tried Chili Rasboras and CPDs with good success. Might eat the baby shrimp though.


Are there any Tetras or anything like that, that stay really tiny?
If I'm going to have any fish I'd rather have something that swims and maybe schools rather than hangs out on the rocks/plants.



Bananariot said:


> This is impressive, I'm excited to see how the moss grows out. I'm planning on trying a similar thing with either weeping or java when I get a new place and I can resetup my 12 long for longterm.


Cool, i'll have updated pics later today!


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## d2creative (Jan 24, 2013)

Ok, here's the pic update!

*March 15th, 3 Weeks Ago...*










*TODAY...*


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## Mumford (Nov 12, 2012)

*d2mini's 12g Long Office Oasis - FILLED!*

Wonderful! Love this scape!

What're you using as your background if you don't mind me asking? Love the blue!


- Mumford


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## d2creative (Jan 24, 2013)

Thanks! 

The background is just a white window tint film from home depot.
It's closer in color to the first pic in real life. A little more contrast in the second made it stronger blue.


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## JAYGEE (Apr 2, 2013)

Still looking good! 

I like the layout alot! What is the name of the plant on the last pic right corner?


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## d2creative (Jan 24, 2013)

Thanks, Jaygee!

Now if I could just decide which shrimp to get!!!  I want two kinds.


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## Green_Flash (Apr 15, 2012)

d2mini said:


> Are there any Tetras or anything like that, that stay really tiny?
> If I'm going to have any fish I'd rather have something that swims and maybe schools rather than hangs out on the rocks/plants.


I would say Ember Tetra, Green Neon and possibly Ruby Tetras.

This is a good thread with a few more ideas for small fish:
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=266474&highlight=smallest&page=2

Might eat baby shrimp and/or harass adults depending on the fish (the individual that is).


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## d2creative (Jan 24, 2013)

Thanks, Green!

For shrimp I'm now leaning towards blue rili and orange tiger.


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## tizzite (Mar 28, 2010)

The tank looks phenomenal!

What kind of sand did you end up getting?

I'm setting up a shrimp tank too, and I thought this thread was helpful:
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=149896

She compiles all the information into one place.

If you live in Houston, I know that if you sign up for the houstonfishbox forum the user armthehomeless sells some awesome shrimp.

The only think I have to add is that if you intend on breeding shrimp watch out for certain fish, as they are known to eat shrimplets.

I really want a moss carpet too, and I was wondering- is your moss growing into the aquasoil?


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## joeyNdana (Mar 5, 2013)

Great tank, thanks to you I finally decided what to do for my background after a long back and forth process.

Is it the frosted window film, etched decorative or something else they offer?


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## d2creative (Jan 24, 2013)

tizzite said:


> The tank looks phenomenal!
> 
> What kind of sand did you end up getting?
> 
> ...


Thanks! Will check out that info. Have been looking at fishbox but didn't see anything recently.
I don't remember what the sand was, but i got it at Petco. 



joeyNdana said:


> Great tank, thanks to you I finally decided what to do for my background after a long back and forth process.
> 
> Is it the frosted window film, etched decorative or something else they offer?


haha, awesome.
It's just the plain frosted stuff, no pattern or texture.
It's called "Privacy Control" from Gila.


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## Clavius (Sep 30, 2010)

d2mini said:


>


Noob question! What is the plant in the picture that is like grass? Is it low light? Thanks! Tank looks amazing!


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## JAYGEE (Apr 2, 2013)

d2mini said:


> Thanks, Jaygee!
> 
> Now if I could just decide which shrimp to get!!!  I want two kinds.


Lol, that's my problem as well. Can't figure out what shrimp I will want when it's ready.

For fish I like these, Bororas brigittae.


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## d2creative (Jan 24, 2013)

Clavius said:


> Noob question! What is the plant in the picture that is like grass? Is it low light? Thanks! Tank looks amazing!


The tall stuff in the back is hair grass.


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## d2creative (Jan 24, 2013)

SHRIMPIES ARE HERE! 

I got 10 Tangerine Tigers and 9 (ordered 10 but one didn't make it) High Grade Blue Rili.
One of the Rilis has eggs!


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## Mumford (Nov 12, 2012)

d2mini said:


> SHRIMPIES ARE HERE!
> 
> I got 10 Tangerine Tigers and 9 (ordered 10 but one didn't make it) High Grade Blue Rili.
> One of the Rilis has eggs!


Nice choices! They look happy!

Who'd you get them from?



- Mumford


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## d2creative (Jan 24, 2013)

Thanks! 
I was looking all over, but once I finally decided which two kinds to get, only one place had both... that I saw anyway. ShrimpUSA.

I didn't expect them to be so active! They're swimming all over the place.
Cooped up too long in shipping maybe? haha


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## Green_Flash (Apr 15, 2012)

Cool Shrimp. 

Next thing you know, you will have turned your 180 saltwater into a shrimp farm. :biggrin:


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## d2creative (Jan 24, 2013)

hahaha, I don't know about that! :icon_lol:


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## acitydweller (Dec 28, 2011)

your journal is absolutely inspiring. what a beautiful scape. very well done...


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## shift (Jan 7, 2013)

Beautiful tank!


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## d2creative (Jan 24, 2013)

Thanks!
Came in to the office today and everybody is still kicking.


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## d2creative (Jan 24, 2013)

Well, i've got good news  ... and bad news. 

The good news is my blue rili shrimp are all (9) still alive! And one has eggs again. Will see if she holds or drops.
The bad news is that all ten of my orange tigers are dead. 
It just happened one by one, almost every day.

Any idea why this might be? New tank syndrome? Bad batch?
Parameters in my sig below.

btw... Anyone deal with shrimp usa before? I still have not gotten a refund for my one doa blue rili. It's only 5 or 6 bucks but still.


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## Mumford (Nov 12, 2012)

Sorry to hear about those 

I'd assume bad parameters, they can only hold on a couple weeks in bad conditions before biting it. 


- Mumford


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## d2creative (Jan 24, 2013)

So are you saying the parameters in my sig are bad? Which ones?


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## Mumford (Nov 12, 2012)

d2mini said:


> So are you saying the parameters in my sig are bad? Which ones?


Sorry I'm on tapatalk, so I can't see it. 

But I can take a look later. Did you measure TDS? 


- Mumford


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## d2creative (Jan 24, 2013)

oh ok, cool.
TDS of all my water before going in the tank is zero. It runs through my RO/DI.
I use amazonia aquasoil.
pH 7.0
Temp 75
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 10
GH 89.5 ppm
KH 3 dKH

And fwiw, they started "biting it" within a couple days.


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## d2creative (Jan 24, 2013)

found another rili holding eggs. 

Would still like to hear some input on parameters and why I may have lost all tangerine tigers.


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## acitydweller (Dec 28, 2011)

d2mini said:


> oh ok, cool.
> TDS of all my water before going in the tank is zero. It runs through my RO/DI.
> I use amazonia aquasoil.
> pH 7.0
> ...


adjusted. 89.5ppm / 17.86 to get 5.01 dGH

How was the water remineralzed? directly in the tank or separately then added to the tank.


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## d2creative (Jan 24, 2013)

Not sure how I would change it?
I'm using RO/DI water with zero TDS (and this is after going through a whole-house water softener) so I can only assume this number comes from the AquaSoil?

Using the API test kit... the KH took 3 drops to change the color and the GH took 5 or 6 drops to change the color. Am I reading it wrong?


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## d2creative (Jan 24, 2013)

Just found a single baby shrimp!


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## d2creative (Jan 24, 2013)

Found a second!


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## d2creative (Jan 24, 2013)

UPDATE:

The tank is almost 8 weeks old now. The moss has pretty much completely covered the substrate! I never expected it to grow in this fast. All 9 blue rili shrimp are still alive and i have been able to count 5 baby shrimplets at one time. 
My Tangerine Tigers are all gone  but now i know why, have fixed the problem and will get more soon.

PICS!


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## Archstone (Apr 24, 2013)

What was the problem with the missing orange tiger shrimp?? Did they jump? How did you fix the problem? I am starting a 12 gallon long and have just realized how shallow the tank is after putting in the substrate...




d2mini said:


> UPDATE:
> 
> The tank is almost 8 weeks old now. The moss has pretty much completely covered the substrate! I never expected it to grow in this fast. All 9 blue rili shrimp are still alive and i have been able to count 5 baby shrimplets at one time.
> My Tangerine Tigers are all gone  but now i know why, have fixed the problem and will get more soon.


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## JAYGEE (Apr 2, 2013)

Looks badass!!


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## mot (Sep 17, 2011)

Great job scaping this tank. The signature is pretty cool as well.

I see only a few pieces of aquasoil in the sand area and was wondering how you do your maintenance on the sand bed?


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## d2creative (Jan 24, 2013)

Archstone said:


> What was the problem with the missing orange tiger shrimp?? Did they jump? How did you fix the problem? I am starting a 12 gallon long and have just realized how shallow the tank is after putting in the substrate...


It was an oversight on my part. I'm used to my saltwater tanks where i use rodi water for mixing salt. But forgot that when i add salt, the salt also contains all the other minerals that the fish and coral need. Well in this case I used ro/di water and didn't add in any minerals. Doh! So i recently picked up some SaltyShrimp Bee Shrimp GH+. For whatever reason the blue rilis did ok. Luckily. The tangerine shrimp were not so lucky. 



JAYGEE said:


> Looks badass!!


Thanks! 



mot said:


> Great job scaping this tank. The signature is pretty cool as well.
> 
> I see only a few pieces of aquasoil in the sand area and was wondering how you do your maintenance on the sand bed?


Thanks! Head on over to aquaticlog.com to get your own signature. 
I havent had to do any maintenance yet on the white sand. So far it's staying pretty clean.


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## Green_Flash (Apr 15, 2012)

The moss really did grow in nicely. Sorry to hear about the TT not making it, but the new ones you are getting should be cool.


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## assasin6547 (Feb 6, 2013)

Yes the moss is awesome!!!


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## tizzite (Mar 28, 2010)

Gorgeous Macro shots!

Did you make your own spraybar?

Are these results without any CO2?


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## xiaoxiy (Dec 18, 2012)

How the heck do you manage to keep the sand so fricking clean?


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## d2creative (Jan 24, 2013)

Green_Flash said:


> The moss really did grow in nicely. Sorry to hear about the TT not making it, but the new ones you are getting should be cool.


Thanks. I hope so! 



assasin6547 said:


> Yes the moss is awesome!!!


Thanks! So anyone have tips on trimming? I trimmed a few pieces the other day and it kinda made a mess with bits of moss floating all over the tank. I was able to catch some with a fish net.



tizzite said:


> Gorgeous Macro shots!
> 
> Did you make your own spraybar?
> 
> Are these results without any CO2?


Thanks! Oh yeah, forgot to mention I made a custom spray bar. :biggrin:
I just ordered some thin walled tubing from petmountain and drilled my own holes. 
No CO2, but occasionally I'll throw in some Flourish Excel.



xiaoxiy said:


> How the heck do you manage to keep the sand so fricking clean?


Beats me!


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## d2creative (Jan 24, 2013)

UPDATE 7/2/13

The moss is getting real thick now!
And something like half my blue rili have been berried recently.
Here's some pics! Including some teeny weeny brand new babies. 
This is the second batch since the tank was set up and there should be more any day now as I can still count at least 4 berried shrimp.


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Glad to see an update!

Great macro of the shrimp.


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## CL (Mar 13, 2008)

The tank looks great! The moss was definitely a good choice.


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## Green_Flash (Apr 15, 2012)

Gorgeous macro shot of the shrimp, best I have seen so far. :thumbsup:

Keep up the great work.


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## CPDzeke (Jan 4, 2013)

I love it! Is the GH really 89.5?


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## 808style (Sep 28, 2012)

wow really great job on the scape! i love how you created a carpet with the moss. what kinda photo period are you running? any algae problems with having the fugeray right on top of the tank like that?


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## d2creative (Jan 24, 2013)

somewhatshocked said:


> Glad to see an update!
> 
> Great macro of the shrimp.


Thanks! I was testing out a new lens for that one. Apparently it works. :icon_mrgr



CL said:


> The tank looks great! The moss was definitely a good choice.


Thanks! So far it has been almost zero maintenance so perfect for an office tank.



Green_Flash said:


> Gorgeous macro shot of the shrimp, best I have seen so far. :thumbsup:
> 
> Keep up the great work.


Thank you! 



CPDzeke said:


> I love it! Is the GH really 89.5?


Well, unless I'm reading it wrong, the last time I did the test it took 5 drops to change the color in the test tube of my API test kit. The chart says that 5 drops is either 5 dkh or 89.5 ppm gh/kh. And this is with me using RO/DI water. I think the last time I did that test was before I started using Salty Shrimp Bee Shrimp Mineral GH+. I need to test it again.



808style said:


> wow really great job on the scape! i love how you created a carpet with the moss. what kinda photo period are you running? any algae problems with having the fugeray right on top of the tank like that?


Thanks! I run the lights from about 10am-5pm. Any longer and i start getting algae growth on the rocks.


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## I<3<*))))>< (Jun 10, 2013)

Green_Flash said:


> Gorgeous macro shot of the shrimp, best I have seen so far. :thumbsup:


I 2nd this! 

Nice tank all around, really impressive! Just caught up on the journal!

Can't wait to see your shrimp population boom!


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## PeterN1986 (Jun 15, 2011)

Yeah, excellent macro shot! The colors of that shrimp are mesmerizing and you captured that! And great use of the moss as a foreground cover. It must be a real biotch to trim it down nice and level. Don't let it get too thick or dense; in my Mini-M I've let it grow out for ~3 weeks and cutting it is like giving a haircut. Plus all the small fronds that float all over the tank. They eventually settle and you can scoop them up though.


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