# Three Cup Nano: Renewal



## ryndisher (Jun 1, 2010)

Hmm Thats interesting but wont the water become dirty very fast, how do you filter something like this?


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

ryndisher said:


> Hmm Thats interesting but wont the water become dirty very fast, how do you filter something like this?


Why would the water become dirty quickly? RCS make little waste (hence why tanks can hold so many without issue) and the bowl is planted. I probably will not feed the RCS either since they should be able to sustain themselves on what is in the water and on the substrate.

Now if you are posting of algae, then yes, that is a concern. In the end, this project will be a good learning experience for me. :smile:


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## Outlawboss (Dec 30, 2008)

Cool shape on the container though. I like it much better than if it were a regular cylinder. Keeps things interesting!


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## tuffgong (Apr 13, 2010)

I like your scape and the shape of the container. Nano/Pico tanks are really interesting. I think this is the first one I've seen that is dosed with Excel. Nice job and I'm looking forward to the updates.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

Outlawboss said:


> Cool shape on the container though. I like it much better than if it were a regular cylinder. Keeps things interesting!





tuffgong said:


> I like your scape and the shape of the container. Nano/Pico tanks are really interesting. I think this is the first one I've seen that is dosed with Excel. Nice job and I'm looking forward to the updates.


Thanks.

I figure a drop a day will help keep the algae away, as well as benefit the Marsilea.


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## taramosalata (Jul 1, 2010)

This is really cool. Unconventionally small 'tanks' are really fascinating to me, and they are a good bit more so when they have fauna in them. I hope this tiny ecosystem fares well, and that all the life in it thrives and is successful at existing.

I very much like your scape as well. It is whimsical in an outer-space sort of way.

What is a reasonable amount of shrimp to keep in such a small vessel?


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

taramosalata said:


> This is really cool. Unconventionally small 'tanks' are really fascinating to me, and they are a good bit more so when they have fauna in them. I hope this tiny ecosystem fares well, and that all the life in it thrives and is successful at existing.
> 
> I very much like your scape as well. It is whimsical in an outer-space sort of way.
> 
> What is a reasonable amount of shrimp to keep in such a small vessel?


Thanks taramosalata.

For a container of this size with a sparse amount of plants, I recommend one RCS. If it is heavily planted, then I recommend two or three RCS. Nice thing about RCS is they are very durable, procreate a lot, are cute, and make good algae eaters.


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## taramosalata (Jul 1, 2010)

I keep hearing they're pretty useless for dealing with algae, because of not wanting to wipe out what they perceive to be their only food source. But hells yeah they are way adorable, I love these guys.

I recently got 8 RCS for my 20L (I meant to get 10, but the store was lacking). I have an abandoned 1.5 that I'm planning on setting up as a species tank for the little guys, so they can breed safely, and maybe I'll set up a desk shrimp so I have someone to look at during most of the day. I have a big ~1L vase that I failed to turn into a mini-riparium, so I think I'll use that, but not fill it all the way. Any advice?


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

taramosalata said:


> I keep hearing they're pretty useless for dealing with algae, because of not wanting to wipe out what they perceive to be their only food source. But hells yeah they are way adorable, I love these guys.
> 
> I recently got 8 RCS for my 20L (I meant to get 10, but the store was lacking). I have an abandoned 1.5 that I'm planning on setting up as a species tank for the little guys, so they can breed safely, and maybe I'll set up a desk shrimp so I have someone to look at during most of the day. I have a big ~1L vase that I failed to turn into a mini-riparium, so I think I'll use that, but not fill it all the way. Any advice?


I have always found my RCS to be good algae eaters in the sense that they keep the tank spotless of debris of any kind (I'm probably wrong, but I think excess debris helps create algae). I've also seen them picking at any type of algae I've had. Now, does that mean they'll gobble up loads of BBA, hair algae, and staghorn algae? No, but they'll try (unsuccessfully for the most part)! They get extra points for trying, right? :flick:

I regularly feed my hundred+ RCS and they still manage to keep my tanks nice and clean. Most people suggest feeding RCS very rarely, but I just do what works best for me. I do have lightly stocked tanks, so that may be why the RCS can keep them clean even when fed often. It is quite entertaining to see them slap-fight over food, too.

While you likely know the following, I'm going to post it anyways:
For the 1L vase, stocking numbers depend on if the vase will be heavily planted and/or actively filtered. Once it is set up, you may want to wait until you have a healthy colony in one of the other tanks before testing the waters (literally) of the vase with RCS. While RCS are hardy for a shrimp, they are not indestructible. For example, it's a bad idea to do what I am currently doing in my nano bowl, but I have so many RCS that risking three is not even of consequence to me.

I do have one question for you, why do you plan to not fill the vase completely?


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## taramosalata (Jul 1, 2010)

Gosh I don't know why I said that. I actually went and did the whole thing up and the vase is full to the last two inches. I have about 2 inches of substrate, 3 moneywort stems and some java moss. There are a couple seasoned pieces of driftwood, but I'm a class-A moron and didn't soak them so they'd stay sunk. Half the water is from my tank, and the other half is treated from the tap, because I am lazy.

Added three shrimp, and if they don't like it, well, there is always 2-for-1 Tuesdays at the LFS. They seem okay right now, just chilling on whatever they can chill on and being way cute.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

taramosalata said:


> Gosh I don't know why I said that. I actually went and did the whole thing up and the vase is full to the last two inches. I have about 2 inches of substrate, 3 moneywort stems and some java moss. There are a couple seasoned pieces of driftwood, but I'm a class-A moron and didn't soak them so they'd stay sunk. Half the water is from my tank, and the other half is treated from the tap, because I am lazy.
> 
> Added three shrimp, and if they don't like it, well, there is always 2-for-1 Tuesdays at the LFS. They seem okay right now, just chilling on whatever they can chill on and being way cute.


Sounds like a nice setup. I've kept several RCS in *much *worse conditions for months and they all survived. They even began to colonize.


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## taramosalata (Jul 1, 2010)

Hahaha, well that makes me feel a little better about being a hasty idiot.

The idea is that I want to keep some shrimp safe from the fish, and be able to see them and not wonder if I still have them all. I'll add more from the LFS to the main tank and the vase and see how they all do, unless the guy at the store is going to go through with his plan of switching from RCS to fire reds, as if they can't sell more than one main kind of shrimp.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

7-20-10:
I figure it is close enough to a month for an update.

The three RCS are doing very well; they have reddened up and molted a couple times.

The MM has been shooting out new buds a few times a week, so I'm pleased with its progress. So far, it has produced a nice variation of two-split and four-split leaves.

The water is a slightly yellow due to the tannins in the AS. I need an ultra nano filter with a couple beads of Purigen. 

No algae yet.





































Some MM Roots:


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## albirdy (Jul 16, 2008)

whats your feeding/wc schedule like on that thing?


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

albirdy said:


> whats your feeding/wc schedule like on that thing?


I don't do anything besides top it off when needed (every one or two weeks when I do my WC for my others tanks). I do dose 1 drop of Excel daily.


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## albirdy (Jul 16, 2008)

i like it. good work. super nano


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

albirdy said:


> i like it. good work. super nano


Thanks.

8-19-10:
It's still going! 

The RCS have grown and look surprisingly healthy. Lots of MM has sprouted. Very little GDA on the bowl's walls has developed. I suspect I got GDA because I covered the top of the bowl with saran wrap shortly after the last update. This means no more water changes or having to top it off, which is likely why the small amount of GDA has developed. All I do is add one drop of Excel daily and nature does the rest. :smile:


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## macclellan (Dec 22, 2006)

You also add oxygen when you open up the syran wrap. Otherwise, your shrimp would be dead.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

macclellan said:


> You also add oxygen when you open up the syran wrap. Otherwise, your shrimp would be dead.


I'm well aware of that. This is one of the many reasons I am surprised they aren't dead as I was expecting them to require more oxygen than what three seconds of opening a 1cm x 1cm hole would bring in.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

8-25-10:
Algae has vanished.










*The dots are seed shrimp.


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## kingfisherfleshy (Jun 4, 2010)

That last picture is sweet...it will be interesting to see how this fills in.


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

Nice little setup. Have you looked at the candle supply isle for a 'lid?' They sell clear glass plates that come in different sizes. Might be an option for you.


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## Clare12345 (Dec 20, 2008)

What are seed shrimp? Also oxygen comes from the plants. There may be more in there than we think


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## msnikkistar (Mar 23, 2010)

Seed shrimp are harmless and are a kinda cute. Most planted tanks get them and cyclops.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

sewingalot said:


> Nice little setup. Have you looked at the candle supply isle for a 'lid?' They sell clear glass plates that come in different sizes. Might be an option for you.


I'll keep that in mind. Thanks.



Clare12345 said:


> What are seed shrimp? Also oxygen comes from the plants. There may be more in there than we think


This thread contains a picture and brief description of seed shrimp: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/shrimp-other-invertebrates/40061-whats-bug-how-recognize-them.html

Edit: Ninja'd by Nikki.


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## tdouglass25 (Sep 20, 2010)

Any updates on this tank? I would love to start something like this, but with snails also. To keep a steady supply of snails for my future Dwarf Puffer.


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## Fishfarmer Randy (Sep 25, 2010)

I've found some really nice round glass cylinder vases that I'm working with that are similar to this size. I have one project that is a few months old with a colony of close to a dozen shrimp. I have a terrace set up in that one, which I think gives them a little space to spread out. I'm about to start a new one, maybe two, so I can seperate a few different varieties of shrimp. The one I have now is in the windowsill, planted with dwarf sagittaria, water lettuce, and hygrophila corymbosa. I am going to do another one with lace-leaf java fern and water sprite and try to get it to grow out of the top of the vase.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

tdouglass25 said:


> Any updates on this tank? I would love to start something like this, but with snails also. To keep a steady supply of snails for my future Dwarf Puffer.


It's still going. Looks much like the last picture but with more MM grown in.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

10-5-10:
I'm tempted to swap out the MM for mini micro sword, though I'm not sure what kind of results to expect.


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## PinoyBoy (Mar 14, 2008)

Just add it along side of the mm. Weird how your mm looks like their immersed; but tank (or should I say cup?) looks good.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

PinoyBoy said:


> Just add it along side of the mm. Weird how your mm looks like their immersed; but tank (or should I say cup?) looks good.


No room to add it in without removing much of the MM. 

The split leaves are due to the MM receiving less lighting than it would prefer. They also can get a tad leggy, as can be seen.


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## 23&24 (Oct 6, 2010)

That i awsome:icon_lol: i think i might try somthing like that with a small 4"x4" cilinder container with 2 rcs 1 bamboo and a carpet of java moss.


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## LilGreenPuffer (Sep 23, 2010)

How are you handling temperature? Is it staying stable in that windowsill?


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

During the summer, the room that it is in hits 90*F for a day or more. That does not take into account direct sunlight. I forget if any of those days were after I set up this bowl. If not, then there was likely at least one day reaching 87*F. The temps should vary greatly day-to-day within the bowl. 

I do not interfere with the bowl as it is mostly an experiment. I was expecting the RCS to die and the plants to not grow or grow very little, but the results proved me wrong.


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## PinoyBoy (Mar 14, 2008)

23&24 said:


> That i awsome:icon_lol: i think i might try somthing like that with a small 4"x4" cilinder container with 2 rcs 1 bamboo and a carpet of java moss.


If you mean bamboo shrimp, please don't. Those guys needs a good flow and nice established tank. If you mean lucky bamboo, eh... go ahead.


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## LilGreenPuffer (Sep 23, 2010)

dj2005 said:


> During the summer, the room that it is in hits 90*F for a day or more. That does not take into account direct sunlight. I forget if any of those days were after I set up this bowl. If not, then there was likely at least one day reaching 87*F. The temps should vary greatly day-to-day within the bowl.
> 
> I do not interfere with the bowl as it is mostly an experiment. I was expecting the RCS to die and the plants to not grow or grow very little, but the results proved me wrong.


Wow! They're tough little critters.


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## EntoCraig (Jun 7, 2010)

Great mega nano tank. Usually people don't think them through very well but it seems you have got this one nailed down.. Well done.


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## WeedCali (Jun 21, 2010)

this is awesome! you should put an oscar in it!


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## EntoCraig (Jun 7, 2010)

WeedCali said:


> this is awesome! you should put an oscar in it!


No way P-Bass FTW!


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

Thanks for the comments. 

11-16-10:
RCS are alive and doing well. Still no algae problems.


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## EntoCraig (Jun 7, 2010)

This is so awesome


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## WeedCali (Jun 21, 2010)

is that a flower?


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

WeedCali said:


> is that a flower?


I think they are just very leggy MM. I'm not sure if MM actually produces flowers.

The brown tipped stem is a MM leaf that I accidentally killed with Excel.


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## MaStErFiShKeEps (Dec 6, 2010)

Updates?


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## Guest (Mar 20, 2011)

I once put a whole moss into a container and left it on my window. And all of it turns yellow because of the temperature. It is hot like a cup of coffee every morning.

Sent from my GT-I5700 using Tapatalk


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

MaStErFiShKeEps said:


> Updates?


It's still going. No time to take pictures, at the moment. Basically looks the same as the last update.



Nur Syafiq said:


> I once put a whole moss into a container and left it on my window. And all of it turns yellow because of the temperature. It is hot like a cup of coffee every morning.
> 
> Sent from my GT-I5700 using Tapatalk


Yeah, temperature is something to watch out for. My house does get into the 90*F range during summer but it is not a constant temperature spanning over a long duration, so my plants tend to make it through alive.


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## MaStErFiShKeEps (Dec 6, 2010)

Update/Pics?


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