# 23L Aquascaped shrimp tank



## Arrowsfishworld (Jul 2, 2016)

Time to upgrade my 2g shrimp tank. Had lots of trouble with algae etc and decided to start again so y not got bigger. It will be a heavily planted shrimp tank and thinking about eventually maybe adding CO2 if it will be stable enough in only 6g 

TANK: Horizon 40. 40x23x25cm rimless tank 23L or 6g. 

Equipment:
Aquaone 100 clear hob 180L/hr

Lighting: 
Clip on desk lamp with 7w 6000k led bulb. 350 lumens. Can get a 9w bulb if needed

Substrate - open to suggestions 

Plants 
Rotalia roundifilia
Blyxa
Hm
Chain swords
Ludwigia narrow
Crypts
Peacock moss
Taiwan moss
Narrow java fern
Crinkled java fern
Bolbitis
And some other plants I'm not sure of

Hardscape. 
Golden Vine

Inhabitants 
Red cherry shrimps

Open to any suggestions 

Size compared to my old tank










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## Arrowsfishworld (Jul 2, 2016)

Also how thick should the substrate be in a planted tank?


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## Arrowsfishworld (Jul 2, 2016)

I have decided on flourite black sand thanks to some help on the in the Shrimp section. I have order it but it won't arrive for a few weeks so I decided to fill the tank and put on the filter etc to check the tank and had an idea to create a grow out tank for the plants I want to use in the tank. I will be going to a pet store about an hour away next week after Christmas and will be buying some hardscape for the tank ( and mostly alot more plants ). I want to slope the back of the tank and was wondering what everyone recommends as a filler as powersand is extremely expensive in Australia ( the flourite was $60 Australian for 7kg plus 10 shipping ) 


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## Arrowsfishworld (Jul 2, 2016)

Sorry forgot the photos










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## doug105! (Aug 2, 2016)

You could use black lava rock as a filler. If the pieces you buy are too big break them up with a hammer.

I read where some put the lava rock in part of a panty hose to keep it together, making it easier mound up!

Hope this helps.

DougN


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## Arrowsfishworld (Jul 2, 2016)

Thanks. I will see if I can get hold of it 


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## doug105! (Aug 2, 2016)

If you look at a home supply/hardware store, you can check in the landscaping area where it is sold as a ground cover or in the grill section as it is also used to even out the heat produced by gas grills.

DougN


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## Arrowsfishworld (Jul 2, 2016)

So I will be going to a pet store today ( an hour away from my home ) for hardscape and my substrate should arrive next week. I ended up buying some cheap pea gravel from my LFS as they had it on sale and it's all washed and ready to use. 


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## BettaBettas (Aug 21, 2016)

I like what you did with the cups!  will It always be like that? also I suggest you dirt with cups, I did that once and it worked really good, not messy, just clouds the water if you put it in a established tank like that. but cloudy water goes away quick (like 1 hr)


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## Arrowsfishworld (Jul 2, 2016)

It won't be like that I will be aquascaping this tank just thought I would grow out some cutting in the tank and the cups would stop it making a mess. Trying to save money. 


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## Arrowsfishworld (Jul 2, 2016)

Got some golden vine and seiryu stones today so I can start playing around with placement in the tank while I'm waiting for the substrate, I also got some normal hair grass, what looks like wisteria but not sure and some nano chain swords. I also bought some osmocote aquatic tablets from Bunnings ( Aussie big trade and hardware store). They were $6 for a big bag of massive tablets they say that they r safe for aquariums so compared to $25 for 10 flourish tabs. Will post some ideas tonight. 


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## Arrowsfishworld (Jul 2, 2016)

So I have done a few ideas let me know what you how's think ( obviously black Flourite sand has to go in this tank once it arrives but I was going to kinda burry the hardscape in it.
























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## Arrowsfishworld (Jul 2, 2016)

After a lot more fiddling I think I'm almost happy with this one










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## Arrowsfishworld (Jul 2, 2016)

Am I able to fill the tank now to float the plants in until the substrate arrives, will it do any damgae??


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## Arrowsfishworld (Jul 2, 2016)

Being my impatient self I have decided on the last one for now. But can change it if I need to or u have anything to tweet it. I have filled the tank and have my new plants floating in there.









I got hair grass, chain swords and I think it's wisteria or something I will have to check the tag. 


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## Arrowsfishworld (Jul 2, 2016)

The substrate arrived this morning. Here is the final tank now it just needs to fill out. Might need to get some tc dwarf hair grass as I'm pretty sure the stuff I have is the taller version. Let me know what you guys thing or if you have any plant  suggestions.










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## Arrowsfishworld (Jul 2, 2016)

Have ordered some bolbitus for the driftwood at the centre and some hc to carpet the front. I'm going to try and get away with high light and liquid co2 until I can afford to get a proper co2 setup but as it's only 6 gallon I'm not sure I will get one 


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## Arrowsfishworld (Jul 2, 2016)

So after planting the hc and moving around some stuff last night finally had the tank looking how I want. 

After having a few problem with the suction caps on my internal filter I fixed the problem and went to bed. And woke up to this. 







sorry for the quality quick phone photo. 


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## Arrowsfishworld (Jul 2, 2016)

After a new filter and all the other glitches finally got some inhabitants. It's been about 2 weeks now and I have berried females and plenty of snail eggs. 

Inhabitants:
Red cherry shrimp
Red ramshorn snails. 

Let me know what you think and or any suggestions.









On a side note the shrimp have been loving blanched fresh green leaves. I have given them mulberry and hibiscus leaves. They seem to go nuts for the hibiscus and then work there way to the mulberry. 

















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## Arrowsfishworld (Jul 2, 2016)

So he tank has been growing in quite nice but I didn't really like how the back left corner and the pearl weed was just thriving in the tank so I decided to change it up. Hopefully I will get a nice bush of pearlweed and rotala. The hair grass melted down in the beginning but after a good trim and replanting yesterday I realised that it is extremely thick and lush. I also got a new light it's a aquaone planted plus 45cm led. It's 18w and apparently the correct spectrum for plant growth. It looks a lot better and the tank is brighter and the light is spread out evenly, much better than the desk lamp. 

The shrimp are growing amazing, they are breeding like mad and have no had a death since they were acclimated. However my red ramshorn snails all died in a month ( most likely crappy stock will not go back to that lfs) however they layed plenty of eggs so now I have tons of babies. 

I am thinking about adding a red plant maybe Alternanthera reineckii 'Mini'
And or some blyxa. My first lot completely melted so I want to try again. 








































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## danbayne (May 21, 2013)

Looks great


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## Arrowsfishworld (Jul 2, 2016)

I have moved this over to tank journals. 6 Gallon Shrimp Tank

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?sh.../forums/showthread.php?t=1137602&share_type=t


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