# fluval flora crs tank ( new pics after planting)



## Stinkmonky (Apr 16, 2012)

Hey guys ...as a high school senior I've taken advantage of senior privileges and chosen breeding crystal red shrimp in a planted habitat as my senior project. Cool right?anyway I need advice because I've only done cherries and I'm lackluster when it comes to monitoring my water chemistry and properly balancing an aquarium. I've got my hardscape down. Utilizing seiryu stones and Amazonia aquasoil as a substrate. I've got 2 13watt power compact lights above it. I've acknowledged the need for a heater because it gets cold in a high school biology lab. I've decided to go with an eheim jäger 25w heater. I'll try to do a simple iwagumi with hc and dhg. I won't be using co2 because I honestly can't afford a system and I can't monitor it closely because it will be at school. I also don't want to risk gassing out s grade crs. Can't afford that either. I'm concerned that the hc won't get all the proper nourishment without co2 under the two fluval lights.


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## Stinkmonky (Apr 16, 2012)

Hardscape with dhg floating in 60 degree water


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## vnghost (Sep 21, 2012)

I had 2 lights on my flora before switching to a 26 watt bulb. Co2 is needed for that much light. Also growing hc and dhg. If your doing iwagumi, there will be less places for crs to hide and I don't think they will feel too secure. Why not cherry shrimp, they are more hardy and breed easier.


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## Stinkmonky (Apr 16, 2012)

Thanks... Ill consider getting co2 if I absolutely have to


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## Stinkmonky (Apr 16, 2012)

New pictures!


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## sayurasem (Jun 17, 2011)

Great choice on the plants! But 60 degrees water might be too cold. Try getting the water up in the 70's


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## MABJ (Mar 30, 2012)

I hope your experiment goes A+wesome but the tank doesn't utilize enough vertical space. Perhaps add some driftwood? 

Shrimp are a lot happier with extra vertical space and more hiding places. 


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## Senior Shrimpo (Dec 4, 2010)

I like the tank! But keep in mind (this happened to me firsthand) seiryu can raise water parameters. In particular it raises TDS like a bear if you don't constantly water change. Not a problem in a planted tank but in a shrimp tank they might not breed with too many water changes.

Not sure if it happens with all seiryu, I recommend you test the TDS every few days for a while though just to be safe.

Good luck! I really like the DHG & HC mix!


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## Stinkmonky (Apr 16, 2012)

MABJ said:


> I hope your experiment goes A+wesome but the tank doesn't utilize enough vertical space. Perhaps add some driftwood?
> 
> Shrimp are a lot happier with extra vertical space and more hiding places.
> 
> ...


Yeah I feel the same way...I think the tanks dimensions should be reversed(longer instead of taller). However this is a short term project and I didn't have all the materials to make a nice nature aquarium scape with driftwood and such. I'll re-scape and make sure they are more happy in their more permanent environment.


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## MABJ (Mar 30, 2012)

Very nice  I'm sure it will be excellent. You actually could do your entire project on the nitrogen cycle. 


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## MABJ (Mar 30, 2012)

Very nice  I'm sure it will be excellent. You actually could do your entire project on the nitrogen cycle. 


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## Stinkmonky (Apr 16, 2012)

Update!
I left the tank unattended for two weeks over the holiday break. Had some minor algae problems but I greatly reduced the photoperiod over the break. Since then I've added an eheim 2213 and pressurized co2. Eheim is displacing substrate a bit. Need to invest in a drop checker. I decided to scrap the hc because of minor algae problem and try glosso. (Still looking for a source of about 50-100 nodes.) my time limit for the project is dwindling and I still haven't introduced any crs.


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## Stinkmonky (Apr 16, 2012)

After break:









Co2 added:

















Eheim 2213 added:








































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## Stinkmonky (Apr 16, 2012)

I'm upgrading to a atomic diffuser. Does placement of the diffuser right below the heater have any detrimental effect?


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## Stinkmonky (Apr 16, 2012)

Senior Shrimpo said:


> I like the tank! But keep in mind (this happened to me firsthand) seiryu can raise water parameters. In particular it raises TDS like a bear if you don't constantly water change. Not a problem in a planted tank but in a shrimp tank they might not breed with too many water changes.
> 
> Not sure if it happens with all seiryu, I recommend you test the TDS every few days for a while though just to be safe.
> 
> Good luck! I really like the DHG & HC mix!


I've purchased a Tds pen additionally. Currently my co2 monitoring method consists of a ph pen until I can get a drop checker.


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## lemuj (Nov 7, 2006)

I noticed you still have the glass tops and yet using the 2213. Did you have the glass tops cut out? I just started a fluval ebi and and I have a 2213 I want to use on it but was told the the glass tops can't be cut.


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## Stinkmonky (Apr 16, 2012)

lemuj said:


> I noticed you still have the glass tops and yet using the 2213. Did you have the glass tops cut out? I just started a fluval ebi and and I have a 2213 I want to use on it but was told the the glass tops can't be cut.


Yeah I took one of those glass cutting tools that they had in the art room o my school. You run it in a line then use a clamp tool to break it on the line. I just shortened the dimension by an inch on one side maybe


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## lemuj (Nov 7, 2006)

Do you mind putting a closer pic of what you've done? Thanks..


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## Stinkmonky (Apr 16, 2012)

lemuj said:


> Do you mind putting a closer pic of what you've done? Thanks..


Yeah I can manage that. I'll have to take one tomorrow after school. I also had to reduce the spray bar length by about 4 inches. I didn't have any under cabinet space for the canister so fitting all the tubing behind the tank was a juggling act all in itself.


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## Stinkmonky (Apr 16, 2012)

lemuj said:


> do you mind putting a closer pic of what you've done? Thanks..


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## MABJ (Mar 30, 2012)

I also attached a canister to mine. 

I did a Zoomed 501 to my Fluval Spec. It really keeps the tank looking nice.


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## lemuj (Nov 7, 2006)

Thanks for posting the picture... so the whole thing was shortened. I thought just a piece on both corners were taken out. But you did a pretty clean cut. Good job..


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## Stinkmonky (Apr 16, 2012)

lemuj said:


> Thanks for posting the picture... so the whole thing was shortened. I thought just a piece on both corners were taken out. But you did a pretty clean cut. Good job..


Yeah with the glass cutter I was using you could only go straight across. That's what I was trying to convey by saying that I reduced the dimension of one of the sides. The purpose of it was to make a groove to break the glass along. I was going to grind the edge down but I didn't had access to the one available to me at that time. I recommend trying it. You can most likely find a glass cutter locally at an arts and crafts store. If not most certainly online for cheap. Don't forget the special pliar tool either. Good luck and thanks for reviving the post!


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## Stinkmonky (Apr 16, 2012)

Update! I've planted glosso in the tank because hc died off a little too much before addition of co2. I've also added 11 crs! Did a 50% ro water change to improve conditions for the crs.


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## joey24dirt (Jan 2, 2013)

Looking good. I love the look of glosso carpets.


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## Stinkmonky (Apr 16, 2012)

So I'm officially scholastically done with this project! I delivered a 23 minute presentation yesterday entailing aquascaping and a detailed explanation of my product. So glosso has grown a lot.


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## A.D.D.i.c.t. (Dec 9, 2012)

Where will the tank live now?


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## idex (Apr 15, 2010)

Stinkmonky said:


> So I'm officially scholastically done with this project! I delivered a 23 minute presentation yesterday entailing aquascaping and a detailed explanation of my product. So glosso has grown a lot.


Congrats roud:


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## Stinkmonky (Apr 16, 2012)

A.D.D.i.c.t. said:


> Where will the tank live now?


Where it is currently until school ends the it might be donated to my school's new green building/ innovation center( don't ask me) or it might go with me to college.


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## A.D.D.i.c.t. (Dec 9, 2012)

That would be awesome. After all, it was your "baby". Nice work!


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## siovino (Mar 6, 2013)

Great job, I have the same tank in the office, I use the fluval mini CO2 system which works great! I suggest that for you, so you can get rid of the huge CO2 tank you have..


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## vnghost (Sep 21, 2012)

siovino said:


> Great job, I have the same tank in the office, I use the fluval mini CO2 system which works great! I suggest that for you, so you can get rid of the huge CO2 tank you have..


Those cartridges add up fast, you be upgrading soon enough haha


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## Stinkmonky (Apr 16, 2012)

siovino said:


> Great job, I have the same tank in the office, I use the fluval mini CO2 system which works great! I suggest that for you, so you can get rid of the huge CO2 tank you have..


I used it for a while and I found that I couldn't get anywhere near the consistency of gas output with the mini fluval than my custom made system. 20oz tank will last muuuuch longer than a 20gram cartridge. If I ever move it ill make sure I move it to a spot where I can hide the co2 system and filter. It's already in a cluttered area so it doesn't bother me. It's the aesthetics of my school not my own home at this point. Actually I don't mind the exposed co2 system because it grants justice to the complexity of the operation lol.


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## Stinkmonky (Apr 16, 2012)

Berried!


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