# 5.4g long CRS/CBS/RCS Update 01/02/2011



## GitMoe (Aug 30, 2010)

just search "book shelf" on here. There's more than a few threads talking about this size tank....

Here...

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/planted-nano-tanks/31570-6-6-gallon-bookshelf-tank-starting.html


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## wrangler (Oct 14, 2007)

Ok so what I am finding is that these tank are 24 inchs long...and mine is 30. Other dimensions are different as well. I only found one person that was really doing a planted tank and had the pictures to go with it.

I also read that the standard WPG rule didnt apply with these tanks....and that they really needed more light to grow plants.....which I dont understand...as I would think since the tanks are fairly shallow and you would be required to have less WPG and not more. Why is that?

This tank also didnt come with anything as far as filter or light......

I really want to get a custom intake and spray bar (something I have never had on any tank) and wondered how big of a canister I need. If I have the spray bar the length of the tank would I need the same as if I had the spray bar on the short end of the tank and had it directed "down" the tank? 
Is there anyone that has a 30 inch T5 light? How wide is it? I was looking on marinedepot and I found several lights that were the correct length, but they didnt say how wide they were....and this tank is only 6.5 inches wide...so I think that is a limiting factor. I really like the GLO series of T5, but they dont offer a 30 inch light. I also would like to prevent light "spillover" out of the tank...as in I want the light to be in the tank, not lighting up the room and making it so it isnt pleasant to look at in the dark(my favorite time to gaze into my tanks). I will post pictures of the tank tomorrow. 

ALso another difference between my tank and others is that mine is GLASS.... and not acrylic.....you thoughts are appreciated....


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

Are you planning on running CO2 on this tank, or keeping it low light?

If you're planning on running CO2, then I'd recommend the Coralife T5NO: http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsU...5/cl0/coralifefwt5aqualightdoublestriplight30
Coralife is the only brand I know that actually uses 30" bulbs in their 30" fixtures. These fixtures are also only 4" wide so I doubt you'd have any issues fitting it over your tank.

If you don't want to run CO2, then your best bet probably is to stick with a standard T8 fixture (where a 30" fixture will most likely use a 24" T8 bulb) or getting one of the single T5 strip fixtures (used for under kitchen cabinet lighting) from the big hardware stores.


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## wrangler (Oct 14, 2007)

I wouldnt mind running CO2......but that leads to another issue. I have also read that CRS and CBS shrimp dont breed well in tanks with CO2.....is that information correct? That really is going to dictate on whether I have CO2 or not, as this will be a tank specifically for shrimp, and I want optimal conditions for them. That is also how I will decide what plants to put in here and also what type of bulb. So is it true that CO2 in a CRS/CBS tank causes problems with shrimp or shrimplets?


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

Well, just injecting CO2 shouldn't cause issues, but you definitely do run the risk of accidentally ODing on CO2, which WOULD cause issues... so it's a caculated risk. If you haven't run CO2 on a tank before and so don't have any prior experience regulating it, I probably would go ahead and skip CO2 for this tank since your primary goal is keeping/breeding your shrimp.


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## Midnkight (Jun 21, 2008)

check out some mr. aqua 12. they are 36 inch long, so you can get a idea. i have a 24 inch betta 6 tanks which i should start to post soon.


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## wrangler (Oct 14, 2007)

Well here it is!

I pulled the top rim off and worked on getting the silicon off....and I will have to work some more tomorrow.....grrr!!

I went shopping and found some zebra stones.....I have never worked with stones before in a scape....so this could be interesting.. ;-)

This is just the initial placements....if you can visualize something better please tell me!










and here it is from the top....










I really want to tweek this so it appears larger than it really is....30*6.5*8...

substrate is eco complete-and looks to be a fairly fine grain...I have used some that looked more like black gravel...this appears to have alot of particles that are the size of a grain of sand....

Let me know what you think!!


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

I really want to do one of those kinds of tanks. I think it would look cool with just a number of different crypts all lined up as specimens.


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## matthew.shelly (Dec 1, 2009)

i might place the stones on the sides, leaving the middle more open.


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## wrangler (Oct 14, 2007)

Well I decided that I wanted the tank out in the living room..so I will be able to sit on my sofa and look at it.....I installed the filter, and the light...still deciding if I am going to run CO2 in this tank, or just dose with excel. Again the shrimp are the top priority....

Took some more pictures...still unsure if this is going to be the final placement for the stones....or if I am going to change it again.

I do need to add a black background and fill her up. I recieved a plant package from Wasserpest and I think that I can use almost everything in this tank. Will scape on my days off this next week...until then I will contemplate how I want the rocks to look.....feedback is always welcome!!

Here are tonites pictures...dont mind the dust... ;-)


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## DANIELSON (Jul 15, 2010)

Thats an awesome shape tank i think ill start one up lol. Great scape by the way too.


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## wrangler (Oct 14, 2007)

I planted the tank and filled her up!










I spent most of the afternoon driving around trying to find the necessary parts to put a paintball CO2 system on the tank. I found the tank, but will have to order the other parts off line..BOO!!

I cant wait for it to cycle so I can add my shrimp!!


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## wrangler (Oct 14, 2007)

I wanted to post a photo update of my shrimo only tank. I did a water change and also replanted those that worked themselves loose over the last week. I am seeing some algae on the tops of the rocks.....hopefully that is all it is going to do. I am still adjusting to a hardscape....I have NEVER used rock before....and I am not sure that I like it yet.....hopefully it will grow on me....we shall see.... Here it is!!


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## msnikkistar (Mar 23, 2010)

I mailed your food out today. But....I threw away the receipt with the tracking number. DOH!


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## DANIELSON (Jul 15, 2010)

Any updates on the tank?


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## wrangler (Oct 14, 2007)

DANIELSON said:


> Any updates on the tank?


 
Nothing too major...I added more CRS...6 S grade black 6 S grade Red 
3 Hino Black, altho thanks to Greenisgood I recieved 18 fabulous shrimp!! One of my CBS that I recieved at the beginning of October is already berried....should have some shrimplets in 2-3 weeks!! 

All of my cherrys dropped there shrimplets......so I have a TON of babies! YAY!! I started with 6 females and 3 male cherrys.....prolly have 40 easy...cant wait for my CRS/CBS population to expand like that... ;-)

I did do a rescape with the stones. I sunk all of them into the eco...and also used them to create a hillside on the left end of the tank. I LOVE this look ....I just had such a hard time adjusting to the starkness of the stones.

I added CO2 via paint ball and chopstick diffuser last weekend.....and now my plants are pearling like crazy. Algae seems to be diminishing alittle....I got quite the bloom on the rocks and glass.

I need to do a trim and replant and also clean the glass off so I can take a picture of the new scape. Will post pictures later tonite or tomorrow.


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## DANIELSON (Jul 15, 2010)

Ya my CRS and CBS got down so i have a mix of babies right now. Im looking to set one of these up but i want to break it up into 3 tanks in one so i can have 3 different species of shrimps.


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## wrangler (Oct 14, 2007)

Here are the photos as promised! I have topped and replanted the pearl weed 3X since I started the paintball CO2 (3 weeks ago). I also just topped and replanted the wisteria(I think that is that plant). I recently also got an outbreak of a stringy algae....hoping that it doesnt take off and ruin the tank.....I have been pulling it out as i see it. Anyway here she is!!










FTS








lft side with the new slope...and sunkin stones.....








more slope shots








close up of the cave....the shrimp seem to like it..








BABIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!








Mommas!!








cluster of CRS/CBS/RCS


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## Damian (Jun 17, 2009)

Beautiful tank and Im digging the scape. Careful with the hair algae. My 2.5 was overrun and I eventually tore it down. IME I chalked it up to too much lighting. Am experimenting with a derimmed 5.5gallon with the proper lighting to avoid the dreaded hair algae. Good luck!


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## wrangler (Oct 14, 2007)

Thank you! I like this scape better than when I first set it up. My plants are growing like crazy with the addition of the the CO2. I am hoping that they will outcompete the algae...altho I could alter the lighting as far as how long they are on. but really I dont think that I have had too big of an issue with algae. I do have hair algae but I also think that it is partially caused by the newness of the tank and the cycling.......its not getting anyworse on the rocks and glass....and really has eased the longer the tank is set up. I think that I will have to get something that eats algae to try to permently eradicate it.....do ottos eat it?

One other question.....can Khuli loaches be kept with shrimp? or do the eat them? I have always had them together in the big tank....but dont really know if they were eating the shrimp or not. I think that they are way cool......


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## wrangler (Oct 14, 2007)

Update time!!

My tank has been chugging along quite nicely. I unfortunatly only have RCS in this tank at this point. I am not sure what happened but I started slowing losing all my CRS/CBS shrimp. I am not sure but it was suggested that I was doing too large of a WC change weekly....close to 20 percent....and that alot of people only do topoffs...so I have adapted that strategy. I am scared to invest more money right now in CRS and I dont want to lose them. I have a few left in the 70 gallon so I am hoping that I have at least a pair and that some of the babies can survive to adulthood as there are fishes in the tank with them.

Anyway here is the tank prior to the big trim....and boy did it need it!!









I would just like to thank the geniuses on here that were able to use a paintball tank and adapt it to aquarium uses!!

Here is what I removed from the tank









and here is the tank now....








I will pull up and replant the tops on the wisteria next round and the leaves that are here now on some of the plants are brownish....I am guessing due to lack of adequate light from the overgrowth.

Here are 2 more shots of the slope and rocks/plants.....I just love the look!
















Hope you enjoy!! I know that I love just looking at this tank at night...... ;-)


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## jeffvmd (Apr 16, 2010)

This tank is looking really sweet.roud:
Me want one.:icon_mrgr


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## dhg is my plant (Dec 19, 2010)

looks nice!!


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## !shadow! (Jan 25, 2010)

nice tank where did you get it?


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## wrangler (Oct 14, 2007)

Happy 2011!! Time for an update and Rescape!

First I just saw the question by !Shadow! on where I got the tank. I am not sure where...just know that it was in Florida like 15 years ago!! YIKES!! I have been carrying this tank with me for that long...and until now it had never even had water in it...I wasnt sure what I wanted to do or how to even set it up! 

I did a major rescape. I pulled most of the stems oout. I was having a horrible time keeping up with them. They would take over the tank in no time and it looked sloppy! I have instead opted to go with mosses. I bought several from Jaggedfury and an hoping that they do as well as the stems. I also brought over my nana petite...from the 70 gallon. It started as a few nodes several years ago and now it is turning into this great little cluster of plants! So here are the newest....

Here is the tank...and you can see why I needed a change.....ugh!!








and here it is tonite....dont mind the crappy cell photo...









Here is one of my cherry's...can you see her green eyes?








heres her again looking down










Heres the nana when I first got it...








and heres today


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## Rhaethe (Jan 20, 2010)

The new tank is definitely nicer! Moss tanks always appeal to me for some reason :icon_smil


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## Jaggedfury (Sep 11, 2010)

I noticed your Fissiden Fontanus came back fully alive and healthy from the paintball co2 injection! Very nice custom tank.


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## wrangler (Oct 14, 2007)

The paintball CO2 injection has been a godsend! I am so excited that I am getting the growth on my plants that I have...even tho it caused the stemmed ones to get out of control..could have been the opposite and they all melted... 

And I too love the look of a Moss tank...altho it is hard to find a tank journal that showed the progression of a really awesome scaped moss only tank. A lot of people have moss in their tanks...but very few have just moss and scape it.
I also am excited that I am able to work with so many unusual mosses.....esp for where I am at....as the only thing moss you can find is "java" and it is horrible......not so sure that it really isnt stringy moss..... no shape and it never lives for very long.....its like it is sick when purchased and never really recovers. I have been contemplating changing my 70 gallon over to moss......right now it is rotala colorata, bronze crypts and some MM......
Thanks for all the kind words!




Jaggedfury said:


> I noticed your Fissiden Fontanus came back fully alive and healthy from the paintball co2 injection! Very nice custom tank.


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