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Herc
27th Apr 2011, 10:18 PM
hi all,

Almost 2 weeks ago I finally bought a barely used tank.
The first goal is to create a nice tank where I can keep some happy shrimps.

The tank is a Juwel Rekord 600, size 60cm x 30cm x 36cm, containing max 63 liter.
Included are a Pump Set BioFlow 280, 50 watt heater and a Monolux 60 lighting hood with a 15 watt T8, 10kg Dennerle sand (Sulawesi black), a Colombo Flora Grow CO2 nano set and some driftwood. The hood was already modified with a Arcadia Ultra Seal Controller, which holds another 15 watt T8.

After thouroughly cleaning, the tank started cycling on Sunday April 17th.

The tank will contain a lot of moss. Most of it has arrived, but I expected the items to be somewhat larger. So for now, I have just put all portions in the tank so it can grow a bit before I put everything in its place.

The plants ordered are Flame Moss, Taiwan Moss, Christmas Moss, Creeping Moss, Utricularia Graminifolia, Hemianthus Callitrichoides, Riccia Fluitans, Pellia Epiphylla, Fissidens Splachnobryoides and Fissidens Fontanus.
I am sure that is way too much, but I just couldn't choose when I was ordering. lol
Most of the plants were ordered at a nearby LFS, and now its just waiting for an order from AquaticMagic in Malaysia.

Besides pressurized CO2 I use EasyLife ProFito and EasyLife Ferro as a fertilizer.

2 days after filling the tank, a white fungus started to appear on the driftwood. The last time I've seen that was a few years ago, I ignored it and it vanished after a week or so. So now I hope that it is gone by the time the tank has completed cycling.

There are obviously no shrimps or fish in the tank yet, and I don't expect to add livestock within the next few weeks. One of these days I should figure out which shrimps I want, so I can try to get pH//kH/gH to the desired levels.

In the meanwhile I will try to upgrade my photography skills, as I now have the skill of a 2 year old. Because of that, I have no pics yet. :D

hibi
9th Jun 2011, 09:43 AM
Any updates bro? :D

vandominic
11th Oct 2011, 01:41 PM
Ask a friend to take pics sir. Or just put your camera on a tripod. ;)

Herc
18th Dec 2011, 01:23 PM
update!

Things didn't go like they should, which resulted in failure before the tank was cycled properly.
So I cleaned the tank, got rid of everything that was in there and shelved the tank for a while.

Now the time is right to setup my tank again, so it is cycling for a few days now.
This time I am using Hirose Volcamia substrate and planted the tank with HC and, Pellia and Flame Moss.
I already hate the Pellia so i am quite sure that it will be replaced soon. :)

The substrate should lower the pH to 6,5-7,0. This seems to be purrrrfect for Crystal Reds and Crystal Blacks.

pictures will follow when the tank gets interesting (and when i can beat a monkey in camera-skills).

FishFan85
18th Dec 2011, 02:25 PM
What happened?

Ahw come on:) try some pictures, is it really that bad??

:)

Anyway goodluck/veel succes,

and keep us posted!

Take care now,

Joey

Herc
18th Dec 2011, 03:45 PM
I was gone for a few weeks, and when I got home again there were a gazillion snails and a brazillion mosquito larvaes having fun in the tank which had more or less changed to a green clump of algae.
It turned out that the tank received a bunch of reflected sunlight every day which was pretty nasty.

FishFan85
18th Dec 2011, 08:26 PM
I was gone for a few weeks, and when I got home again there were a gazillion snails and a brazillion mosquito larvaes having fun in the tank which had more or less changed to a green clump of algae.
It turned out that the tank received a bunch of reflected sunlight every day which was pretty nasty.

That's really a bummer, especially when you have put a lot of work into it.

Looking forward to the result of your new attempt.

Take care,

Joey

Herc
27th Dec 2011, 10:48 PM
update!

I saved 18 red cherry shrimp yesterday that otherwise would have end up as GSP-food today.
now I am stuck with a foster home that is in the middle of its cycling period.

to make things even more complicated, I discovered at least 9 babies this morning. :)

pics soon now

FishFan85
28th Dec 2011, 07:10 PM
Well congrats on the babies;)

Take care,

Joey

SchorpioenW
28th Dec 2011, 07:26 PM
Succes with the fresh start.

Herc
28th Dec 2011, 11:04 PM
babypic

http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n625/robertr67/shrimp/20111228_221931.jpg

Herc
30th Dec 2011, 11:54 AM
cycling, day 15

http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n625/robertr67/shrimp/20111230_114347.jpg

from left to right
Hemianthus Callitrichoides
Java Moss at the back
Peacock Moss (on the small tree)
Fissidens Splachnobryoides (3x in mesh)
Riccardia Chamedryfolia superglued to small rocks
Pellia (ugly stuff on rock in the back)
Willow Moss tied to ugly fake root
Utricularia Graminifolia
Peacock Moss on top of the ugly fake root

substrate is Hirose Volcamia
co2 and profito added daily
temperature ~22 °C

Herc
10th Jan 2012, 06:37 PM
cycling, day 27

pH 6,5
gH 11
kH 5

apparently pH <7 means slower cycling. so far no sign of nh3/4 and no2/3


I found a few small snails and some of their eggs last week.
3 Anentome Helenas should take care of that.

Murad
10th Jan 2012, 08:55 PM
Looking good Herc... I'm only at 9 days of cycling so far :( plus going to change my substrate when my LFS gets his shipment of ADA in the end of the month. I have FLUVAL and its not getting good review with ppl that tried it.