ricbennett3 Posted November 3, 2022 Share Posted November 3, 2022 (edited) I thought since can't see my tanks every day for a bit, I'd try my hand at creating a journal of the experience. It will likely take a bit of fine-tuning for me to learn what information is relevant. I bought this tank from an online retailer a bit over a year ago. I like it's unique shape (though it did make stand shopping a challenge). Initially, I set up the tank using a variety of stones and plants. I liked the idea of creating a rockwall using slate stones (inspired by yard I observed in my neighborhood, walking the dog). Here was the result (though I will admit the tank went through many phases-slight changes and plant switches and such): The tank ran for a year, many baby White Cloud Mountain Minnows were born. I started with about 7 from Petco (gasp), and ended up with 15-20. I picked a few of the long finned variety from the Co-op. I also started with 10-12 Blue Dream Shrimp and some Ramshorn snails. Overall, I enjoyed this tank, but it became overwhelmed with hair algae and I was itching for a rebuild. The image below inspired me. I can't remember where I found it, but somewhere online:) I went to a landscaping rock yard, checked rocks for PH issues and selected a bunch that would work. I then set up the tank with net bags filled with Fluval aquasoil capped with sand (nod to MD Tanks). Here was the initial build: I added all the plants I had salvaged from the last set-up and filled it up:) It's been running for a few months now. I currently only see it one day a week (Maintenance Day!). I've added three Borneo Loaches from the Co-op, a few Amano Shrimp, a couple Nerite snails, and 4 Kuhli Loaches I had in another tank. The KH is 0, like it is being sucked out of the tank. The PH is super low, like 6.4-6.6, and the GH is next to nothing, but everyone seems happy. The Blue Dreams are exploded (I counted over 25 babies recently). The Borneo are so fun to watch. I rarely see the Kuhli Loaches, but that's nothing new. They did excavate many tunnels under the rocks though and catch glimpses. The White Clouds are breeding much more slowly than in the last set-up. I wonder if the loaches are eating eggs. Here are some current pics (I put a second heater in because I can't check the tank daily. Temp is 75): Edited November 3, 2022 by Zenzo Removed competitor website link 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OceanTruth Posted November 3, 2022 Share Posted November 3, 2022 You’ve got some great aquascaping and photo taking skills! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricbennett3 Posted March 4, 2023 Author Share Posted March 4, 2023 My Borneo loaches didn’t make it through my time away, unfortunately. Not sure what happened there. The Kuhli loaches and white clouds are doing well. I keep selling blue shrimp to the local shop at $1 each and there are still at least a hundred more. They seem to like this tank, though I’d think the water wouldn’t work for them…KH is zero and PH is 6.4. The parameters have been stable though they are very different from all my other tanks, which have a KH of around 3 and PH closer to 7. Not sure why. Hundreds of shrimp and snails thought. Plants doing okay. Kuhli loaches are too fat, and the white clouds aren’t breeding anymore (maybe no more females…or maybe Kuhli loaches like eggs for breakfast:) 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabokovfan87 Posted March 5, 2023 Share Posted March 5, 2023 On 3/4/2023 at 2:40 PM, ricbennett3 said: I keep selling blue shrimp to the local shop at $1 each and there are still at least a hundred more. Do you have a cull tank or how do you handle that? Very beautiful work with the rock and hardscape. Nice tank! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricbennett3 Posted March 5, 2023 Author Share Posted March 5, 2023 On 3/4/2023 at 10:46 PM, nabokovfan87 said: Do you have a cull tank or how do you handle that? Very beautiful work with the rock and hardscape. Nice tank! I don’t have a full tank exactly. If there are any shrimp I don’t like the look of, I give them to the fish shop for free, or I put them in with one of my bettas. I had hoped I could keep shrimp in the betta tanks, but they both fancy themselves an expensive meal now and then:) 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theplatymaster Posted March 5, 2023 Share Posted March 5, 2023 @ricbennett3that betta tank is AMAZING!!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllFishNoBrakes Posted March 5, 2023 Share Posted March 5, 2023 On 3/4/2023 at 3:40 PM, ricbennett3 said: They seem to like this tank, though I’d think the water wouldn’t work for them…KH is zero and PH is 6.4. I have very similar parameters in all of my tanks and my shrimp tank crushed. Hundreds of shrimp went to the LFS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricbennett3 Posted March 5, 2023 Author Share Posted March 5, 2023 This is the other shrimp eater. I’m struggling to keep his beautiful fins healthy. This is just a holding tank while I try to medicate his fins. Here is how they should look. He is about a year older now though. I think he must be about three years old currently. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PineSong Posted March 6, 2023 Share Posted March 6, 2023 He is beautiful, and you're sure not the only one who struggles with keeping such lush finnage in shape. Gorgeous tanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricbennett3 Posted March 6, 2023 Author Share Posted March 6, 2023 On 3/5/2023 at 5:28 PM, PineSong said:you're sure not the only one who struggles with keeping such lush finnage in shape. I have come to appreciate the plakat betta shape more recently. The tight fins match the betta attitude and exploration habits better, in my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricbennett3 Posted March 6, 2023 Author Share Posted March 6, 2023 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knee Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 On 3/4/2023 at 2:40 PM, ricbennett3 said: They seem to like this tank, though I’d think the water wouldn’t work for them…KH is zero and PH is 6.4. I've had neos do that as well. I kept some red cherry neos with blue bolt caridinas. GH is 2 or 3 and KH barely registers but they were pumping out more babies than the blue bolts 🤷♂️ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabokovfan87 Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 @Chick-In-Of-TheSeaa @Cinnebuns Check out those shrimp! Holy smokes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnebuns Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 On 3/6/2023 at 8:14 PM, nabokovfan87 said: @Chick-In-Of-TheSeaa @Cinnebuns Check out those shrimp! Holy smokes. Blueberry flavored! Yum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricbennett3 Posted March 19, 2023 Author Share Posted March 19, 2023 After today’s maintenance. Growing in nicely. I added a couple more crypts today. Made $30 selling shrimp. I even get to see the Kuhli loaches every once in a while, though I couldn’t guess how many are still thriving. Hopefully four, though I only ever see them one or two at a time. I’m going to add some checker barbs once they finish quarantine. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricbennett3 Posted March 19, 2023 Author Share Posted March 19, 2023 (edited) Shrimp everywhere. I counted 50+ adults and that’s not even counting the ones hiding in the floating plants. Edited March 19, 2023 by ricbennett3 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricbennett3 Posted April 5, 2023 Author Share Posted April 5, 2023 My Anubias is flowering. Cool. Hard to get a good pic because that’s a pretty shaded part of the tank thanks to the Amazon sword. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabokovfan87 Posted April 5, 2023 Share Posted April 5, 2023 That's awesome, congratulations! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricbennett3 Posted April 11, 2023 Author Share Posted April 11, 2023 I guess shrimp like eating Anubias flowers. Who knew? 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricbennett3 Posted April 16, 2023 Author Share Posted April 16, 2023 Did a major maintenance session today. Always makes me a little nervous to dive into a system that seem to be working, but that’s what I did. Added some more crushed coral, trimmed and moved some plants, cleared the surface of duckweed (god, I hope I got every bit, but know there is no way). 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricbennett3 Posted May 3, 2023 Author Share Posted May 3, 2023 Added the checker barbs finally. They seem happy so far. I think this tank is now full. 8 checker barbs, 8 white clouds, 4 Kuhli loaches, 3 Amanos, 2 Nerites, and 100s of rams horns and blue shrimp. I’ve made over $200 selling blue shrimp out of this tank to my local store for a buck a piece. They sell them for $9 each, so they have made more than me off this tank:) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricbennett3 Posted September 12, 2023 Author Share Posted September 12, 2023 Chunky checker barbs, blue shrimp and a tiger lotus:) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabokovfan87 Posted September 12, 2023 Share Posted September 12, 2023 Those white clouds look gigantic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricbennett3 Posted September 17, 2023 Author Share Posted September 17, 2023 Sheesh. Tried cleaning and organizing the tank supplies. How did I end up with so much stuff?! Time to purge some old filters, heaters, hoses, and whatever else I’ve unearthed🥵. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabokovfan87 Posted September 17, 2023 Share Posted September 17, 2023 On 9/16/2023 at 5:31 PM, ricbennett3 said: Sheesh. Tried cleaning and organizing the tank supplies. How did I end up with so much stuff?! Time to purge some old filters, heaters, hoses, and whatever else I’ve unearthed🥵. I am dealing with this right now too! I have to try to hide so much "stuff". Most of the supplies I use day to day is on a small table like what you have to the left or in the stand. I have the big bulky items around the floor/space, but there really.... really isn't a good way to store or have space for those items. I would be so nice if the stands came with "bins" or space for totes. I've got 2-3 fish totes and the really unfortunate thing is that all of those items we need to use, buckets and pythons, pumps, nets, even a small fridge, etc., and there's just no real way to have those in a living space and have it be aesthetically enjoyable. 😞 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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