Minicrazy's FW 55g Build
- Thread starter minicrazy592
- Start date
minicrazy592
Member
Thanks
I got a call from my Dad just now, he's ready to add fish. I guess he doesn't understand the whole point of the dry method. :smack:
I told him he has to wait a few more weeks.
I got a call from my Dad just now, he's ready to add fish. I guess he doesn't understand the whole point of the dry method. :smack:
I told him he has to wait a few more weeks.
RachShaffy
Member
I think parents have this inbuilt need to listen to you explain something 100 times and then totally disregard what you said because THEY ARE YOUR PARENTS! My mother does it too lol
minicrazy592
Member
Plants in the 55g have been doing good so I am told. My Dad wants to buy some more dwarf hair grass to get a thicker carpet quicker. The dwarf baby tears I have heard are growing like crazy, I can't wait to see some pics.
As for my 2.5g I've been experimenting. First I've messing around with my CO2 set up and came up with a better solution. I now have a vitamin water bottle sealed up with silicon and a new recipe that has lasted 2.5 days so far at a constant rate as compared to my earlier recipe that only lasted 1.5 days with bubbles dwindling within the first 6 hours. One thing that has be slightly worried is my CO2 level. It's currently sitting at 32 ppm right now. If it stays there I have no qualms, but if it elevates past 35 ppm that is way more than I am comfortable with. I've read that with a high light set up, which I think mine qualifies for, 30 ppm is the average. My Coralife CF fixture is 18 watts, so divide by 2.5 that is roughly 7.2 watts/g. My fish seem fine at this CO2 level, they're not doing anything that they normally don't do. The plants that were in the tank before as growing like crazy and have been greening up tremendously as compared before I had my CO2 system.
New bottle:
Before CO2
After a weeks worth of CO2 and new plants
I've also gotten some new plants, driftwood, wrapped my filter in java moss, bought some more ghost shrimp, and messing around with the tank in general.
The new plants seems to be doing fine. I've had them in the tank for 2 days with them greening up since I got them. I bought some Wisteria and Peacock ferns from Petco since my LFS doesn't really have any FW plants I deem pleasant looking.
I bought 5 ghost shrimp to add to my 3 currently in the tank. I lost one within the hour of getting it home. I think it got hurt by the Petco guy. It hopped on the floor after he caught it and he had a hard time picking it up. Anyway I got more not only because they add more activity to my tank, but they also are helping create competition for food making the shrimp eat the algae that accumulates on the plants that the 3 just weren't getting. I've noticed depending on when and where I got them they have different colorations. My ones from Petsmart are completely clear with a little yellowish tint to them. The first ones from Petco are a slight white color. As for the second set, they came out of two tanks. One with black gravel and the other with white. Their colorations correspond with their gravel color kinda weird and cool at the same time.
With the rearranging I didn't do much, just made room for the drift wood and moved my rocks I had in the tank. One thing about this is tank is I'm going for lush, not exactly looks. It's hard to aquascape a 2.5g IMO, you just don't have room to do anything with it. When I was rearranging I was amazed at the root systems my plants have developed. Their root growth have given me a new found confidence that I'm doing something right.
I'm having fun with with the Java Moss. I had some left over from the wall and decided to cover the pump with it. It will be pretty cool looking once it is grown out and it will match the wall too! Which has taken off like crazy BTW.
Sorry for the horrible iPhone pics as always
As for my 2.5g I've been experimenting. First I've messing around with my CO2 set up and came up with a better solution. I now have a vitamin water bottle sealed up with silicon and a new recipe that has lasted 2.5 days so far at a constant rate as compared to my earlier recipe that only lasted 1.5 days with bubbles dwindling within the first 6 hours. One thing that has be slightly worried is my CO2 level. It's currently sitting at 32 ppm right now. If it stays there I have no qualms, but if it elevates past 35 ppm that is way more than I am comfortable with. I've read that with a high light set up, which I think mine qualifies for, 30 ppm is the average. My Coralife CF fixture is 18 watts, so divide by 2.5 that is roughly 7.2 watts/g. My fish seem fine at this CO2 level, they're not doing anything that they normally don't do. The plants that were in the tank before as growing like crazy and have been greening up tremendously as compared before I had my CO2 system.
New bottle:
Before CO2
After a weeks worth of CO2 and new plants
I've also gotten some new plants, driftwood, wrapped my filter in java moss, bought some more ghost shrimp, and messing around with the tank in general.
The new plants seems to be doing fine. I've had them in the tank for 2 days with them greening up since I got them. I bought some Wisteria and Peacock ferns from Petco since my LFS doesn't really have any FW plants I deem pleasant looking.
I bought 5 ghost shrimp to add to my 3 currently in the tank. I lost one within the hour of getting it home. I think it got hurt by the Petco guy. It hopped on the floor after he caught it and he had a hard time picking it up.
Anyway I got more not only because they add more activity to my tank, but they also are helping create competition for food making the shrimp eat the algae that accumulates on the plants that the 3 just weren't getting. I've noticed depending on when and where I got them they have different colorations. My ones from Petsmart are completely clear with a little yellowish tint to them. The first ones from Petco are a slight white color. As for the second set, they came out of two tanks. One with black gravel and the other with white. Their colorations correspond with their gravel color kinda weird and cool at the same time. With the rearranging I didn't do much, just made room for the drift wood and moved my rocks I had in the tank. One thing about this is tank is I'm going for lush, not exactly looks. It's hard to aquascape a 2.5g IMO, you just don't have room to do anything with it. When I was rearranging I was amazed at the root systems my plants have developed. Their root growth have given me a new found confidence that I'm doing something right.
I'm having fun with with the Java Moss. I had some left over from the wall and decided to cover the pump with it. It will be pretty cool looking once it is grown out and it will match the wall too! Which has taken off like crazy BTW.
Sorry for the horrible iPhone pics as always
minicrazy592
Member
So I was wondering why my Peacock fern wasn't doing too well, I found out after some googling, they are not aquatic plants! So Petco strikes again!
minicrazy592
Member
I drove to Houston today to go hunting on Sunday. I'm going to flood the tank tomorrow and install the pump. Tonight though I replanted some stuff. I also added a few small guppies and shrimp to see how the water parameters are, aka guinea pigs. It's pretty cool to see them dart across the water surface.
The plants are good. The dwarf hair grass has lots of runners. The baby tears and micro sword is the same. The ludwigia has gone to town. The water clover is ok. Plenty of new growth, but there's a few dead strands. All and all it has turned out well.
The water is kind of cloudy from the rearranging and replanting.
The plants are good. The dwarf hair grass has lots of runners. The baby tears and micro sword is the same. The ludwigia has gone to town. The water clover is ok. Plenty of new growth, but there's a few dead strands. All and all it has turned out well.
The water is kind of cloudy from the rearranging and replanting.
minicrazy592
Member
Thanks! More to come tomorrow.
minicrazy592
Member
I'll write the description tomorrow. For now, pics.
RachShaffy
Member
That looks fab...almost tempted to start one myself now!
minicrazy592
Member
It wouldn't let me edit the original post, so.......
Last night was interesting. This is my first canister set up and it took me a little bit to figure out. I had it backwards the first time. After I switched the hoses it worked just fine. The CO2 system and the heater were hooked up after the filter was up and going.
That afternoon I picked up some more dwarf baby tears and micro sword to fill in a few bare spots. Also I was able to find some Amano shrimp! So I bought 3 and they are doing well. The guppies are doing well too. My prego had her 5th batch today after being added. Unfortunately, she died shortly after giving birth. I don't know how many she had since she was in the dwarf baby tears.
I had to replant a few things after filling it up, but other than that it was smooth sailing. The water is still a little cloudy courtesy of the Flourite. It should be clear in a few days.
Last night was interesting. This is my first canister set up and it took me a little bit to figure out. I had it backwards the first time. After I switched the hoses it worked just fine. The CO2 system and the heater were hooked up after the filter was up and going.
That afternoon I picked up some more dwarf baby tears and micro sword to fill in a few bare spots. Also I was able to find some Amano shrimp! So I bought 3 and they are doing well. The guppies are doing well too. My prego had her 5th batch today after being added. Unfortunately, she died shortly after giving birth. I don't know how many she had since she was in the dwarf baby tears.
I had to replant a few things after filling it up, but other than that it was smooth sailing. The water is still a little cloudy courtesy of the Flourite. It should be clear in a few days.
minicrazy592
Member
Do it!
Yup considering the number of years in the making I've been waiting to set up this tanks.
minicrazy592
Member
Updated pic of the 2.5g.
Pic of the 55g coming soon.
Pic of the 55g coming soon.
minicrazy592
Member
I'm waiting on my dad to take some pics for me. The only way that happens is to keep bothering him.
minicrazy592
Member
Well look what we have here......
I can see from the pics that the tank is a little out of whack. I guess it will give me something to do during spring break. :smack:
I can see from the pics that the tank is a little out of whack. I guess it will give me something to do during spring break. :smack: