Moss wall and Red Cherry Shrimp!

[The Editor]

Hey AA!

I've been having a think and a google today (always a dangerous combo!), and I've pretty much decided I wanna try and set up a moss wall (Java or Riccia, not decided) as a backdrop to the tank, and bring some Red Cherry shrimp into the happy little tank I'm running.

Got 4 male guppies in a 18x10x10 30L tank, and been looking on Aqadvisor which was happy to let me have 15 cherry shrimp in with my current stock and filtration

I'd only want about 5 or so shirmp really, but I hear they're prolific breeders... Now I'm wondering if the gupps would help to keep the population under control by eating some of the fry as they're born.... If not I may be looking to give them away!

Tank is still pretty young (about 4 months) and currently in a mini cycle after the addition of an extra gupp so I'd avoid the shrimp until everything has calmed down in a few months time... Which is how I got to thinking about a moss wall! Gotta have something to do eh?

Now it looks pretty easy to do.. Am I being foolish in thinking so? And would affor mentioned shrimp like to hide in a moss wall or would they hang about on the tank floor...

I've got pretty poor lighting (a pair of 12" CCFL cathodes used for lighting up PCs...), they do the job of letting me see the fish but I don't think they're much good for growing plants under... At any rate I'm having a hard time finding any actual light output data for them...

So yea... Just looking for a few comments about the addition and population control of shrimp, and the proposed moss wall....

Thanks all!

 

[mudraker]

Its a great way to mess with your tank if you can't add more fish at the time!

Definately use java moss as opposed to riccia if your lighting is poor. Java moss thrives under very low light, and grows slowly and thinly in highlight. Riccia is the opposit, except it would probably die off fairly quickly in low light. It would also probably require fertz, etc.

Shrimp have only the tiniest bioload, so adding a few should be no problem if your are worried about a minicycle.

Yes, guppies will help keep the shrimplet population down.

Good luck!

 

[The Editor]

Well the moss arrived today!

It's currently in my tank in a breeder box while I sort out the support structure for it..

/]

I found some pretty good and cheap Bonsai potting mesh which looked like it would be perfect as the support structure. Then managed to find some nice small suction cups with little push through button tops on eBay.

/]

I snipped through between two squares in the mesh and pushed the top of the sucker though (was tight but it went!):

/]

and came up with this:

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I have another smaller version of this panel to completely cover the back wall....

Just need to pop out and get some nylon hair nets and fishing line to tie it all down and I'll be sorted!

Any last minute advice before I go ahead and do this?

 

[nottooslow]

no advice, but i cant wait to see the finished product!!

 

[The Editor]

More pics:



It spreads out quite nicely really!


I can tell you I think the most fiddly thing I've ever done was sewing hair nets over the moss and onto the mesh underneath.. Nightmare! But I managed it and got it in eventually!





It doesn't look brilliant at the moment.. But the lights are apauling and I'm waiting for a new hood etc... Once it's grown out and gone all plush (hopefully!) I'll get some more pics....

Oh also made a DIY CO2 rector to help give things a boost. Used the chop-stick diffuser method, and placed it directly below the bottom of the moss wall... The little bubbles get caught in and around the moss and mesh and just hang about for ages stuck to the wall so I reckon they'll do some good!

Lets see how it goes from here!

 

[andresdeo]

Very nice, it looks like it will be awesome once it folla in the gaps. Good work. Mind the pH level, Im no expert, but theres not much need for CO2 with Java moss. But DIY proyects are fun though. Congrats.

 

[The Editor]

Yea I figured the CO2 wasn't really necessary, but I had the materials about, and the other plants were looking a lil sad so I thought I'd give it a go and see how it goes..

I'll keep my eye on the pH level. But the water comes out of the tap at the higher end of the acceptable range here so CO2 dropping it down a smidge shouldn't hurt, I'll just watch to make sure it doesnt go too fast or too far...