2.3g Longggg - Shrimp Tank Build

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You couldn't have come up with a better piece of wood if you custom grew it! lol That looks so beautiful.

Hope you get to feeling better. :flowers:

Playing with my fish and shrimp and tanks always helps me feel better, even when I am ill.

This is an interesting shape tank, and too sad it was for FIVE Bettas!

Check on the Rasbora Axelrodi blue neon (my recent favorite), the Boraras Brigittae Chilis would be small enough too, they are so tiny and cute. I have to feed them crushed pellets as my original ones, several I think starved due to not being able to really eat the Hikari Micro Bites I fed them. I don't care for flakes as a regular diet, otherwise that probably would have worked.

Tiny mouths good for limiting shrimp eating due to size of mouth. Noticed they mostly eat only from top of water or mid tank, not off the substrate.

You said you would never buy this tank...

It is wonderful that you won it, sometimes things like that can challenge you in a way you would never have been, since you would never have bought it!

Very excited to follow along!

Thanks :)
I know! 5! The sections were so small.
I love the look of the chilis. Been wanting some for a while now. I'm still very much debating about the addition of fish. I am worried that there is simply not enough water in the tank even though its got a pretty good foot print. I'll have to see what it's like a few months after setup to make a decision I think.

not sure am i allowed to refer to other sites, but all of those plants could be easily found on theplantedtank forum. Most of the hobbyist there sells those plants pretty cheap. these are general prices i have seen

Stream Bogmoss (Mayaca fluviatilis) $1/stem
Blyxa japonica $1/stem
Dwarf Hairgrass (Elocharis acicularis) $5-$6/2x2
Downoi (Pogostemon helferi) $3 per crown
Crystalwort (Riccia fluitans) these are cheap, 5x5 for $15 (shipping included), 10x10 $25
Peacock moss - 6/golfball

SOME petco sells Elocharis acicularis for 6.99 in those tissue culture bags, Petsmart has started selling Pogostemon helferi for 8.99 a bag (but they are tiny, needs to be grown out)

Thanks. Unfortunately I am not in the US or the UK which is where the majority of members are from. I'm from a town that only has 3-4 small LFS and 2 chain stores. None of which normally stock these plants. I could source each plant myself online, through Australian forums or special order some of them from my LFS but if its possible to get them from the one place at a good price I'd rather do so.
 
I went for a dig through this mess...

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(I promise the rest of my house doesn't look like this! )
And I found a filter that will work. I thought I only had one of these and I was using it already. Turns out I have two!

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I shortened the intake and with the addition of a sponge it should work well.
 
I went for a dig through this mess...

(I promise the rest of my house doesn't look like this! )
And I found a filter that will work. I thought I only had one of these and I was using it already. Turns out I have two!

I shortened the intake and with the addition of a sponge it should work well.

Those are really decent filters. Rated for a super small tank if im not mistaken. For up to 30L tanks and does 180l/h
 
Those are really decent filters. Rated for a super small tank if im not mistaken

Yeah, they are pretty good. I've got a few of them mainly because they are cheap. Heard they are crappy but I've never had a problem. It's an aqua one clear view 100. Rated 180L/H. Though I doubt it actually turns over that much!
 
Yeah, they are pretty good. I've got a few of them mainly because they are cheap. Heard they are crappy but I've never had a problem. It's an aqua one clear view 100. Rated 180L/H. Though I doubt it actually turns over that much!
No. Thats brand new pristine conditions. Even at that its plenty for a 2.3g tank without having an internal filter!
 
Exactly. Was debating about adding a sponge filter but they take up so much space and I HATE the noise those air pumps make. They drive me insane. Lol.

If you lightly wrap an air fter in a towel then it reduces the vibration noise by alot! But yes spinge filters take up a bit of space. Have you decided on stock yet?
 
RCS to begin with. Once the tank has been up for a number of months I'm going to consider some fish. Don't want a tank that needs huge amounts of maintenance because I've over stocked it.
 
With the long tank it is good for swimming as opposed to say a little 2.5G Aqueon. Much better set up for the Chilis.

Sooo cute but there is only usually one very dominant darkish red one.

Shrimp are great for that!
 
I wasn't going to post how I did this. I don't want anyone to blame me if they burn down their house! Instead I'll just say that if you copy this then its at your own risk. Things can and will go wrong when you use things for a manor other than intended.

Ok.
For heating of this tank I am using part of a 50w reptile heating cord. I cut grooves in a piece of styrofoam, added the cord and topped it with ceramic tiles.

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I used this cord

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I cut grooves in the styrofoam for the cord to loosely sit in and cut extra ones for excess heat to escape.

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I lay the cord in the grooves making sure it wasn't twisted.

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Topped it with the tiles that I had laying around.

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It keeps the temperature more stable. On really cold nights the temp does drop but not quickly or by more than 5-7*C. In the summer I will put it on a timer to come on only at night or invest in a thermostat. The cord stays on all the time. It's not a problem in winter but could be in the summer.

I heat this bowl with the same cord and have enough cord left after both to heat another small bowl.

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(There are more pics of this bowl in my profile albums.)
 
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Oh ok :) Should have been clearer. I didn't cut the cord at all. The tank and bowl are very close to each other so I just strung the cord from one to the other.

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This is temporary tank stand. I plan on getting a nice bookshelf or side table one day.
 
No problem! :)


I'm having a hard time deciding on the placement of the wood. I really like the two pieces spanning the whole length of the tank but I'm afraid there won't be enough room for the plants. If I took one out then it leaves me with this.

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I think I like the second one where its on the filter side. I want to plant all around and on the wood but leave the arch under it bare as the focal point.
 
I agree with it being on the filter side....and you planting all around it even behind and in front or just the sides???
 
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At the sides and along the top of the wood leaving the 'tunnel' underneath mostly bare. The front of the wood where it touches the substrate will be planted around also.
 
Ohh ok yah that will look awesome can't wait to see it once it's all set up
 
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