[Sean's Ponds]

I have had this 10 gallon tank for some time now and knew I was saving it to make a Shrimp tank. The issues I faced over the time I had this was the financial aspect of collecting all the materials I needed to make it the way I envisioned years ago. Needless to say it has taken some time to collect all the materials I needed to get the process started.

May as well make this a photo diary of the progression of start to finish.

I started out with a tank I collected last year as a donation with some fish from a nice lady on Vancouver Freecycle who was looking to find a home for her fish and was willing to donate the tank and supplies as well so I inherited this tank. Needless to say it needed some serious help if it was going to display anything in my home.

I kept this tank empty but cycling for many months with lofty plans to create a Sulawesi shrimp tank with it. I knew I wanted lots of filtration so 2 HOB filters were implemented. One to run an undergravel filter and another to filter the water column.

The day I decided to go shopping for supplies I bounced some ideas off of fellow forum member Ray Wong. I decided upon Dragon Stone which I found at a local fish shop on Kingsway in Vancouver. I selected to very nice pieces and I had lofty ideas what to do with them.

Knowing I wanted to have Sulawesi shrimp I asked Ray, buffering or non reactive stratum? and what is best for the colours of the shrimp. Ray assured me non-reactive black gravel would work well. While I was at Ray's place I was able to pick up a glass lid for the tank to help with evaporation. I picked up the undergravel filter at the same LFS that I found the Dragon Stone. I had hoped once assembled it would fit better but it will work fine since the gravel will still need semi annual vacuuming and the UGF is in place to keep water parameters more stable.

I lined the UGF with pollysheet to keep finer particulates from collecting under the UGF in the future but still allow it to be vacuumed.

I layed down a nice bed of non reactive black gravel and since I knew I wanted to keep the background black as well I made the riser tubes for the UGF black as well. This will help hide all the mechanical equipment.

To be continued...

Cheers,
Sean

 

[Sean's Ponds]

Next step was to put it in place and arrange the Dragon Stone. Low and Behold, the large piece was way too large for this tank. I sent a photo to Ray and he concurred. I let it sit in the tank for a week while I decided what to do next. I knew the large piece of Dragon Stone needed to be broken up but not knowing how this stone fractures I was extremely concerned and one big knock with a hammer and chisel and it would disintegrate.

I stewed and stewed while the Dragon Stone soaked for a week in the tank. I decided I just had to give it a shot so over the weekend I pulled the large stone out and took a chisel and hammer to it and to my relief, it fractured nicely into three appropriately sized large pieces and several smaller usable shards. I arranged the pieces the way I knew I wanted to start and looked at it for a day with the large pieces at the back and all the small shards in the front. I spent a day looking at lit like an unassembled puzzle and was able to work out how I could arrange all the pieces into an attractive Iwagumi hardscape.

Slowly, I began arranging pieces and sitting back to observe the levels and layers.
I have to admit, I am happy with the result. I have moved the odd small stone here and there over the last two days but I like this scape best so far.

I have added some small starts of Trident Java fern here and there as initial plant material. I will be pulling apart some Marimo moss balls for additional greenery but I need to find a way to get rid of snails on the Marimo before introducing to this tank.

So far, I am happy with the progress.

More to come...

Cheers,
Sean

 

[Dou]

Very exciting! To get rid of all the snails in the moss ball maybe you could try putting it in a bucket with an algae wafer below/beside it to lure all the snails out? Haven't tried this but in my mind it works haha

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[jay]

splitting up the rocks was a good idea. Looks awesome!

 

[Sean's Ponds]

I got home late last night and couldn't wait so I fished out a large Marimo moss ball and as much Fissidens Fontanus that I could find from my other shrimp tank. I rinsed everything well in tap water and did a soak in diluted bleach for 10 minutes, rinsed everything really well and then soaked in fresh water and dechlorinator. There is not a ton of Fissidens Fontanus but it will grow well in this tank. I was able to open up the Marimo and tease apart some clumps to use in the foreground. This is all temporary placement right now but it already looks better. I just hope I beat the water fleas and snails.

Cheers,
Sean

 

[Sean's Ponds]

Very exciting! To get rid of all the snails in the moss ball maybe you could try putting it in a bucket with an algae wafer below/beside it to lure all the snails out? Haven't tried this but in my mind it works haha

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That is a great suggestion, unfortunately I went ahead and let my inpatients get the best of me. Hopefully the bleach dip worked.

Cheers,
Sean

 

[wslam]

Good looking rocks and scape, I'm planning to do a similar iwagumi dragon stone tank in the future.

 

[Sean's Ponds]

Good looking rocks and scape, I'm planning to do a similar iwagumi dragon stone tank in the future.

I am obsessed with this stone. So very glad I found it when I did. I am sure you will love it when you get it.

Cheers,
Sean

 

[rwong2k10]

looks great

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[Sean's Ponds]

Finally ready after letting a thick crop of algae grow in for the Sulawesi shrimp.
Just a matter of adding the new lights and programmable dimmer.

Cheers,
Sean

 

[Dou]

I thought this was going to be planted and all, but this looks awesome! Excited to see the shrimp added - looks like there's a ton of food haha.

 

[Sean's Ponds]

I thought this was going to be planted and all, but this looks awesome! Excited to see the shrimp added - looks like there's a ton of food haha.

That was my initial plan but after speaking to RayW who mentioned how extra plants can add to big PH swings I decided to go back to just a couple mosses and the rocks.
I just added my new LED lights that came in from China this morning, I just need the programmable dimmer to arrive and I am completely set. Hopefully Canada Post doesn't go on strike this weekend.

Cheers,
Sean

 

[Sean's Ponds]

short update...
Please ignore Americas Got Talent audio

Cheers,
Sean

 

[Dou]

=O! They look very happy and out in the open grazing!

 

[jay]

looks awesome!

 

[Sean's Ponds]

Hey Jay,

The Okho stone I got from you is the one they are grazing on, I decided to add it to my current Sulawesi tank. It's on the back left.

Cheers,
Sean

 

[jay]

wow, fits in well !! looks like its all meant to be together!

 

[Dou]

Hey Jay,

The Okho stone I got from you is the one they are grazing on, I decided to add it to my current Sulawesi tank. It's on the back left.
View attachment 135953

Cheers,
Sean

Look at all that algae goodness! Seems like heaven hahah

 

[Sean's Ponds]

All my algae is melting away into nothingness. I will need to change the program on the TC420 timer to be at full intensity earlier in the day.

Cheers,
Sean

 

[Dou]

How's your shrimpies doing? Updates on the tank? =)