My 55 Gallon Shrimp Aquarium (Update Pics 10/9/2012)

[barrettsline]

Well this was home to all of my geo's before they moved to there much larger home. So after looking at it for about 2 weeks now trying to decide what would go in it, I decided to at least scape it, and try once again to build my wife a tank that will get her in to the world of fish keeping (Doubt it, but I can dream). Many thanks go out to Sunkenmetal for the ADA Blackwood and Wisteria (Nice trading with you) and Imagirlgeek for the 36" Coralife light (Thanks again, tore it apart and cleaned it pretty well). Sorry that theres really no build to this because it was already up and running. Im happy with how it came out and so is the wife seemingly......it's hard to please thoughs who just dont get into fish keeping.


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[barrettsline]

Havent figured out what the live stock will be just yet but, its gonna depend on what the wife wants.......In other words, it may take a while before anything actually swims in the tank.

[barrettsline]

Thought Id post my before and after cleaning photos of the 36" Coralife light:

Before cleaning:
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This connection was stuck do to corrosion:
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You can see the reflector plate had turned foggy:
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Dirt, dust, hair, gunk grim and electronics dont mix well. One of the fans actually wouldnt spin and the other one was spinning slow.
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After Cleaning:

You can see an actual reflection now:
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A little compressed air works wonders. Both fans spin at full speed now:
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Hard to tell from pictures but wires and inside componets are all clean now:
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Cleaned for optimal lighting and plant growth:
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[barrettsline]

I must say however, I think the light is going to have to go. I really want a 48" light. Some body has one they want to trade for just PM me. For now it wll stay until something else comes along.

[sunkenmetal]

looks good

[barrettsline]

Thanks Bro!!!! You played a large part in it getting setup. I really appreciate it!

[sunkenmetal]

No problem....

[Fancyfish]

I love the scape with the rocks/wood and sand. Cleaning the light pictures was interesting.

[barrettsline]

My 55 Gallon Undecided Stock

I love the scape with the rocks/wood and sand. Cleaning the light pictures was interesting.

Thanks. Light needed to be cleaned. Works great now though.

[TheFantasticG]

Holy Crap that light was dirty

[barrettsline]

My 55 Gallon Undecided Stock

Holy Crap that light was dirty

It happens. It kicking along good now.

[barrettsline]

It has been decided. The tank will be home to some RCS shrimp, and eventually about 20 tropical community fish (tetras, CPD's, chilli rasboras, oto cats, clown killies are all on the list of possible tank mates for the shrimp). Not doing expensive shrimp:
1: cause I don't want to just yet.
2: this is for the wife and I wanted something she liked and she liked these.
3: there a small financial investment, Im trying to get the wife interested in aquaculture. (been hit or miss until now)
4: wife likes the fact that there easy to keep and breed like crazy.

Updates to come once shrimp arrive on Friday. Open to plant ideas, and locations to find them easily(offers of clippings would be sweet :)! ) plants will not get frets or CO2. I have no desire at this point in time to go into plant keeping that heavily at the moment.

[Astex]

Shrimp love the mosses (java, flame, X-mas etc...) for hanging out on and eating microscopic goodies off of. Easy plants java fern, some crypts, and anubias. I've also had really good luck with the lotus plants, but they are happier if you're willing to feed at the root zone (I just use fert. pellets stuck into the gravel). My shrimp also love to hang out on the sponge covering my filter intake, especially when it gets really nasty.

[barrettsline]

My 55 Gallon Shrimp/Tropical fish Aquarium

Shrimp love the mosses (java, flame, X-mas etc...) for hanging out on and eating microscopic goodies off of. Easy plants java fern, some crypts, and anubias. I've also had really good luck with the lotus plants, but they are happier if you're willing to feed at the root zone (I just use fert. pellets stuck into the gravel). My shrimp also love to hang out on the sponge covering my filter intake, especially when it gets really nasty.

I'm using a 2217 for filtration. I'm interested in java moss, dwarf hair grass, anubias. I'm wondering of I'm going to need to add a sponge filter over the intake of the 2217. Thoughts? Java moss kinda concerns me because I know it takes over pretty quick.

[sunkenmetal]

How many shrimp did you order?