Show us your Aquariums

ZrByte · 16-02-2011, 23:24

In the same vein as show us your workstations etc already on here I thought it would be nice to talk about and share pictures of each others Aquariums.

I've always had an interest in this and have had plenty of basic freshwater setups in the past (Goldfish mainly). But I've become very interested in this over the past year and have finally got the funds together to get my own tank. I've bought the tank already and decided on tropical but I'm looking for inspiration for what to put in it. My tank is still going through its empty cycle so not much to see at the moment but as the days/weeks go on I hope to post some pics myself.
The only creature I have decided I am definitely getting for my tank are cherry shrimp. I know they aren't exactly beautiful but I find them fascinating and I like that they are generally considered easy to keep (So Ideal to start with).
I quite like unusual pets so things like aquatic crabs would be something I would be very interested in but they seem hard to get and I don't know of a type that can even coexist in a community tank without hunting down the other fish (Even when well fed). Especially in a tank the size I have (60L).

joglynne · 17-02-2011, 14:45

I am down to a couple of small tanks, that's if they even qualify for the title of tank.

I have a small 15ltr Biorb that is home to 3 White Cloud Mountain Minnows, the other resident, a Glass shrimp having died last week. With all the cold weather I installed a small heater and as I am running the Biorb at 22C I am considering adding a couple of Cherry Shrimps if I can manage to get any that are big enough not to be live food for the WCMM.

My second tank/large vase

houses my Moss Balls and this, together with a larger but as yet unconditioned tank, will be the home to the main Cherry Shrimp colony when I manage to track some down.

I will try to get some pictures if I can move the cat away from his favourite view point.

ZrByte · 17-02-2011, 21:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by joglynne

I am down to a couple of small tanks, that's if they even qualify for the title of tank.

I have a small 15ltr Biorb that is home to 3 White Cloud Mountain Minnows, the other resident, a Glass shrimp having died last week. With all the cold weather I installed a small heater and as I am running the Biorb at 22C I am considering adding a couple of Cherry Shrimps if I can manage to get any that are big enough not to be live food for the WCMM.

My second tank/large vase

houses my Moss Balls and this, together with a larger but as yet unconditioned tank, will be the home to the main Cherry Shrimp colony when I manage to track some down.

I will try to get some pictures if I can move the cat away from his favourite view point.

I can get Cherry shrimp quite easily near me. The Wirral isn't a massive distance away from Manchester but probably a bit too far to buy a few quids worth of tiny shrimp.
Would love to see some pictures, what size was the glass shrimp? I got some live plants in my tank today ready for the next stage of conditioning before I get my shrimp and fish.

Jimmy-J · 17-02-2011, 21:31

Quote:

show us your aquariums

I beg your pardon!!!

17-02-2011, 22:19

Interesting topic and something I would like but have been put off by seeing quite a few dirty tanks and imagine cleaning them to be a nightmare.Is this the case?

ZrByte · 17-02-2011, 23:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by ooogemaflop

Interesting topic and something I would like but have been put off by seeing quite a few dirty tanks and imagine cleaning them to be a nightmare.Is this the case?

Depends on the set up really. You can get critters, filters and plants to keep the tank cleaner for longer. You can also keep the aquarium population down to slow down build-up of dirt and algae. Eventually even if you have done all of those it will want a manual clean but thanks to things like magnetic sponges and powered gravel cleaners you don't even have to get your hands wet to clean the inside of the tank.

ZrByte · 17-02-2011, 23:36

Heres a preview of my tank with my new plants and bubble block active. I'm not sure I like it yet, think i need to move some bits round, get some more gravel and maybe some more plants.

joglynne · 18-02-2011, 13:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by ooogemaflop

Interesting topic and something I would like but have been put off by seeing quite a few dirty tanks and imagine cleaning them to be a nightmare.Is this the case?

As ZB says it's fairly easy to set up a tank that doesn't take a lot of maintenance, it's all down to being careful in what you stock. Go for a "simple" goldfish and you will be up to your ears in cleaning in order to keep the tank looking clean, but a set up like mine takes 10 minutes a week to change 10% of the water and an hour every 6/8 weeks to give it a good clean and sort out the filter.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZrByte

Heres a preview of my tank with my new plants and bubble block active. I'm not sure I like it yet, think i need to move some bits round, get some more gravel and maybe some more plants.

A couple more plants wouldn't come amiss but it takes time to get the tank tweaked to look how you want it so I am sure once it is conditioned you will have it a fitting home for it's new inhabitants.

If you are going down the shrimp route then I can highly recommend getting at least a couple of moss balls as the shrimps love them and they help with the oxygen levels in your tank.

http://www.theaquaticlibrary.co.uk/i...u6go3p5ps72865

I managed to take a couple of pictures of my current tanks but with them being curved I can't seem to get a clear picture that isn't obscured by the flash

The large moss ball in the second picture is about six inches across but it has just shed 2 small "babies" which you can just about make out at the bottom left of the glass. These balls aren't like normal algae and don't break up or coat the glass.

ZrByte · 18-02-2011, 14:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by joglynne

A couple more plants wouldn't come amiss but it takes time to get the tank tweaked to look how you want it so I am sure once it is conditioned you will have it a fitting home for it's new inhabitants.

If you are going down the shrimp route then I can highly recommend getting at least a couple of moss balls as the shrimps love them and they help with the oxygen levels in your tank.

http://www.theaquaticlibrary.co.uk/i...u6go3p5ps72865

I managed to take a couple of pictures of my current tanks but with them being curved I can't seem to get a clear picture that isn't obscured by the flash

The large moss ball in the second picture is about six inches across but it has just shed 2 small "babies" which you can just about make out at the bottom left of the glass. These balls aren't like normal algae and don't break up or coat the glass.

Definitely getting more plants but my gravel is too shallow to plant the ones I have properly so going to drain the tank and start again with probably double the gravel depth (Maybe less but if I buy that much I can always keep some in a bag spare).
I'm going to start with some cherry shrimp and maybe a few small fish. I know you can't see them but I actually have about 4 moss balls in the tank all tiny though. I've just looked at the photo and you can see one of them on the top of the broken brick on the left. Think I will get some more of those and also on the lookout for Java Moss because cherry shrimp graze on that apparently.

I really like your setups, Not so intrusive they take up the room but still quite big and beautiful to look at

joglynne · 18-02-2011, 14:58

Save as much of the water as possible as it is at least partway conditioned and it would be a shame having to start from scratch.

A planting design I have seen used successfully by a friend has been to leave the middle front third of the gravel fairly shallow then bank up the side and back areas giving a shallow area centre front that he has made into a bumpy moss field for his browsers. The sides and front are planted up hiding his heater and filter with the whole tank looking like a stage.

ZrByte · 18-02-2011, 15:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by joglynne

Save as much of the water as possible as it is at least partway conditioned and it would be a shame having to start from scratch.

A planting design I have seen used successfully by a friend has been to leave the middle front third of the gravel fairly shallow then bank up the side and back areas giving a shallow area centre front that he has made into a bumpy moss field for his browsers. The sides and front are planted up hiding his heater and filter with the whole tank looking like a stage.

I've seen a few people suggest that a half full tank is as easy to work with as an empty one so I think I'll just drain it halfway. I also have two large clean buckets I can store some more tank water in.
Really like that idea for the tank, Most I have seen start shallow but level at the front then build into a slope and generally double the gravel depth up at the back. Basic and a bit dull but does the job. Your friends design sounds much more interesting.

Halcyon · 20-01-2013, 16:12

Here is a video of my tank:

http://youtu.be/JR9wv3ekARY

joglynne · 20-01-2013, 19:28

Looks good Halcyon. The fish all look very healthy.

Halcyon · 20-01-2013, 20:50

Thankyou. I enjoy watching them swim. They all have their own characteristics and it is very relaxing.

joglynne · 20-01-2013, 22:00

I would normally agree with you about the calming effect watching my fish has on me but I have had a disastrous few weeks loosing all eight of my guppies one after another for no apparent reason. All the tests I have carried out have been spot on and I even took a water sample to my local Aquarium in case I was reading my results wrongly.

The puzzling thing is that the other fish and shrimps in the tank are absolutely fine and some White Clouds have even given birth to live young that are thriving. Most puzzling and not at all a relaxing experience.