[Halocaridina]

I don't know much about tropical fish having never kept them, but there are so many cool looking options. I definitely want to try a tropical tank one day. Good luck with your tank!

Pearl Gourami


Boesman's Rainbowfish


Royal Tetra


Orange Spot Cory


Panther Crab


Peacock Gudgeon

[QDanT]

Thanks Halocaridina, the tank set up is definitly going to be for Shrimps at the moment I'm thinking Bamboo Shrimp as growing to 5" you'll be able to see them from anywhere in the room and a breeding group of Algae eating Shrimp that will be happy at low 70's F

[odin]

Just be aware that you may need somthing like this:[Salty Shrimp - Shrimp Mineral GH/KH+] https://www.pro-shrimp.co.uk/salty-shri ... 10478.html If you are going to use pure RO water in this tank and keep shrimp.

[QDanT]

Thanks Odin, the Bamboo shrimp seems happy enough in tap water + API conditioner in 2 gallon, it'll think it's on holiday in 70 gallon and I'll get another 3 or 4, just need to find some Algae eating shrimp that'll be OK and breed in low 70's F. I'll insulate the tank but still put a heater in say set at 70* F for if the front room stove doesn't quite keep it warm enough in the middle of the night I don't want to have to pay to keep the tank any wamer with electricity if I can help it

[QDanT]

Part 3
Bought the last x3 Lava rocks (£1.25 kl) at the LFS (50 mile round trip) and a piece of Ocean rock (Limestone ?)
gave them a good scrub and put them in the tank overnight to soak, emptied the tank this morning then cut some Aluminised Bubble wrap to fit both ends and the back to act as insulation as the central heating from the stove doesn't run in the passage wired up x3 GU10 6500k bulbs and an aquarium air pump then fixed some more Bubble wrap onto the wall above the tank so that it drapes over the tank and down the back, it comes off easy for access then re-filled the tank with tap water + 20ml API water conditioner. I wasn't shure what the shiny Bubble wrap would look like and thought I might get a tank background to put infront of it, but I don't think it looks too bad ? that's as far as I got today, will add some API Quick Start at the weekend. Off to Linton Falls below Grassington in the morning, taking wife on a picnic, though I'll be looking for some weathered drift wood for the tank

[odin]

I think it looks fine mate and as long as you are happy with it then leave it like that, if i was to go for a background i would just use the black stick on ones myself.

[QDanT]

the weather forcast for today was for blue sky and sunshine
woke up to grey overcast, drizzling and windy so scrapped the picnic trip to Linton Falls on a driftwood expedition and had 1/2 hour at the local river Aire above Skipton. I'll sort through these, cut some to size, then give them a good scrub in bleach hose off and soak them in the rain barrel untill they sink

[QDanT]

following on from the post before, I chose the sticks for the tank from the odd bits of bark they're Hazel and Beech sawed them to length and whitled them smooth
(there's a diying art do kids have pen knifes anymore ?) I've tied them to a brick and dropped them in the rain barrel to soak untill they sink

[odin]

LOL yeah we had penknife's as kids to whittle sticks and make arrows etc, i just read today that the law is changing with buying knifes online because of the stabbings in London at the moment.

[QDanT]

Just checked the sticks in the water butt, they're waterlogged and sink without the brick
So I'll give them a good scrub tomorrow, tie the Pennywort to them and see what they look like in the tank