Nano tank for tropical fishes.

I have rescaped my old nano tank with a new look. A rockscape on new plants design for easy maintenance and to keep my Cherry barbs and Tetra fishes. Tank size is 30cm x 18cm x 24cm H. with capacity of 3.5 gal.

Plants: Glossostigma, Dwarf Hairgrass, Crypt Wendtii and Ruffle plant.

Fuana: Cherry Barbs and Neon Tetras.

This tank is now 4 weeks old and hopefully that the Hairgrass will

spread evenly over the foreground. The Glosso are not doing well

and was in submerged form, may be lighting was weak. The Crypt Wendtii

were doing well after 4 weeks, does not melt at all and has new leave shooting

out. The Sword Ruffle ( Echinodorus Martii) was growing fine and roots

grounded firmly. Will see how it goes with more time and will keep

update on the growth of Glosso and Hairgrass.

Added some pictures of lighting effects.

Some recent pictures on aquarium's lighting effects using various color bulbs or tubes. As a result, to manage different aspects of scene from the same aquarium planted tank.

Sunrise scene..........................Morning sun

Click on image for larger view.

Hot sun @noon.............Sunset scene...........spring season.

Click on the image for larger view.

This five images was captured from my 3 ft. aquarium planted tank and I would like to produce different effects on images from photography. Try to learn and capture images with adding colour bulbs and adjustment of lighting in various angle. Hopefully that the pictures are eye-catching for such natural scene for aquarium planted tank. Please enjoy viewing and let me know if any rooms for improvement. Thanks.

Aquarium photography and lighting effects.

Basically, now I am learning to take photography of my own aquarium and using lights to make different effects for viewing. Many aquarists find excitement to shoot pictures of their plants and fishes. Most hobbyist for aquascaping would also like to have their own camera. As in sub-hobby of keeping beautiful tropical fishes and plants in the tank and it's inhabitants. From what I experience in different sorts of photography with difference lighting to create lights effect on the view of the tank. In fact, it takes equal as much patience and practice as keeping the aquarium itself. Look at this picture below, which has a scene of a sunset view.















Often, the relatively dim lighting conditions, reflective light issue involving the tank itself, and the constant movement of lighting makes the art of aquarium photography to a nature view. Also one of planning, precision, timing, and sometimes even luck to get correct view.















Sometimes, indeed, the equipment can make a difference, but I've found that it's hard to beat the good-old virtues of patience and practice, especially when it comes to the art of "aquaphotography".

Look out of the extra ordinary and unique shots. Try to think how you would like the picture to look altered before you even take it. Like most styles of photography, the aquarium photographer looks to enhance the brilliant beauty often found on it's subjects.

My planted tanks collection.

Here are some of my tanks collection from the day that I started this hobby. After surfing several forums to learn the necessary details and maintaining the quality of aquascaping. Usually when we want to setup a tank, first of all try to read as much as we can from forum sticky on planted tank setup. It's fun when the plants thrive and lush grown, important of water parameter for the tank and whether to be low or high tech tank.


The grass plantation. 60 x 30 x 30 cm


Most of the time, keep track with the fertilization works. Do regular partial water change each week. Lighting are important to the plants as it needs photosynthesis for 6-8hrs. If algae strike is a problem to the tank,
a contributing factor is usually to much light. Then have to reduce the lighting period less than usual and will reduce the algae growth.
............................................ The lost jungle

Less Algae found in the tank.
Having live plants, that are consuming these plant nutrients, means less nutrients available for undesirable algae, which are also plants but uninvited. So there will be less algae growth in our aquarium, if it contains live plants and correct fertilizer use in the tank.

The highland trail. size 90 x 45 x 45 cm.


Less Maintenance for your tank.
Lower nitrates and less algae growth means less time is required to clean the tank. If you have so many plants that the nitrate levels are zero, that does not mean you do not have to do regular partial water changes any more, but you can do less, if you wish. We would recommend that you stay in the habit and continue to do partial water changes anyway.
When we feed our fishes, and they produce waste. The bacteria living on your biological filter take that fish waste and turn it into nitrite and other chemicals. Then another type of bacteria turn the nitrite into nitrate. You do regular partial water changes to remove the nitrate and other chemicals during each week.

My nano tank.

size 30 x 18 x 24 H cm.

6) Update my 3 ft. planted tank.

Hi, today I have clean up my tank and took a picture of my 5 months old tank with heavily planted. The tank size is 36" x 18" x 18" H, capacity 190 liters which house many cherry shrimps.

Flora species: Anubias barteri nana, Aponogeton ulvaceus.
Bacopa caroliniana, Cabomba caroliniana.
Tropical hornwort, Echinodurus tenellus.
Hygrophyla difformis, Windelov java fern.

Substract: Gex soil black colour. DIY Co2 using yeast and sugar.

Fertilizer: Seachem excel and seachem fertilizer.
Some of the plants are fast growing type and usually I will trimmed them once a month, for water change at once a week 30% and most of the time just top up water.

Red Cherry Shrimps.



This red cherry shrimps can be mess productive livestock and are hardy shrimps which can survived at temperature 27 to 32 degree celsius and are cheap in the marketplace. These shrimps feed on moss and riccia plants and their life span around 2 years, the maximum size they can grow to 2cm. Usually I feed them with Up brand " Red shrimp food" 2 times a day and it does not cloud the water. And it's good for beginner on this hobby. Cheers.



Date 08-08-08. (lucky number).

For many chinese, 08-08-08 is the luckiest date on the Gregorian calender, it comes once every 100 years. The date 08-08-08 particularly auspicious because chinese words for "eight" and "to prosper" sound the same. Many will choose this date celebrate wedding, birthday, house warming, engagement and many others. And today, my planted tank a sign of prosperous will update here with good wealth and health for my family. Hahaha, sound great.

Click on to the picture for larger image.

Added 2 ruffle plants and intend to look for more rocks to balance the view. The plants thrive and healthy growth, so far didn't see any major algae strike. May be need a light plants trimming. Hope you enjoy it.

1) Aquatic Planted Tank.

Hi everyone, the picture you saw here is my latest aquascaping 2 ft. freshwater tank. Welcome to my blog and hope you have a pleasant read here!

This is what I have in mind to setup this tank in theme of " The Nature Park" which have the concept view of " Jurassic Park Adventure". The tank is mend to house Crystal Red Shrimps and I'm new in this hobby for the tiny invertebrates. Many of the local hobbyist would like to joint the forum as to share opinions and experiences on how to breed this little creatures, there are many who succeed in breeding higher grades. So, I always want to try out the lower grade A and B shrimps, because this shrimps are quite expensive and are very sensitive in condition of water.

The standard crs grading: grade c, b, a, and grade s, s+( v-band, tiger tooth, no entry) grade ss, sss and single hinomaru.

First of all when we prepare to set up a tank of any size, do a rough layout plans of what you intend to have inside such as plant, fauna, snail, crab and others.

The tank water conditions
Water should be no ammonia or nitrite present in your crs shrimp tank. If you didn't cycled properly the water in the tank, do not even think of loading any crs in it.
Optimum Temperature: 22 to 25 degrees Celsius.
Can tolerate up to 28 degrees Celsius (but only with strong aeration and non-overcrowded density.) Optimal pH: 6.2 to 7.2
Low alkaline to neutral pH is good for crs shrimps because invertebrate shells are alkaline in nature. Acidity is detrimental to shrimp shells as it reacts with its alkaline nature, causing microscopic pits. These pits can act as better platforms for micro insects to perch on. In an acidic tank, shrimp shells are less shiny because of these micro pit tings, making it more like a matt surface. Also, you may see the shrimps trying to brush off microscopic insects on its body.

Plants for the tank.
Anubias barteri, bacopa caroliniana, spiky moss, java moss, windelov, amazon sword and some which I do not know the name. When cycling the tank, I added some fertilize and seachem excel to let the plants absorb the nutrients from their roots. During this time the idea of adding nitrogen and phosphorus to the water, later bought a bottle of Nutrafin biological aquarium supplement to built up the bacteria in the water. Prepare Co2 (diy type) with 2bps. for 24/7 for the first week and later disconnect to let the tank runs in low-tech form.