Betta_246S Low-Tech Planted Shrimp Tank Pico

[aly_starh]

I have decided to try aqua-scaping (after failing miserably on the community and betta tank)
2 tanks just aren't enough, whilst you have a 3rd spare, and so the journal begins!

Tank Size: Small 10l Bow-Front Acrylic Tank (£10)
Lighting: Waterhome 3 - Compact 9W Fluorescent (£5.25) (hood removed due to clip-on light)
Filter: Sponge filter run by a Tetra-Tec air pump
Heating: none atm
Substrate: 0.5" 100% Clay Cat Litter capped Sand then with smashed Slate Tile
Fertilisers: Atm root tabs and Cat Litter, will research shrimp safe plant ferts
Plants: Green Cabomba, Hemianthus callitrichoides, Anubias Barteri, Java Moss, Java Fern, Moss Ball, Green Camboba (£15.00)
Invertebrates: Red Cherry Shrimp (hopefully here soon)

10L Tank (with Cat litter) (needs to be cleaned

Slate Tiles

Will add updates as i go along, waiting for the light, plants and shrimp to arrive.

 

[lilacamy931]

Shall watch with interest Have you used cat litter before with success? Sounds mad!

 

[aly_starh]

Nope
Im hoping i'll be lucky and it will work Been researching it for some time now, it has slow-releasing nutrients. I added it in wet, then had to re-do it and put it in dry. Thats why the tank is all smeary.

 

[lilacamy931]

Ah! LOL, better get cleaning What are your next steps?

 

[aly_starh]

Just got told i need to cap the litter with sand
So the steps are:

1.) Clean the tank
2.) add cat litter
3.) Cap with sand
4.) Attach Light
5.) Pop In The Filter
6.) Plant the Plants (no pun intended)
7.) Pop in the slate gravely pieces (so they are on top and not mixed with sand etc)
8.) Add in a *pest* snail to kee the filter going

I'm going to put the Cherry shrimp in one of the main tanks first, because i dont want to lose any I might then add them in 1 by 1.

 

[aly_starh]

Just got up to Step 3, i have put in the water and its very cloudy I hope its nit the cat litter that done that.

Is it advisable to pop in a snail for the filter, or can i just put in flaked food, if so how do i do it?

 

[Truck]

The snail won't do anything for the filter, just add some frozen prawns or meat into an old tight or filter sock.

 

[aly_starh]

Oh, so do i leave it in there 24/7 or for a specific amount of time, before removing it.

 

[Truck]

leave it in 24/7 before adding fish, I presume its already cycled? if not then just leave it in until its cycled.

 

[aly_starh]

Yup, filter is cycled. The shrimp will be here in about 2 weeks or so, I wanted to add the sponge filter because the water is really cloudy.

If i dont use prawns or meat sounds abit yucky, how to i use the flake foods?

 

[betta fish]

Out of interest what 100% clay cat litter are you using and where did you get it from? I've been looking for some for ages! I had the Tesco one which is very good but they have stopped selling it my plants love it and I'm sure yours will too, should look good when finished

 

[Truck]

I used the pets at home stuff £1.68 for 5 litres.

 

[aly_starh]

Asda Smart Price

 

[lilacamy931]

Doh wish I had put some of this under my substrate now too late! Best of luck and hope the murkiness has subsided.

 

[betta fish]

Hmmmm I use the Asda smart price cat litter for my kitten and it seems to get rather stodgy when wet and doesn't hold it's shape very well at all almost turning into mud, perhaps this is where the cloudiness is coming from? all litters are different, some hold up very well I found the tesco premium light weight to be the best of the lot but can't seem to find it anymore will have to have a look at the pets at home stuff, thanks truck