Biorb Flow 15 Litre Shrimp Tank

[Ch4rlie]

Basically as title suggests, gonna start up a BiOrb Flow 15 litre tank for the sole purpose of shrimps and a few plants!!
 
Now, I did this for my girlfriend who loves my RCS in my main tank and she wanted her own tank for her birthday.
I bought her a Fluval Edge 46 litre tank for this but she says its too big for her! Tried to explain the bigger the tank the easier to control water parameters and 46 litres is not big at all and like the look of the tank etc etc!
Obviously she's not having any of it!
 
Now she has her heart set on a BiOrb Flow 15 litre tank. 
 
*sighs*
 
Oookay then, I got her a BiOrb Flow 15l tank in black from eBay for £42 with the filter and air pump, no heater included. But bought a small 50w heater which fits nicely in the tank.
 

 

 
Gave the tank a good clean and looks fit for purpose now. Noticed has a scratch on bottom left hand corner probably because its acrylic rather than glass, so is easy to scratch I believe.
 
At least it on bottom corner. GF does not mind as long as gravel helps to hide this.
 
The fun part starts now! She wants, black fine gravel, small pieces of bogwood, a few plants.
Also a few pebbles as well, cleaned those and poured boiling water over them a few times and did vinigar test, all groovy!
 
So bought all these and the results............
 

 

 

 
 
Pretty pleased with that, GF helped choose plants she wanted and did help with set up of course.
 
For those of you interested, plants are low tech, Anubias nana Bonzai, Bacopa Compacta and Straight Vallis. Hopefully the LED hood light will be ok for these plants.
 
Next stage will be cycling the tank (have added some bio media from my filter to help seed the filter).
Also added the water conditioner and bacteria sachet that came with. So hopefully that all helps to start the cycling process. 
 
Have done first tests using API liquid test kit:
 
Ph - 7.4
Ammonia - 3 ppm
Nitrite - 0.25 ppm
Nitrate - 10 ppm
 
Temp currently set at 24C but will bump this up to 28C tonight to help with cycling bacteria.
 
Will keep an eye on the water parameter and test every few days just to see if any progress.
 
For putting in some shrimps, do not know which ones yet but Tina likes the Red Bee Shrimps and Bumble Bee Shrimps. Although this is subject to change of course!
 
Found some Red Bee Shrimps at Maidenhead Aquatics and priced at 3 for £15 or £5.50 each, not particularly cheap!
 
Any suggestions for shrimps or to the BiOrb Flow tank more than welcome! 

 

[ian]

What a nice little aquascape, well done!

Why not try a little moss tied to those rocks. The shrimp will love it.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Yup, you read my mind 

 
Was planning on getting some moss balls next time go to LFS. 
 
I've got some in my main tank but far too big for the little BiOrb so will get some from LFS.
 
Thanks for your comment. Will pass that on to GF, she'll be pleased as punch got a nice comment! lol

 

[ian]

Why not try a little java moss rather than cladophora. It'll grow quicker, and the shrimp tend to like it better ime.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Hmm, not a bad idea but java moss does needs trimming quite often to keep it under control!
 
Mine in main tank, (have both Java moss and moss balls) and both growing pretty well, moss ball about 10 cm in diameter now and java moss growing on bogwood tied on loosely with fishing line, only got this about 2 weeks ago and growing well, have trimmed it twice already!
 
So think for GF a moss ball in BiOrb will do just fine, if she gets confident then a bit of Java moss from my tank will be added.
 
Thanks for that suggestion, did not think of that!

 

[TallTree01]

Loving the look mate!

 

[Ch4rlie]

Thanks TT. 
 
I kinda like it too!! 

 
Can't wait to see it with shrimps tho!

 

[Ch4rlie]

Whoo hoo, reckon the little BioOrb fishless cycle is now just about ready.
 
Here's all the tests so far to keep you in the loop......
 
8th Sept :
 
pH -            8.0
Ammonia -  3.0 ppm
Nitrite -       0.25 ppm
Nitrate -      10 ppm
 
=====================
 
 
10th Sept :
 
pH -            7.6
Ammonia -  2.0 ppm
Nitrite -       0.25 ppm
Nitrate -      2.5 ppm
 
 
=====================
 
 
 
13th Sept :
 
pH -             7.4
Ammonia -  2.0 ppm
Nitrite -        5.0+ ppm
Nitrate -       30 ppm
 
 
=====================
 
 
 
15th Sept :
 
pH -             7.8
Ammonia -  0.25 ppm
Nitrite -        5.0+ ppm
Nitrate -      160 ppm
 
 
=====================
 
 
17th Sept :
 
pH -             8.0
Ammonia -   0 ppm
Nitrite -        5.0 ppm
Nitrate -       80 ppm
 
 
=====================
 

19th Sept :
 
pH -             7.4
Ammonia -   0 ppm
Nitrite -         0 ppm
Nitrate -       30 ppm
 

Seems theres a bit of pH swing but putting that down to plants and new tank perhaps. Will keep an eye on that.
 
I hope these readings are about right for fishless cycling as I put in some bio media from main established tank into the filter of the BioOrb.
 
Advice from the TTA about that would be good if he's around of course!
 
Tiny little dose of Ammonia for a 15 litre BioOrb.

Calculated had about 14.5 litre since not filled with water all the way to top of tank and minus 10% for decor/gravel so that worked to 13 litres then at 3ppm at 35% strength ammonia worked out on forum calculator came to 0.11ml and have just re-tested for ammonia, bang on at 3.0ppm.
 
Can't wait 'til tomorrow to test for ammonia and nitrite to see if both at 0...............
 
I know its the GF's shrimp tank but can't help being pleased this cycle has taken less than 2 weeks if confirmed tests over next 2 days for ammonia and nitrite to zero.

 

[daizeUK]

The tank looks great and the cycle looks good to me!  Strange how the pH went down and then back up again though.  Like you said, could be due to things in the tank... bogwood might be reducing the pH and rocks sending it up, perhaps.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Possible, but will keep an eye on the pH.
 
Just tested my tap water, thats at 7.4 to 7.6 as well, 2 months ago was steady at about 8.0......
 
Have got a glass full of tap water, going to leave it 24 hours then retest pH. See what that says tomorrow,

 

[TallTree01]

Congrats on the cycle!

 

[Ch4rlie]

Update, tested tap water, it seems to be now at 7.4 to 7.8 and thats water thats been left in a glass for 24 hours.
 
Also did a gH & kH test as well using API tests, kH 4 drops to change colour and thats at 71.6 mg/l, gH 11 drops to change colour thats at 196.9 mg/l.
Means my tap water has actually softened a bit since testing about 2 or 3 months ago. 
 
Anyway, here are my test results today, not quite there yet.........

 
Thats dosing the tank with up to 3ppm ammonia and 24 hours later this is the result.
 
PH -            7.4
Ammonia -  0 ppm
Nitrite -       2 to 5 ppm (difficult to gauge between 2 and 5 but kind of between, call it 3ppm!)
Nitrate -     80 ppm
 
Does this mean I need to dose with ammonia again today? Full does of 3ppm?
 
I never did quite get the hang of the fishless cycling bit toward the end. lol

 

[daizeUK]

I think you got your nitrite and nitrate the wrong way around
 
Don't add any more ammonia, wait for the nitrite to come down.  You can add 1ppm of ammonia every 4-5 days as a snack until nitrite reaches zero.  Then you can start adding the full 3ppm, wait for ammonia and nitrite to zero and repeat until both zero in 24 hours.

 

[Ch4rlie]

I did yeah, lol, have edited it to show the right way round now 

 
Righto, that makes sense to me, your explanation of not adding ammonia until nitrite comes down to zero then add 3ppm ammonia but in meantime can add a snack of ammonia every 4 to 5 days. 
 
If both reaches 0 then add 3ppm ammonia until both 0 in 24 hours. 

 
To be honest don't think it will take very long for nitrite to get to nil so may not need any 'snacks'. (Famous last words!.............)

 

[daizeUK]

Yep I was thinking the same, your ammonia came down so quickly maybe the nitrite will too fingers crossed xx