Day 1 planted tank

[abandon_ship]

Plants from Aquarium Plants Factory and Petco. Fast growing large plants in the back-left and right (Hygrophylla, Anacharis, Eleocharis and Guppy Grass). Slow growing large plants in back-center (Amazon Sword). Mid ground is crypts, penny wart, and limnofila. Rock face is super glued Anubias and Bolbitis. Susswassertang and Java Moss floating about. I plan on letting the tank cycle for 2 more weeks until nitrites go to 0. Supplementing with flourish and excel twice a week. First inhabitants will be Neocaridina.

Sponge filter and temperature at 78F with inkbird regulator. Nitrate at 15ppm and nitrite at .5ppm (midst of cycling). 7.6pH. 4-5 GH and KH

 

[MaloK]

Looks good

I know, it's stronger than me, but.

If you place your filter in the middle back of the tank. It's going to be a lot more effective, and by a large margin.

 

[Naughts]

Shrimp are grazers so are not recommended for new tanks where there is no natural food. Established tanks (6+ months) have biofilm where the shrimp can graze all day.

 

[abandon_ship]

Shrimp are grazers so are not recommended for new tanks where there is no natural food. Established tanks (6+ months) have biofilm where the shrimp can graze all day.

I've already got a pretty good amount of diatom algae, but that'll level off. Consensus is split on if the diatoms are nutritious or not, but I've raised orange sakuras and they would definitely eat it. A month out from starting the tank (nitrogen cycle at a month, plants are new). I'll supplement with bacterAE when I get the shrimp. As long as the nitrogen cycle is working, I've never had an issue putting shrimp in a tank without biofilm and feeding.