Aquascaping Shrimp Tank

This is the layout so far feel free to give me your opinion. My idea is for bigger plants on the right and smaller and carpeting plants on the left. I am stuck on either Monte Carlo or dwarf baby tears. What do you guys think.

 

Love the driftwood, it looks really cool!
I can't wait to see some live plants!

 

Nice looking piece of driftwood! Would you possibly shift it a little more to the right to take it out of center a little more? Taller plants around it will make it look like an underwater forest with short plants on the left more like a meadow.

 

Love the driftwood, it looks really cool!
I can't wait to see some live plants!

Thanks this is only a 20 gallon tank so I want to take my time and make it look nice as well as be a good home for breeding shrimp my main concern is my carpet plant I want something that will grow without co2

 

For taller plants, how about cyperus helferi? I like the stiffer, choppy bladed grass look.

 

For taller plants, how about cyperus helferi? I like the stiffer, choppy bladed grass look.

I would go with vals, as they are easier to care for and reproduce better in most tank conditions.

 

For taller plants, how about cyperus helferi? I like the stiffer, choppy bladed grass look.

That is a nice plant the only thing is that its a 20 gallon long so not very tall and I don't like the look when you chop the top off plants like that kinda like the jungle val in my other tank

I would go with vals, as they are easier to care for and reproduce better in most tank conditions.

I was thinking that and I know it would look great flowing over the drift wood but its the same problem I told scarface anyway for the time being I really want to start the carpet before any thing

Nice looking piece of driftwood! Would you possibly shift it a little more to the right to take it out of center a little more? Taller plants around it will make it look like an underwater forest with short plants on the left more like a meadow.

I did move it over a lil not to much tho cause I do want to plant in the front right corner

 

Monte carlo will be better if you don't have CO2. I like the wood's placement! What kind of lighting is it?

 

Monte carlo will be better if you don't have CO2. I like the wood's placement! What kind of lighting is it?

Thanks for the info I got a question tho I heard Monte Carlo can be invasive do you think it would in my tank without co2 also I was thinking I believe its called hc Cuba for short would that be better or you think Monte Carlo carpet nicely and be easy to maintain. And I have a odyssea two strip t5 6500k light

 

Thanks for the info I got a question tho I heard Monte Carlo can be invasive do you think it would in my tank without co2 also I was thinking I believe its called hc Cuba for short would that be better or you think Monte Carlo carpet nicely and be easy to maintain. And I have a odyssea two strip t5 6500k light View attachment 369433

The HC will die without pressurized CO2. Monte carlo won't be invasive without CO2 either, it'll grow quite slowly.

 

The HC will die without pressurized CO2. Monte carlo won't be invasive without CO2 either, it'll grow quite slowly.

Okay thanks now is there a different carpet plant you would suggest that would grow fairly fast and good for shrimp also do you think if I started growing the Monte Carlo in shallow water so it hits the surface that would make it grow faster

 

Okay thanks now is there a different carpet plant you would suggest that would grow fairly fast and good for shrimp also do you think if I started growing the Monte Carlo in shallow water so it hits the surface that would make it grow faster

Staurogyne Repens is an easier carpet plant.

 

Staurogyne Repens is an easier carpet plant.

So does it grow faster cause I was thinking using this in the back left where I plan on having stones laid out would staurogyne repens grow in between rocks or would hair grass or sag be better

 

Hello!

What substrate is that?

 

Hello!

What substrate is that?

Its black diamond with plant dirt and root tabs under it

 

So does it grow faster cause I was thinking using this in the back left where I plan on having stones laid out would staurogyne repens grow in between rocks or would hair grass or sag be better

It doesn't need CO2, but it grows pretty quickly.

 

Hey guys what about liquid co2 is it worse better or just as good and is it safe for shrimp

 

Hey guys what about liquid co2 is it worse better or just as good and is it safe for shrimp

You mean like Seachem Excel?
S. Repens will grow with using Excel. It's safe for shrimp.

 

Working on the rock layout

You mean like Seachem Excel?
S. Repens will grow with using Excel. It's safe for shrimp.

I have that and I bought a liquid co2 I will take picture when I'm home

This is what I use in my very heavily planted 55 gallon should I use it in my 20 gallon or should the high light and good substrate be good I do plan on starting the carpet plants in shallow water until they grow out then add the background plants

 

Its black diamond with plant dirt and root tabs under it

It looks great! So did you mix Black Diamond (as in black diamond blasting sand from Tractor Supply?) with plant dirt .... or is that 100 percent sand as a cap?

And what kind of plant dirt?

Thank you!

 

I think I'm set on this hard scape if you have any ideas let me know. As far as carpet plants go I was thinking staurogyne repens to grow in around the rocks and Monte Carlo to grow in the front black sand thoughts, will it work? Also if you think I should use other plants let me know

It looks great! So did you mix Black Diamond (as in black diamond blasting sand from Tractor Supply?) with plant dirt .... or is that 100 percent sand as a cap?

And what kind of plant dirt?

Thank you!

What I did was bought 3$ root tabs at pet smart put those in first the put in 2" of organic plant soil (I bought some with wood chips in it but its better without) then I capped it with black diamond blasting sand from tractor supply witch is completely safe for aquariums

 

Thanks this is only a 20 gallon tank so I want to take my time and make it look nice as well as be a good home for breeding shrimp my main concern is my carpet plant I want something that will grow without co2

How about java moss attached to the wood,some easy growing anubias for the large corner plant and carpet I don't know but I think you have a bit too much sand in there and maybe can take out 30% of it. My shrimp love java moss and sitting on anubias....also I wonder if you rotate the wood you may be able to make a nice overhang look with a place underneath with shade giving a mountainous look

On the rock layout I would use the largest first in the back corner and spread the smaller ones forward towards the front giving a good flow and have you considered using a handful of them to make another small pile elsewhere in the tank?

I like to put things from back to front because I'd you put many things in front you will miss a lot of action behind things like the wood so if you push it on the back wall you shrimp will hang out in the front more for you to look at and it will also be a nice background

 

How about java moss attached to the wood,some easy growing anubias for the large corner plant and carpet I don't know but I think you have a bit too much sand in there and maybe can take out 30% of it. My shrimp love java moss and sitting on anubias....also I wonder if you rotate the wood you may be able to make a nice overhang look with a place underneath with shade giving a mountainous look

On the rock layout I would use the largest first in the back corner and spread the smaller ones forward towards the front giving a good flow and have you considered using a handful of them to make another small pile elsewhere in the tank?

I like to put things from back to front because I'd you put many things in front you will miss a lot of action behind things like the wood so if you push it on the back wall you shrimp will hang out in the front more for you to look at and it will also be a nice background

There is 2" soil and 1" sand that's to much?

 

There is 2" soil and 1" sand that's to much?

I'd say,maybe get someone else's opinion if you'd be OK with less but its definitely not bad,I'd just want the extra inch of swim space even though it doesn't sound like much but that's just me

 

I'd say,maybe get someone else's opinion if you'd be OK with less but its definitely not bad,I'd just want the extra inch of swim space even though it doesn't sound like much but that's just me

Tank looks like it will turn out nice. Not a fan if the rocks they look to unnatural but I have the same problem in my tank.
I personally like having a deeper substrate and my plants always seem to do better with 3 or 4 inches then 2.

 

Tank looks like it will turn out nice. Not a fan if the rocks they look to unnatural but I have the same problem in my tank.
I personally like having a deeper substrate and my plants always seem to do better with 3 or 4 inches then 2.

I looked into it and you are correct,I guess I just don't like too much thickness depending the size of tank but the plants will do better with more room for roots to grow

 

I'd say,maybe get someone else's opinion if you'd be OK with less but its definitely not bad,I'd just want the extra inch of swim space even though it doesn't sound like much but that's just me

This is a tank for shrimp and plants only

Tank looks like it will turn out nice. Not a fan if the rocks they look to unnatural but I have the same problem in my tank.
I personally like having a deeper substrate and my plants always seem to do better with 3 or 4 inches then 2.

I plant on growing s. Repens in between the rocks they they where picked up at my river

 

Love the driftwood!!!

 

Some shrimp ( cherry shrimp? ) with a small group of neon tetras would look nice in that tank

 

What kind of shrimp are you getting?

 

Some shrimp ( cherry shrimp? ) with a small group of neon tetras would look nice in that tank

Just for shrimp

What kind of shrimp are you getting?

I originally was going cherry but thought about crystal reds its going to be a long while until I get any tho still thinking about hardscape

 

I originally was going cherry but thought about crystal reds its going to be a long while until I get any tho still thinking about hardscape

Planning on adding any more rocks or not?

 

Okay thanks now is there a different carpet plant you would suggest that would grow fairly fast and good for shrimp also do you think if I started growing the Monte Carlo in shallow water so it hits the surface that would make it grow faster

Marislea minutia or Marislea crenata are great choices without CO2. I have found that if you want a more grassy-carpet, Microsword grows really fast while Dwarf Sagittaria will work but grows a bit more slowly.
If you are not much of a green thumb, you could pin down some flame moss with string and slate pieces slightly in the substrate. Christmas moss looks absolutely stunning with neocaridina imo.

Working on the rock layoutView attachment 369639View attachment 369640


I have that and I bought a liquid co2 I will take picture when I'm home

This is what I use in my very heavily planted 55 gallon should I use it in my 20 gallon or should the high light and good substrate be good I do plan on starting the carpet plants in shallow water until they grow out then add the background plants

View attachment 369657

It would help your scape if you got some smaller and pea sized gravel for a more natural look. In a river or body of water, its a bit unnatural to see a bunch of uniform, clean rocks of the same color in a neat set-up.

 

Planning on adding any more rocks or not?

Either am keeping it how it is or get the same rock just much bigger and have like 6 of them in that corner also I have lava rock might swap it out for that bit the plan is to have S. Repens grow in between the rocks

 

Marislea minutia or Marislea crenata are great choices without CO2. I have found that if you want a more grassy-carpet, Microsword grows really fast while Dwarf Sagittaria will work but grows a bit more slowly.
If you are not much of a green thumb, you could pin down some flame moss with string and slate pieces slightly in the substrate. Christmas moss looks absolutely stunning with neocaridina imo.



It would help your scape if you got some smaller and pea sized gravel for a more natural look. In a river or body of water, its a bit unnatural to see a bunch of uniform, clean rocks of the same color in a neat set-up.

I did think about the four leaf clovers still a possibility as for dwarf sag I already have that in my 55 so I wanted to try something different. And with the rocks I agree it doesn't look that great but I think if I have S. Repens or moss or some kind of plant grow in the space between the rock it would look better