🦐 Close up of one of our red cherry shrimps. (Sakura)
They are so quick with their legs, they would be excellent knitters!

#FishTankDiary #FishTank #shrimp #CherryShrimp #sakura #aquarium @aquarium

🐠🐟 #FishTankDiary Day 21

The nitrites and nitrates are low!!! This means that...

📢🦐 We went to Maidenhead Aquatics in Coton, yesterday and brought back 5 red cherry shrimps (sakura) and a zebra nerite snail.
In emoticons that's: 🍒🦐🌸🦓🐌
Fun

🍒🦐🌸We actually got 5 adult shrimps and at least as many baby ones "for free". Also one of the adult #shrimp appears to be pregnant (carrying eggs under her abdomen). That's so exciting!

🐌Our snail appeared to have been a bladder snail which can reproduce like crazy... So we decided to get rid of it. The zebra #nerite #snail we bought should not reproduce.

🌿Plants are still growing very nicely, lots of new leaves appearing, roots extending... We did another big gardening session yesterday, cutting and replanting them in the background.

#FishTank #aquascaping #aquarium #fishkeeping @aquarium

🐠🐟 #FishTankDiary Day 17

🐌#Snail update
This snail is becoming a good friend: it's eating the green and brown algae that has been growing on some of the leaves.

🦠Because yes, we have a little algae developing, but we're not too concerned. It's because nitrites and nitrates are still a little high (the water is still cycling #TrustTheProcess

🧑‍🔬🧪They are actually at a level still too high to buy any fish or shrimp or snail. But that snail despite these odds made it! 🤷‍♀️

💩The snail is also leaving poops behind it. 😅 See on the close up photograph... 🔎

🌿Plants are still growing very nicely, lots of new leaves appearing, roots extending...

#FishTank #aquascaping #aquarium #fishkeeping @aquarium

🐠🐟 #FishTankDiary Day 15

📢There is life in the tank!!!
We've spotted this little black #snail!
🐌
Now that explains some small holes in the plants 😅.

Ammonia level is now safe, but nitrites are still a bit high so we've got to wait a little longer before getting some shrimps 🦐 .

💧We did a proper water change yesterday, vaccumed some of the brownish biofilm.

🌱 We cut back some of the Limnophila heterophylla that were touching the water line already. And replanted the cuttings at the back.

#FishTank #aquascaping #aquarium #fishkeeping @aquarium

🐠🐟 #FishTankDiary Day 10

⚪ The #biofilm is still slowly growing... We're not worrying anymore. It's good bacteria.
Amonia is not at 0 yet, but 0.1 is not bad
🌱 We've also noticed that the Limnophila heterophylla is growing very well. Also it retracts when the light goes down, and expands when light goes on.

#FishTank #aquascaping #aquarium @aquarium

🐠🐟 #FishTankDiary Day 6

⚪ The #biofilm is growing...
Worry or not worry... that is the question!
🌱 Also, some of the Elodea Densa #plants in the background are developing roots, that seems like a good sign!

#FishTank #aquascaping #aquarium @aquarium

🐠🐟 #FishTankDiary Day 5

⚪ Some kind of blob-like thing has appeared on some of the azalea branches. Upon inspection, there's also some on the dark substrate at the left-back of the fishtank...
🔎 I did some research and it would appear to be some biofilm. Nothing to worry about, normal part of the process of setting up a fishtank...
🦐 Apparently shrimps love eating this. I can't wait to get some!

#FishTank #aquascaping #aquarium @aquarium

🐠🐟 #FishTankDiary Day 4

🫧 The #fluval waterpump and filter device was noisy yesterday... At the shop they had told us that the top had to be above the water line. Well... on the manual, there were illustrations showing that the pump could even be laid flat on the ground of the aquarium... 🙄So... we lowered the pump+filter to be fully immersed. And now it makes less noise! 👍
📦 Yesterday, we receive some #moss, more #plants, 2 thin azalea branches and a pipette and scissors. (from #swellUK)
🌱 A #gardening session also took place last night!
And I can now use the #mosstodon hashtag! 😜
2 different #aquaticmoss:
Taxiphyllum (barbieri Bogor Moss)
Vesicularia (ferriel Weeping Moss)
Also has some Lilaeopsis brasiliensis which I thought were a type of moss - but probably not... 🤷‍♀️
😍 Little Red plant is cute and is Alternanthera reineckii 'Mini'.

#FishTank #aquascaping #aquarium @aquarium

🐠🐟 #FishTankDiary Day 3

💧Water is less troubled, I added "BioBoost" last night, maybe it helped?
🫧 The #fluval waterpump and filter device seems to have a life of its own: I set it on the lowest flow speed, and sometimes, it decides to go full throttle with lots of air bubbles... It needs more investigation to understand what is going on with this pump...
📦 Today, we should receive some #moss (people here should appreciate! 😆 ), 2 thin branches and a pipette and scissors.

#FishTank #aquascaping #aquarium @aquarium