How Would You Proceed With This Shrimp Tank?

[RMcdowell]

Okies at mo ive got a 40 Gal community tank with about 40 cherry shrimp co-existing with my fish.
The shrimp are breeding but obviously the fish are making short work of the shrimplets and not many are reaching maturity.

The wife has finally allowed me a second "Shrimp only" tank (yay!!) and heres what ive done so far in regards to setting it up.

Tank = 24" X 12" X 15"

1.. Washed tank (it was a 2nd hand one)
2.. Washed argos play sand very well (using dechlorinated water for final wash) theres about 1.5" depth in tank.
3.. Took the fluval 2 filter sponges that I cunningly put in the center of my fluval 3+ filter in my community out (I knew the wife would crack)
and placed back in the fluval2 and put in shrimp tank (Filter media is about 1-2 months mature)
4.. Rather than use fresh dechlorinated water in shrimp tank, when I did water change on main community tank I filled shrimp tank completely with that siphoned
straight in.
5.. Set heater to 75 and installed in tank.

Thats it at mo, what whould you do next?? ive tons of plants and java moss coated bog wood in main tank I can use. Should I hold off though untill the hood I ordered
turns up? (and I install the light unit I have). Theres no shrimp or fish in the tank yet . I can put some zebra danios in the shrimp tank if it helps it cycle but tbh dont really want
to if its gonna virtually kill them during cycle.
Gonna water test this afternoon when Im home from work.

 

[susankat]

With putting the mature filter in the tank, it should cycle fairly quick and the danios would basically keep the bio fed. I would go ahead and add the diftwood and moss to the tank since they don't require that much light. Other plants I would wait till you get your light fixture on the tank. Should be able to put the shrimp in soon.

 

[Liam]

It should be safe for a few fish, if you have any that are happy in a small group like one or two that would be plenty to keep the filter going for the shrimp. Guess you dont want any fish that would jump until you get the hood. I would just run it for a week or two then try a few of the shrimp they should be okay then a week or so later once all is well add the rest.

 

[fish.com1]

Are you putting cherries in the tank. Because they need a dark substrate as they get nervous and lose their colour with lighter coloured substrates.

 

[pixelpefekt]

Are you putting cherries in the tank. Because they need a dark substrate as they get nervous and lose their colour with lighter coloured substrates.

I've heard that a dark substrate helps show deeper colour but I didn't know that a lighter substrate makes them nervous. Why's that?
(I'm currently getting ready to upgrade my shrimp tank so I'd love to know more)

 

[susankat]

Are you putting cherries in the tank. Because they need a dark substrate as they get nervous and lose their colour with lighter coloured substrates.

I've heard that a dark substrate helps show deeper colour but I didn't know that a lighter substrate makes them nervous. Why's that?
(I'm currently getting ready to upgrade my shrimp tank so I'd love to know more)

I have mine in playsand and haven't noticed any difference from when they were in the black onyx sand. In the black to me they were harder to see.

 

[TylerFerretLord]

They're fine on any color. They just show a little better on the darker ones.

 

[RMcdowell]

Right, ive put 2 zebra danios in the tank tonight to keep the tank "Bio-loaded".
Ref the lighter colour substrate, yes I read about that and may upgrade to black sand/gravel in a few months time.
Ive not noticed any difference in my shrimps behaviour after upgrading from regular gravel to sand a few months ago
in my community tank, but then 60% of my community tank is covered with bogwood loaded with java moss hehe.
Hood should arrive in next few days and have the lighter unit ready for it now.
Regarding the light tube, what do you guys reccomend?? Arcadia original tropical or Arcadia Freshwater???
(Will be running 1X 18" tube and will buy in my LFS tommorow).
Plenty of plants in my community tank can be transplanted to my new shrimp tank once light is set up (infact my community tank
is pretty over grown at mo)
Ive read that its a good idea to put fine mesh or womans stockings over the filter intake should I do that on my Fluval 2??

 

[iSnail]

I used to keep my cherries in black substrate and now in natural colour pea gravel. To be honest, I have not noticed any differences in their colour. Some of my current cherries are of a really deep red colour, almost black. I suspect their colour is more affected by other factors such as amount of plant/wood and tank size.

 

[AJ Tudor]

With putting the mature filter in the tank, it should cycle fairly quick and the danios would basically keep the bio fed. I would go ahead and add the diftwood and moss to the tank since they don't require that much light. Other plants I would wait till you get your light fixture on the tank. Should be able to put the shrimp in soon.

Moss balls are good for shrimp, you can get them at Pets at home for a few quid.

Ive read that its a good idea to put fine mesh or womans stockings over the filter intake should I do that on my Fluval 2??

It worked for me but this was on the outlet to keep the flow down. I'd have thought stockings on the inlet would benefit any filter (Baby shrimp or otherwise) as it would stop it getting all those dead leaves etc that tends to get stuck in the inlet.

 

[susankat]

Stockings or mesh will work, but what I use is an aquaclear sponge cut to the size I need then cut a hole in the center of it to fit snugly.

 

[pixelpefekt]

Hey RMcdowell, It would be great to see a picture of your tank or series of pictures as it develops

 

[RMcdowell]

Hey RMcdowell, It would be great to see a picture of your tank or series of pictures as it develops

Gonna be very busy at work for the next 2 days and wife has decided tank will look better in the corner of the main room rather than under my community tank now its half setup lol.
Gonna move the tank on sunday and will proceed to start taking a diary/log of my setup including digital photos as it develops.

 

[pixelpefekt]

Cool. It'll be interesting to see

 

[RMcdowell]

Okies managed to dig out the digital camera and have taken a few snaps over the past few days as ive been setting the tank up (soz for quality etc im not a photographer hehe)..

Heres the 1st image of tank with sand/filter/heater and 2 zebra danios (a few days ago)
Initial setup

Next one is with the bogwood added (yesterday)
Tank with Bogwood

Next is with plants + hood and light (today)
Tank with Hood and Plants

Another showing plants (today)
Tank with Hood and Plants

Heres my community tank (looking a bit bare with bogwood/plants missing)
My 4Foot Community tank



Ive ordered a black background for the tank off ebay + a few more moss balls and some java fern to attach to the bog wood.

My java moss on the bogwood is in pretty bad shape (damn plecos/loachs in my community tank) and im gonna see if it starts
growing again in new tank without the fish munching on it. I think I may have purchased "Emerged grown java moss" when really
I need the fully "submerged" grown moss, as its never been anything short of 80% brown 20% green.

Gonna work on a moon light system too as ive a blue cold cathode in my pc bits box somewhere.
Will start by adding a few shrimp tommorrow and see how they get on for the next few days.

Oh my stats are PH7.6 Ammonia 0 Nitrite 0 Nitrates 5.0