Shrimp Tank ?

[Realtree]

I have an aquastart 320 which I have outgrown
Would it make a good shrimp only tank ?
If so can you give me a few pointers to what enviroment would be best was thinking of changing substrate to sand from gravel and adding a small ocean rock or two
Thanx Mark

 

[saltynay]

First you need to decide what shrimp you want

http/www.planetinverts.com/

 

[Realtree]

First you need to decide what shrimp you want

[URL="http/www.planetinverts.com/"]http/www.planetinverts.com/[/URL]

Going to get it going with red cherry shrimp

 

[Realtree]

advice please

 

[three-fingers]

Simple things like, shrimp like lots of natural stuff that they can pick at the biofilm on, so leaves and wood and live plants are excellent for them.

Very easy options would be "moss balls" and java fern on wood/rock.

Also, if you want lots f baby shrimp, put a foam prefilter over the filters intake to stop them getting sucked in and ripped up by the impeller.

Dont worry too much about ocean rock unless you have very soft water, in which case you cold just mix in coral sand under your substrate (as IMO ocean rock looks naff in most tanks).

Sand is great for shrimp but not really necessary, its more just useful for plants, and thriving plants in turn make a good environment for shrimp.

 

[iSnail]

Cherries will be fine in a little tank like that. Don't think they mind whether substrate is sand or gravel. I keep mine with gravel. Dwarf shrimps love plants, bogwood and mosses. Make sure you don't put newly bought plants straight into the tank though. Many sold plants are dipped in snail treatment that will kill shrimps. Thorough rinsing and soaking is required. There's a nice species profile in the Fish Index.

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=199872

 

[Realtree]

Thanx

 

[TylerFerretLord]

Also, if you want lots f baby shrimp, put a foam prefilter over the filters intake to stop them getting sucked in and ripped up by the impeller.

If you want even more, switch to an air powered filter. Just don't go with a sponge filter, as in my experience they clog up with shrimp poop in a few days. Box filters are better.

 

[Realtree]

[/quote]
If you want even more, switch to an air powered filter. Just don't go with a sponge filter, as in my experience they clog up with shrimp poop in a few days. Box filters are better.
[/quote]

Which air powered filter do you recommend for a 28L

 

[saltynay]

I reccomend a photofilm cannister or an old small food pot washed out with plenty of live plants to supplement it. Firstly buy a 50L air pump (ebay is cheapest usually), get some airline tubing with a one way valve incase the pump breaks/stops and you can drain your tank if not careful. Make several holes in the base of the pot and several holes in the lid. Make one hole in the side large enough to push the airlin through and secure with super glue or silicone. Loosely pack the container with coarse sponge (this can take a few tries to get flow just right so that there is steady draw of water). The bubbles create flow as each bubble rises a pressure difference is created as air is less dense then water, the water moves from the area of high pressure to low pressure, this causes a flow of water upwards through the filter sponge. Regular maintenance each week just to check it isn't to clogged, if you have a lot of shrimp poo being sucked in 1) you should be better with your gravel vacs 2) move it to a better position away from the substrate the flow shouldn't be stronge enough to be sucking detritus 4" from the substrate.

 

[saltynay]

I reccomend a photofilm cannister or an old small food pot washed out with plenty of live plants to supplement it. Firstly buy a 50L air pump (ebay is cheapest usually), get some airline tubing with a one way valve incase the pump breaks/stops and you can drain your tank if not careful. Make several holes in the base of the pot and several holes in the lid. Make one hole in the side large enough to push the airlin through and secure with super glue or silicone. Loosely pack the container with coarse sponge (this can take a few tries to get flow just right so that there is steady draw of water). The bubbles create flow as each bubble rises a pressure difference is created as air is less dense then water, the water moves from the area of high pressure to low pressure, this causes a flow of water upwards through the filter sponge. Regular maintenance each week just to check it isn't to clogged, if you have a lot of shrimp poo being sucked in 1) you should be better with your gravel vacs 2) move it to a better position away from the substrate the flow shouldn't be stronge enough to be sucking detritus 4" from the substrate.

 

[iSnail]

The filter that comes with your Aquastart 320 is probably good enough for shrimps. Is it an undergravel or internal filter you have?

 

[Realtree]

The filter that comes with your Aquastart 320 is probably good enough for shrimps. Is it an undergravel or internal filter you have?

Its an internal one

 

[iSnail]

The mini internal should be fine as long as the filter foam fits snuggly blocking the grid openings and preventing shrimplets going through to the impeller. When you take the filter out for maintenance, give it a little shake before taking it out of water.

 

[Realtree]

tankyou for that advice