20 Gallon Shrimp Only Tank

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emmanuelchavez

Superstar Fish
#1
Feb 22, 2008
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#1
After today, this may not get some updates for several weeks... I've only got the tank, which is the same one i tore down just a couple of weeks ago... and now have to re-cycle, but eh, i've go the time. I'm waiting on a refund check from this trip I went to during spring break (an optional part of the trip was cancelled, so i get money back, woo!).

Once I get that money - or if payday, my birthday, and that stimulus check, come in first, I'll be getting some Eco-Complete for substrate. A LFS had 2 bags of the stuff last time I was there, so hopefully it's still there when I get some cash.

Then I'll be getting a piece of driftwood for the center. I'll probably tie some java moss on it... or some type of moss to give it a "weeping willow" kind of look.

I'll also be getting some mesh for the background. I'll be doing a java moss wall.

I'm going to see what type of rock I can find to put in here too. I was going to use it to separate where the foreground and midground plants would be... I may go with some of that utah rainbow sandstone, or maybe some jasper, or any other type of rock that'll stand out between all the green. :p

So:

Java Moss Wall
Driftwood Piece in the center, with some type of plant tied to it (suggestions?).
Two or so pieces of rock to separate foreground from midground and background plants.


I was thinking of using Dwarf Hairgrass for midground, and Glossostigma for the foreground. Maybe some val in the background.


As far as livestock, I was thinking of getting some Red Cherry Shrimp. Hopefully these guys will breed to the level where I could propagate some into my other tanks :). Hehe, and maybe regain some of the money I've been putting into this addicting hobby.


Anywho, Ideas are greatly welcomed! :D


EDIT: This will have a DIY CO2 system, and I'll be upgrading the 13 watt bulb to a 15 watt bulb, giving me 3 wpg.

 

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Orion

Orion

Ultimate Fish
Moderator
#3
Feb 10, 2003
5,803
3
38
Kentucky
www.thefishcave.net
#3
Just FYI- seachem makes some flourite sand that you might want to look into as well. A full bag would be way to much for that tank, but for something like hairgrass, it will grow in much nicer. And personally I always go for sand over gravel. It only comes in black that I know of, but with red cherries, it would show them off nice.

I think you've got some good idea's!
 

jen0910

jen0910

Large Fish
#4
Mar 22, 2007
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Savoy, MA/Western PA
#4


That is my shrimp tank now. Things are a little more grown in (especially the java moss). But I like the idea of wood in the center.

Just a warning in case you didn't know: shrimp are very sensitive to copper and some ferts have copper in them.
 

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MOsborne05

MOsborne05

Superstar Fish
#5
Oct 3, 2005
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#5
Sounds like a good plan, but you aren't going to make any money off of cherries. People have to practically give them away on The Planted Tank - Articles, Forums, Pictures, Links. You might be able to sell them to some locals, or maybe even a lfs but you are going to run out of buyers really soon. I think you'd be better off spending a little more off the get go, and getting a colony of yellow shrimp instead. They are very hardy, like the cherries, but they are in much more demand. You would spend a little more to get your initial breeding colony going, but it would be a lot more profitable in the long run. I just started a breeding tank of yellows, and I spent about $50 shipped for my initial 12 adult yellows. I recently purchased 10 (got 13) juvies for $30 to add to my colony.
 

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emmanuelchavez

Superstar Fish
#7
Feb 22, 2008
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#7
jen0910 said:


That is my shrimp tank now. Things are a little more grown in (especially the java moss). But I like the idea of wood in the center.

Just a warning in case you didn't know: shrimp are very sensitive to copper and some ferts have copper in them.
Click to expand...
I like your tank, especially the banana plant! I hope my 2 plants get to look like that.

I just saw that my seachem flourish contains .0001% Cu. I guess it's a good thing you said something about it. I'm not sure how to go about to get good growth.... dry ferts maybe?


In the future, I may convert my other 5 gallon into another shrimp only tank. One yellow shrimp, the other cherries.
 

Orion

Orion

Ultimate Fish
Moderator
#8
Feb 10, 2003
5,803
3
38
Kentucky
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#8
I used Flourish Excel once a week in a 5 gallon tank dosed as directed with no bad effects. But yes, I have heard of people who deliberately overdose excel harming shrimp by accident. But in the same breath, I've heard people does up to 2x the normal amount and be ok. Just keep up on WC's as to not let anything build up over time. Dry ferts are always good too.

You guys are killing me with all this shrimp talk. I've got a 2.5 gallon that just begs for some shrimp!
 

MOsborne05

MOsborne05

Superstar Fish
#9
Oct 3, 2005
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Gibsonburg, OH
#9
Orion said:
You guys are killing me with all this shrimp talk. I've got a 2.5 gallon that just begs for some shrimp!
Click to expand...
LOL, I've got three tanks set up right now. One with cherries and spixi snails, one with yellows, and one with 6 endlers, which are the only fish I have! And I've got a 29 gallon that I'm getting ready to start up for some dwarf orange crays! Inverts are just fascinating to watch :)
 

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emmanuelchavez

Superstar Fish
#10
Feb 22, 2008
1,370
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#10
LOL. So I made up my mind about getting another tank - probably 40 gl so I can shuffle some fish around, and convert the other 5 gl to shrimp only. :D And since it's already cycled, I won't have to wait a long time to stock! :)


With as many aquariums as I have/will have set up in my room, I could charge people an entrance fee. :p
 

ishar

ishar

MFT Staff
#11
Jul 27, 2007
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37
Hamilton, ON.
#11
I have two amano shrimp and I dose flourish comprehensive every day. My shrimp are fine and I have never seen any ill effects. Just make sure you keep up with the water changes so the levels don't get very high. You shouldn't be dosing much more than what your plants absorb anyways, so ideally it shouldn't be a problem anyways.
 

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emmanuelchavez

Superstar Fish
#12
Feb 22, 2008
1,370
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#12
Just something that came into mind...

After doing a fishless cycle, I wanted to make sure my system is "stable" for at least a month or so, since I'll be spending some extra money getting the yellows.
Would it be OK, if I got some ghost shrimp to act as my canaries, and after a while, when I'm sure my system is more stable, move them to another tank. Or would I be better off just putting the yellows in there from the get-go?
 

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emmanuelchavez

Superstar Fish
#13
Feb 22, 2008
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#13
Somewhat of an update.... I decided:

1) To get a 40ish gallon or so tank and move the inhabitants of the 10 and currently occupied 5 gallon tanks into this.
2) Use the 10 gallon for dark green shrimp
3) Use one of the 5 gallons for yellow shrimp
4) Use the other 5 gallon for red cherry shrimp
5) Get some snails too and distribute between the tanks - haven't decided, maybe spixi, malaysians (b/c they look cool :)), some type of ramshorn??? It'll be a while before I get to snails.... it'll be a while before I get anywhere. lol.
 

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emmanuelchavez

Superstar Fish
#15
Feb 22, 2008
1,370
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#15
MOsborne05 said:
LOL, now you are hooked :p

I've got some spixi snails in a 10 gallon with my cherry shrimp. I would recommend them if you want snails....ramshorns you can't even give away most of the time!
Click to expand...
*BOUNCINGS and I don't even have any of the shrimp or snails yet!


Spixi snails are at the top of my list, but I may get a mystery snail, to help clean the algae off of one of my tanks.
 

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emmanuelchavez

Superstar Fish
#17
Feb 22, 2008
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#17
bought a piece of driftwood today... it looked cool when i bought it, i'm not too sure it's what i want for my 5 gl though. maybe when i put it in there w/a substrate and plants ill get my grand vision of it back. lol. It's soaking in water right now. It's mopani wood I think. I'm going to add some boiling water tomorrow. I'll take a picture of it sometime soon. I've got so much schoolwork due now that we're in the last week of classes.

I also got some mesh for the moss wall. Since I'm going to have a moss wall, I'm not so sure what to add to the driftwood, suggestions?

my birthday is in like less than 2 weeks, so i may be able to have this sucker together real soon :D. Next thing I'm buying is the substrate, then the plants.

I've been checking out the Shop & Swamp section of the planted tank, and OMG!!! I'm so getting most of my plants from there.

That's all for about 2 weeks :D
 

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emmanuelchavez

Superstar Fish
#18
Feb 22, 2008
1,370
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#18


This is the driftwood I got. It's releasing so much tanning.... good thing I've decided to put off putting this together until I get a bigger tank to do some shuffling around... With the help of craigslist and birthday money, real soon, I'll probably be getting another tank pretty soon. :)
 

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emmanuelchavez

Superstar Fish
#19
Feb 22, 2008
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#19
OK, so I set up my first 5 gallon shrimp only tank... I've got to start cycling. I need to go get a sponge to put on the filter intake, and a check valve for the DIY co2.

It only has dwarf sag (which i got from plantedtank for free!! :D). Well, i put some duckweed as a floating plant too. I'll hopefully be getting some javamoss in the mail too to tie onto the driftwood. I'll take a picture and post tomorrow. I'm extra tired, school kicked my butt this week.


btw, this one will be yellows only. after it's done cycling, i'll be adding one colony, and about a month later, another one to give me a good gene pool.
 

Sticky Fish

Sticky Fish

Medium Fish
#20
Mar 7, 2008
99
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#20
you are nutz! i though me buying a 5.5 g for 8 bucks was over the edge. i now realize that the most expensive things are the light and filter. i can't wait to see pics of the hex. you should try pygmy chain swords in the tank also. they are a low light plant and i thing the hex has sufficient wpg for that tank.
 

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