# Thinking of starting a shrimp tank



## dZilla (Dec 30, 2010)

I had a 10g with some ghost shrimp in it before that was planted and I now have my 20g (24" x 12.5" x 16") that I was thinking about selling and have reconsidered and going to do a shrimp tank. I am going through all my aquarium stuff, and came across a bunch of air pumps will I need one at all for my tank?

-- Also, dosing with metricide?(for a planted tank again) -- is it harmful to shrimp?

I was planning on running an aquaclear 50 or 70 (don't know the numbers and its an older model but one of those) with a sponge over the intake so none of the lill suckers get sucked in. There's a canopy on the tank (but obviously with a HOB) there is a bit of clearance. As long as the water level isn't at the top will suicides will decrease? (from what I've read).

Anything else I will need?
THanks for the help.

And if anyone has some shrimp they want to get rid of for me to get started please let me know 

Thanks


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## CRS Fan (Apr 21, 2010)

I've got a couple canisters for sale if your interested. A Fluval 105 ($55) and a Fluval 205 ($70) that are both in mint condition. I find canisters to be the best filters for shrimp tanks. I've also got some Blue Pearls and PFR's culls available for cheap. PM me if interested.

Best Regards,

Stuart


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## plantedinvertz (Apr 21, 2010)

If there is inadequate air the shrimp will slowly turn whiteish on the inside and eventually die. :/ I have an airpump in all my tanks just in case.


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

That should do it with AC70, I never had a suicider (shrimp anyways) when I lowered the water level, (others have mind you). You should start with Cherry shrimp if I were you, otherwise you'll want to get CRS and will need 2 bags of ADA soil for your 20 gallon, which IMO is a must.


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## dZilla (Dec 30, 2010)

plantedinvertz said:


> If there is inadequate air the shrimp will slowly turn whiteish on the inside and eventually die. :/ I have an airpump in all my tanks just in case.


Isn't the agitation from the water from the HOB filter be enough? or do most recommend adding in a air pump? for some air?

I might do a DIY route for the planting in my tank, some sort of soil from Home Depot/hardware store place, with gravel on top.


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

I didn't bother with an air stone personally with the agitation from my HOB filter.


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## Tn23 (Apr 21, 2010)

I use an AC20 on my 20gallon and its been fine, my shrimps are loving it and there are hardly any bubbles.


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## plantedinvertz (Apr 21, 2010)

dZilla said:


> Isn't the agitation from the water from the HOB filter be enough? or do most recommend adding in a air pump? for some air?
> 
> I might do a DIY route for the planting in my tank, some sort of soil from Home Depot/hardware store place, with gravel on top.


If you have a 20g high, the bottom of the tank might not get enough oxygen. If you have plenty of plants then it should be fine. I just keep airpumps because of my erm;;OCD.


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## dZilla (Dec 30, 2010)

plantedinvertz said:


> If you have a 20g high, the bottom of the tank might not get enough oxygen. If you have plenty of plants then it should be fine. I just keep airpumps because of my erm;;OCD.


Ahh okay that makes sense.... I was planning on doing it planted with low light plants, but maybe i'll keep one of my air pumps and see...


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## tang daddy (Apr 21, 2010)

Hey Dzilla just do what I did, I took a sponge filter stuck a piece or tubing on it to act as a gasket and plugged it into the AC300, then took a pop bottle, cut a piece out of it and glued it to the outflow of the AC so it deflects the water up as oppose to down.

Shrimps dont get blown around, it causes sufficient surface agitation aswell

Depending on the kinds of shrimp you keep you can use ada because as Chris mentioned shrimps love soil and plants aswell.

chears!


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## dZilla (Dec 30, 2010)

Hey tang_daddy, thanks for the picture, thats exactly what I was thinking of doing.

Can you buy those sponge filters anywhere (what's the going cost) for HOB aquaclear filters?. Other then just adding it (I see you used a tube? from where Home Depot or the such?) at the end did you have to make any other modifications to it? Was there enough suction?

I am planning on using some Miracle Grow Garden Soil as the base and cover it with some flourite or pol filter sand or something like the such.


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## Diztrbd1 (Apr 21, 2010)

I'm not sure Miracle Grow Garden Soil would be good for that, to my knowledge it has added Nitrogen , ammonia and phosphates in it since it is intended for land plants. I would think with enough shrimp in there you would have enough of those things from them. I'm not sure what the organic stuff has in it , might be ok. But from what I read on using Miracle Grow Garden Soil in an aquarium, it's not a good idea.


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## dZilla (Dec 30, 2010)

From reading on other forums it seems like this stuff

Miracle-Gro Organic Choice 1.5 cu. ft. Garden Soil - 72859650 at The Home Depot

Works

40 lb. Top Soil - 50055077 at The Home Depot

Or even that I might get some Eco if things work out but I'm exploring alternatives

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/substrate/128807-what-should-i-add-my-sand.html

That's where I did some reading do t even. Know if u can get the 'organic' stuff in canada


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## Diztrbd1 (Apr 21, 2010)

read the organic stuff was the best choice also, just wanted to put that out there in case

Also you might check the classifieds here for sponge filters, I seen a few in there recently.


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## dZilla (Dec 30, 2010)

I am now contemplating doing a 33g shrimp tank are there any adv ve disadv going bigger?


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

Advantage: Heat swings during summer will have less of an impact on a bigger tank. I lost my shrimp in my 10g.

Not only will you have to buffer if you don't use "shrimp specific" substrate (otherwise they'll likely die during a molt), but keep in mind that having a planted tank without shrimp is EXTREMELY different than having one with shrimp. You need to focus on your substrate before you begin anything else, and I wouldn't recommend anything other than ADA or Fluval soil.

You're going in for a hurt if you do otherwise IMHO. Trust me, I learned the hard way. If you're going for cherry shrimp or maybe painted fire reds, then you can do whatever you want, but if it's CRS I wouldn't mess about, stick with what is known to work.


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## dZilla (Dec 30, 2010)

So even if I use one of the above substrates, or if I mineralize some top soil (what is recommended when doing a 'planted tank' on many of the forums)... I'll run into problems?

I was planning on using (if I can find one of the 'organic miracle grows without fertilizer etc..) put down a 1" layer then cover it with sand or pool filter sand or something of the like.....


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## dZilla (Dec 30, 2010)

Sorry one last question, dosing of metricide have any effects on shrimpies...?


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

Personally I'd stick with the tried and true methods of shrimp-specific substrate. I've had no reason to deviate, and have only had problems when I had other substrates.

Metricide... I've heard of many people using it in combination of shrimp but I'm not sure at what dosages, apparently at a high enough dose it will cause them to drop their eggs, and also it may not be good for all species of shrimp. You'll want to search into this a little more deeper if I were you to at least lookup the dosage regime that others have been successful with.


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