Jake's Mr. Aqua 12gal Long/36" Shrimp Tank (pic heavy)

[somewhatshocked]

Thought on it for an hour. Definitely ten SS CBS if I can find them. Figure that'll be my limit with the 20-22 PFRs already in the tank. Will provide just the right bit of contrast in this otherwise brightly-colored scape.

Think I decided on an automatic top-off system. Nothing major, something with just enough water that I won't flood the tank if there's a failure. I have ATOs on my larger systems and reefs at the office so I don't know why I didn't start off in the beginning with one on this tank. Losing less than a gallon per week but that's still enough for me to complain. It's way easier to add a gallon of RO water to a container beneath the tank once a week than it is to spend a minute slowly adding water from a jug every day. Let's hear it for First World problems and my silly complaints!

Confession: also ordered a programmable thermal fan controller from Cooler Guys with a waterproof thermal probe. Currently using one to cool the components hidden beneath my theatre system (w/o the waterproof probe, obviously) and it works like magic. Can't wait to have that added temperature insurance on this rig. Maybe my little Dachshund-Terrier mix, Millhouse, will also enjoy barking into my tank fans as he does the component cabinet fans.

[somewhatshocked]

I'm confident the filtration system can handle another ten shrimp. My concern is/was mostly about aesthetics and whether or not the tank would look crowded. Then I realized this tank will be awesome with about a billion shrimp.

Originally Posted by sayurasem

i would order 5, then another 5.
or if shipping is a problem, then I guess order the whole 10.

[dasob85]

nothing wrong with a billion shrimp

[somewhatshocked]

Well, there'll soon be a billion in there. Once I find some quality CBS.

[vvDO]

Originally Posted by somewhatshocked

I'm confident the filtration system can handle another ten shrimp. My concern is/was mostly about aesthetics and whether or not the tank would look crowded. Then I realized this tank will be awesome with about a billion shrimp.

Looked great without shrimp, would love to see a video once you have all your shrimp.

[somewhatshocked]

Here's a look at some of my PFRs nomming on food I make:



Ordered some SSS CBS and one with a crown last night. They should be here Monday or Tuesday. Excitement builds.

[somewhatshocked]

You know that feeling you get the night before, say, $100+ worth of shrimp arrive?

I have that feeling right now. EXCITEMENT BUILDS.

Also discovered about 20 baby PFRs foraging about. They must have hatched not long after the adults were moved to the tank as they're quite large for babies.

[radioman]

I skimmed through but didn't see if you had co2 or were dosing ferts. Also if you aren't using co2 or ferts how did you know how far up your light needed to be to avoid algae?

[somewhatshocked]

Mentioned it all in the first post, for the most part.

It's a shrimp-only tank with PFRs. Will be housing some more expensive shrimp beginning tomorrow, as well. So no CO2 and no dosing. Have to maintain near-perfect water conditions. But I am using Azoo Plant Grower Bed, which provides some basic nutrients for the no-frills plants I'm growing.

I always suspend lighting based on the way it looks and feels. Not scientific by any means but it works for me. Helps that a couple other forum members have used the same fixture on the same tank and ran into algae issues without raising it.

Originally Posted by radioman

I skimmed through but didn't see if you had co2 or were dosing ferts. Also if you aren't using co2 or ferts how did you know how far up your light needed to be to avoid algae?

[somewhatshocked]

Got a bunch of new SSS-SSS+ CBS from Tuan.

Here's a teaser:



Currently dripping into their new home.

[somewhatshocked]

In their new home and doing swell. Some iPhone shots:







All eight of them already making friends with the PFRs.

Unrelated note: You'll notice in a few of the shots the different beams of light that appear to be hitting the substrate. With a rippling surface created by my DIY spray bar, the LEDs have a noticeable shimmer effect. Tends to create a more realistic level of lighting throughout the tank with changing currents. It's never the same and is constantly changing. Took some getting used to but I really like it.

[manualfocus]

Everything's turning out nicely! I really like the shimmer the LEDs are giving off.

[somewhatshocked]

Originally thought my PFRs would be aggressive toward the CBS and hog food sources. Primarily because they're 2-3 times the size of these CBS and because Neos have always bullied my other non-Neo shrimp (other than Tigers).

To my surprise, these little guys have been jumping the PFRs, shooing them away and literally stealing food from them.

My, how the shrimp tides have turned.

[dasob85]

man, I'm always jealous of your tanks! especially since i have the same one!

[somewhatshocked]

Jealous?! Ha! Thank you.

But they're not that fancy. Definitely not up there in the most attractive on the forum. But I try to keep things functional and easy to maintain.