Sage Advice for Noobie Shrimp Keepers

[dunehole]

Originally Posted by Jedi_Pizza

Hi Dunehole

Hopefully this link has the ranges you are looking for > Shrimp Keeping

Thanks that is exactly what I was looking for.

[ejdog]

thanks
now i understand more

one question, by the "never too much filtration",
is it mean you can have a bigger canister to hold more media? or just more filters which is rate for the tanks size only?

like in 10 gallon tank,
A. i can have 2 or more canister which rated for 10 gallon tank.
B. i can have a bigger canister which rated for 100 gallon tank.
which answer is correct?

thank you very much in advance

[pejerrey]

IMO (and I know Jetti is on the same page as I learned this from him):

A: yes you can have 2 canisters but is way better to have one canister and one hob. And as big as you want but make sure you regulate the flow properly so it's not like a washing machine.
Having 2 filters is good because you can service one while the other one is running. Staggered maintenance.
The hob is cool because you can place purigen or carbon in it easier than in the canister and replace it often as needed.
Also you can plant the HOB and use the emersed plants as another nitrogen compound extractor.


I bought this set up from Jetti months ago and I added the HOB, swapped the substrate for akadama drl and rescaped. It had an eheim 2213 running an undergravel filter too.


B: you can have 2 canisters like I have in this other set up:



It works but I wish I had something similar (one of each) to the first set up I posted.

[ejdog]

thanks, Pejerrey.

in addition, in 10 gallon tank, how much bio-media in the filtration is enough?
any good if i put a sump underneath which may/can hold 10 gallon of bio-media?
will that made the filtration better?

thanks

[pejerrey]

Originally Posted by ejdog

thanks, Pejerrey.

in addition, in 10 gallon tank, how much bio-media in the filtration is enough?
any good if i put a sump underneath which may/can hold 10 gallon of bio-media?
will that made the filtration better?

thanks

Man, there is people keeping and breeding shrimp in ten gallon tanks with one sponge filter and a couple of moss balls.

What is enough? Depends of the point of view.

However, Jetti is advocate of over filtration as well as myself so I would shoot for the best instead of enough.
I know neither of us would cheap out on that factor.


Is this going to be a planted tank or just a shrimp tank?

Do you want to be changing water often?

Tell me a lil bit more about what do you want to do with it. I'm curious.

[hedge_fund]

bump

[andygold]

How about some info on tankmates...and salt

I am considering setting up a shrimp/invert-only tank. I'd like to incorporate some other inverts into the tank if that is advisable. I'm not looking for a planted tank. I'm also looking to do things as easy as possible (if that's possible)

I currently have a guppy tank that has some nerite snails, trumpet snails (not MTS), and a red Clawed Crab (Perisesarma Bidens). The Nerites can go from marine to brackish or even FW. The crab likes some salt in her water, and the snails, I'm not sure (I do know they hate a PH of around 6.0), as when it's at that level, they stay closed up and don't go under the substrate during the day, like they should.

Are any/all of those mentioned compatible with shrimp?

I see nothing mentioned about salinity when people mention any of the shrimp species referenced earlier in this thread. Are they all totally FW varieties, or do they like a little salt in their water? If so, what specific gravity reading?

I ask, as I have a water softener at home that is plumbed into the whole house including outdoor spigots. The water is typically between 8.0 & 8.5 PH, and 8-15ppm TDS. I'm "guessing" the solids are mostly salt, but that's just a guess. It's too soft for Applesnails (eroding shells), and due to its low mineral content, it has no buffering ability and I get very low PH (6.0 or lower) in the tank in a day or two, down from a PH of 8.0

So, what's the story on some salt, and inter-species companionship?

[crustybarnacal]

Thanks for putting this info together,very valuable to me,just starting to dabble in shrimp.

[laqu]

QUESTIONS:

plant in a HOB... INFO...!!!!

i have TINY (8x8x8) nanos and keeping them 'steady' and clean... i'd love ideas... i have a palm filter turned all the way down PLUS baffled!
..
in my "HUGE" six gallon (stop laughing) tank my canister is blowing my plants around (i have a bar) but i know there are 'dead' spots due to plants ... but i need a way to slow down my canister first.

[pejerrey]

Originally Posted by laqu

QUESTIONS:

plant in a HOB... INFO...!!!!

i have TINY (8x8x8) nanos and keeping them 'steady' and clean... i'd love ideas... i have a palm filter turned all the way down PLUS baffled!
..
in my "HUGE" six gallon (stop laughing) tank my canister is blowing my plants around (i have a bar) but i know there are 'dead' spots due to plants ... but i need a way to slow down my canister first.

Planted HOB in an betta 8x8x8 cube:


Planted HOB in a 6 gallon shrimptank:



Search "planted hob thread"

[Betta Maniac]

Originally Posted by laqu

but i need a way to slow down my canister first.

Sometimes just turning the spray bar around so it blows at the glass is enough.

[andygold]

Well, didn't get any replies to some previous questions, but I've got some different ones now...

The OP says that you can't have too much filtration capacity. Any thoughts as to filtration turnover(GPH/LPH) for a shrimp tank?

I have an old Eheim 2015 that turns over about 135 GPH. That would turn my 10 gallon tank over 13 times per hour. So, what is the recommended flow rate for a shrimp tank? I also have an AC 20 (AC Mini) filter as well. Would that provide enough/not enough flow for shrimp on the same 10 gallon tank?

With all the different substrates and their various resulting PH levels, how does one determine which substrate to use? My PH from the tap is anywhere from 8.0 to 8.5. I'm looking to get started with the easiest to keep shrimp/breed, whatever type that may be. So, how do I determine how much each of the various substrates will lower the PH? Do I pick one and see what happens, and then pick the shrimp to fit those parameters? Basically, is there a known amount of PH drop per substrate that can be used to determine how low my PH will go with each individual substrate? I'd prefer not to have to try multiple substrates, just to find out which is best for my water.

[GeToChKn]

Originally Posted by andygold

How about some info on tankmates...and salt

I am considering setting up a shrimp/invert-only tank. I'd like to incorporate some other inverts into the tank if that is advisable. I'm not looking for a planted tank. I'm also looking to do things as easy as possible (if that's possible)

I currently have a guppy tank that has some nerite snails, trumpet snails (not MTS), and a red Clawed Crab (Perisesarma Bidens). The Nerites can go from marine to brackish or even FW. The crab likes some salt in her water, and the snails, I'm not sure (I do know they hate a PH of around 6.0), as when it's at that level, they stay closed up and don't go under the substrate during the day, like they should.

Are any/all of those mentioned compatible with shrimp?

I see nothing mentioned about salinity when people mention any of the shrimp species referenced earlier in this thread. Are they all totally FW varieties, or do they like a little salt in their water? If so, what specific gravity reading?

I ask, as I have a water softener at home that is plumbed into the whole house including outdoor spigots. The water is typically between 8.0 & 8.5 PH, and 8-15ppm TDS. I'm "guessing" the solids are mostly salt, but that's just a guess. It's too soft for Applesnails (eroding shells), and due to its low mineral content, it has no buffering ability and I get very low PH (6.0 or lower) in the tank in a day or two, down from a PH of 8.0

So, what's the story on some salt, and inter-species companionship?

I've never tried long term, I've only done aquarium salt dips on cherry shrimp to rid disease but that's not the same, so I really don't know how they would do long term.

Originally Posted by andygold

Well, didn't get any replies to some previous questions, but I've got some different ones now...

The OP says that you can't have too much filtration capacity. Any thoughts as to filtration turnover(GPH/LPH) for a shrimp tank?

I have an old Eheim 2015 that turns over about 135 GPH. That would turn my 10 gallon tank over 13 times per hour. So, what is the recommended flow rate for a shrimp tank? I also have an AC 20 (AC Mini) filter as well. Would that provide enough/not enough flow for shrimp on the same 10 gallon tank?

With all the different substrates and their various resulting PH levels, how does one determine which substrate to use? My PH from the tap is anywhere from 8.0 to 8.5. I'm looking to get started with the easiest to keep shrimp/breed, whatever type that may be. So, how do I determine how much each of the various substrates will lower the PH? Do I pick one and see what happens, and then pick the shrimp to fit those parameters? Basically, is there a known amount of PH drop per substrate that can be used to determine how low my PH will go with each individual substrate? I'd prefer not to have to try multiple substrates, just to find out which is best for my water.

When you use active substrates to lower the pH, you need really soft tap water or RO water. If you use a high pH, hard tap water, the soil isn't going to buffer a lot, pH is going to swing when you change water and the substrate will where out very quickly. kH is a very determining factor in pH and most high pH tap waters are high in kH. your gH and other mineral content can be all over the place.

If you plan to keep cherry/fire red/yellow or any of the other neo species, they will usually do fine in a 8-8.5pH water and active substrate isn't needed. If you want to do crystal/tiger/taiwan bee, they like a lower pH and active substrates, RO or very soft water are usually needed.

[Mrturritos]

The only thing that I hate about my tank is that I can never find any berried females. Then randomly I see a bunch of tiny shrimp walking around and I scream like a very manly n tough male.... I wish I could at least see the berried females so I know that le shrimp are coming!

[Betta Maniac]

Originally Posted by Mrturritos

The only thing that I hate about my tank is that I can never find any berried females. Then randomly I see a bunch of tiny shrimp walking around and I scream like a very manly n tough male.... I wish I could at least see the berried females so I know that le shrimp are coming!

Spend more time staring at you tank, LOL! It's shrimp TV (and good for your blood pressure). Of course it may also depend on what type of shrimp you're keeping. Some are just nearly impossible to see the eggs on.