shrimp bowl

[gman42]

i got the water tested yesterday by some guy at the pet store, and nitrates, and nitrite was 0. same with ammonia, and pH was around 7 ish.

 

[MABJ]

i got the water tested yesterday by some guy at the pet store, and nitrates, and nitrite was 0. same with ammonia, and pH was around 7 ish.

>__> you should most definitely purchase an APi master test kit. They're less than $20 on amazon, and paramount in keeping a successful fishtank.

I don't believe your tank ever has been cycled. If you don't cycle it, your shrimp will most likely die lol.

 

[gman42]

yea, i dont think ive had an ammonia source yet.
i might add some more plants

 

[MABJ]

yea, i dont think ive had an ammonia source yet.
i might add some more plants

Plants will not create ammonia. Try fish food if you're desperate

 

[gman42]

im going to get tedt kit soon, but my dad won't let me use his credit card, and the kits at the stores near me cost close to $40. ive had alot of tanks, and not had a test kit. ive lost very few fish, and when i did get my water tested my parameters were perfect. ill prob pick one up in the next couple days, but its the end of the school year, and i got finals, and a job. which makes this stuff hard to get.
i wont get any shrimp until its cycled, and i will get my parameters tested asap

 

[MABJ]

im going to get tedt kit soon, but my dad won't let me use his credit card, and the kits at the stores near me cost close to $40. ive had alot of tanks, and not had a test kit. ive lost very few fish, and when i did get my water tested my parameters were perfect. ill prob pick one up in the next couple days, but its the end of the school year, and i got finals, and a job. which makes this stuff hard to get.
i wont get any shrimp until its cycled, and i will get my parameters tested asap

Ok. Well. It's good that you're gonna do it slow. Add a tiny bit of fish food each day to get it cycled faster while you're waiting.

Can't do any harm. And the plants love it. Soo

 

[gman42]

im going to add a tiny pinch of food tonight

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Be aware fish food can cause an algae outbreak from the excess phosphates. It also makes a mess and can make the tank smell quite nasty if not cleaned up regularly.
If you have other tanks get a small piece of sponge from an existing filter and use it to make a sponge filter. Another option is to buy or make a sponge filter and seed it for 2 weeks in another tank. Shrimp have a tiny bioload so if you start out with 3-4 and your plants are growing nicely there won't be any ammonia IMO.

 

[GNarnian]

I'm going to follow this thread as well! I have a 1.5 gallon tank with some LEDs, I might just make a shrimp tank.

 

[Aquatopia]

An open tank and shrimp sounds risky...at least with Ghost shrimp they are jumpers

 

[MABJ]

An open tank and shrimp sounds risky...at least with Ghost shrimp they are jumpers

Ghosts are, but his stock, RCS aren't. I've got RCS that come to the surface to tickle my hand.

 

[Aquatopia]

Good to know, I'm new to RCS, I have two in an Endler tank at my office; its a Fluval Edge which has a very small top opening.