First shrimp tank

[Finntastic]

Hello, let's just face it y'all I'm a very confused and confusing fish keeper and my ideas change all the time. Anyways I was planning a 10g setup for my pair of pistos for a little while until this morning when I saw the male showing off a lot and i decided they like it best in that tank so I'll just leave them there and have the 10g made into a shrimp tank. Here's the stock:
-Blue Dream Shrimp
-Phoenix Rasbora x6-8

Equipment will be a sponge filter (can't quite remember what brand), Finnex Stingray LED clip light 9.5", heater. Substrate is Caribsea Ecocomplete substrate and will be sloped up toward the back left corner. I will have some driftwood and rocks in the tank. The only thing I can't decide on are the plants, I don't like narrow leafed plants such as cobomba or super bushy stuff like water sprite which narrows it down some.


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[Autumnsky]

This is the reason so many keepers have 10 tanks!!! Want to keep everything, lol.

How about narrow leaf Java Fern? But I really like Widelov Java fern quite a lot.

Blue shrimp are great! One of my favorites!

[Finntastic]

Originally Posted by Autumnsky

This is the reason so many keepers have 10 tanks!!! Want to keep everything, lol.

How about narrow leaf Java Fern? But I really like Widelov Java fern quite a lot.

Blue shrimp are great! One of my favorites!

I like java ferns. What about some carpeting plants, I was thinking Monte Carlo

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[Finntastic]

The light, sponge filter, and driftwood came in the mail today

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[Finntastic]

Substrate, rocks, and wood are in the tank, I'm going to get plants now.

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[2xEcho]

I have a 10 gal that I am cycling now - really considering turning it into a shrimp tank. I have a few plants in there now (3 cryptocorynes and a couple small bacopias). If I go shrimp like I'm thinking I will add a couple moss balls and possibly a couple banana plants too.

I've never had shrimp before so this will be an experiment. Looking to get the shrimp in a few weeks.

Keep us updated with how everything goes, any tips on setting up the tank would be great so I can hopefully avoid some common problems and keep the shrimp healthy and happy!

[Finntastic]

Originally Posted by 2xEcho

I have a 10 gal that I am cycling now - really considering turning it into a shrimp tank. I have a few plants in there now (3 cryptocorynes and a couple small bacopias). If I go shrimp like I'm thinking I will add a couple moss balls and possibly a couple banana plants too.

I've never had shrimp before so this will be an experiment. Looking to get the shrimp in a few weeks.

Keep us updated with how everything goes, any tips on setting up the tank would be great so I can hopefully avoid some common problems and keep the shrimp healthy and happy!

Well this is my first shrimp tank as well so I'm still learning but sure thing.

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[Finntastic]

I picked up three hygrophila compact and was able to split it up into 15 plants, and bought two Monte Carlo and was able to spread them out in the tank and have some left over.

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[Fresh2o]

Originally Posted by Finntastic

Well this is my first shrimp tank as well so I'm still learning but sure thing.

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I'm on my second shrimp tank. RCS. Ran it for about 2.5 years: EcoComplete, full of crypts. Really could not see the shrimp very well because of the vegetation. Moved the shrimp out for a few months while I restarted the tank. Went with a thin layer of black sand and moss only. Red shrimp against a green background are much easier to see.
Just keep an eye on how they do after molting. I had a lot of shrimp die shortly after molting. These were from the LFS. Increased the calcium by adding cuttlebone and ordered more shrimp from another AA member. Second batch did much better and spawned well.
Plant ferts are fine. If using Excel, I would use less than you normally would in a fish only tank.


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[Finntastic]

Originally Posted by Fresh2o

I'm on my second shrimp tank. RCS. Ran it for about 2.5 years: EcoComplete, full of crypts. Really could not see the shrimp very well because of the vegetation. Moved the shrimp out for a few months while I restarted the tank. Went with a thin layer of black sand and moss only. Red shrimp against a green background are much easier to see.
Just keep an eye on how they do after molting. I had a lot of shrimp die shortly after molting. These were from the LFS. Increased the calcium by adding cuttlebone and ordered more shrimp from another AA member. Second batch did much better and spawned well.
Plant ferts are fine. If using Excel, I would use less than you normally would in a fish only tank.


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Okay thank you. I will be adding cuttlebone where it can't be seen (behind the wood). As for the plants well, mine won't be that thick and there is a lot of open space

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[Autumnsky]

Originally Posted by Finntastic

Okay thank you. I will be adding cuttlebone where it can't be seen (behind the wood). As for the plants well, mine won't be that thick and there is a lot of open space

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The cuttlebone will float for awhile.

[Finntastic]

Originally Posted by Autumnsky

The cuttlebone will float for awhile.

Okay thanks, I'll tie it to a rock or wood or have it partway under a rock or something.

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[Finntastic]

Day 3: the tank is doing really well so far and I have seen no algae to signify the first algae bloom but I doubt that would happen so soon. No floaters so far and I hope none of the plants will float as I really want them to take root.

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[Autumnsky]

Sounds like things are moving forward nicely.

[Finntastic]

The hygrophila are growing really well and I added some flame moss to the tank. I'm really not sure about the Monte Carlo some seems to be doing well but others don't.

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[Laeris]

Maybe adjusting? They're getting enough nutrients, yes?

[Finntastic]

Originally Posted by Laeris

Maybe adjusting? They're getting enough nutrients, yes?

I'm gonna get a second light for them and will up the ferts since I'm only dosing with Flourish twice a week, I'll add leafzone and PPS-PRO

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[Finntastic]

Added a second light and it lights up the tank a lot and I'm ordering leafzone later this week hopefully

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