making a comeback with a present

[sally pu]

So in my intro thread started earlier this week, I mentioned I had tanks in the past and was thinking about making a comeback but not until I moved.

However I have an oppurtunity to start off without making a tank for myself. My parents have been hounding me to start an aquarium in their house and I thought well what could I do for them that would bring the most joy.

I decided I may do a shrimp tank for them and include 2-3 different types of shrimp in it along with live plants that are easily replaceable and cheap.

I have never attempted to start a tank based on inverts, therefore I have a few questions...

Is a 20gal tank suitable for about 6 shrimp? If not what's a decent size tank?

Whats the best substrate to use? (I'm partial to sand...is this a good/bad idea?)

Is it okay to mix different species of shrimp in one tank?

Is it a good idea to include a few tetras or similar school fish into this tank?

What are some good live plants to include in this tank?

What's an adequate filtration system to run on a tank with these inhabitants?

Is there anything else I need to know beofre I start this?

Also I plan on doing a fishless or invertless cycle just so thats known.

 

[sally pu]

I wasn't sure whether to put this in getting started or inverts section but if it's in the wrong section can the mods please correct my mistake?

Thanks in advance!

 

[phatpaul]

Dont know what your budget is, but a good start would be to get the fuval ebi tank. Its speacially for shrimp. It holds 30 litres of water comes with a nice 3D background, decent light unit,pump,fluval shrimp gravel(forgot the proper name for it) net,food,water conditioner and shimp mineral supplement qnd i got that in england for £80 inc delivery. All you need to add is a heater. Plant wise iv got a few crypts, java fern and moss all nice and easy to grow, iv got about 30 cherry shimps in there now(only started with 7) the fish iv got with them are endlers,ember tetras and some baby bristlenose plecs(only in there till they can go back in the main tank) also iv got some red ram horn snails. As for mixing shrimps you will need some else to answer that question as all i know is cherry shrimp can not breed with red cystal shrimps but can breed with certain other types of shrimps but the will produce offspring more to their natural colour which is more of a brownish coulour. But as said you will need more info from the other experts on here. Hope that helps though

 

[sally pu]

thanks thats exactly the type of help I was looking for. I didn't know fluval had a shrimp specific tank!

 

[phatpaul]

thanks thats exactly the type of help I was looking for. I didn't know fluval had a shrimp specific tank!

Thats cool, and yeah its called "fluval ebi(shrimp)
Heres a pic of mine thats been running no for 2 months, on the right hand side of the pic is the bottles and suppliments you get with it