10 gallon shrimp tank

[Sharpchick]

I just happen to have a spare 10 gallon tank out in my storage shed. Since I probably just ordered too many plants for my existing tanks, I was thinking I'd go ahead and set it up as a dirted tank, capped with sand, and use it as a grow out tank for floating plants that get eaten by my goldfish.

But I am so enamored with the amanos in my 20 gallon that I've been reading threads most of the day, and looking at the photos of the tanks.

And then I thought - why not make it a shrimp tank?

So I've ordered a sponge filter for it. I also ordered a 50 watt Jager heater with a thermostat that can be adjusted from 64F to 93F because the room it's going in stays pretty chilly in the wintertime.

I've got a piece of Malaysian driftwood - about 9" by 6" that I'll put in it. Most of the tanks I've seen here also have at least one flat rock in them. What is that for?

I'd love some thoughts about hard and aquascape since I'll be starting from scratch - except for those extra plants...

And then, how many RCS would I put in this tank?

 

[tiger terror]

Hello,I have a 10g setup with both shrimp&nano fish...I gave crs&rcs that number upwards of 60 or more...I use a sponge filter along with an ac 10 for filtration...3 tummy nose,3 cardinal,2 white cloud mountain minnows&1 sterbai...tank has a very strong bio-filter to handle all the inhabitants...,

 

[tiger terror]

Also I started with a handfull of shrimp in this tank..actually needing to reduce #'s in the tank,if it wasn't cold I'd consider shipping some out...

 

[Sharpchick]

I was planning on only this sponge filter, and no HOB filter. I'm getting the one rated for 20 gallons, which I have in my other 10 gallon tank.

And I plan to keep this tank shrimp only.

 

[tiger terror]

It's a nice sponge filter...most of the fish will be making the switch over to my 20g tall planted tank,after the switch I may remove the ac...its my first go at a sponge filter&i'm very pleased with how well it performs...

 

[Fdsh5]

Sponge filters are the way to go for shrimp tanks. I buy mine from kensfish.com. My shrimp love them too

 

[Coursair]

I would start with at least 10 RCS. I like to add a few from other sources to add new blood. I went from 15 to 100 RCS in 6 Months in a Shrimp and Oto only tank.

 

[Sharpchick]

How many of you guys use a feeding dish for your shrimp?

 

[Cammywammy]

Also what do you mean about a flat rock?

 

[Fresh2o]

Following this thread; just started up a shrimp tank in a 20g long and have everything setup and running; just need to get shrimp!

 

[jcolon]

IMO ..in shrimp only tanks Flat rocks like slate are more for decor. The good thing they offer is you can stack them to make flat caves etc. Not absolutely necessary in shrimp only tanks. In tanks with fish and shrimp, slate can offer great hiding places.

As for a feeding dish ... in my shrimp tank, any food is gone within 3 hours so it's up to your preference. For my shrimp tank, I don't feed a whole algae wafer, I break it into 1/4 pieces and dump one in. The other 3/4's go into my 75gal.

 

[creic38]

A sponge filter will be fine for that tank. This will eliminate the need for an air stone. I would start out with 10 shrimp, that is if you are going with rcs or some other neo. They breed like mad! I too started out with 10 an had 100 in less than 6 months. They will be of good use to fund your hobby going forward.

 

[Sharpchick]

Also what do you mean about a flat rock?

A lot of the tank photos have one or more flat rocks in them. I didn't know if there was a specific purpose for them.

 

[creic38]

Strictly decoration, except for those who breed rams or other fish that lay their eggs on flat surfaces. You can make some nice scapes with that stuff.

 

[Cammywammy]

Can you show me some examples?

 

[creic38]

Who....me? I suck at aquascaping haha! But seriously, I don't use them personally. I mostly use driftwood and lava rocks. I am starting 2 new nano tanks, and I'm going to use some sort of "gray" rocks. I just haven't found any that caught my attention yet. I'm looking to use seiryu stones, but they're hard to find.

 

[Sharpchick]

Can you show me some examples?

Scroll through this thread.

 

[Sharpchick]

Who....me? I suck at aquascaping haha! But seriously, I don't use them personally. I mostly use driftwood and lava rocks. I am starting 2 new nano tanks, and I'm going to use some sort of "gray" rocks. I just haven't found any that caught my attention yet. I'm looking to use seiryu stones, but they're hard to find.

LOL. I hear ya - for this tank, I was thinking of a jungle-ish type look with plants. I do have some rocks that I've used in other tanks, get dissatisfied with that look, and put in my "fish tank only, not weapons" box (I'm serious about that, my grandkids nose through most all of Grammy's "public" stuff on the shelves in the laundry room).

So I'll probably use a few of those until I get some good growth on plants.

 

[creic38]

I sort of have the jungle look going on in my 29 gallon. I went crazy a couple of months ago and bought plants all over the place. But I have to say....it looks pretty good. I even found a piece of driftwood that resembles a tree. It has a bunch of branches. I tied wads of pelia on different branches. Here's a pic of the tank. The "tree" in the right hand side.

 

[Sharpchick]

I sort of have the jungle look going on in my 29 gallon. I went crazy a couple of months ago and bought plants all over the place. But I have to say....it looks pretty good. I even found a piece of driftwood that resembles a tree. It has a bunch of branches. I tied wads of pelia on different branches. Here's a pic of the tank. The "tree" in the right hand side.



View attachment 162331

Yesss!!! That's definitely what I had in mind.

Not tamed. Not groomed.

Kinda like the way nature does stuff.

I really like your tank. Ironic that some of the plants I'll be using in this one will be because I...uh...kinda overdid it on that last plant order...