journal My 38 Litre first shrimp tank journal

[jrc693]

Hi everyone!

I posted this journal on another forum, but thought i could grab some expertise from shrimpers here too!

So im new to this hobby, thought I would share my experiences of this hobby so far with everyone so I can hopefully learn and also get some advice from more experienced shrimpers! I'd also like some more experienced people to aware me if I am currently doing the whole process correctly. I have been collecting bits and pieces with my spare money thats doesn't have to go towards uni for months in preparation for the two tanks that I will be creating (this shrimp tank and 3ft aquascaped tank (will journal that one in future))

For this tank I purchased a lot of second hand items from people around the community to thanks anyone that sold me something!

Anyways, my brother and I made a trip to Canley Vale nursery as I heard that they stocked some natural slate, which I heard was inert.

They had a few different types of rocks to choose from, they had the natural slate which i was looking for, had red slate and also had honey comb rocks (I think its called)

As I live about an hours drive from Canley Vale my brother and I decided that we will go all out in purchasing rocks as we dont want to make another trip back there too soon. If i can recall it was around $4-$6 a kilo can't remember how much exactly.

At home we have one of those high pressure spray guns so I gave the rocks a good clean. It really brought the colour out in some of the honeycomb rocks. I also have a 3 foot tank which im planning to do my first aquascape as well so thats why I grabbed the honeycomb rocks. My brother is also potentially going to do something aquarium related for his HSC so we bought extras. I also had some pieces of driftwood which i had purchased some time ago. I was worried they may break from the high pressure of the spray gun but they were really cleaned well from it.

My favourite rock in the bunch

Slate before put in tank

Anyway for the shrimp tank im using:

Tank: Aqua One AR380

Lighting: 3x 11w T5

Filtration: Eheim 2213

Substrate: ADA Amazonia I

Driftwood, Natural black slate

So I poured in some amazonia, chucked in the driftwood and a few of the rocks. Was pretty happy with how it was looking so far.

I bought some HC from a member on another forum, I wasnt sure if I wanted to put the HC in the tank as I didnt want to put co2, but the offer was too good to resist.

Threw in some marimos which i also grabbed from a member, put diy co2 and started the cycling.

I took out the HC and co2 because i want this tank for shrimp. Grabbed some of those charcoal bamboo shelters off ebay, as i heard that they are able to take in some harmful toxins in the water ( i think). I bought some flame moss from LFS and tied it around a rock. I also made a little shelter cave kinda thing on the right side of the tank. I also in a sense was trying to create a scape that could both be aesthetically pleasing, but also provide the optimal environment for the shrimp which i will put in in the future. (ignor crypts they are for 3ft)

A really really kind member sent me a piece of mesh which i will eventually stick to the back side of the tank and put java moss. (Thank you very much!)

I am planning on putting US fissiden, java moss, java fern and a few other mosses in the tank but just gona put it in at a later time with my funds are replenished lol... I was thinking of possibily making a huge moss top to go onto the driftwood to emulate a tree. but ill think about that later.

Anyway thats my progress so far, i will put future updates when the time comes, however if any members can give me some input about anything, it would be much appreciated! I have yet to test water parameters, i will do that in the next week or two. I am currently 2 weeks into cycling and i read it should be left for about 4 - 6 weeks before any fish or invertebrates are even considered.

Thanks!

Justin

[jts]

nice setup Justin

[Dean]

Nice write up Justin. everything looks great so far.

the amazonia will take a while to cycle so just make sure you test the parameters before adding any shrimp.

also if you are planning on doing a moss wall at the back i would say to use something like Peacock or Xmas moss and

not java. java grows fast but is very messy looking and will just take over the tank.

also if you put moss on the top of the driftwood it will look great for a while but will eventually stop ligh from getting to the bottom of the tank and stop anything down there from growing to well. you would be best to put the fissidens on there as it wont over take the top of tank and will look great.

keep us updated :)

[jrc693]

Update..

Anyways I removed the HC, put that into my other tank, and replaced with a few other plants

Added a few more mosses, some subwassatang, fissiden, tiny bit of willow. I took your advice dean, have a peacock wall on the back now and the fissiden is just like a clump growing on the wood.

After 5 weeks finally got some shrimp!

[Dean]

looking very nice mate,

that moss wall at the back will look great once it grows in and the shrimp/shrimplets will love it..

is that sunkiss in the last pic?

[jrc693]

Thanks Dean!

nah its a yellow juv, bought 5 of them hopefully get a good mix of males and females!

[Heavyd]

That looks great mate. The shrimp are going to be very happy in there. Especially when the moss grows in a bit more.

[jrc693]

Haha yeh thanks heaps again!

They seem to be loving it lol can't wait to feed them