Leaderboard

Finally gotten around to setting up a tank just for my red cherries (from chocolate parents, also known as Bloody Mary). I think the red colouration of these guys is much better/deeper than standard cherries. I've also added some Stenomelania cf. aspirans cone snails. I want the tank to be mostly black and green to contrast with the red of the shrimp. The tank is an Aqua One 1ft cube which was sold as a 'tadpole' set up, complete with lid, air pump and small sponge filter. I picked it up from my LFS for $45 at 'mates rates'. I added a 'garbage bag' to the back of the tank for a black background. Added Pisces Iron Sand as substrate. Its a black sand from New Zealand, supposedly made from lava rock (basalt?) so should be relatively inert. I'm using tap water for the shrimp boosted with Benibachi minerals to boost TDS to 180-200. I added a cycled sponge filter from another set-up and added the shrimp and snails after 24hrs when the temperature had equilibrated. I performed a cull when introducing the shrimp so I now have four females and one male in the tank, along with 6 snails. Here are some of the females the afternoon after they went into the tank, the male wouldn't pose. I'm not really happy with the rock. I plan on exchanging it out for a large piece of black lava rock. I also plan on adding more filtration, possibly a hang-on filter, but its not a necessity yet given there is only 5 shrimp in the tank so far.

As promised, here is the stand today. I've whited out one tank as its a special project. The sizes of the tanks from top to bottom (and left to right) are: 4ft wide *1 high * 1.5 deep - holds L333 colony and rummynose tetras. Currently building an LED light for this tank. AquaOne 32 Ecostyle - currently a temporary home for my Caridina cf. confusa. Whited out tank: 2ft wide, 1.5 wide, 1.5 deep - classified Aqua One 1ft cube - new setup for my Bloody Mary variant of Caridina davidi No-name glass tank - cull tank holding cherry variants, some Aus. natives, natives, mosses and a few other bits and pieces. Will be retired once I purchase some new tanks. Plastic tanks - temporary housing for moss and/or shrimp as required Bottom tank - 3ft wide * 1ft high * 1.5 ft deep. New set-up for my confusa. The plan is to purchase four new tanks (1.5 ft wide * 1 high * 1 deep) and put them 'end on' on the shelves - two on the second shelf down, one next to the cube, one next to the 3 ft. I have another 2 ft, (same size as 'classified' tank) which is currently (...................................redacted........................................................) but will be returning to the right hand side of the third shelf down (where the plastic tanks are). This should give me plenty of tanks to set up a dedicated tank for the Malanda, a choc cherry tank and a dedicated tank for KK, as well as a spare for culls and mosses ect.

So the Shrimp bug has got me bad! Started out wishing to get some shrimp again, after previously keeping RCS I was hoping to fill (the old tank)140l which we upgraded to a 450L Juwel Rio. Before I got the shrimp for the 140L I was already keen to start a 60L nano display tank inspired by the same tank on display at Aquotix Aquariums. After setting up the 140L to keep shrimp and finding them currently difficult to source in Perth WA I joined this forum. Thanks to Disciple who gifted me twenty or so of his Red Rili/Blue Gene culls the tank is not so empty. Infant no more, in less the a week i already have shrimplets, + three berried females. While this colony has begun to thrive my mind has been focussed on setting up the 60L. Thanks to Disciple and other forums members I have been eagerly researching and absorbing information about the best WP to keep shrimp as well as the different shrimp available and the conditions they require to live, thrive and multiply. I had planned the 60L tank as my display tank for the Rilis and the current 140L for the rili culls, a practice which I've only just become familiar to. However I now wish to keep the new tank with Snowball and Blue Tiger Shrimp and will sort out an alternative option for keeping my Rili culls when that opportunity finally comes :) (I'm really looking forward to having a healthy crop to weed out, so to speak!) I just really want to develop my current Rilis into a higher grade of Rilis, something i never got into when previously keeping RCS. Sooooo! a nano tank setup can be just expensive as a larger setup , but Im having a lot of fun preparing for the tank which I have ordered from Aquatix, the tank should be here in a fortnight, yeah!!! So far I have purchased the Benabachi powder as a substrate, a Sicce Space Eko external filter and a hydro 200w external heater. Now I require help with selecting the lighting. I am thinking to go with 2x Ista LED light as setup with the current Aquatix tank however I really am keen on the Fluvial LED which has been discontinued and awaiting a replacement/newer model, I can purchase the older model online but am hesitant to purchase something thats discontinued + the price comparison between the fluval and the ista is quite considerable. I wish to purchase whats going to be be the best for my future planted/shrimp tank in the future, also there is no rush in making a decision as Im currently happy spending my time with the Rilis's and our larger tank which I'm seriously considering purchasing a C02 setup for. As far as Aquascaping goes i have really been inspired by JacksonL's Journal to use a DSM with the new tank. I'd also like any advice on wood vs rock or a mixture of both when it comes to hard furnishing the tank. Substrate Im unsure If Benibachi with a laterite base is good or if I should use, benibachic alone with root tabs for the plants ore one of the ecoplant or sachem substrates as a base layer and the benibachi on top as i do wish for this to be a planted/shrip tank. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. This may be a boring first post but be assured to watch this space! Once I have the 60L tank Illl begin to post photos of the setup, and once the 140L Rili tank starts producing some more exiting produce Ill post picture of that to, opposed to a "one shrimp (rili cull) hanging out next to a berried chick in 140L of water". "its a deep tank for twenty semi mature shrimp" its like Wheres Wally when I first go in there. Thanks again to Disciple who not only took the time to reply to my posts on this forum but also offered to get me started with my first Rili family HUGE THANKS! Im sure after spending some time with you in person your shrimp keeping enthusiasm has fed and multiplied my current Shrimp MANIA! Thanks guys! Peace out, Astro

Competition sponsored by Newbreed Aquatics http://newbreedaquatics.com.au/ Ladies and gentlemen the competition has begun. Somewhere hidden under these tiles are the following prizes - 1. Boss baby powder and boss booster 2. One pack of Boss Mineral Balls - Winner larrymull 3. Six pieces of Cholla Wood (12-15cm lengths) 4. Ten pack of Tantora Catappa Leaves and a pack of Benibachi Kale Tablets . How to play - Each member can pick one tile per day however you must ensure you check what everyone else has picked as i will not advise you. Once you pick your tile for the day you can NOT edit your post. Any edited post will not be counted. I will advise everyone when a prize has been located by a member. There is only one of each available. To be eligible to play this competition you must have a minimum of 5 posts on the forum. Other moderators are eligible to play as myself and Newbreed are the only ones with knowledge of the prizes.

@newbreed what a bloody legend! Newbreed aquatics check it out!

bright red thick shell would be my aim... and will be when i get some bloody mary down the track

Like this tank, those large stones make it look natural.

Thanks guys, good to see a 3yr old build still holds up the test of time lol

@GotCrabs, this was done via DSM using that AquaOne 30cm cube and some DIY LEDs Some old pics I found during the process:

Hi everyone, I'm new to the forum. I've had my aquarium for the last 5 years, originally it was for aquascaping and fish, then I decided I liked microfish, then I got some CRS and thus my shrimp addiction was born! I've been keeping Taiwan Bee shrimp for the last 1.5 years, originally the intention was to just try and keep them alive, after I got that sorted the next idea was to get them to breed. The plan went pretty smoothly up to that point but I had real trouble keeping the juvies alive. Anyway, I managed to crack the code and 12 months later I have a 400L tank full of TBs: KK, panda, shadow panda and blue bolts, even a couple of taitaibees after I had a taibee residing in there for a short while. So, long story short, I am a shrimp addict. It's nice to be somewhere I can admit that!

Just a quick thanks to Buck for the mini Pellia I received in the mail this morning, much appreciated, cheers.

Hi guys thought I'd throw up some pics of our shrimp and fish excuse the pic quality as they were taken from iPhone 5 Some more pics Some more pics :) Enjoy :)

This competition is now live! please read the rules before posting!

Oz if you decide to use k1 let me know I have a black garbage bag full of it it's brand new and I could spare some for you I didn't use mine in a sump I put them in the tank in a soda stream bottle :) any bottle will work though https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hl5V0ipeEFE

I agree with Buck, Nice bright red thick shell!

@fishmosy theres sulawasi shrimp in that tank isnt there! ;)

I didn’t get any pics of his room, mostly because I’m not much of a marine person haha Yeah that’s bang on, couldn’t have summed up why it was doing it better myself! I’m going to raise the lights at some point so there about as high as the bottom shelves light but for now it’s right on the top of the tank. So when I raise the light it should stop this “issue” but I think the shrimp will go nuts on the algae when I put them in. I pulled some off and put it in my yellow tank and it was swarmed. But it doesn’t bother me I’ve seen some breeders with top of the line prl in tanks covered with this and the shrimp are super happy, the the aim of this rack, happy shrimp

Completing the circle These typus are from my first successful rearing. They hatched as larvae in mid march 2015 and reared in salt water until mid april 2015. Over the winter they have matured and grown in this fresh water tank. the biggest is now ~25 mm long and there are still a lot of 15mm individuals in the tank (growth rates vary a lot). Today I saw one of the biggest, now saddled for the first time females "perch" by hanging off a piece of plant - the boys came swarming until they knocked her off the plant and they all fell to the bottom in a mass. I'm assuming one male at least tried to mate with her. Its the first time I've seen what looks like obvious mating behaviour in these shrimp. I got a fairly poor phone shot as the action was far back in the tank. three males on her back dragging her off + one to the right. fell to the ground.

I agree :) will do :)

Or chase up a cheap very small buce cutting aswell also when Ive done dsm I use a reptile heater Mat with a temperature/thermostat controller so I constantly have humidity

Reineckii mini was going to be my suggestion

More sss juvi 8mm

Update of the Dark Catherine flower

Yeah divided into 4 seemed abit to squishy for my liking Bristlenose tank we setup for my mum in my old room lol there's also a MASSIVE rack behind me but that's top top secret (excuse the plastic plants) lol she like them :) consist of commons albino albino long fins putting all the commons in the cube next to it very soon Next is our lounge room tank just won a long and tiring battle with bba inhabitants young breeding pair of angels a trio of Pepps (eggs get tumbled or I get the young just as they are ready to be booted out) 5 neons 2 rasbora

We run 4ft and under all our 4ft tanks are divided into three with holes divided in each partition all our 4ft's are set up all the same sponge filters and hob in each division with purigen and matrix plus a chiller inline with a 2000lph canister in the centre division only BUT I have rigged something up so all sections get even flow and even temperature etc etc I will add pics Also have Afew 3 ft tanks (fish) and Afew 45cm cubes :) My creation to even out flow and direct water into the left and right partition from the centre (canister) mainly for summer when the tanks need the chiller I cut 4 lengths of air line 2 for left portion 2 for right partition then I made them fit into spray bar holes and then I simply put it up and over the glass portion and held it to the back glass panel with a peg (bodgey) :) Pegs :) And this is one of our 45cm mr Aqua cubes inhabitants are L134 L201 carbon rilis and Crs/cbs culls oh and some snails :)

Sorry, Fissidens even, I got Pellia also in the mail.

crap i thought i sent fissidens

Nice one NoGi. Btw, we went to the same uni lol.

That's a very nice ingredient list Maurice. Remember though, if you're trying to do the best for your shrimp they have a dietary requirement for Cholesterol and PUFAs that can only be realistically obtained from animal sources. Those sources should be other invertebrates, not fish.

@Maurice Wow what a list! I don't see anything out of the ordinary in that long list. Your shrimps will have a better dietary intake than you will with this blend.

Hi @jayc After trying your fantastic DIY RO reminelarising method I am keen to try your DIY food recipe I have found a company locally that sells a all in one super food. So my question is, do you think this would work, say adding 4 teaspoons of this mix to the agar agar? Sorry, its quite a long list, but please tell me if you see anything that might be dangerous or a no go for shrimp? Greens Blend-Proprietary 2500 mg Barley Grass Juice Powder (Certified Organic) Chlorella (Japanese Cracked Cell Wall) Spirulina USA (Certified Organic) Vegetable Blend-Proprietary 1500 mg (Certified Organic) Carrot Juice Powder Broccoli Juice Powder Cauliflower Juice Powder Spinach Juice Powder Parsley Juice Powder Kale Juice Powder OxiSure™ Blend -Proprietary 300 mg Concentrated Extract (Certified Organic) ActiveX Carrot Juice and Carrot Powder, Green Tea extract (decaf), Blueberry, Plum, Grape Seed Extract, Cranberry, Raspberry, Tart Cherry, Pine Bark Extract, Broccoli Powder, ActiveX Tomato, ActiveX Spinach, ActiveX Kale, ActiveX Brussels Sprout Soya Lecithin 1800 mg (GMO Free) Phosphatides (97%) Fiber Blend-Proprietary 1950 mg Oat Betaglucan (Certified Organic) Apple Fiber Pectin Brown Rice Bran Enzyme Blend 200 mg Bromelain Extract (80 GDU Per Gram) Papain Protease Amylase Lipase Cellulase Lactase Probiotics (Dairy Free) 200 mg L. Acidophilus S. Thermophilus L. Bifidum B. Brevis L. Bulgaricus Other Ingredients Sprouted Barley Malt 200 mg (Certified Organic) Green Tea Extract, Decaf (60% Polyphenols) 100 mg Quercetin (98% Dihydrate) 100 mg Resveratrol 100 mg Milk Thistle Seed Extract (80% Silymarin) Red Beet Root 50mg (Certified Organic) Cinnamon Powder 50 mg (Certified Organic) Aloe Vera Gel Powder 50 mg (Certified Organic) Tumeric Rhizome Extract 20 mg (85% Curcuminoids) Atlantic Kelp Powder 15 mg ( Certified Organic) Licorice Root Extract 5 mg Other Ingredients: Natural Flavors, Stevia, Citric Acid Thanks

WOWZA !!!!!! If you try our method maybe get the hubby to pull the plants out very slowly whilst you control the gravel vac (you will know where to direct it better) and if you are worried about the tank occupants maybe catch out what you can and put them into a container/bucket and re drip them in later :) me and jess were EXTREMELY worried about removing our plants but she came up with this method and it worked a treat :) we also added an extra drop or 2/3 of prime

From this.... To this.... To this...

The flower took a long time to open - several weeks. It began to swell about a week before it opened And here is what it looks like after it opened (last weekend). Finally it looks like my Bucephalandra sp. "Dark Catherine" could be beginning to flower as well. I'll keep everyone updated.