Reply With QuoteAll the best at ur new attempt! I keep shrimp as well (newbie), definitely interested to see ur progress! You have a unique way of arranging ur active filters! Never seen it done like this before.
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Hi Bros!
How's everyone doing?
It's been a long while. Recently I went to a LFS and kena poisoned by shrimp keeping again.
Bought a 8L tank and just completed my setup.
Same old stuff, small low tech tank but no crazy DIY now.
My earlier attempts failed badly, even with the RCS, keeping fingers crossed now.
from 14L to 8L tank.
All the best at ur new attempt! I keep shrimp as well (newbie), definitely interested to see ur progress! You have a unique way of arranging ur active filters! Never seen it done like this before.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Thanks. When I saw these active filter being displayed in the LFS display tank, it appeared as stones to me.
So came the idea of lying it as "substrate" while the rest are dumped into the filter.
Don't know if this is for the good or bad, let's see how it goes.
from 14L to 8L tank.
Its a good idea to use bio-media as substrate... i used to keep a small tank like that too, the entire base was filled with just Seachem Matrix, it looked like a thick rocky substrate. The tank mainly served to culture and maintain seasoned mature bio-media (kept a few fat guppies in it to produce a constant supply of ammonia for the beneficial bacteria), so anytime i want i could just grab a handful to seed and insta-cycle new tanks.
Thanks for the encouragement.
I also thought of using glue (safe for aquarium type) to stick those remaining bio media to create a scape.
But dropped the idea because the LFS uncle reminded me that shrimps are sensitive to chemicals.
from 14L to 8L tank.
Day 7:
uploadfromtaptalk1423917146273.jpg
So far no casualty.
10 + 1 juvenile RCS still alive.
Fingers crossed. Hopefully it will be a successful setup this round.
Difference between my earlier setup (2 years + ago):
From single sponge filter to built-in filter with active filter media only.
From sand substrate to active filter media as substrate
From java ferns and java moss to moss balls and Christmas moss (on driftwood)
From near window location to a darker corner.
My old setup, usually shrimps start to die after a couple of days, one after another.
This time it has passed 7 days and no casualty. *touch wood*
Another note,
I used 2 days to acclimatised the shrimps. Not because I wanted to but I did not have the time on 1st day.
1st day I use a plastic spoon to add water from the tank into the shrimp bag. Transfer water from shrimp bag (about full) back to tank. About 20 times without any regular interval.
2nd day I transfer water into the shrimp on a 5-10 mins interval for an hour. Next hour, the interval is fixed at 5 mins. After that i scoop the shrimp 1 by 1 using the plastic spoon to transfer to the tank.
The shrimps were swimming actively (or crazily) then on. 2nd day they were back to normal.
Let's see how. I'll try to provide a 7 day update whenever I could.
from 14L to 8L tank.
Day 10:
As usual, I'll Google around to see what improvement can be done. how about an overflow pipe, how does it work? Let's try it out.
uploadfromtaptalk1424218540707.jpg
Ok, just kidding, it's actually for the feeding dish.
uploadfromtaptalk1424218600903.jpg
Get to see some (but not all shrimps yet) trying it out.
uploadfromtaptalk1424218665754.jpg
I went to diy this because some of my wafer were not finished entirely, kinda difficult to take it out when it's between the media.
The pipe is a normal leftover PVC, cut to size.
The feeding dish is one of my tea light holder.
from 14L to 8L tank.
Day 15:
uploadfromtaptalk1424606379320.jpg
No casualty.
But started to see those tiny white worms, which should be planaria.
Strange, I'm feeding shrimp wafer once a day, quantity is less than half of a 5 cts coin, and yet planaria is forming.
But i do noticed that my shrimps of 10 tend to take 2 hours (or more) to finish the wafer. Maybe I should start removing it after 30 mins.
from 14L to 8L tank.
The white worms also eat decaying organic matter like wood and plant leaves, along with undigested food in shrimp poop too... so they will still appear (especually when there are no fish predators), just have to control feeding so that the worm population doesn't overpopulate.
1-2 hours is okay time for shrimps to finish a wafer (those shrimp wafers are usually designed to stay intact longer in water), though feeding less would be better to maintain water quality... maybe consider feeding them just half a wafer on a daily basis, or one wafer only once every 2 days.
I see. Thank you so much for the info. I didn't know it will clear decayed matter and those stuff in the shrimp poop. That makes me feel better as long as it remain in this low quantity.
I tried just now with 50% less of what I usually fed and the shrimps were hurrying to take their queue to grab a bite, to the extent of as though fighting for food.
uploadfromtaptalk1424613052191.jpg
Glad to see that, at least it will make the food finished faster.
I will also feed it on every other day.
Thanks for sharing the info once again.
from 14L to 8L tank.
Day 21:
No casualty.
Managed to catch a glimpse of the juvenile shrimp, good to see that it's still alive.
uploadfromtaptalk1425132070583.jpg
uploadfromtaptalk1425132091876.jpg
from 14L to 8L tank.
Day 23:
1 casualty.
*fingers crossed*
Hope the rest will not follow.
The last change (2 days ago) were:
The regular weekly 20% WC with aged water.
Scrubbed the tank surface.
Removed the feeder pipe and suction cap.
from 14L to 8L tank.
Day 29:
4 casualties in total.
Did a rescape.
uploadfromtaptalk1425825726261.jpguploadfromtaptalk1425825740742.jpguploadfromtaptalk1425825755353.jpguploadfromtaptalk1425825765432.jpguploadfromtaptalk1425825780118.jpg
from 14L to 8L tank.
Your tank pretty small.. you can try change 5% of the water every week or 2 times a week.. this will greatly reduce the sudden change in water parameter. And cause lesser stress for your shrimp.. just my feel..
Oh, 5%? I did my water change every week for 20%.
I'm using aged water.
I'll reduce that to 5% and monitor.
Thank you for the advise.
from 14L to 8L tank.
If your bioload is low and you are not using any active soil, you might consider to do water change 10% every 2 weeks.
Thanks for sharing.
Yes my bioload is low and I'm also not using any substrate.
I'll try between these WC ranges and monitor.
from 14L to 8L tank.
Oh, when you replace the water, do it slowly. Best drip back
Drip back? Cannot lah, i think I will drop dead if i do that although it's a small tank.
But that's a good point after a second thought, probably the water parameter change is too drastic.
Let me Google and find any easy "auto" drip back diy.
Thank you once again.
from 14L to 8L tank.
Get a 1.5Litre bottle... slight loosen the bottle cap... then turn it upside and you get the dripping effect... then secure the bottle to something to hold it position...
Just my thought though..
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