My little eco-display on my office desk....

[zeeksg]

Hi all,

Chanced upon this forum and find it really great and informative. I used to keep shrimps in the past but gave up the hobby after I shifted house. My wife doesn't want any tanks in the house (sigh). However, got itchy and since my office was air-con almost all the time, toyed with the idea of setting up a tiny little eco-vase in the office so that I can 'relax' a while after a hard day's work and watch the shrimps at play. No lights, no filter, no chiller and no water change. Just top up with distilled water and expose to about 2 hrs of morning sun which streams in thro' my office window.

Just to share a few pics of my little humble and low-tech eco-vase in the office. This is nothing more than a glass vase which I initially cycled for about 4 mths with a platy and just a marimo ball inititally. I removed the platy and added in the orange shrimps (cheap and hardy) about 6 mths ago and they are all going strong. The Marimo ball keeps the algae at bay and also feeds off the 'nutrients' from the shrimps' waste. The shrimps love to play on the ball. Reminds me of Holland team.

I ground a fish pellet to very fine bits and feed the shrimps once or twice a week.

Shrimpy sez hi-1.jpgShrimpy sez hi-4.jpg

[benjidog]

Wow, that's a really good idea. I like the Marimo ball idea. It almost resemblances the "eco-sphere" idea. i like the details of the blue sand and seashell added.

Makes me want to do the same for my office. I saw a "VASE" on sale in IKEA which looks like your "vase" for about $12/-.

I recently made a "nano" tank out of a large clear "Horlicks" jar for my son, which has two tiny Platy babies and added a few cherry shrimps in.

There is a small tuft of moss, two strands of caronlina. No light nor filter.

Just 30% weekly water change and a little small flake guppy food on alternate days.
The platy babies have grown larger so i will transfer them once they grow bigger to my water feature pond.

My inspiration came from a small cafe in Penang where the owners put "money plant" with a few guppies aka "longkang" fish in several large jam glass jars all over the shop.

[zeeksg]

Yep, I got my idea from NASA's ecosphere which is sealed with a few shrimp. I wanted something therapeutic to look at but not so conspicuous that the boss and co-workers will kaypoh. As long as yr office is aircon most of the time, you should be able to set it up. Best to choose shrimp which are hardier and not so sensitive. You could use the water, shrimp and moss from yr horlick jars as a base. Using the Marimo ball helps cut down the growth of algae as they fiercely compete for the light and nutrients (waste from the shrimp). I highly recommend setting one up in yr office as its really good to take a break from work and watch the little fellas playing around. The best is when I feed them and see them foraging around on the ball.

[hyun007]

I have my RCS in a jug with water plants.
Usually 10% water change or top up per week.

It is not in AC room and in the shade outside the house.
The plant and moss in it are doing well.
There is no filtration nor aeration pump.

I wish CRS could be as easy as RCS and I will do the same as well.
Is any of the pretty bee line that is as hardy as the RCS?

[Crystal Red Shrimp]

I have my RCS in a jug with water plants.
Usually 10% water change or top up per week.

It is not in AC room and in the shade outside the house.
The plant and moss in it are doing well.
There is no filtration nor aeration pump.

I wish CRS could be as easy as RCS and I will do the same as well.
Is any of the pretty bee line that is as hardy as the RCS?

do you manage to breed them in this set up?

[hyun007]

do you manage to breed them in this set up?

Yes, I manage to breed them in there.

2 of the females which were born on the 15th May have become berried mamas on the 17th and 19th July,
The 2 Older Females are berried as well.
Now, I have 4 Females berried mamas inside the jug.

Do please take note that the water that I used for the water-change are from my big pot which is cycled naturally by the fish and plants in it, it is placed outside the house.
Water in the big pot is usually top up by rain water naturally and there was no water change for the past 1 year and the water is still crystal clear.

I was tempted to try it out with CRS but after reading how fragile they are, I changed my mind.

[Crystal Red Shrimp]

try put 1 c grade inside and see how it goes?

[hyun007]

try put 1 c grade inside and see how it goes?

I will love to do that but that will have to wait at least a couple of months time.
I am not able to get CRS at my current location.

It will be good if zeeksg can try that out with his eco-display as it is easily available in Singapore.
If he succes, I think many people will follow.
I might even try with B & A.
hahaha.............

[Crystal Red Shrimp]

oh where are you located at?

[nikochan]

Your office got air-con? Should be okay! for C-grade CRS. Manage to breed before w/o air-con, Maybe my room is cool. Whats the dimension of the eco-tank?

[hyun007]

Your office got air-con? Should be okay! for C-grade CRS. Manage to breed before w/o air-con, Maybe my room is cool. Whats the dimension of the eco-tank?

Mine is in the front of the house, no AC.
Will try to take a photo soon.

[zeeksg]

I will love to do that but that will have to wait at least a couple of months time.
I am not able to get CRS at my current location.

It will be good if zeeksg can try that out with his eco-display as it is easily available in Singapore.
If he succes, I think many people will follow.
I might even try with B & A.
hahaha.............

Haha, that's an idea. Maybe will try to get hold of a low grade CRS and see whether it can survive in my office.

[Crystal Red Shrimp]

or can try bee shrimp

[hyun007]

Below are some pics.

I bought in May, now I have over 30 RCS.

The condition is not as nice as zeeksg but they are surviving and breeding.
Although I had a female who is dropping some of her eggs this morning.

I will need to setup more jugs as I think it is abit too crowded and the second batch of juvenile are getting bigger as well.



Attachment 18868
The jug on the left was setup last month for the juvenile which are growing too big and too many. The jug on the right is the initial setup jug.

Attachment 18864
This female has a golden stripe on it back from head to back.

Attachment 18865
Juvenile jug(borned in May and June) with them feasting on HG baby fish foods.

Attachment 18866
Some adults and some juvenile(borned on 15th May)Feasting on HG baby fish foods.

Attachment 18872
The female shrimp on the left seem to want to become a CRS with a transparent line on it back near the head. hahaha.... It could be bad molting???

[hyun007]

I found out that when it get too crowded, they don't breed.
So, the dropping of eggs by a female this morning was an sign for me to move some shrimps, there are about 12 shrimps in there.
The initital setup was 6 shrimps but 2 died due to feeding error(copper from flakes).

So, if you want more babies, remove the juveniles once they are about 1/2 month old to another tank.

[hyun007]

I saw 2 baby shrimps today.
Might be more hidding but I am not sure.

I guess that females who dropped eggs yesterday is an amateur, dropping both babies and eggs.