Pre-planning for Shrimp Tank/ Require Advice

[matdiu]

Hello all,

I am totally new to this, intending to start a Shrimp tank.

Tank Size: (Estimate value as tank is at home) 40x30x25. Approx 30L
Filter: EHEIM HOF 2040 (Customized by myself)
Substrate looking to get: GEX Shrimp Soil - Red
Plants intending to get: US Fissiden, Java Moss tied on DW
Lights: Should be 7W Clip-on
CO2: Planning to purchase a 2L CO2 tank + Regulator from my Shifu
Live-stock intending to keep: Sakura's first for exposure, (CRS in the future?)
Temperature Control: A good fan?
Parameters Control: None. (Or Maybe not yet)

As I am still a boy (Wouldnt like to say that), Pre-NS but enlisting soon. There are many budget constrains that I will have to work about

As such I would need many answers (I know they are readily available but know it differs in case-to-case scenarios, thus all the specifications).

Questions:

1. Sakura is more hardy in nature, do i still need to control the parameters well?

2. GEX Shrimp Soil Red packet, can i buy a re-used one 5 months old?

3. Do i need to condition the soil/water well if im only keeping Sakuras? E.g. Old Sea Mud powder, Shizen, BT-9

4. Would a light of 7W be enough for US Fissiden/ Java Moss and maybe Glossos? (If not enough please recommend a CHEAPCHEAP brand)

5. I will be using a Eheim HOF 2040, customized pictures as below,




Inside: 1 Cotton pad + 1 Carbon pad. Sponge to cover filterhead.

Is Bio-beneficial Bacterial really required or just good to have and its advantages?

5A. What if I reduce 1 layer of Cotton and customize my own bio media in a meshbag and squeeze it inside with 1 layer of Cotton and 1 Carbon Pad. Enough filtration?

5B. Or it is better to get a cannister with Bio-media for this tiny tank?

6. Is Fan a pre-requisite? Will be kept in my room.
Chiller is definitely out of the question and over budget. IF Yes, any recommendations and trouble that i will get myself into? e.g Sleepless nights? Haha.

7. After tank is cycled and Sakura's are introduced to a few months would it be safe to introduce CRS?

I know these are a truckload of questions and I have been trying to look for the answers. Maybe I did not try hard enough but some of my questions are inter-linked with my budget-constrain equipment so I would like answers tailor-made to this.

Thanks in advance, and to many Cherry Shrimps ahead.

Mathew

[wongce]

1) Cherry, Sakura,Fire Red are hardy but basic neccessity like cycling of tank, basic parameters,anti chlorine treatment is a must
2)No issue as long the soil is not muddy, contaminated etc. However, new soil can help to maintain the PH levels and more nutrient.
3)Depend on budget, I don't use those stuff but basic cycling of tank , anti chlorine treatment is a must
4) Basic guideline is 2 watt per gallon of water for 2 feet and above planted tanks... your tank is too small to maintain parameter and estimate lighting required. For the plants you mentioned...best bet is java moss/java fern but no promise as your lights is really too low. My nano tank has a barely surviving Java moss with 15watt light bulb.
5) No need carbon pad... at least filter wool and some biomedia, Yes BB is very very important...do read up more... google is a click away and i did a simplified journal in my blog if you interested to know how to set up from scratch
5a) IMHO, insufficient; For shrimps, more is better but there is no guideline...
5b) Canister is of course better due to more space for biomedia
6) Can you maintain stable temperature with less fluctuation?. I keep FR shrimp with fan at 28- 29 degrees. With chiller, you will have less evaporation issue but it does not mean you can jump in directly to keep CRS and other shrimps. There are a lot of parameters to take note
7) CRS may stay alive for some time but will not breed ...not recomended

Please do read up more before you start keeping anything. Every life is precious...
I hope I manage to answer your questions correctly, some senior bros/sis with better experience might be able to advice further

[cheetf]

Gex soil at about 5-6 months usually depleted already. I wouldn't recommend it.

[matdiu]

Thank you bro wongce,

Yes because every life is precious and i am still young and rash, i have not started anything until at least i know how to take care of them.

Thank you for your input too bro Cheetf, if lets say 2 months old Gex soil? Everything is budget so im always in search of used stuff and found someone selling 2 months old one, if i get a new bag, do you know the price and normally how heavy is a bag?

[felix_fx2]

Mathew,

Is the tank the low height ejay tank.
Anyway, are you looking to get everything used? How much you are working around with?

It might be also pretty handy to know if you want to make it a more shrimp or more plants tank. As the fact firered onwards are quite fragile. Think recent months around 6-7 folks also had problems and they too also asked almost similar questions.

Do more research before introducing live stock.
Very simple reasoning.
Livestock = money

Btw, you can do some window shopping and see the prices, weight an size of the stuff you want to get. The least I hope you don't reach home dripping in sweat

Regards

[cheetf]

Thank you bro wongce,

Yes because every life is precious and i am still young and rash, i have not started anything until at least i know how to take care of them.

Thank you for your input too bro Cheetf, if lets say 2 months old Gex soil? Everything is budget so im always in search of used stuff and found someone selling 2 months old one, if i get a new bag, do you know the price and normally how heavy is a bag?

Have a look here


i would suggest you save up a bit more and buy a better soil rather than go second hand. Reason being that you don't want to reset your tank prematurely which would be messy and costly.

[newlife]

As for me....
ADA Soil is still my no.1 choice.
But the cons about New ADA is longer cycle due to high ammonia.

If possible...get a Canister Filter..many bros are selling cheap..those china brands. Canister can hold more media which mean more BB. HOF is ok also ..as I used to have a 1.5 feet Sakura/FireRed/Rili tank running with a HOF. And they are breeding like rabbits.

Important is a proper cycle....even on hardly shrimps.

[matdiu]

Mathew,

Is the tank the low height ejay tank.
Anyway, are you looking to get everything used? How much you are working around with?

Thank you guys for all your input! I will not rash and go into anything silly, just brought a 2ft tank home from office and redid all the layout, looking as hell now! Strongly believe that with experience (and a little creativity) it gets better each time.

I do not have any specific budget, but if i can scrimp and save some dollars for each part, why not? But think i will get new soil since it is good advice given by all of you.
Things like CO2 and Fan are all sold to me cheaper by my gurus/colleagues (Im a temp staff enlisting end July) so it helps me greatly.

I will take it step by step by adding the soil and cycling the tank first with my Eheim 2042 customized HOF, at the same time will hunt around for a cheap 2213 for my 2ft so i can move my Eden 501 to the Shrimp tank, so probably we can settle the pH, Ammonia and gH levels with more cycles.

When that happens, i intend to start the CO2 bubbling and planting done, guess it would be Java Moss. I like Fissiden, is it recommended with lousy light? (7W, looking into getting better [but still lousy] one already), I would love it if i am able to plant any kind of grass into the soil. Then maybe let it cycle for 1-2 weeks more then maybe i will start to introduce the first set of Sakura's?

I guess that would be my best bet to minus some moolahs here and there for a better tomorrow (Recruit life).


Hope that i have made this thread reply interesting and funny to read (Since its input from a 'small boy' trying not to get pocket burnt but stupidly wanting to start this hobby)

Regards,
Mathew

[newlife]

Any moss will do bro....
For me Spiky and Mini Fissiden..

Don't rush is the best...patience is the route to success. Many have itchy hands symptom...haha..

2213...Bernie is selling at marketplace.Did you check it out?

Key Important parameter for shrimps are pH and gH. So keep a close check on both of this. Of cause not forgetting Ammonia...do not add any shrimp when ammonia is presence ya.

Hope to see your complete set up soon...

[xconnect.]

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