Shrimp Tank Build

NinjaTetra

Member
Hey all! I cleaned up an old 10 gallon, and decided some cherry shrimp are good inhabitants for it. I know the basics, but I would love some help and ideas. I think I'll start with red cherry shrimp, and if they work out I may eventually try some blue, black, or green crystal shrimp.
I plan to get some smaller pieces of driftwood and rock. Depending on a few variables, I'll either go with some sand my lfs sells or a plant-specific substrate. My idea is to have a big moss bed, a single crypt, and some driftwood with moss on it, with a couple smaller rocks. How do I get a good moss bed going? Anything else I need to know? Lighting, fertilizer, co2? The kind of crypt I'll use is flourishing in my 37 gallon with only stock lighting and the fish in there.


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cabrerarm

Member
I'm no expert so take what I say with a grain of salt. I'd recommend a marimo ball. My rcs seem to love climbing on it. As far as the tank male sure to boil the wood have a good heater and use a sponge filter if you can they're perfect for shrimp.

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NinjaTetra

Member
I've been thinking about a stylized tank, maybe an IwagumI style. How do I get a good carpet? That's my main question, although I would appreciate any further info about shrimp.


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AquaticBrandon

Member
To get a carpet (depending on which plant) you will need high light, pressurized co2 and ferts. Java moss is a pretty slow grower so having a "carpet" effect could take a while. Unless you buy a whole bunch of moss and make an instant carpet look.


 
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NinjaTetra

Member
Would it be be possible with diy co2?


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AquaticBrandon

Member
For carpeting plants like DHG or Dwarf Baby tears? No DIY co2 won't really work


 
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NinjaTetra

Member
Hmm... That explains a lot lol. I tried baby tears in my 37 and couldn't get it to work. Whats the price range of injected? I don't know that I can really afford much along the lines of that... Is java moss the only other option?


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AquaticBrandon

Member
Well if you decide to get into pressurized co2, you will have to buy some strong lighting and dry ferts. I wouldn't do co2 now, for co2 there has to be a balance of light, ferts and co2. If not balanced you might have some problems like algae issues. You can try pearl weed or maybe dwarf sag. I think somebody here on the forum had a very nice carpet of Pearl weed without co2


 
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NinjaTetra

Member
Thanks! I'll look into it. Shrimp needs lots of mosses, right?


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AquaticBrandon

Member
They don't need a lot, but they do like moss. They like to pick at it and baby cherry shrimp like to hang around it and eat.


 
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NinjaTetra

Member
Cool. Can you use marimo to make carpets?


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AquaticBrandon

Member
Marimo moss balls? I've heard of people trying it but I don't know if it works. I've never tried it.


 

kidster9700

Member
yeah, you just have to be careful because sometimes the balls fall apart when you break them up or cut them. a few people on here have had massive success with it, although I forgot who.
OH! also, if you mix cherry shrimp colors you get ugly babies (i'm mixing red and yellows though because I don't care too much about having ugly babies since I don't think they're ugly)
and EricV will have loads more info to give you on them
 
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NinjaTetra

Member
I've been looking into various kinds of mosses. I think it would be super cool to get some flame moss on driftwood. Maybe fissidens for the carpet? It seems to have worked for many others


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NinjaTetra

Member
I changed my mind about shrimp, I think I'll do an asian biotope with a scarlet badis and a pygmy gourami.


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cabrerarm

Member
If you're looking into a planted tank then I forgot to tell you that osmocote in a gel cap works great you can buy it and place in in a gel cap and bury it the Cao melts and the fertilizer is under the substrate. If you don't want to do through that you can buy it premed on ebay.

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