Getting started and getting it right!
You're all ready to kick off your shrimp hobby, you've bought the tank and you have an idea in your head of how you want your dream tank to look like, you can't wait to bust the shops to get all the equipment... next thing you know is you've done a real big irreversible mistake (which i will come to in abit)! We know you have the drive, the passion and can't wait to own some of those stunning shrimps you see in the forums but just like a car, you can't possibly start off straight from gear 4! You have to take it down and start from gear 1 and progress from there. By that i mean start from the very basics, do you have the time, can you set aside some time to maintain the tank, feed them and ensure that the shrimp are living healthily... CHECK! Do you have the space, can your cabinet/ stand handle water contact, is there sufficient room for a chiller and other equipment... CHECK! Are you able to sustain the hobby, financially (well, you don't have to be the super rich to own shrimps. I will share some tips on how to beat this, and maybe even make back some cash from your hobby but that will be alot later.), support from your parents (or not =P)... CHECK!
Alright, now that you have thought out some of the basic necessities, it is time to figure out what hardware we need to start a long lasting shrimp tank.
1) The tank.
The right size for the tank is really subjective and dependent on the individual's space constraints. However, from my experience, a nice standard 2 feet tank (60cm by 30cm by 35cm) or somewhere along that specifications, would do just perfect for starters. This is where one of the mistakes, which i highlighted above, where hobbyists rush into the hobby would face when they purchase a tank that they later realise is too small! *Note it is extremely difficult to change/ transfer/ upgrade tanks when they are up and running so it is of great importance to do it once and get it right the first time round.
A 2 feet tank is recommended for such a purpose be it glass or plastic. Personally, i prefer plastic tanks such as the standard 'Fiveplan' or 'Ocean free' tanks, not visually impressive but they do the job just as well plus they cost about a third of the price compared to a glass tank. Needless to say they are also alot lighter and you won't get a major workout from carying them to the toilet for washing. *Note Always check for leaks (place tank on a dry piece of newspaper and fill the tank to near the brim) when you purchase a new tank. Do not add in your soil/ sand and water and realise later that the tank is leaking! Too late!
The following step is totally based on personal preference and is optional. I usually like to paste a background 'oyama' sticker on the back of the tank. This for one makes the stuff in your tank stand out more and it also helps to hide the unsightly wires/ filter tubes/ whatever is behind the tank. Colour wise for the 'oyama' sticker is again up the the individual but all my tanks are fitted with black 'oyama' stickers.
This is how to stick on the 'oyama' sticker hassle free. After you've checked that the tank has no leaks and you're satisfied, empty out the water again into a pail (re-use the water) and place the empty tank onto a piece of newspaper (so that it does not get scratched) so that the back side of the tank is facing the ceiling. Now, get ready a semi-wet piece of cloth, an old plastic card (ezy-link cards/ old credit cards work), and a dish of soapy water. Just add a drop of soap solution into a bowl of water and stir it around. You do not want it to be too soapy with alot of bubbles but just a solution that will aid in sticking on the 'oyama' sticker. rub the solution onto the surface of the back glass and place the 'oyama' sticker over it. It does not matter at this point if the 'oyama' sticker is a bit bigger or is out of shape because you can trim the excess later with a pen knife. once it is adjusted properly, use a penknife and carefully run it along the outline of your tank. It should cut pretty neat and easily. If you are not confident, seek help from your parent or sibling. After that is done, wrap the semi-wet cloth over the ezy-link card and run it along the 'oyama' sticker to remove any remaining air pockets or soapy solution. Ensure that the soapy solution does not enter the inside of the tank if not you have to wash it out. The finished product should have no remaining bubbles when you look at the background from the inside of the tank. Great! You're off to a good start!
Equipping the smart way!
Great, now that your tank is up, you can start purchasing your equipment! Before you speed off to your nearest local fish shop to buy everything... DON'T! Here's some good to read tips on how to save some money.
Always check to see what specifications you require for your tank. It does not mean that if it works for someone else or if you read from the forum of a good brand that someone was using, that it will automatically work for you. Take for example a filter. I would recommend that you use a good external cannister filter. A cannister filter, although a little more expensive, will for one last longer without having to constantly clean it out, which you shouldn't, as you want the beneficial bacteria to build up and colonise in your filter and you will require a cannister filter if you were to run a chiller as well.
Tip 1: Here's what you should do to save some money on a cannister filter. First of all, check to see what specifications you require for your tank. This means going online to search for some brands, comparing filter models and prices. Now that you have a rough idea of what you need, go sign up to a local aquatic forum to request for one or to see if any seller is selling their cannister filter on the forum. you could land yourself a good deal from a range between $20 to just $25 dollars for a second hand filter. Just check to see if there are any leaks, cracks, broken parts before you buy one from the online seller and check to see if he/ she is able to give you a 2 day warranty. The seller should have no problems with that if the filter is working fine. =P. [Shrimps Online's recommendation: 800 - 900 l/h flowrate for a standard 2ft tank]
Lights. Here's where you have to decide if you want to have a planted tank or a simple tank with just minimal plants such as mosses/ fissidens/ pelia. If you go for the latter, you will just require a normal FL lightset of about 20 - 25 watts as the plants described above require low lighting. You do not want lights that are over powering as shrimps do not enjoy being exposed to bright lights and they would rather hide in shady spots, dark holes. Plus bright lights when switched on and off will scare the shrimps and being sensitive, they may die. Note also that strong lights will cause some algae problems so a lightset with a low wattage would be sufficient for a simple shrimp tank.
Tip 2: Here's how to save money on a lightset. Just like the cannister filter, go onto the forum and request for a cheap FL lightset of about 20 to 25 watts. You should be able to get a second hand FL lightset for about $10 - $15. A PL lightset will cost a little more. Just check to see with the seller if there are any cracks, missing parts and if the lightset is working well. Just change the lightbulb if need be. A white FL light tube from a local fish shop should cost you about $5 to $6. [Shrimps Online's recommendation: 20 - 25 watt FL lightset for a standard 2ft tank]
The next item would probably be the most expensive equipment in your shrimp hobby. A chiller. Unfortunately, unlike the first two items, a chiller is harder to find on a forum and i would recommend that you purchase a chiller directly from a local fish shop. Purchase a brand new chiller and you will also get a warranty. Just check to see what specifications you require for your tank size and filter flowrate. Again, go online to compare brand/ model type and prices. I would suggest to get a chiller if you intend to keep the more sensitive species of shrimps such as the crystal red shrimp / black diamond shrimp and above. These shrimps will require water temperature between 20 - 25 degrees. [Shrimps Online's recommendation: 25 Degrees]
Tip 3: How to save money on a chiller: It's not so much of how to save money but how to spend more wisely =). In my opinion, I would recommend that you try not to buy the more expensive models such as a Teco or Artica chiller. They fetch a price that is 3 to 4 times that of an average chiller. For this matter of spending less money, I would recommend a cheaper model such as the Hailea model (just about $300 depending on the model type). Although, a good brand such as a Teco or Artica is said to be able to run for more than 10 over years... would your hobby... well, maybe but most likely not? So, before you spend a large sum getting a branded set, ponder what i said. [Shrimps Online's recommendation: Hailea 150A chiller for a standard 2ft tank]
These are of course the basic equipment that you will require to set up a basic shrimp tank. Other equipment you might wish to add will be based on your personal preference.
Setting up 101
Always begin by connecting up your hardware first. This means, connecting your filter to your chiller (* filter comes before the chiller!), placing in the inlet and outlet filter pipes at the positions you want them in your tank, ensuring that the wiring (* do not place electricity cables too near the tank for obvious reasons!) and piping (make sure piping are all nice and tight to prevent leaking) are all tucked away neatly and you are satisfied with everything even before you add anything into your tank! This is beacause, it is very difficult to adjust or move the tank once you add your soil/ sand and water into the tank.
1) Filter/ Filter media:
There is an array of items which are selling at the local fish shops that you can add to your cannister filter. However, i try to stay away from items such as coral chips (known to increase Ph which is not good for shrimps) and other items which increase or decrease the Ph. Stay away from those! Instead go for items which are natural / neutral. Some items which you can add and which i am using in my cannister filters are:
Ceremic bio rings. This is the most basic and most commonly found item in everyone's filter. It does not matter what size you get but i would recommend the medium sized ones. Bio rings help to function as shelter for your beneficial bacteria to colonize. You do not have to get the sophisticated kinds of bio rings with the added pores which cost more, the normal standard ones will suffice. Again, request for some bio rings on the forum, bound to find people with extras or selling them at cheap rates. It dose not matter if they come a little stained or dirty as they will become dirty anyway, just give them a good rinse and add them into your filter.
Tip for Bio rings: I like to add bio rings into a filter bag or any netting which you can secure as it makes cleaning them and removing them from the filter so much easier. Just make sure the filter bags are water friendly as i've seen some with zips which can become a problem after awhile. Get those with drawstrings instead.
Filter mats/ pads/ sponge. I prefer to use the mats that are abit more hardy (shape stays even when wet). They can be reused over again and do not get out of shape that easily. Just get a couple of these mats which can fit your filter and place one at the top layer of your filter and one in the middle section of your filter. You might also want to add a thinner sponge filter pad to help trap the finer sediments/ dirt. This will help prevent some of the sediments/ mush from re-entering into your tank.
Tip for filter mats/ pads/ sponge: Try to keep away from those wooly type of filter sponges as they do not last long and loose their shape quickly plus their fine hair fibers tend to get caught everywhere!
Small lava rocks. Again, you can add almost anything into your cannister filter. I like to add a layer of some small pieces of lava rocks. They remain neutral and do not alter the Ph of your water. As they are porous, they also aid in beneficial bacteria and help to trap some of the smaller sediments/ dirt.
Tip for lava rocks: They sell a big bag of small lava rocks for just about $6 at the local fish shops. Just share a bag with your friend or use the remaining rocks in your tank itself =). You do not need alot of lava rocks in your filter. Again, you can put the lava rocks into a filter bag just like the ceremic bio rings.
Like i said before, you can add almost anything into your filter. however, i like to keep it simple and those mentioned above are the only things i have running in my cannister filters. I do not like to add too many things into the filter, you should also leave some room at the top of the filter for the water to flow in smoothly. Do not jam pack your cannister filter with goodies! This is where the saying implies, "Less is More!".
Generally, try to keep away from items that will alter your Ph level or other items which are unknown to you. If you do not know what it is or what it does exactly, you probably do not need it! Some items i try to keep away from: coral chips, peat (turns the colour of the water), charcoal is alright but i do not add them in for pure shrimp tanks.
2) Chiller:
Your chiller should be remained off until you have water running through it i.e your tank is filled with water and your filter is running properly before you switch on your chiller. Make sure you follow the guidelines given by the individual chiller's specifications. Just ensure that there is sufficient spacing/ room around the chiller for the heat to escape as chillers do emmit quite a good amount of heat when they kick in. A good range to set your chiller is at about 25 degrees. Just to clarify the process of the filtration to the chiller, as some people still get it wrong sometimes, the input from the tank goes into the input (filter inlet) of the filter (water gets filtered) and the output from the filter goes into the "in" of the chiller (where the water gets chilled) and exits at the "out" of the chiller which then leads back into the tank via the filter outlet / rainbar. That is the correct cycle.
3) Sand/ Soil:
I would recommend using shrimp friendly soil. There are many varieties in the market but the ones i only use are GEX shrimp and plants (RED packet) and ADA amazonia 2. These two are also the most commonly used amongst shrimp hobbyists. I have more experience with GEX tho and i find that it is very easy to work with. It does not cloud the water and your shrimps stand out as the colour of the GEX soil is black. GEX soil is also cheaper than the ADA soil so you might want to consider using GEX for starters. You do not have to wash the GEX soil before adding them to the tank. Just add the soil straight into the tank and scape the soil to your desired look. A 8kg GEX packet would be sufficient or even too much for a standard 2ft tank. For that matter, pour in your soil slowly and keep the extras or sell it in the forum =).
4) Adding water:
The final step in setting up is adding water into the tank. What i do is i set aside a good medium sized pail for adding water and for water changes. Collect a pail from your tap/ shower and add in some anti chlorine solution to the water. Truth be told, i've only been using the cheap $3 for a big bottle of Ocean free anti chlorine soultion and it has served me well with no ill effects for my shrimps, just add in a small amount! Also, add in a drop or two of Mosura mineral plus and a pinch of old sea mud powder. The trick is not to over do/ over add too many products into your water. How to add the water into the tank? Get a good sized water scooper and place a small plastic container into the tank. pour the water using the scooper into the plastic container and fill it up until it over flows onto the soil and into the tank. This way, you will not disturb the soil and cloud your water. Continue to pour the water into the container until your tank is about 3/4 full then you can pour the rest of the water in but SLOWLY! There are many other methods but i find this the easiest and the hassle/ mess free way of doing it.
Now that your tank is filled up with water, run the filter to ensure that you connections are right. If you got it right, you should see water coming out from your filter output/ rainbar. When your filter is fully functioning, switch on your chiller and do the necessary settings for it. Let your setup run undisturbed for the next two days before doing anything else to it. Now is a good time to check for leaks and fix it immediately!
I will next cover the scaping of the shrimp tank. Do come back to this blog to get more tips as i progress on to further topics in this hobby =)
