Starting a 75G Feeder Shrimp Tank w/ RCS (Crazy?) and Plecos

[DerekFF]

The bottom tank doesn't need to be drilled, just the top tank for overflow. The overflow can drain into any tank down below

[ericatdallas]

The bottom tank doesn't need to be drilled, just the top tank for overflow. The overflow can drain into any tank down below

I know. I said I was drilling on my tanks that are on top.

[DerekFF]

Oh i see. Well good luck, id be pretty scared to drill on 55's lol

[ericatdallas]

Why would you worry about 55G?

[DerekFF]

because if the glass cracks.....thats some money down the drain where as 20g tanks are a lot cheaper and on sale can be as cheap as $20 brand new, or less for used ones. 55's are just big, and cost more so it would hurt my pocket book more than anything. But to some people money doesnt matter, and if thats you then DRILL THAT GLASS BABY!!!

[ericatdallas]

I worry about it, but they're pretty cheap used. I have an extra 55g coming to me that I don't need... so I'll practice on the 20G. If that goes well, then I'll drill the 55G and if that goes well, I'll drill my 75G

[ericatdallas]

Today was a day of deals for me... I bought a 40L aquarium with two titanium 200W heaters and a MJ1200 for $30 --- all used. The guy was moving

So I'm going to send my shrimp to the 40L once I get it cycled. The other nice thing about this 40L is that it's setup as a sump with baffles. So I can use it for my saltwater tank when I set it up (not until I move back to Florida). In the mean time, I can still use it as my freshwater refugium. Not sure how baffles work, but it looks like I can put media in between that will also slow the shrimp from getting to the pump area, then put the pump there back to the top tank. At the very least, I can use it as a filter just for the shrimp tank and it'll free up my 75G for something else.

The shrimp and java moss are thriving though. Since I started up the tank, I think my java moss has tripled. I lost my hornwort because I didn't know flourish excel would kill them. I was dosing the tank slightly to accelerate plant growth. It's fine, I only wanted the java moss. I've since added frogbit though too.

I see tiny shrimp and berried females everywhere. The frobit brought in microworms and copepods (I think cyclops) though.

I'll probably setup a shrimp trap and slowly migrate the shrimp over to the new tank while it cycles. So in the mean time, at least for the next few weeks, I'll probably maintain a 75G and a 33G shrimp tank

[ericatdallas]

Can't do it... I fed a shrimp to the discus and I felt so guilty. Looks like I'm going to have a crazy amount of shrimp...

Yes, I realize it's silly. But I think once it hits 'pet' status, the idea of it being feed is so difficult. I mean, feeding brine shrimp by the thousands doesn't bother me, but feeding these guys, raising them to larger size, and then watching them spawn then throwing them to their deaths just seems wrong.

I reserve the right to change my mind later, but for now...

[Skip]

What kind of shrimp do u have and whrn are u shipping.. lol

[ericatdallas]

What kind of shrimp do u have and whrn are u shipping.. lol

Haha, I actually might try selling them soon. I ran some numbers and I'm not sure it's worth it yet, especially during the winter when you risk higher losses and it needs heat packs (which eat into profit). Selling locally at the clubs work, but I don't like dealing with people. I have blue pearls now as well but the numbers won't be high enough for a few months and plan to get some crystals in a week or so.

Discus and Shrimp hobby is getting ridiculous.

This whole hobby is ridiculous.

I now have...

(1) 90 gallon tank (empty but I plan to have it as my discus growout tank)
(2) 75 gallon tanks (discus/temporarily RCS while moving)
(1) 55 gallon tank (plecos/BPS w/ maybe CBS)
(1) 40 gallon tank (shrimp/RCS w/ CRS)
(1) 20 gallon tank (empty but future shrimp home w/ maybe some green or yellow shrimp)
(2) 10 gallon tanks (future pleco/shrimp/possibly blackworm home)

... all this is a little over a year's time since I got back into the hobby. In the past, at any time, I only had 3 tanks going. I guess you know how that goes skip I might turn the 20G into a 'test' saltwater tank using my DIY mix.

No more tanks or livestock in my future unless people trade with me for mine or until I can get some excess equipment out.

<sigh>

My java moss is growing crazy too. Not sure it's suppose to grow that fast (according to what I've read). I also found a possible 'secret' recipe in my research to increase growth, but I haven't tested it yet. Since I bought the shrimp, I'm pretty sure it's quadrupled if not quintupled in mass.

[Skip]

Eric... Java Moss grows crazy!! it did in my tank..
i am thinking about getting another shrimp tank.. i would something that is not too tall.. but deep.. i was looking at some tanks from glasscages.com

they had some about less then 12" tall..

[ericatdallas]

Wow, Skip! That's what I was just looking at last night! On glass cages too, but I've read mixed reviews about them. LOL, we think alike. They also have 8-10" tall tanks that are usually used for corals I think...

Although I was looking at acrylic at Lowes. Since 12" tall tanks need a minimum 1/4" glass, I was thinking making my own 9-10" tank should be no problem using the .220-.250 inch acrylic sheets they have at lowes. I was thinking maybe making a 3L x 3W x 1H using acrylic.

What kind of shrim are you planning to get? I'm picking up my CRS this weekend, lower grade. I decided I am going to have two tanks with two species each. The RCS tank will have CRS and the BPS will have either CBS or OEBTs. After that, I think I'm done. I want to get some yellow shrimp, but that's just too much to deal with right now. I do want to get some naja grass though and something that will eat the duckweed but not shrimp... :/

My Java moss is looking whitish after I moved them. I have moss from the old tank and when I moved those it was very green compared to the ones in new tank. From a search, it looks like it's either rhizoids, algae, or lack of ferts.

I do have 2-3x the light that I did on the other tank. The frogbit had an instant change in the new tank, it must be the extra light. The other light was a 40W T12, 3500K (<shrug> came with the tank). The new is dual T5HO 54W with two 10000K bulbs.

So this morning I ended up dosing with seachem excel, KSO4, KNO3, and MgSO4. I also overfed the shrimp to add some phosphates in there. We'll see how it goes, but that should cover all my bases.

[Skip]

yes. i agree.. my frogbit does very well under the compact light on my shrimp/ebi nano tank.. BUT when i moved to my 40 breeder.. under whate ever light i had.. it did not do so well, most cuz it was only bulb covering 18" depth.. i guess..

i have a 37g 27" x 17 x 17" acrylic.. maybe i can use that

[ericatdallas]

So what kind of shrimp next???

Skip, do you want to trade shrimp in the spring or summer? I have shrimp from two different cultures, but I want to add some more to increase genetic diversity and also to practice shipping shrimp. I know most people don't care and it shouldn't matter too much, but I want to get some variation in them.

Also, if you get something different in your other tank, it could be a cheap way for us to get some more species.

[Skip]

i was thinking the same thing.. i wanted to add to my group for same reason.. i have cherry reds and crystal reds..

i was looking for some BEE/Black crystals also... and maybe something i can add that won't crossbreed..

for sure, i have a couple of 20's.. i could use.. but i thinking 20 long is better then 20 h.. what do you thinK?