Help needed starting a shrimp rack

[Freddy54]

So I am going to put this venture on hold for a bit. I am going to build me a 20GL 2 Tier tank rack. I am thinking 4-6 Tanks per row.
This way I will be able to have a decent shrimp wall. I am going to be asking for some advice and options regarding shrimp.

I kinda wanted to know what y'all think.

What do you think is better and why for filtration? Sponge Filters or Overhead Filters?
What do you think is better? ADA, Gravel, Bare Bottom.
Thinking back to any issues you may have ran into what kinda advice could you give a newbie?

[armthehomeless]

I use HOB / Canister filters with sponge prefilters personally.

Only uses ADA substrate if you want to keep low pH shrimp.

Best advice I can come up with: Plan everything out. Take your time . . . don't rush things. It is hard to switch tanks for a colony of shrimp. I try to not put similar species close to each other.

[mistahoo]

I use HOB / Canister filters with sponge prefilters personally.

Only uses ADA substrate if you want to keep low pH shrimp.

Best advice I can come up with: Plan everything out. Take your time . . . don't rush things. It is hard to switch tanks for a colony of shrimp. I try to not put similar species close to each other.

+1

Sponge filters would be a cheaper route, but you'd also need a strong enough pump to run all of those tanks. It would eliminate the need for extra outlet plugs from HOBs and canisters. I personally love HOB filters though. They filtrate, break the water surface to break apart protein layers, aerate the water, act as mechanical and biological filtration (depending on how you set it up), and are pretty cheap for the most part. The only thing with HOBs or canisters is that you have to put a pre filter sponge on the intake or else it'll suck up shrimp.

There are other substrates that would better suit Neocaridina and Sulawesi species as ADA Amazonia drops the pH to about 6-6.5. Eco Complete doesn't affect pH, you could use just sand, or even aragonite (if you're trying to boost the pH to about 8). There's also Fluorite and Fluval Shrimp Stratum, but I'm not too positive on those as I've heard mixed reviews. Barebottom is always an option, but I've noticed that the shrimp are much more active and breeding when there's plants in the tank for them to hide in or to feed off the micro-organisms that take shelter on or in the plants.

Advice? They like to eat bio-film too. Have the tank well established before adding them. Don't use chemicals to adjust pH. Keep heaters in all tanks set at about 70-76 just in case (Houston weather is always changing). Separate any similar species of shrimp! There's a lot of people who keep CRS and CBS together and also other Caridinas together. They interbreed and will mix up the gene pool! Small water changes if you do any. Shrimp are very finicky when it comes to parameter shifts. If you add rocks, be wary of certain rocks leeching minerals into the tank.

[mnemenoi]

+1 Tim and Mistahoo!

HOB's are my favorite, especially with a sponge prefilter, buy it in larger blocks for an AC 110 and cut to size. Sponges are terrific add ons and grant better grazing areas and help if you need to snag a seasoned HOB and get another one new one running on the older tank. Minimal water changes with shrimp. The longer they are set up and steady with water parameters the better off you will be. GH and KH test kits are very helpful. Neos are the most forgiving. Sulawesi and Caradinas are the most tough to get the conditions correct for. Hardscape can be the hardest part of many tanks and give you headaches. Vary their diet, some eat food and others just eat biofilm. Once you have almost given up, they will breed. We supplement with Iodide and notice a difference. Shrimp will jump out of any uncovered tank. Cherry shrimp will breed in vases on the kitchen countertop. If they are expensive and terrific looking shrimp they will hide constantly. Ugly shrimp come out all the time.

Substrates all offer certain things and have disadvantages. Ask here, someone has almost always tried it before. Plants have biofilm already on them and shrimp love plants. Research the shrimp and don't rush the set up, its half the fun.

[Freddy54]

Help needed starting a shrimp rack

That's a great amount of information thanks guys, I did see some fluvel substrate the other day but I heard some negative ratings about it. Do you guys have pictures of your shrimp racks by chance?

[mnemenoi]

Fluval stratum is a decent substrate, almost like a weakened ADA Amazonia. Does reduce Ph, but does not remain effective as long. All Ph reducing substrates act like sponges, so will eventually lose effectiveness over time. Does not have the month+ long Ammonia spike that Ammazonia has, so can be used in shorter time. Unless you are using Houston tap water, it could remain effective for years. We just have liquid rock out of the tap and ADA fights the good fight for longer with it. We have it mixed with Flourite in an Ebi and have been very pleased thus far.

[Freddy54]

Help needed starting a shrimp rack

You know I think I would do better with a built in partition filtration. This is what I use on all my salt tanks. It builds bacteria better and filters really well. The holes I use the shrimp could not get through and even if they did, they would just be in a filter media chamber. Any comments?ImageUploadedByTapatalk1365076305.975799.jpg I will post a better picture.

[mnemenoi]

I have had shrimp get into our Eheim canisters and survive in a tank that housed a Fahaka Puffer. Neos can really survive anywhere, the softer water stuff and Sulawesi are far more finicky. I can see that working, almost like a Hamburger Mattenfilter. I think the shrimp might prefer a wall sponge like that for feeding on the built up Aufwuch (biofilm) that would collect there.