Shrimp Tank Additives

VickiK

Member with a lot to say
My brain hurts. Seriously hurts.

I have been watching YouTube vids since Friday, trying to cull the exact information I am looking for and, because The Internet is The Internet, there are five gadrillion thoughts on everything and seven gazillion "the one way" to do anything.

When I finally go down the the United States Postal Service hub and pick up my new Fluval Edge (tomorrow - and I'll probably have to take a Valium so I don't kill someone while waiting in the insanely long line), I want to put my little tank together with the PERFECT COLLECTION of powders and such. Mark's Shrimp Tanks on YouTube (he seems to be an expert for sure) doesn't sprinkle anything in there. Christine Ha uses Wild Borneo products while Corner Fish Tank Corner guy uses another brand and collection of crap entirely. I thought, some enterprising young man (Cory @ The Co-Op, specifically) probably has a beginner "shrimp kit" for sale for lazy people like me that want it done for them. He doesn't, Fosters and Smith doesn't and Shrimp Keepers.com doesn't either and LupDiesel's site has nothing in the additives section yet. I love LR Bretz's videos but there so many and I can't find the specific thing I want to hear about.

What do you use? Suggestions? What/where do you buy these things? Or you can tell me to shut up about this damn shrimp tank already. LOL

Vicki
 

Gizmo

Active Member
I do dry chemical fertilization for my tanks, but it's for the plants, not the shrimp. I used to have a mineral rock in there to help with calcium for their exoskeletons, but the only thing it did was grow moss. Also used to dose iodine (helps with molting), but I haven't noticed a difference since I ran out. Lastly, I've heard Cholla Wood is great for shrimp tanks, but not sure why.
 

VickiK

Member with a lot to say
I do dry chemical fertilization for my tanks, but it's for the plants, not the shrimp. I used to have a mineral rock in there to help with calcium for their exoskeletons, but the only thing it did was grow moss. Also used to dose iodine (helps with molting), but I haven't noticed a difference since I ran out. Lastly, I've heard Cholla Wood is great for shrimp tanks, but not sure why.

Thanks for your input @Gizmo ! Truly appreciated.

I'm still doing research and I feel like I will be able to do a PHD treatise on the topic when I'm all done.

Edited to add - I did get a TDS meter - per LR Bretz's suggestion. It came yesterday late. It was all I could do not to rip open the box and test everyone's water in the house including the cat and dogs....HA!!
 

Loren

Well-Known Member
I didn't see where you said what kind of shrimp you are planning on having. If you are going for the easiest
Neocaridina davidi then care is easy and additives are not required at all. They only really require stable water chemistry. This means for a new tank preferably 30 days of allowing the tank to cycle. If you want to steal water/and or gravel from another tank you can greatly speed up the cycling process. Other than that they love some type of moss (Java is the cheapest), cholla wood, and indian almond leaves. I feed mine but in an established tank this isn't even necessary.

PS. Cory would recommend adding some crushed coral and I do have that in all of my shrimp tanks.
 

VickiK

Member with a lot to say
I didn't see where you said what kind of shrimp you are planning on having. If you are going for the easiest
Neocaridina davidi then care is easy and additives are not required at all. They only really require stable water chemistry. This means for a new tank preferably 30 days of allowing the tank to cycle. If you want to steal water/and or gravel from another tank you can greatly speed up the cycling process. Other than that they love some type of moss (Java is the cheapest), cholla wood, and indian almond leaves. I feed mine but in an established tank this isn't even necessary.

PS. Cory would recommend adding some crushed coral and I do have that in all of my shrimp tanks.

Yes! Cory (and Robert, in my case) would recommend crushed coral. I have a 40 pound bag of it here from my last visit to The Aquarium Co-op! I plan on running the coral in a bag in the filter chamber so as to not take away from my jet black shrimp sand.

What I really want are the red/white striped ones....I think that's a neo, right? Just like this pic:
sfour.jpg


The REAL tragedy of yesterday was this: after waiting in the post office line for an eternity AND them not being able to find my parcel, I finally did get it and get it home. (Pictures or it didn't happen, right?) Here's what I found when I opened the box:
dFL7P6jgiDZyAj09eYut8PnLI7kdmAhKYb__YRVDN_OPGcJRdJI6E_9Wbuqb1vImmqgzvITFOyYHNh6Refu49trjGUg-l7J9BzqGWaU8PyhRGWZpppGLsFT0wr7UaF4tBfdBop1DcA5KLmqmRsWxWLDSEobC78Oq5eQjPBE92B7PsTtAl1JpHWi60ZwCvpWbZrr-QpodyzVAZVwXF-YinrhP_-qIbuAtKxNpR-_bF6gi0YAnIww0pUyMvu0prRuqTTql7Bdw5WTsQu_eD96q59xiOo8IBfl32AoEYJqOfG_7SaRoe8VWKBX1uQqbd30IsGqLM8-TmzRuL4fVJmKMJ0Tv4X4CZ55wfC6qWM-gZBHG-_5W-qWuP915GtRLrb7JNAGCCgMr1RQ3_sLGWVUoWGa-svaMewZZh192xw4aUkrlXFUFCA_ygEfR978yyzTEpQz3mqEwkeLwQpgKKa2mEphnxJ_9HC_m2uDFczCVvpH5EhWyBfEcWjLF7pfMNr8FBhDr5cZ_-aDCWe9O5jN3grBwj_NiXZSvxtg-AsiSGAjfh_jNPm6zTQeAGCM4iSEVC6AD4d_nh7HLgI3-4dEb5NHq1nZe1jfCRSodu5I2GQQCzonCnCUJ=w1265-h712-no


Um. Yeah. And can you IMAGINE how pissed off I was? No. You really, really can't.

And so the wait continues...lol. I think the universe is trying to teach me patience. What else could it be? The replacement tank arrives on Friday now and UPS has to show up to haul this broken box of glass away.

@Loren - I do have a chunk of very seasoned sponge, ceramic media and water, waiting in my 50 gallon for this new tank. I ended up getting some Shirakura Shrimp Baby Food - Yellow Micro-organism powder since it had a ton of great reviews on Amazon. I also got some Fluval adult shrimp food to try. For the long term, I'll get whatever Robert @ The Co-op suggests.

It's crazy that a 55 year old lady - who used to own and ride Harley Davidson's mind you - is so damn excited about a SHRIMP TANK - but I sure am. I really am.

Pictures or it didn't happen. That's me and my best girl, "Betty".
upload_2016-12-21_4-46-50.png
 

julzhull

Well-Known Member
Your tank will definitely be worth the wait. I'm setting up a new shrimp tank for orange cherry shrimp (it will also house some pygmy corys). I didn't like my last tank/set up for shrimp so I'm hoping the new one works out better. I only have one adult and baby left in the old tank (shrimp wise) and I want the new tank to settle a bit before adding my old shrimp and getting some new ones in there so that's going to be quite a wait for me.
 

julzhull

Well-Known Member
I think those red/white ones are crystal shrimp which I've heard aren't good for beginners. You could probably find some rili shrimp which are neos and have a solid color and then a clearish color.
 

Loren

Well-Known Member
I think those red/white ones are crystal shrimp which I've heard aren't good for beginners. You could probably find some rili shrimp which are neos and have a solid color and then a clearish color.
Great minds think alike. I have tried and struck out with CRS's.
 

VickiK

Member with a lot to say
Your tank will definitely be worth the wait. I'm setting up a new shrimp tank for orange cherry shrimp (it will also house some pygmy corys). I didn't like my last tank/set up for shrimp so I'm hoping the new one works out better. I only have one adult and baby left in the old tank (shrimp wise) and I want the new tank to settle a bit before adding my old shrimp and getting some new ones in there so that's going to be quite a wait for me.

So much to learn. I didn't know there was such a thing as orange cherry shrimp! I looked them up online. Gorgeous.

I'm stuck on those red/white striped ones. I thought that those were Red Rilies at one time. Goes to show you, I've SO much to learn about these things! I'm suckin' it up like a sponge!
 

Loren

Well-Known Member
Oh crap. Really? Even if you're Shrimping with the Anal Retentive? lol
My mistake was rushing everything. I had the perfect tank set up...i.e. ada soil, Co2, good lighting but should have waited several months to allow everything to settle and get established. Instead I added them after just 3 weeks and had some PH spikes and adios shrimp.
 

VickiK

Member with a lot to say
My mistake was rushing everything. I had the perfect tank set up...i.e. ada soil, Co2, good lighting but should have waited several months to allow everything to settle and get established. Instead I added them after just 3 weeks and had some PH spikes and adios shrimp.

You know what? Lesson learned. I will learn from your experience!

Now, let's see if I have the patience...LOL No seriously. I really want those shrimp so I'm willing to do whatever it takes. I can get a guppy or something to keep me occupied until the tank parameters let the shrimp fam move in.....
 

VickiK

Member with a lot to say
Well the tank that should have showed up yesterday didn't -- it's in Oregon someplace. Hopefully UPS is handling the parcel with more care than USPS did and I will have a complete and unbroken tank when it arrives.

My daughter and I stopped by the Aquarium Co-Op on our way home from the airport and she bought me a Pennywort for Festivus and I also got some Monte Carlo for the new tank. They're all being babysat by the folks swimming in the 30G.

I also got a GORGEOUS chunk of the PERFECT wad of Mopani wood from the kiddo for Festivus. Those crystal reds are going to LOVE all the crazy nooks and crannies in this hunk of fabulousness. Says she picked it up at chain store (PetSmart or Petco?) in WA DC! I don't know why this surprises me so, but it sure does. I've been boiling this sucker - changing the water - for three days now. I think the tannins have finally LEFT THE BUILDING. I just looked in the pot and I have very very weak tea -- not coffee now. Hooray!!!
 

VickiK

Member with a lot to say
I just looked in the pot again. I spoke too soon.

JEEEZ @ the boil-a-thon at my house. The good news is that my houseplants are surely loving all this moisture in the air....
 

julzhull

Well-Known Member
I just looked in the pot again. I spoke too soon.

JEEEZ @ the boil-a-thon at my house. The good news is that my houseplants are surely loving all this moisture in the air....
You might not be able to get all the tannins out. Leaving in a bucket of water until you're ready for it (with some water changes) might help. They'll still seep out over time.
 

VickiK

Member with a lot to say
You might not be able to get all the tannins out. Leaving in a bucket of water until you're ready for it (with some water changes) might help. They'll still seep out over time.

You're right. I got most of them out on the last boil. When I put it in aquarium temp water; nothing that I could see anyway. Good enough for me. The wood is being babysat by the living room tank gang so it's definitely underwater and getting a nice slime coat...lol
 
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