# Can this work?



## Mankey (Mar 29, 2012)

So I've been wanting to start a tank (or two) where I have Red Cherry Shrimp and only Red Cherry Shrimp. Since I didn't have a stand to put the tank(s) on, I decided to get a bookshelf first. Yesterday, my parents came home with some tall bookshelves for me, but unfortunately they weren't really too wide, so I wouldn't be able to fit a rectangular 2.5 gallon on it. I did the measurements, and I came out with Width: 11.75" Depth: 9.5" Height: 11.5".

So I'm kinda wondering, is there a tank that I will be able to fit on it that will also be okay for RCS? I can adjust the height, but that probably wouldn't help much.


----------



## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

I'm way too lazy to do the math but what about a kritter keeper? I keep all my RCS in a 2.5 KK in my bathroom window ledge


----------



## Mankey (Mar 29, 2012)

My best option is the medium sized Kritter Keeper, which I think I remember holds 1.75 gallons. It's 11.75" x 7.75" x 8", so it should work out (my width is more specifically defined as 11 13/16", but I didn't list it as that because I doubt tanks list in 16ths).


----------



## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

Oh, I have the medium acrylic keeper from petsmart- holds 2.5 lol I'm not sure the measurements. Guess it's not KK brand though!

I wish you were closer so I could just give you some of my RCS. I have 2 batches of babies! Well, they're closer to a month and half I guess now. 

From my reading, RCS are versatile in that they don't care where they live as long as the water is good. In that regard they're sensitive. But I've skipped water changes on my tank and they were fine. I have seen people keep them in those .5 g cube things fine as well.


----------



## Mankey (Mar 29, 2012)

I think I also kinda wanted to have large groups. But I could also deal with having 2 smaller groups, so it shouldn't matter. :v Do they need a filter? Or would I be fine with just a heater?


----------



## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

They're prone to dying without a sponge filter to graze off. That's what I've been told, I'm sure some people keep them without a sponge filter but you can attach spongey material to any filter intake and the BB will grow. RCS like to eat biofilm. 

As for population... You'll get mixed answers but with such low bioload and density you can pack quite a few RCS in a tank comfortably. I have about 5-6 adults and about 20+ babies right now.


----------



## Mankey (Mar 29, 2012)

Then I guess power bills state that I can only keep one small group... oh well. Is there any heater that you think could go well in a tank that small?


----------



## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

I've kept a 25w adjustable in the acrylic before. Now it just has a preset 10w.


----------



## Mankey (Mar 29, 2012)

Thank you. Now I just need to find one that I can rely on, and a filter. I'm not really used to working with properly keeping something this small...


----------



## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

I have the pennplax system http://www.amazon.com/PENN-World-Aquarium-Filter-Small/dp/B0002565KC which hasn't failed me in the 6 months I had it running. I don't have a test kit so I don't know if it's cycled but cyclops are a good sign, no? And the pump is adjustable so you can have it on strong or light and I have it about medium so the babies don't get sucked into it and die. So far, no casualties! I have to siphon out the poop a lot more often in the week but that only helps me moniter the shrimp and see what's going on in there.


----------



## Mankey (Mar 29, 2012)

Seems pretty good. Is it the "filter and holder" or the "filter and pump kit"? Is there a specific heater brand/model that you recommend? Sorry if I'm asking too much.


----------



## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

I'm a super noob on shrimp myself. Just going on what worked for me since Jan. I bought the kit. It came with air hose and adjustable nozzle, air pump and one cartridge. I have not bought more because I wanted the sponge/carbon rock things to grow BB rather than be sterile. 

If you can get indian almond leaf or oak leaf they LOVE blackwater. LOVE. And they eat the leaves too. The dark water makes them brighter in color too. The darker the substrate the brighter their color. 

As for heaters, I am frugal and cheap so I try to get the cheapest with moderately good reviews. My topfin 25w heater has not failed me in over a year. The blue dots come off it every now and then but other than that. People like hydor and Elite products. The two presets I have are Aqueon 10w and Tetra 50w (this one is for small tanks, I have it now in my 3g and it keeps it at maximum 79F). Both are good but burn out a lot quicker than adjustables.


----------



## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

You can keep 20 RCS per gallon. Get an inexpensive internal filter; low flow isn't important for shrimp like it is for Bettas. I have a Toms Mini Filter with spray bar. Shrimp like their temperatures cooler than Bettas. You'll also need plants (especially moss). Once the tank is stable, only do small water changes; say, 10-15%. 

The most important think for shrimp is stability in a tank so you'll need to cycle it before adding the shrimp. While .25 ammonia won't kill a Betta; it ^will^ killl shrimp.

I love my shrimp and I'm sure you will, too. However, I killed quite a few before I learned how sensitive they are to change.

Good luck!


----------



## Mankey (Mar 29, 2012)

20 per gallon? I thought the general rule was 10 per gallon... Oh well. I can definitely work with 20. Luckily, I also happen to be working with a bit of a budget, so I'm looking for cheap, effective heaters too. I'm going to also need to get a small light so the plants can stay alive, right?


----------



## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

There's a used heater on eBay that someone returned; seller says it still works. Shiopping is $4.00 and current bid is $1.29. 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hydor-25W-S...nd_Chillers&hash=item19ddb5efc3#ht_415wt_1048

Wag.com has an internal filter; shipping is $4.99 for under $35.00. Internal filters don't need pumps.
http://www.wag.com/fish/p/koller-craft-aquarius-aquarium-mini-internal-filter-45-gph-226739

Also from wag.com. Come up with $35.00 and shipping's free.
http://www.wag.com/fish/p/marina-compact-heater-10-watt-112492

You can use a desk lamp or clip-on lamp with a fluorescent bulb.


----------



## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

PS: Also check this forum's classifieds.


----------



## Mankey (Mar 29, 2012)

That all sounds great (it really, really does), but right as I was about to bid on the heater, I decided to check how much money I have in my bank account. It turns out my budget is more limited than I thought, since I only have $47 and have no job (or job offers).

I probably will return to the site with the little (and admittedly adorable) filter once my brother starts paying off the $288 he still owes me. :v


----------



## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

If you have any friends/relatives who need pet supplies, get them to add to your order and save five bucks. 

I just remembered: You could put a "Wanted" ad on Craig's List. Or do a search for "aquarium." Last week a 10 gallon setup and stand went for $15.00 on the Nashville Craig's List. I often see "Wanted: Free Aquarium." Don't know if they get response.


----------



## Mankey (Mar 29, 2012)

It's pretty funny that you say that. I've been stalking the "free" section on my Craigslist for a while now. I've also been looking up "fish tank" on the search, and even though I used to find 2 gallon kits and smaller all the time before when I was just looking out of curiosity, it seems like all I see now is nothing less than 15 gallons. Which is a little disappointing. :/


----------



## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

A lot of the time people don't think they can make money off small tanks and either give them to goodwill or stash them in the basement collecting dust and cobwebs. Make a few ads for small tank things. You'll be surprised.


----------



## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

+1


----------



## Mankey (Mar 29, 2012)

I'll try it. But I'm not 100% comfortable with asking for stuff there, especially since I think they might flag those (hopefully it'll work, though).

Oh, and as an update. I've already bought the Kritter Keeper (Petco brand, 1.75 gallons, fits pretty much perfectly into my bookshelf) and some sand (black). I'm planning on doing a small NPT. I have some dirt outside my house (in a bag, not the yard dirt), so I'll probably end up using some of that. My brother also bought some Red Cherry Shrimp for his own tank, so I'm most likely going to end up stealing some of his if the whole offspring thing works out (which it should).

So pretty much all I need now is:

-Heater (I lost the ebay auction, I think it was an outbidding bot or something)
-Filter (most likely going to buy after July 4-7th (rhymed; unintentional) because I have an expo I'm going to)
-Plants
-Maybe driftwood

... this is kinda exciting. :v


----------



## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

Oh good!! RCS carry their eggs for a month so you'll time up perfectly with that. In the meantime you can get your things, since you want a NPT you can even start the cycle on that. 

When RCS are born they are SUPER uber tiny. Good luck catching them! lol


----------



## Mankey (Mar 29, 2012)

Yup. And Russell was kind enough to help me with my whole "Filter and Heater" money issue, so pretty much all I need now is the plants and driftwood (if I can find a piece small enough). Do I need a heater and filter to start the cycle in my tank? The only other cycle I've done was a fish-in cycle, so I already had the heater and filter in there.

Also, do you have any recommendations for plants that I should be getting in there? Or does just about anything work well with them (as long as the plant stays alive)? I put the plants into the sand "cap," then the roots should grow into the soil after that, right? I might have to ask that in the NPT thread...

Also, I live in a city where Oak trees should be available pretty much everywhere, so I should be fine with that. :v


----------



## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

You're going to want plants that like low pH if you're putting driftwood or oak leaves in! I found java moss is suitable and marimo moss balls. There's probably more. The oak/IAL/driftwood will darken the water (which the shrimp LOVE) but will make it harder for some plants to grow. There's a thread about that somewhere in Planted Tank section. And yes, check out NPT threads! 

You need a filter for BB to grow and thrive.


----------



## Mankey (Mar 29, 2012)

I do? So I guess that'll prolong the cycle... Oh well. I read on the stickied NPT thread that a properly done NPT will go through a "silent cycle", so it should be safe a lot quicker. I'll probably end up going with only the driftwood, if anything. I'm not too confident in my tree identification abilities. I'll remember to look out for low pH plants. Thank you very much!


----------



## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

OH , well you might br right. I have never attempted a NPT! So it sounds like I'm talking out my behind lol


----------



## Mankey (Mar 29, 2012)

Haha it's okay. I'm just as bad at this. I'm still trying to figure out what plants I want to put in there. But now that I think about it, I might want to try and find out the pH of my tap water first, since that decrease in pH from the driftwood might just make my pH more neutral.


----------



## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

RCS need a higher pH and a stable tank. I learned the hard way to not add shrimp until the tank until several weeks after the cycle completed. Even with driftwood, there's little difference in my tap water and tank.

I have a ton of diffent plants with mine. BTW, I wonder if the difference in gallons is because the measurements include the lid? Try measuring just the tank part and see if that's closer to the 1.75 gallons.


----------



## Mankey (Mar 29, 2012)

The actual height is 6.75, leaving the tank at 2.661 gallons.


----------



## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Weird.


----------



## Mankey (Mar 29, 2012)

Maybe the little slants are enough to take away that extra almost gallon. I'll see how many 2L bottles it will take to fill it up once I start preparing the tank.


----------

