# Started my shrimp Tank!



## shtyco (Mar 27, 2014)

Hi everyone, just started my first shrimp tank! 

7.9 US gal Fluval ebi Shrimp tank setup

Fluval Shrimp Stratum
Big piece of driftwood
Jungle Val
Anubias B
Mini Pellia
Triangle moss
Moss ball
Indian almond leaf

After 3 days

PH 6.6
Ammonia 0.25
Nitrite 0.0
Nitrate 0.0
KH 1
GH 5

Did 50% WC

1 week (btw found 2 baby snails as well)

PH 6.0
Ammonia 1.0
Nitrite 0.25
Nitrate 10.0
KH 1
GH 10

I also tested my tap water on the same day for KH and GH

Tap

KH 6
GH 9

no ferts, no CO2
I have the lights on for approx. 8 hours a day
I treated the initial water and WC with water conditioner.

So after all this, I have a couple of quick questions...

Are all the parameters part of the normal cycling process?

and why is my KH lowering in the tank?

Thanks


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## Mykuhl (Apr 8, 2013)

You didn't say if you have shrimp in there already. If you do then they will start dieing due to the rising ammonia and nitrite. 

You noticed how you ph is dropping right? The fluval shrimp stratum has a ph lower ability that eventually runs out. This along with the driftwood and Indian almond leaf is softening your water by "eating up" the hardness of your tap water thus lowering the ph. They are interconnected. Do keep an eye on your kh because if it gets to zero you will very likely get a ph crash.


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## shtyco (Mar 27, 2014)

Mykuhl said:


> You didn't say if you have shrimp in there already. If you do then they will start dieing due to the rising ammonia and nitrite.
> 
> You noticed how you ph is dropping right? The fluval shrimp stratum has a ph lower ability that eventually runs out. This along with the driftwood and Indian almond leaf is softening your water by "eating up" the hardness of your tap water thus lowering the ph. They are interconnected. Do keep an eye on your kh because if it gets to zero you will very likely get a ph crash.


I didn't put any shrimp in yet. I'm waiting for the cycle to finish. Thanks for the info!


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## shtyco (Mar 27, 2014)

btw... is there anything I can do or add to the tank that will help maintain the KH up at a stable level?


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## Mykuhl (Apr 8, 2013)

You're welcome. Good to hear that you didn't put the shrimp in yet. So then I assume you are doing a fishless cycle then...correct?

With regards to the Kh...you have two options: you can do decent sized regular water changes(since your tap has a decent kh)or add baking soda on a regular basis. Personally I recommend the water change route. 

What type of shrimp are you planning to keep in there?


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## Mykuhl (Apr 8, 2013)

Ahhh...after reading your original post again I see that your Kh is back down to 1 after only half a week even after a 50% water change. In that case I recommend adding a bit of baking soda to bring it up to the level you want it at and monitor the changes in Kh.


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## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

What kind of shrimps are you planning to keep? That is very important because it will dictate how you should prepare your tank.


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## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

I like these 7.9g tank... small enough for easy maintenance, large enough to have hundreds of shrimps in it.

This tank has over 300 bee shrimps in it, started with 3 last april.

Video link:


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## shtyco (Mar 27, 2014)

Mykuhl said:


> You're welcome. Good to hear that you didn't put the shrimp in yet. So then I assume you are doing a fishless cycle then...correct?
> 
> With regards to the Kh...you have two options: you can do decent sized regular water changes(since your tap has a decent kh)or add baking soda on a regular basis. Personally I recommend the water change route.
> 
> What type of shrimp are you planning to keep in there?


Yes I'm doing fishless cycle.

I'm hoping to keep cherry reds or fire reds. Something easy to start the new hobby off right.


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## shtyco (Mar 27, 2014)

Mykuhl said:


> Ahhh...after reading your original post again I see that your Kh is back down to 1 after only half a week even after a 50% water change. In that case I recommend adding a bit of baking soda to bring it up to the level you want it at and monitor the changes in Kh.


In terms of adding baking soda.... just toss in a teaspoon or dissolve into a cup first and then pour into tank?


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## shtyco (Mar 27, 2014)

randy said:


> I like these 7.9g tank... small enough for easy maintenance, large enough to have hundreds of shrimps in it.
> 
> This tank has over 300 bee shrimps in it, started with 3 last april.
> 
> Video link:


That would be amazing! Can these small tanks handle that many shrimp?

Btw, I just checked out your blog! Awesome stuff there wish you success!


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## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

shtyco said:


> That would be amazing! Can these small tanks handle that many shrimp?
> 
> Btw, I just checked out your blog! Awesome stuff there wish you success!


Thanks for visiting my blog, I have been lazy lately.... too many shrimps to look at everyday ;-)

Can these small tanks handle that many shrimps? I guess the video answers the question. However, there is a difference between adding 300 shrimps in a 7.9G tank and the shrimps breed in the tank to 300. I wouldn't do the former, too dangerous. I'm trying to see how many shrimps I can get in this 7.9G until issues start to occur. My goal is 500. There are about 10 berried ones in there, if I get 15 off each female, the goal can be reached soon.

What I will do is when it gets to 500, I will take 100 of them as ROAK, for 10 different members (10 shrimps each) free of charge. So wish me luck ;-)


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## shtyco (Mar 27, 2014)

Awesome! Best of Luck!!!


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## Shrimp Daddy (Mar 30, 2013)

*Not a good idea.*

Not a good idea


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## raym (Aug 18, 2014)

Hi Shtyco. Looks like we are both starting Ebi tanks the same time - I've just added 5 CBS and 5 CRS a couple days ago . I just set-up another Ebi tank for my wife. She would like to get some Blue velvet neo shrimp. Best of luck to the both of us! : )


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## shtyco (Mar 27, 2014)

raym said:


> Hi Shtyco. Looks like we are both starting Ebi tanks the same time - I've just added 5 CBS and 5 CRS a couple days ago . I just set-up another Ebi tank for my wife. She would like to get some Blue velvet neo shrimp. Best of luck to the both of us! : )


Awesome! I love this tank! I think I need about 1 week more to finish cycling. This mornings water numbers

PH 6
Ammonia 0.25
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5
GH9
KH1

I added some dwarf hair grass and amazon frogbit lately as well.

I'm wondering if the ammonia present is bound or not?

Also had a huge brown algae bloom ... guess that's part of the process.

Still haven't added anything in terms of shrimp or fish.


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## raym (Aug 18, 2014)

Glad I didn't have the brown algae issue. Have you been doing water changes? 
I just picked up some oranged eyed blue tigers and blue bolts to add to the second tank. 
The plants I have are: 1 mini pellia square, 2 triangle moss squares and a Java Fern

My levels are similar to yours.

PH 6.4
Ammonia 0.25
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 4
GH 6
KH 2

Ray


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