# Rookie - want to setup a 10gl cherry shrimp tank



## fatkinglet (May 8, 2010)

Hi, I am a shrimp/fish lover since I was a kid, but I am a newbie. I recently found a used 10gl tank for $10 and 50 cherry shrimps for $10 by individual seller.

I would like to setup a shrimp tank as in the lowest budget possible, I would need advise on other equipment I need and I want to get some moss/plants for them to hide, I won't get fish. I just want a moss/shrimp tank. please help thanks. H


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## ksimdjembe (Nov 11, 2006)

get some black gravel. the shrimp are more deeply coloured over this rather than white or a mix of colours.

get an aquaclear filter (many can be had used and pretty cheap) and add a filter spinge over the intake to stop shrimp being sucked up.

read up on the nitrogen cycle, and make sure the tank is fully cycled before adding shrimp. shrimp can be very sensitive to poor water parameters, meaning you could lose all of them if the tank is not ready for them.

assuming you also want plants go with low light or even medium light plants - some suggestions would be various cryptocorne species, java fern java moss, najas grass or hygro species of stem plants and frogbit for a floater. these seem to be rather adaptable.
get a timer for the lights as well, that way the plants get the correct and regular length of light each day.


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## mitboi (Apr 26, 2010)

hi, i m thinking about doing the same thing too!
mind sharing where you can find 50 cherry shrimps for $10? thanks!


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## fatkinglet (May 8, 2010)

I haven't got anything yet, but I did see it in craglist


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## Joeee (Apr 3, 2010)

Don't worry about where you're going to buy your shrimp yet, just worry about cycling your tank and maturing your water.

If you want a lot of algae, put your tank in an area where it is exposed to direct sunlight.


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## fatkinglet (May 8, 2010)

Joeee said:


> Don't worry about where you're going to buy your shrimp yet, just worry about cycling your tank and maturing your water.
> 
> If you want a lot of algae, put your tank in an area where it is exposed to direct sunlight.


Hi, is that means the tank is rdy once I see algae in the tank


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## Joeee (Apr 3, 2010)

No, but I'd recommend you put shrimp in the tank after you cycled it and you have algae.

All aquatic creatures produce ammonia, unfortunately this kills them. In nature, ammonia just flows away until a special type of bacteria converts it into something else. In the aquarium, the same type of process needs to occur. 
This is pretty much what happens:

So you have ammonia - Dangerous to fish
*** Ammonia Converting Bacteria ***
Now you have nitrite - As dangerous as ammonia if not more
*** Nitrite Converting Bacteria ***
Now you have nitrate - Dangerous in large quantities


So essentially what you need to do is feed the tank with ammonia to let is mature. To feed ammonia to the tank, you have two options, you can either do a "fishless cycle" or a "fish cycle". 

So what I did was:
1. Throw in zebra danios (in a tank with a filter and conditioned water)
2. Feed danios once everyday
3. Do 15% water changes every 3 days so the ammonia didn't kill the danios
4. Use Seachem Stability

The only problem with using danios is that they will probably try and eat your shrimp. I think you could use guppies though.

You have to have your water tested in order to know when your cycle is complete, it generally takes a month though.


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## fatkinglet (May 8, 2010)

So that means a full tank of tap water will never produce ammonia itself without any living things, it doesn't matter sitting under the sun nor let it sit there for months. I must get living creatures (fishes, crabs, shrimps or whatever) inside the tank to product ammonia, then a bacteria will magically appears to eat ammonia and produce nitrite, and then the nitrate , right?


so is a must to buy those water testing kit to know if the water is rdy? is the testing kit expensive?


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## Joeee (Apr 3, 2010)

fatkinglet said:


> So that means a full tank of tap water will never produce ammonia itself without any living things, it doesn't matter sitting under the sun nor let it sit there for months. I must get living creatures (fishes, crabs, shrimps or whatever) inside the tank to product ammonia, then a bacteria will magically appears to eat ammonia and produce nitrite, and then the nitrate , right?
> 
> so is a must to buy those water testing kit to know if the water is rdy? is the testing kit expensive?


Not magically appears, the bacteria is already there. It just takes time for the bacteria to colonize and flourish.

You don't really need to buy a test kit at first, you could just go to PetSmart and get your water tested there for free.

You could also just put pure ammonia into your tank without anything living in there.


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