# Mason jar aquarium?



## IntotheWRX (May 13, 2016)

91BRGmiata said:


> I currently have a 29 long and a fluval spec 3. Thought I was done with tanks for a while but saw some mini blue lobsters at the lfs the other day and really wanted some. But don't feel like taking the time and money to do another full aquarium setup so got to thinking outside the box. If I got an extra large mason jar and put in some substrate (eco complete and natural gravel, have some lying around) and some low tech plants like anubias, could I run it with no filter? I feel like the evaporation rate would be fast enough so that topping off would keep enough fresh water in the tank. Also in terms of lighting, I was thinking clip on desk lamp with a full spectrum bulb. Depending on the size of the mason jar I'd only be putting 1-2 lobsters in, they're pretty small, smaller than an Amano shrimp.
> 
> Anyways, thanks for any input, has anyone else done a project like this before? If so post pictures!!!


i did about 3 jar tanks for cherry red shrimps. they survived about 3 months with no attention of care. I added tap water once in a while. maybe tank water if i feel like it. if you keep the water quality decent for them, they will be ok.


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## K1963158 (Aug 15, 2016)

For a light you can put in in front of a window and use sunlight. Small enough to move around and control light that way. I have always wanted to do something like this....just plants though and no fauna but shrimp is a good idea.


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## roadmaster (Nov 5, 2009)

Did not/ do not know anything bout "mini" blue lobster's but adult's can grow to around six inches and the one I kept uprooted everything planted,dug holes around wood,rock's,,fought with a pleco I also kept in the tank,and finally climbed up the heater cable and escaped the tank only to dry up on the floor before I found it.
Why not just wait for dollar a gallon sale at petco?


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## IntotheWRX (May 13, 2016)

roadmaster said:


> Did not/ do not know anything bout "mini" blue lobster's but adult's can grow to around six inches and the one I kept uprooted everything planted,dug holes around wood,rock's,,fought with a pleco I also kept in the tank,and finally climbed up the heater cable and escaped the tank only to dry up on the floor before I found it.
> Why not just wait for dollar a gallon sale at petco?


agree the mason jar is kinda weak. especially when you have the branding on it and cant see inside. i would go for a glass vase. usually people have spare vases lying around. 

i used my mason jar as a recycle bin for my plant trimmings.


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## 91BRGmiata (Apr 29, 2015)

roadmaster said:


> Did not/ do not know anything bout "mini" blue lobster's but adult's can grow to around six inches and the one I kept uprooted everything planted,dug holes around wood,rock's,,fought with a pleco I also kept in the tank,and finally climbed up the heater cable and escaped the tank only to dry up on the floor before I found it.
> Why not just wait for dollar a gallon sale at petco?


Just felt like doing something different this time around, I have found mason style jars with no branding on them at a local hobby lobby. Also I am probably getting the name wrong as I can't remember if they were crawfish or lobsters. I asked the guy, known him for a while and he's pretty knowledgeable, and he said they stay that small, don't ever get bigger than 1-1/2 to 2inches. They're claws are so small I can't imagine they'd be able to uproot a decent sized anubias but I could be wrong. Almost all my tanks have been bought through a dollar per gallon sale lol, gotta love em


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## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

I have not tried a really small item but have often looked at them as a future project. One point on getting small nano glass items? I like to go to the salvage stores like Goodwill for small power supplies and while there, I often pass the shelves of glass. They seem to have a constant stream of various sizes, shapes and colors of glass that might fit for the nano group. They also often have nice small lighting like clamp-ons at cheap prices. 
One thing that has held me back on doing small is my experiment with a round orb tank that held 18 gallons. It seemed like a nice size but had a really limited use due to the shape. As I filled the tank higher, the surface became far more restricted so that the gas exchange at the top was not good at all. Even four small fish were not good, even though they were in 18 gallons. 
If I were choosing a nano, I would look at items with wide tops rather than smaller tops like jars. This limit can be worked out by choosing small livestock or by going to airlines but the idea of airline and bubbles hanging into a nano has deterred me at this point.


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## CrookedFingers (Oct 9, 2016)

I wouldn't do it with lobsters, but I have been keeping shrimp (RCS, you can get them in blue too) in a 3.5L jar for months. I started out with 4, now I have about 20! No filter, very few water changes, and only natural sunlight. The jar is completely overrun with stringy moss so I'm going to tear it down soon, but apart from that it's been pretty low maintenance and really nice to look at.


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## 91BRGmiata (Apr 29, 2015)

I ended up finding this vase at goodwill for 2 bucks, and a rock that fit perfectly from the local lfs. It's pretty small so I'm only going to put 2-3 shrimp. I put in an anubias, some crypt and java moss. The cup the anubias came in tore the roots off so idk how it will do. I'm just going to top it off daily and see how it does. Not sure about lighting yet, will likely use a desklamp with the right type of bulb. As low light as possible.


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## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

At that price there is not much to lose and lots to learn from doing something new. Looks like a winner to me! I'm often disappointed in the way the Goodwill suggestion is met at times. My wife is one who tended to look at it pretty strange at first. Kind of like we should not be in THERE? But then I drug her in a few times and she found such bargains that she has now reformed quite a bit. In my jobs, I have often worked with all economic levels and find there is little difference once you get past the stereotypes. The biggest crook I ever dealt with personally has been a mega-church pastor makes $600,000 a year! 
Some of the vases have dirt still in them or may be a bit greasy but if I'm going to do a bleach soak and then put dirt in it, that is not a problem to me when I can find a twenty dollar item for two dollars!


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## Bananableps (Nov 6, 2013)

Are we sure these are "mini" lobsters and not just juveniles? Pet stores love to take baby versions of things and pretend that they'll stay that size. 

I like your minitank! I have a bit of minitank experience. The worst part is cleaning the glass. Not sure how big your hands are, but you might need to rig up a little window washer. Sponge attached to chopstick works.


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## IntotheWRX (May 13, 2016)

Bananableps said:


> Are we sure these are "mini" lobsters and not just juveniles? Pet stores love to take baby versions of things and pretend that they'll stay that size.
> 
> I like your minitank! I have a bit of minitank experience. The worst part is cleaning the glass. Not sure how big your hands are, but you might need to rig up a little window washer. Sponge attached to chopstick works.


mexican crayfish i think is the real name. I call them baby lobsters.


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## 91BRGmiata (Apr 29, 2015)

So I found a lamp at Walmart for 5 bucks that is almost the same diameter as the vase. Turned out pretty cool, I have no idea how it will do for plants though. It is an LED so it doesn't get hot at all.

Thanks for the sponge advice, I was wondering what I'd use to clean the glass. I'll give that a shot!


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## Bananableps (Nov 6, 2013)

91BRGmiata said:


> So I found a lamp at Walmart for 5 bucks that is almost the same diameter as the vase.!


Love. It.


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## evil nick (Oct 20, 2014)

Will water for shrimps and crays need to be heated?


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## natemcnutty (May 26, 2016)

evil nick said:


> Will water for shrimps and crays need to be heated?


Depends on what you get and how warm you keep your house (or wherever you are keeping this). For example, RCS prefer water in the mid to high 70's while CRS prefer lower 70's. 

For me, I don't need a heater. I keep our house at roughly 71F during winter and 73F during summer, and my tank is always a couple degrees warmer than that.


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## SmurfJimmies (Aug 13, 2016)

"Mini blue lobster" probably refers to cambarellus shufeldti. I think OP has probably already realized that the setup he got is too small for them, but if you encounter some just do some googling and make sure they're the little cambarellus crayfish and not procambarus or the very large cherax.

Anyway, I set up an unfiltered, planted bowl (~2.5g) for shrimp about a year ago. The shrimp didn't do too well, unfortunately, but at present the bowl is still up and the plants are looking quite nice. Ramshorns are also happy. It seems like an air pump or small circulation pump (aqualifter?) would go a long way in a setup like this, though the size of OP's vase may not allow for it.


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