# Bare bottom for Shrimp? is it a bad thing?



## gmoses (Sep 22, 2012)

I am setting up and redoing and giving one last try to my shrimp tanks. They always seem to get too complicated with tons of plants and driftwood and eventually planaria and die off. So i set up a couple of tanks with just moss and and sponge filter and some floaters and maybe a small piece of driftwood. Is there any reason this is bad idea? If the water parameters are ok is it still a bad idea?


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## lamiskool (Jul 1, 2011)

dont see why not, most shrimp farms in asia use bare bottom tanks I believe and ive seen a few vids of bare bottom shrimp tanks.


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## Julianzh (Jul 28, 2011)

i switched to bare bottom couple weeks ago, im loving it. but i got 3 filters tho and some moss and riccia.


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## Sergeant Dude (Mar 7, 2014)

Without a substrate you lose a lot space for bacteria, but as long as you keep up with water changes and are careful not to overfeed, you should be fine some of the most successful breeders use bb tanks so its definitely possible.


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## Alpha Pro Breeders (Jan 26, 2010)

Bare bottom tanks aren't a bad thing, many of mine were at one time. I have switched almost all of them to a very thin layer of black gravel so the babies have more bio film to feed off of.


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## Julianzh (Jul 28, 2011)

you can always add more sponge filters.


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## Oceangirl (Feb 5, 2013)

I was thinking on taking all the sand out and replacing it with several 3-4 large lava rocks. they have lots of surface area. Then I all would have to do it move the rocks. But when I looked up on painting the bottom of the tanks. I leaned that with acrlic it can have some nasty reactions.


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## AnthonyW8822 (Feb 15, 2014)

Oceangirl said:


> I was thinking on taking all the sand out and replacing it with several 3-4 large lava rocks. they have lots of surface area. Then I all would have to do it move the rocks. But when I looked up on painting the bottom of the tanks. I leaned that with acrlic it can have some nasty reactions.


Gahh - acrylic! I'm a die hard acrylic hater. It scratches, it scuffs, it bends if it gets too warm on the car ride home. And now apparently it can't have lava rock.

Thanks for that post. I was considering buying an acrylic 8 gallon for a shrimp/frog small vivarium


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## Oceangirl (Feb 5, 2013)

You misheard my friend, you can put lava rock in it. The problem is Painting the bottom outside, so you don't need gavel and the shrimp still feel safe. There is no point in removing my sand to do bare bottom if I can paint the bottom. It does scratch easily, but right now, with moving 2 times in the last 8 months, its lighter and easier for a wimp like me to carry. Plus I got the Aquarius 5 gallon, its light is strong enough to grow DHG, crypts and Marsila Crenata. It's very roomy, and I have driftwood and shrimps in 5 of them. I love my acrylic. I do have 1 that has a nasty scratch, but I plan on adding a background to hide it.


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## AGUILAR3 (Jun 22, 2013)

best of both worlds.


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## Oceangirl (Feb 5, 2013)

LIGHTBULB! YOUR AWESOME AGUILAR3!! I think I might need to go thrift store shopping, I am pretty sure I can find some glass bowls like that!!


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## gmoses (Sep 22, 2012)

I like the look aguilar... interesting concept.


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## AGUILAR3 (Jun 22, 2013)

I'm sorry. I meant to post the link to where I found that pic.

http://www.caudata.org/forum/f1173-...ensely-planted-bare-bottom-tank-tutorial.html


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## Oceangirl (Feb 5, 2013)

AGUILAR3 Can you use any kind of Coarse gravel or sand? I saw that they had a bag of Petco of Black sand (like Pool filter sand) and a bag of assorted small pebbles like from a river. 


I like this so much, I am going to do this in my 29 gallon planted tank. I need to replace the tank, and I was HATING the fact I was going to have to get all the sand out. Now, I have a feeling I'll be doing this. THANK YOU!!


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## AGUILAR3 (Jun 22, 2013)

The large river pebbles were used as pegs to allow flow to the bottom of the containers. You can use any substrate you would normally use in a planted aquarium...sand included


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## ctaylor3737 (Nov 14, 2013)

gmoses said:


> I am setting up and redoing and giving one last try to my shrimp tanks. They always seem to get too complicated with tons of plants and driftwood and eventually planaria and die off. So i set up a couple of tanks with just moss and and sponge filter and some floaters and maybe a small piece of driftwood. Is there any reason this is bad idea? If the water parameters are ok is it still a bad idea?


Just use low light plant and make the tank that will fit your shrimp. Many people focus on what the tank looks like and not what the shrimp are getting. In a shrimp tank the less you do to it the better. I would advise, to have a substrate. They will do better if they are happy. Put a few low light plants, a bit of moss and don't touch it. BB can be done but why not make something suitable for the shrimp. 


-Chris


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## randyl (Feb 1, 2012)

In the issue #2 of Breeders and Keepers magazine, one breeder has an interesting setup that I will experiment soon. He doesn't use active substrate but just a very thin layer of fine gravel. He explains his theory and if he can be successful in doing so I think it's good enough for me to try. So, that's another thought.

Almost all of my tanks are half bare half substrate (as can bee seen in this post). I find it working VERY WELL.


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## bostoneric (Sep 7, 2011)

I do similar setups as randy's.... not the greatest photo but you get the idea.
large area of substrate, large area of nothing.


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## Oceangirl (Feb 5, 2013)

bostoneric How big are those tanks? They look huge!!


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## gmoses (Sep 22, 2012)

I really like the look of the half substrate... but i am wondering is it the substrate that you think the shrimp like or it is the ability to have more positive bacteria growth... what i mean is i filled the bottom with lots of moss on mesh does that have the same positive affect?


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## bostoneric (Sep 7, 2011)

its the place for bacteria to break down nitrogen, its the buffering of the water offering stability, and I remember Andrew @ Lexinverts explained something about the ions it releases.

maybe he can explain it again.


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## Oceangirl (Feb 5, 2013)

I know this an old thread, but I DID IT! I put all my sand in little pyrex pudding bowls and the bottom is bare except for Cholla, Marimo balls, and Apongetons.


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## inthepacific (Oct 21, 2012)

i'd prefer going with substrate mostly with the ada soil because its easier and buffers the ph for me. just one less thing to worry about when doing water changes


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