# How much substrate to use in a bowl...



## shinycard255 (Sep 15, 2011)

So shrimp bowls are very new to me and I would like one on my desk. I threw one together this past weekend, but I feel as if I added too much dirt/sand as a substrate. I put a lighter next to the bowl for comparison. I feel as if I went overboard with it :icon_conf










Sorry for the crappy pic, quick pic before leaving the house for work


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## rroginela (Sep 24, 2011)

Never done one before but it sure seems a bit deep.. Want to see what is said since I'm going to set one up too eventually. 

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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

I think you can take out 1/3, unless you were planning to do an riparium setup (let most of plant grow out of water).


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

On a side note, careful if that's a bowl from Walmart. Those are prone to breaking as they aren't rated for aquarium use


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## shinycard255 (Sep 15, 2011)

xenxes said:


> I think you can take out 1/3, unless you were planning to do an riparium setup (let most of plant grow out of water).


Nope, not a riparium. Maybe I'll take some of it out then



diwu13 said:


> On a side note, careful if that's a bowl from Walmart. Those are prone to breaking as they aren't rated for aquarium use


It's a bowl from Michael's actually. Was a concern of mine as well, so I'm still kind of skeptical of it, but only time will tell


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## rroginela (Sep 24, 2011)

Was it the 12 inch or 16 inch? 

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## mdreher (Jul 31, 2011)

I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that you should have about an inch of organic potting soil and an inch capper, but I may be wrong. Based on the lighter it looks like you have about 3 inches of substrate so I'd probably lose an inch. Then again my bowl isn't even up and running yet so you may want to take your advice from someone else By the way I can see you in your bowl.


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## atom (Sep 28, 2011)

Bowls from michaels always worry me. I've been tempted several times, but didnt want to risk it.

I also think you can afford to take out a 1/3 of it.


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## Gnomecatcher (Sep 8, 2011)

I have a 12" bowl from Michael's and it is sitting on my desk. My desk gets shaken around a lot because I put heavy stuff on it, my office chair sometimes bumps into it, etc so the water in the bowl moves a lot. It has done fine for the past 3-ish months.

Yes, take out some of the sand topper. Too much sand will compact the dirt underneath and there will be less space for oxygen to accumulate in the substrate for the bacteria in your nitrogen cycle.


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## synthorange (Feb 1, 2012)

I dunno, I think you could use a little more substrate.


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## shinycard255 (Sep 15, 2011)

rroginela said:


> Was it the 12 inch or 16 inch?
> 
> Sent from my A100 using Tapatalk


I believe it was the 12 inch



synthorange said:


> I dunno, I think you could use a little more substrate.


:hihi::hihi::hihi: funny



Gnomecatcher said:


> I have a 12" bowl from Michael's and it is sitting on my desk. My desk gets shaken around a lot because I put heavy stuff on it, my office chair sometimes bumps into it, etc so the water in the bowl moves a lot. It has done fine for the past 3-ish months.
> 
> Yes, take out some of the sand topper. Too much sand will compact the dirt underneath and there will be less space for oxygen to accumulate in the substrate for the bacteria in your nitrogen cycle.


I took out some of the sand cap. I have 1" of dirt and 1/2" of sand cap. Looks much better


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## rroginela (Sep 24, 2011)

Cool gonna keep an eye out since this is the direction i wanna go. You have a journal setup yet? 

Thanks 

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## Ozydego (Aug 29, 2011)

yup, much better, 1" soil, up 1/2" sand cap....
My 12"er


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## charms (Jan 8, 2012)

Subscribed!
I am also going to be setting up a shrimp bowl of my very own soon.
You should definitely document your steps for us!

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## shinycard255 (Sep 15, 2011)

rroginela said:


> Cool gonna keep an eye out since this is the direction i wanna go. You have a journal setup yet?
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk


I started a journal for a bowl a little while ago. I had originally put down a pea gravel/flourite mixture as the substrate, but after letting it sit there for a little while, I didn't like the look of it anymore. I had started a 15G tank in the meantime and had used PFS instead of the gravel/flourite and I like that a bit more. Plus I think the shrimp like the smaller grain substrate. But the 15G is my shrimp tank and once they grow a little bit, I'm going to move a few over into my tank.

I've also already added a piece of driftwood, some salvinia, and anubias nana petite. I will have to do an update on my bowl journal. I'll PM you the link once I update it this evening


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## shinycard255 (Sep 15, 2011)

charms said:


> Subscribed!
> I am also going to be setting up a shrimp bowl of my very own soon.
> You should definitely document your steps for us!
> 
> Sent from my SGH-T959V using Tapatalk


I will send you a link to my shrimp bowl journal later this evening. That is the one you will want to subscribe to, not this thread. This was just asking if I had too much substrate


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## rroginela (Sep 24, 2011)

I just noticed you are local! Cool maybe once I get the bowl started maybe some shrimp could be acquired  

Good luck I'll find your thread. 

Rafal 
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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

About the breakage of Walmart/Michaels/whatever-cheap bowls, just try not to move it. If you do have to move it, make sure you drain out half the water and carry it with both hands from the BASE, it's easy to snap the glass near the rim.


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## shinycard255 (Sep 15, 2011)

rroginela said:


> I just noticed you are local! Cool maybe once I get the bowl started maybe some shrimp could be acquired
> 
> Good luck I'll find your thread.
> 
> ...


Yes you are! You're actually just a little north of me (been stalking you on the IL jungle val thread :hihi. I'll be more than happy to supply some shrimp for you eventually if you start a bowl. Aquarium Adventure charges like $3 per shrimp! INSANE! Don't buy them there! Just let me know when you are ready and I'll hook you up



xenxes said:


> About the breakage of Walmart/Michaels/whatever-cheap bowls, just try not to move it. If you do have to move it, make sure you drain out half the water and carry it with both hands from the BASE, it's easy to snap the glass near the rim.


Whenever I need to move it, that is exactly what I do. I can tell the glass is thin, but as long as I'm gentle with it, I should be fine. But thanks for the heads up!


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