# Shrimp tank cycle???



## jczernia (Apr 16, 2010)

So my wife said ok to one more shrimp tank, I have done it before but I want to do this right from start.
What is the best way to cycle a CRS tank I don’t want to add fish they poop too much.
I can seed the tank with one of my old filters but the shrimp have such a small bio lode that I don’t know if that would work or would the bacteria just die. How do you guys do it?
I am giving myself 4 weeks get it done.
Thank you to all the shrimp experts.


----------



## moonwasaloon (May 24, 2011)

As long as you seed the filter, you should good to go. I would put RCS into the tank first for those 4 weeks though, before you add CRS. You don't want to put CRS in a young tank.


----------



## mordalphus (Jun 23, 2010)

I use ramshorn snails for cycle now.


----------



## jczernia (Apr 16, 2010)

mordalphus said:


> I use ramshorn snails for cycle now.


Liam how long do you cycle the tnak with snails? I don't want end up with bunch of ramshorn snails in that tak
Dam now I will have to fish for RCS in my tank I just got rid of bunch of them.
Any other options??
Please.


----------



## mordalphus (Jun 23, 2010)

What substrate? I use ramshorns in all of my tanks because the "slime trail" they leave actually grows biofilm and infusoria for baby shrimp to eat. I regularly remove them and put them in my CPO tank since CPO eat them. That might be more maintenance than some people want to do, but I think snails and shrimp have a good relationship.


----------



## FreedPenguin (Aug 2, 2011)

mordalphus said:


> What substrate? I use ramshorns in all of my tanks because the "slime trail" they leave actually grows biofilm and infusoria for baby shrimp to eat. I regularly remove them and put them in my CPO tank since CPO eat them. That might be more maintenance than some people want to do, but I think snails and shrimp have a good relationship.


That is very interesting. By chance I had snails tag along and now my tank is infested but I do notice a very symbiotic relationship between the two inverts as both are thriving!


----------



## FreedPenguin (Aug 2, 2011)

I'm not sure what else you can do, you may incur losses if you proceed too quickly.
Also if you want to successfully breed and raise CRS, it may be beneficial to get a ph lowering substrate, downside of that being it may leech ammonia into water for a time being. 
Adding plants couldnt hurt either.


----------



## hedge_fund (Jan 1, 2006)

I am cycling a tank that I set up two days ago. I put a hang on filter from another tank and I threw in maybe 20 big ramshorn snails. My substrate used is Akadama so it does not produce too much ammonia.


----------



## hedge_fund (Jan 1, 2006)

FreedPenguin said:


> I'm not sure what else you can do, you may incur losses if you proceed too quickly.
> Also if you want to successfully breed and raise CRS, it may be beneficial to get a ph lowering substrate, downside of that being it may leech ammonia into water for a time being.
> Adding plants couldnt hurt either.


Akadama does not leech ammonia. It's my second or third day and ammonia is still zero. However, the PH dropped to 6.5 which is exactly what I want.


----------



## azjenny (Dec 2, 2011)

hedge_fund said:


> I am cycling a tank that I set up two days ago. I put a hang on filter from another tank and I threw in maybe 20 big ramshorn snails. My substrate used is Akadama so it does not produce too much ammonia.


Wow. 20 ramshorns? The big kind? How big is the tank?


----------



## Bliasuk (Aug 12, 2010)

http://www.shrimpkeeping.com/basics.html If you set up your tank this way then the cycle takes care of itself, no need to feed it.


----------



## wetworks (Jul 22, 2011)

Immature tank = less food for your shrimps = slower growth and breeding = sad shrimps = sad shrimp keeper. I did not know the trick with the ramshorn snails, but I know for sure that shrimp and nerites go together like peaches and cream.


----------



## GeToChKn (Apr 15, 2011)

wetworks said:


> Immature tank = less food for your shrimps = slower growth and breeding = sad shrimps = sad shrimp keeper. I did not know the trick with the ramshorn snails, but I know for sure that shrimp and nerites go together like peaches and cream.


I agree. No matter how much I setup my tank with filters from other tank, plants, etc, I found the best breeding has taken place months after the tank is setup and nothing can replace that except time. I know some of the additives give it a boost in terms of bio content and minerals but nothing replaces that nice thick green algae on 3/4 of the walls of your tank or all the colonies of stuff that grow and breed and get going in there.


----------



## Bliasuk (Aug 12, 2010)

Add Benibachi BeeMax or Mosura BT-9 to the aquarium. Its a bacterial based product that feeds the biofilm in the aquarium, the results are almost instant!


----------



## Snowflake311 (Apr 20, 2011)

So just wait a few weeks for slim and stuff to grow then add shrimp and all is good? Or just add shrimp but don't expect much breeding or babies till tank matures with time?


----------



## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

The snails are also used as a source of ammonia for the BB colony to get started. The fact they lay down slime is a bonus.

But if you have a preestablished tank and use the media from there you can instant start a shrimp tank. Just don't feed for 2-3 days.


----------



## hedge_fund (Jan 1, 2006)

azjenny said:


> Wow. 20 ramshorns? The big kind? How big is the tank?


It's a 20 gallon. Maybe you're thinking of a different snail but Ramshorn snails are about the size of a dime so it's not that many.


----------



## azjenny (Dec 2, 2011)

hedge_fund said:


> It's a 20 gallon. Maybe you're thinking of a different snail but Ramshorn snails are about the size of a dime so it's not that many.


I'm thinking of the normal ramshorns, I just have mini ones too (hitch hikers) so I was making sure that you didn't mean those.
I guess in a 20g it's not a crazy amount.


----------



## jasonpatterson (Apr 15, 2011)

You can also just use ammonia. It's dirt cheap and works beautifully. Google "fishless cycle" for specifics.


----------



## jczernia (Apr 16, 2010)

Snowflake311 said:


> So just wait a few weeks for slim and stuff to grow then add shrimp and all is good? Or just add shrimp but don't expect much breeding or babies till tank matures with time?


 
I like the question above. I know they won’t breed for some time after they are introduced in to new tank any way, I am looking for way to make sure I won’t lose any due to ammonia spike. If they don’t breed for 2-3 months that will be ok with me, for some reason I haven’t see any one berried females in some time anyway.
For _substrate I haveAkadama 2.5 “ and on top .5 “ of UP-Aqua I like the way shrimp look on black substrate, UGF and 3 sponge filters that I will take form my old tank* (side question the tank has seed shrimp in it, what can I do so I don’t introduce them to the new tank with* *the filters but save the good bacteria)* I will move filter media from a tank that is free of bugs and snails, I have ton of moss of all kinds some of it I am still cleaning from snails and seed shrimp. I do use Mosura BT-9. _
_Thank you for all the help, please keep it coming._


----------



## jczernia (Apr 16, 2010)

jasonpatterson said:


> You can also just use ammonia. It's dirt cheap and works beautifully. Google "fishless cycle" for specifics.


When people say ammonia is it the house hold cleaner??


----------



## mordalphus (Jun 23, 2010)

Has to be pure ammonia with no scent or surfactant in it. It can be difficult to find.


----------



## Snowflake311 (Apr 20, 2011)

Ok so take a mature filter/sponge add to new tank and your good to go. That's what I have always done for fish with no problems. But bio slime and algea might not be growing enough so that's why it's good to wait to add shrimp...? 

I set up a 10gal shrimp tank last night with akadama. I added some plants from another established tank and rams horn snails. No filter yet but I am going to just add a mature filter to the tank On Monday and add shrimp. I have lots of dust that settled on my plants and rocks so I was going to do a wc to clean it a bit before I add filter and shrimp. 

So I am kind of in the same boat as you are. I saw once the mature filter is on the tank your good to go just don't expect much breeding I guess.


I don't think seed shrimp are a problem just another little critter to watch. They will help clean the tank a bit and will not hurt your fish. I have some in one of my tanks.


----------



## ykh (Jul 21, 2006)

+1. Put a sponge/box filter in your old matured tanks for several days and transfer it to your new tank. Also, put in some plants from your matured tank too.



Snowflake311 said:


> Ok so take a mature filter/sponge add to new tank and your good to go. That's what I have always done for fish with no problems. But bio slime and algea might not be growing enough so that's why it's good to wait to add shrimp...?
> 
> I set up a 10gal shrimp tank last night with akadama. I added some plants from another established tank and rams horn snails. No filter yet but I am going to just add a mature filter to the tank On Monday and add shrimp. I have lots of dust that settled on my plants and rocks so I was going to do a wc to clean it a bit before I add filter and shrimp.
> 
> ...


----------



## jczernia (Apr 16, 2010)

ykh said:


> +1. Put a sponge/box filter in your old matured tanks for several days and transfer it to your new tank. Also, put in some plants from your matured tank too.


Kean
I plan on doing old filer and plants from old tank but won’t the bacteria die off since shrimp bio lode is so small and I don’t want to over feed just keep the bacteria going.


----------



## GDP (Mar 12, 2011)

Also you can go to petsmart and get Tetra Safe Start. It has the beneficial bacteria in a bottle. I always use it, and its good stuff.


----------



## Snowflake311 (Apr 20, 2011)

I don't trust the bottle bacteria. But yes if you take a filter sponge from a mature tank with a larger bioload some bacteria will slowly die off. It should not cause too much problems because it will not happen fast or all at once. The filter I am putting on my new tank will have more bacteria then I need. So I am Just going to make sure to clean it well (with tank water) maybe replace part of the media with new stuff. You could clean part of the filter media with tap Water really well and this will kill off some bacteria. Then leave the other part full of bacteria. Hope that makes sense.

I let a mature canister filter sit with water not running. When I open that up it was the strongest swamp smell ever. It smelled like pure swamp mud and poop. So if the filter bacteria dies off fast you will smell it.


----------



## jczernia (Apr 16, 2010)

Just got back from LFS picked up 25 ghost shrimp and 3 mystery snails. I can always feed my fish with ghost and my nephew will take the snails, I hope this will get things going.


----------



## splur (Nov 26, 2011)

mordalphus said:


> What substrate? I use ramshorns in all of my tanks because the "slime trail" they leave actually grows biofilm and infusoria for baby shrimp to eat. I regularly remove them and put them in my CPO tank since CPO eat them. That might be more maintenance than some people want to do, but I think snails and shrimp have a good relationship.


I didn't know that... I've always considered them pests in my tank, never thought they had that kind of use.


----------

