# NEW 5 Gallon Jar Tank



## Blnd (Dec 29, 2015)

Where the heck did you get a 5 gallon jar? That's huge! That's like a brewing carboy!


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## Turningdizzy (Apr 5, 2014)

I was wondering about the five gallon jar also. You could put a lot of pickles in a five gallon jar. The jar must of come from Texas. Everything is bigger here, you know. Haha.


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## stormx22 (Mar 14, 2016)

I actually got the jar from Tj Maxx for $12. It is pretty big, I thought it was a 10 gallon at first till i googled some calculations. The jar is actually a terrarium jar, has a nice top like one of those apothecary glass jars. I'll be fixing the tank up a bit today, so hopefully I will remember to take pictures.


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## Blnd (Dec 29, 2015)

Also, when it comes to shrimp, I've found that they fare better in a much older tank. I think it has something to do with older tanks having a nice biofilm and a more diverse algae population. I've lost a batch of very nice jet black neocaridinas in a tank that was nearly a month old (fortunately that color wasn't considered very desirable so it wasn't expensive despite its rarity). In my experience shrimp have always been rather finicky things. I really like them, and I enjoy seeing one appear out of the vegetation every now and again, but they're just too good at hiding.


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## justinmo (Nov 3, 2016)

In the stocking you said you have 4 pygmy cories? The recommended minimum is usually 10 gallons, and with something as small as a jar and with those dimensions I don't think they'd do very well. You'd probably be better off with some shrimp. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## stormx22 (Mar 14, 2016)

@justinmo: I didn't realize they needed at least 10 gallons. I was going by the inch per gallon rule, they are pretty lively and have been eating well. I'll avoid buying anymore pygmy cories then and just keep a stock of shrimps.

I think my filter is too strong for the jar, so I was thinking of getting a different filter or getting a small sponge filter. I do have an air pump, is there good sponge filter that perfect for nano tanks?


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## FishRFriendz (Dec 21, 2016)

stormx22 said:


> I think my filter is too strong for the jar, so I was thinking of getting a different filter or getting a small sponge filter. I do have an air pump, is there good sponge filter that perfect for nano tanks?


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005LMQCW2


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## stormx22 (Mar 14, 2016)

Some sad news today  
Last night I redid my tank cause I wanted to add fluval stratum in there and rebury the driftwood (pygmies were placed in a separate container). I replanted everything and even manage to fit a small plastic container for sand (cause I know the pygmies would love sand). I tested the water parameters and they were about the same as before, I don't know why, but almost all(3 out 4) died within the hours. I have two possible theories as to why they died, 1. while redoing my tank, I stirred the substrate too much and accidentally released nitrate/ammonia gas bubbles into the water or 2. I dosed a new gallon of water with API quick start, misunderstanding it as water conditioner and the pygmies died from chemical tap water. either way, I have one pygmy cory that pretty active but lies flat on his back. I haven't fed him in fear of adding more ammonia to the water and I don't even know if he could eat. I don't think he going to make it but for now the only living thing in that jar are plants. Hopefully the jar stabilize soon, any recommendations or tips from here on out?


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## Fishbeard (Aug 20, 2016)

I've had bad luck with pygmy cories (even though they're ridiculously cute)... got mine from Petworld... how long have you had yours and where did you get them?

If you're looking to stock with something different, a betta would be 1 option. You could probably put a few endlers in there if bettas aren't your thing. Endlers are probably safer for shrimp.


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## stormx22 (Mar 14, 2016)

@Fishbeard I had my pygmies for a week and I got them at petco. They were pretty healthy and very active. I think if I hadn't messed up they would have lived a long time.


So I figured out what happened, stated before I used api quick start as a water conditioner, cause it stated on the bottle "allows Instant fish*" and I didn't see the star. Afterwards I reread the bottle after the deaths and it not water conditioner, it just adds bacteria. And the reason it didn't effect the pygmies as fast is because I only added a gallon of new tap untreated water the rest was old water.  I should have probably read the label more carefully. But I did add a guppy fry to test the water, of course after 24 hours and leaving the air pump filter on overnight. So far the fry is still alive so I will add more guppies


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## stormx22 (Mar 14, 2016)

Hi Everyone, 

I thought I do a little update on the readings of my jar. All my kits came in so I can do an official measurements. Yay! I think i'm going to change the plan and go with crystal bee shrimp, instead of trying to bring up the ph and kh. Accidentally used Fluval stratum as substrate so ph is going to be way down. Here are some pictures of my jar. I have it on a lazy susan part so I can turn it around 360.

PH:6.4
Gh: 10
Kh: 4
Ammonia: 0 ppm
No2: .50 ppm
No3: 20 ppm
TDS:526
Temp: 68-72F

Plant Stock:
Hornwort
Monte Carlo
Red Tiger Lily
Amazon Micro sword
aponogeton
Hydroctyl Triparta
Flame Moss
some kind of crypt

Bump:


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## stormx22 (Mar 14, 2016)

Having a slight dilemma here, with my ph and kh down from using partial fluval stratum, I'm thinking of switching plans and getting crystal bee shrimps instead of blue velvet shrimps. My only problem with that is that bee shrimps require more care and strict water parameters that I don't know if I have the time or experience to do. Or stick some crushed coral in the filter and try with blue velvets. Luckily I;m not getting the shrimp till my jar cycles but any advice will be greatly appreciated!


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## FishRFriendz (Dec 21, 2016)

I've read that the substrate will probably wear out after a year or so. So unless you have an RO unit or other consistent supply of soft water you should stick to neocaridina. They can handle 6.4pH and your gh/kh are good for them already.

A jar will be difficult to deal with when they start multiplying. I'm already prioritizing ease of 'catching' for my shrimp tank upgrade. Low and square as possible.


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## stormx22 (Mar 14, 2016)

@FishRFriendz Thanks for the advice, I'm going to stick with the blue velvets, which I am getting today! Yay!

I added some crushed coral in my filter, but I might have underestimated their power to change ph. I will be doing a drip acclimation of 1 drop per min, and very slowly acclimate the shrimp to my water. Question, How long can blue velvets or cherries last in a bag? I will be at work to pick them up and it will be probably another 4 hours before I get to my tank. I brought with me my air pump just in case I need to add some oxygen into the water. I will not be feeding them at all and the person giving them to me will hopefully add some plants for them to cling on. Any advice on blue velvet or cherries will be greatly appreciated!

My jar parameters are:
PH:7.6
Gh: 10
Kh: 5
Ammonia: 0 ppm
No2: 0 ppm
No3: 0 ppm
TDS:330
Temp: 72F


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## stormx22 (Mar 14, 2016)

I just got my 6 Blue velvet Shrimps from a craigslist ad. And let me tell you, they are beautiful blue color, ranging from sky jewel blue to a dark steel blue. I think and hope they will darken up in a few month as they get used to the jar. I had drip acclimated them for a very long time, normally if i had to drip acclimate i would do 1 drop per second but because I really wanted these to do very well I had the line drip 1 per min for 3 hours. I left them in their original water which was around 1 cup and added to that so it wasn't a fast change in water. Here are some pictures of the velvets. They are still very active and moving about the driftwood eating. Before I added them in, I put in part of Catappa leaf and an alder cone. The leaf to grow bio film and the alder cone to leach beneficial antiseptic properties to help with the stressful move. Let me know if I'm going overboard with the shrimp. Also if anyone can help me identify the male from females, I can't see the saddles so I'm crossing my fingers in hopes of having a good ratio.


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## stormx22 (Mar 14, 2016)

I have now reached a new level of obsession, I have spent no less than 10 min counting and checking in on my shrimp (i had to recount a lot) every 30min to 1 hour. I think just for tonight I have stared at my glass jar a total of 10 times before turning off my internal filter for the night. I have also reached a conclusion that I have 1 female(i can see her saddle) and the rest are males (i could be wrong, several of them are juvenile's so they all look the same.) This is not healthy......but no regrets on getting the shrimp.


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## stormx22 (Mar 14, 2016)

So I'm changing a few things in my jar. I will be removing the sungrow mineral rock and Ammo Carb from my internal filter. I think this is helping the TDS climb in numbers. I'm keeping the activated charcoal in cause I don't think this is making it climb. I'll see what the numbers are every 5 mins.


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## FishRFriendz (Dec 21, 2016)

stormx22 said:


> I have now reached a new level of obsession, I have spent no less than 10 min counting and checking in on my shrimp (i had to recount a lot) every 30min to 1 hour. I think just for tonight I have stared at my glass jar a total of 10 times before turning off my internal filter for the night. I have also reached a conclusion that I have 1 female(i can see her saddle) and the rest are males (i could be wrong, several of them are juvenile's so they all look the same.) This is not healthy......but no regrets on getting the shrimp.


Yeah I know that feeling. I count my shrimp every day when I get to work and usually miss 1 so keep recounting throughout the day until I get em all. 

That's kinda unfortunate you only got 1 female. That's one of the things I liked about buying from a big box store. I got to pick the shrimp I wanted, so I just said gimme all the big ones. And when they scooped up most and got a few small ones accidentally, I said I'll take the small ones too. I have an even split 4 male, 4 female now, 3 of which are berried after having them a month. 

I noticed some blue shrimp at my LFS(non-bigbox store). It was such mishmash of shrimp I have no idea where they got them. I'm guessing it was a customer trade in. I saw a blue rili, and a blue velvet, and a bunch of random wild coloration.

Bump:


stormx22 said:


> So I'm changing a few things in my jar. I will be removing the sungrow mineral rock and Ammo Carb from my internal filter. I think this is helping the TDS climb in numbers. I'm keeping the activated charcoal in cause I don't think this is making it climb. I'll see what the numbers are every 5 mins.


It's just the mineral rock, the ammo lock should be unnecessary if you've got a cycled filter. I used a wonder shell until I realized there's not enough control over the TDS with those, now I dissolve the wonder shell in my water change reservoir and finish off to the TDS I want with Equilibrium.


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## Chocochip03 (Mar 15, 2016)

Looking good so far! I wonder what you're going to do once they start multiplying lol


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## stormx22 (Mar 14, 2016)

@FishRFriendz Thanks for the advice, Ill take a look at wonder shell and put the mineral rock back in. I took out the crush coral cause it was causing my TDS to rise. 
@Chocochip03 Haven't thought that far, I think in my 4 gallon tank I can probably fit 30 to 40 of mixed sizes. After that I'll probably sale/trade or get another tank(<---I shouldn't though)

On other news, my lfs called me and told me they got some unusual black shrimp, me being like a child in a candy store bought 5 of them, without research. After I got them under some better lighting and with the handy use of my computer, I found out I got chocolate cherry shrimp. Luckily none of my shrimp are in breeding mood so they should not mix for a while. Have to decide quick if I want to separate them into two jars or keep them in the same container(i'll probably by a critter keeper container and put the chocolate in there) *Le sigh and I told myself not to buy anymore shrimp or aquarium stuff for this month.


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## FishRFriendz (Dec 21, 2016)

stormx22 said:


> @FishRFriendz Thanks for the advice, Ill take a look at wonder shell and put the mineral rock back in. I took out the crush coral cause it was causing my TDS to rise.
> 
> I'm saying the mineral rock is also causing your TDS to rise. There's too little control over how much TDS it adds. Same with the crushed coral.


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## stormx22 (Mar 14, 2016)

Today I lost two shrimps, one chocolate female and a blue velvet male  . Immediately tested the water but everything looked good, I'm going to wait till tomorrow to see if any other shrimp is affected... All 5 blue velvet look healthy, some a little opaque but I think they just need to molt. Also I have shrimplets in the jar(from one of the chocolate shrimp) and they are doing fine as well. This just might be some weird thing that just happens.
PH:7.4
Gh: 8
Kh: 3
Ammonia: 0 ppm
No2: 0 ppm
No3: 0 ppm
TDS:250
Temp: 68-72F


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## stormx22 (Mar 14, 2016)

I woke up this morning and two more velvet were dead, I don't know what with this random death but I think I'm going to do a small water change later today, if no one else dies.....


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## stormx22 (Mar 14, 2016)

Another Blue Velvet shrimp has died, I think it because I started doing the jar with Api Co2 and Api Leaf Zone. Although I only dosed .5ml I guess they didn't like it at all. Funny enough all the shrimplets from the chocoloate are doing great, I guess it because the blue velvet are a more fragile shrimp. I have only two males left, I'll try again next month, Running low on fish tank funds.


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