# Jake's Halocaridina rubra Tank



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

*NOTE:* This tank now lives in a different form. High-clarity cube with a much more natural and attractive hardscape. Its new life begins with post 61 in this thread.

_Original post below..._

Have been thinking about Halocaridina rubra for about a year. Finally decided to start putting together a tank about a month ago. So I've been extremely excited seeing all the new H. rubra posts on TPT of late.

Specs:


2.5gal tank
Small 50/50 CFL
Hydro Mini sponge filter
Caribsea "live" aragonite/crushed coral/sand to help get a small cycle of sorts going
1.012 specific gravity, which seems to be a popular brackish/salinity point for H. rubra keepers

Posted a couple teaser shots of the rock work on other journals, so here they are again:


















Couldn't get my hands on large pieces of black lava rock that I liked, so I used reef epoxy putty to rig up a structure.

The tank a few minutes after being flooded:










Will add the sponge filter sometime today.

Hope to find some Chaetomorpha or other macro algae to thrive in the tank so it can legitimately be planted. Maybe a bit of Java Moss will survive? Guess we'll see.

The tank is situated on the fourth floor and has a 20L above and below it so it's holding at a steady 76-77 degrees Fahrenheit with no heater. 

Now to let things settle for a week or two while monitoring parameters before ordering critters.

Thanks for checking things out,

Jake


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## zoo minsi (Jan 1, 2006)

i like the layout so far cant wait to see how it progresses. how many shrimp are you planning on adding?


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Thanks. 

Probably not a ton. Thinking about 25 or so shrimp to start.


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## GMYukonon24s (May 3, 2009)

Nice setup I like the rock formation


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## Green_Flash (Apr 15, 2012)

halocaridina, super shrimp, one of my favorites! 

you will really like them. the tank is great.


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

A few seconds after shoving in a sponge filter:










30 seconds later:










Filter would look way better if I stuck it in the left corner behind the lava rock structure. But… decided it would be better if it was in an easier to access area of the tank. And I'm sure it will become a big time feeding ground for the shrimp.

Flow was cranked up in the photo but I've since turned it down. There's no serious current in the tank and the bubbles hit right at the surface so there's a bit of gas exchange. Aimed for minimal disturbance and think I finally found the right setting.

Can't wait to add shrimp!


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Thanks! Tried to keep it as simple as possible so I can get some nice algae growth.



Green_Flash said:


> halocaridina, super shrimp, one of my favorites!
> 
> you will really like them. the tank is great.


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## crazydaz (Mar 18, 2007)

Nice Jake!! I think that we are so used to seeing filters in tanks that our eyes just gloss over it like they aren't really there anyways. Pretty impressive that it's only a 2.5 gallon!

Interested to see how this turns out! When are you expecting the shrimp?


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Thanks! I'm enjoying it while struggling to find patience.

You're right about the filter. I tend to overlook equipment in tanks so it's not a big deal to me. And there's the added bonus that shrimp will graze on the filter.

Not entirely sure when I'll be able to order shrimp. This is "live" sand, so I'll probably have to wait for the bacteria to die off so other bacteria can grow. Most likely in a couple weeks.



crazydaz said:


> Nice Jake!! I think that we are so used to seeing filters in tanks that our eyes just gloss over it like they aren't really there anyways. Pretty impressive that it's only a 2.5 gallon!
> 
> Interested to see how this turns out! When are you expecting the shrimp?


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## Monster Fish (Mar 15, 2011)

Love the rockwork. Give the tank some time to mature before adding the opae ula. They feed mostly on biofilm and non-filimintatious algae growing on surfaces.


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

I should note that a bunch of the lava rock (the back of the structure) had been sitting in my brackish tank for several weeks and the sponge was running in there, as well.


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Finally hitting the Nitrite spike and expect the tank to be ready for shrimp within a few weeks.


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Waiting, waiting, waiting...


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## Trail_Mix (May 17, 2011)

Looks awesome, can't wait to see this project develop! I especially love the look of the lava rock 

I need to buy some myself.... it just kills me to spend my precious money on "rocks" lol


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## Rob in Puyallup (Jul 2, 2009)

Waiting and watching with anticipation, Jake! (Do I hear Carley Simon?) 

I now have two different chaeto in my Opae tank that are green and growing, so it's definitely possible... 

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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Trail_Mix: Thanks. I'll hopefully pick some up once I sell the shrimp and LEDs I listed in the SnS today.

Rob: Ha! Possibly. And if your Chaeto continues to grow well, I may have to buy some from you or from the same source.


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## Rob in Puyallup (Jul 2, 2009)

I'll give ya the perfect deal, I promise!

Why type of lighting do you have over the tank?


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

It's a 50/50 CFL that's plenty strong enough for growing anything but I've got a 6500K daylight I could use in the fixture.

Can always use something else, though.


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## Rob in Puyallup (Jul 2, 2009)

Good deal. 

My first ball of Chaetomorpha has fairly thick wirey strands kinda like a plastic brillo pad kind of feel, the second ball feels more like a bunch of hair someone yanked out of the tub drain. Both are doing well at around sg of 1.012. 

Both have a lovely green color, too! 

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## Rob in Puyallup (Jul 2, 2009)

Oh, and the tank is still lit up with an 18 inch 50/50 Reef Sun fluorescent. 

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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

That's great news. The Chaeto I yanked from my refugium kicked the bucket after two days in 1.012.

One variety I have does okay in 1.012 but apparently doesn't like this Red Sea salt stuff I'm using for this tank. Rather, I think it enjoys all the goodies in DD H2Ocean Magnesium Pro Plus more than the cheap goodies in what I'm using.


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## Rob in Puyallup (Jul 2, 2009)

I set up the tank using Nutri-SeaWater and did a partial with Instant Ocean.


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## Rob in Puyallup (Jul 2, 2009)

Jake,

Turns out my MTS like the finer, more delicate chaeto for dinner. Better, even, than they do the algae growing on the tank...

Just so you know.


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Won't be putting snails in this joint but will definitely be using a few different macros, I think.

Am testing some of the macros from my reef systems in 1.012 water to see how things go right now. Here's hoping they work out well.


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## Rob in Puyallup (Jul 2, 2009)

Cool! I'd like to find a variety (or more) of caulerpa that would be happy in brackish water. 

Attractive and very fast growing. 

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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Yay!










Junk is finally growing in the tank.


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## Rob in Puyallup (Jul 2, 2009)

Dude! Junk's always good!


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## crazydaz (Mar 18, 2007)

LOL!! Congratulations! You are now the proud father of Junk in the Tank!!!  Culerpa's cool! Get some!


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Have been toying with some different types of Caulerpa and other macros that I've got to see what does well in brackish water. Have some really cool stuff in my refugium in my office that I need to cut up and bring home to try.


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## Rob in Puyallup (Jul 2, 2009)

crazydaz said:


> *Culerpa's cool! Get some!*


Yeah, I love it, but wanna find some brackish friendly species. Know of any?


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## Rob in Puyallup (Jul 2, 2009)

Let me know if you find any, Jake!


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

All kinds of new goodies are growing in the tank and on finally on the rock:


























Had a bit of salt creep:










So worked some magic with a bit of clear packing tape over a tiny hole in the cover.

P.S. You're welcome for the dirty glass, glare and rough cell phone shots!


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## Rob in Puyallup (Jul 2, 2009)

Looking good, Jake. Is the tank cycled yet? Are you any closer to ordering the opae ula? 

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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Not completely cycled but close.


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

All kinds of goodies are growing these days:










Even some reddish coralline-looking stuff!

Noticed something cool when adding ammonia to the tank tonight:


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## Rob in Puyallup (Jul 2, 2009)

somewhatshocked said:


> All kinds of goodies are growing these days:
> 
> Noticed something cool when adding ammonia to the tank tonight:


What is it? Snow? 



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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

It's just what happens when ammonia is added to the water.


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Brought home a few pounds of various macro algae from some of my tanks and plan on testing them out beginning tomorrow.

Here's hoping something grows.


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Some of the macro algae I brought home from my office had been doing pretty well in brackish water - especially the three varieties of Chaetomorpha. 

Here's a rough shot of the tank:










Some additional shots:


























Chaetomorpha:


























Only time will tell how things go.


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## Rob in Puyallup (Jul 2, 2009)

Hi Jake... Really like the bubbly looking caulerpa and the red twigs.

Chaetomorpha and caulerpa are doing well in both of my Opae tanks. 



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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

I've got a bunch to send you - check your PM.


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## Rob in Puyallup (Jul 2, 2009)

Whoa, cool! :-D 

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## Geniusdudekiran (Dec 6, 2010)

Are there shrimp in the tank yet? Love the macro algae. Very neat.


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

None yet. Thinking about ordering a bunch this week.


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## Rob in Puyallup (Jul 2, 2009)

Hey Jake, you have a PM. 

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## Rob in Puyallup (Jul 2, 2009)

So Jake, anything new with this? 

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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

No critters yet! Need to find time to decide upon a source but am leaning toward picking some up from a forum member.

Have had to trim some of the Macros because they were growing quickly.


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## Rob in Puyallup (Jul 2, 2009)

Good to support our members.  

I had to trim the flat leaved caulerpa, it grows like crazy while the old growth fades. It does grab hold of everything, so is a bit of a problem to remove. 

The chaeto in the new tank isn't growing as quickly as it is in the old tank. That's a good thing, really! 

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## dougolasjr (Mar 3, 2010)

any updates


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Nope, still no time to order shrimp yet. 

But the tank is doing well. Will try to snap a few pics later. Some of the Caulerpa has doubled in size.


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Lots of new macro algae growth:


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## Rob in Puyallup (Jul 2, 2009)

Looks shrimp ready to me!


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## awcoburn2 (Dec 25, 2012)

Very cool. Never thought I'd say that about a tank full of algae


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## UDGags (Sep 13, 2009)

This is really cool.....love the algae (did I really just say that?)


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## Rob in Puyallup (Jul 2, 2009)

Lol! Seems if you want a planted brackish or marine aquarium you're pretty much stuck with macro algae. Fortunately, many are attractive and a few won't take over the tank. Too quickly, at least! 

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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Ha! I've removed about 90% of the chaeto and some of the others because of explosive growth. Moved them to various reef refugiums.

Still no shrimp, though. Soon.


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## Rob in Puyallup (Jul 2, 2009)

Lol! That's what I mean by some! 

Chaeto and caulerpa are great examples of SEAWEEDS! 

 

Shame the red one up front isn't so quick. 

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## Rob in Puyallup (Jul 2, 2009)

Y'all need opae ula! 

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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Hate to do this but think I'm going to shut this tank down and put it on hold for a bit. 

My tank room is going through a transition. When I start it back up in a few months, I think I'm going to use a spare Mr. Aqua 3gal rimless tank that I've got in storage.

Stay tuned!


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## Rob in Puyallup (Jul 2, 2009)

Well, that sucks, Jake.

(Just as I'm thinking of setting up a new 10 gallon. Black sand and aragonite and lava rock, no filtration, chaeto system.) 

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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Waaaay back in February 2013 I decided to shut this tank down. But I didn't! I just stopped keeping up with the journal. Shrimp eventually moved in and a couple years later, I moved the colony into a large, unfiltered vase that's been living on my desk since 2015. 

Thanks to a career change, I'm slowly spending less time in my office and have begun to shut a bunch of tanks down/move some of them home.

Part of my colony will move into this 20cm cube:



















And part of it will go to a friend.

Gonna take a couple months to get established, though. I'll be using crushed black lava rock as a substrate - with a large amount of aragonite and marine sand hidden beneath. Black on top and sides of it just for aesthetics. Along with some large, black lava rock (a mountain of some sort?) now that I have a decent supply. 

Have found success going filterless the past few years and that's how this tank will exist. 

Ordered a glass top from AquaTop and they neglected to include the promised clips. So waiting on those to be shipped before putting things together. Planning to paint the bamboo stand satin apple red while I wait.

Here's a before shot:










$50 kitchen cart from Amazon, minus the casters. Hoping to get away with using only Rust-Oleum 2X Paint + Primer so I don't have to sand. The surface isn't too "finished" and others have had good luck with this particular brand. 

Probably won't update this journal a ton but will document what I can for others to enjoy. What happens in a freshwater dwarf shrimp tank that takes a few months or a year? That same thing in an H. rubra tank happens over the course of five or ten years. These little critters have been known to live at least 30 years in captivity so slow and steady wins the race.


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## Rob in Puyallup (Jul 2, 2009)

Hi Jake... That's a beautiful tank! I haven't posted in several years... My 10 gallon opae ula tank is red with shrimp, "baby" shrimp always present. Definitely the easiest tank I've ever kept.


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## Discusluv (Dec 24, 2017)

Im _really_ excited about this one!! What a great idea all across the board. 

The red color of the stand, black rock, red shrimp, cubed and rimless tank will have such creative impact. 
These shrimp are very unusual too. They really do inspire some thinking "outside the box". 
Excellent project.


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Hey @Rob in Puyallup, glad to see you back around these parts! You should post more.
@Discusluv: I think those contrasts are what this kind of setup really needs. Some decent design in their habitat while not being too far off from reality, dark substrate to show them off, a nice area or bright stand to showcase it all. They're not exactly the most exciting critter I've kept and I think this will be a good way to keep me focused on them.

While they're easy to keep, as @Rob in Puyallup demonstrates, it's a lot more tough to make their tanks look as nice as a standard planted tank. Have thought about how to best set them up (for my taste) for years and finally have the perfect spot, perfect tank, perfect stand. 

Thought about going Rust-Oleum Spring Green but the only option is glossy and I'm not feeling glossy lately. 

Now I just need to find a few 12x12x6-6.5 storage "things" at IKEA or somewhere to take advantage of all the space on the stand in a non-hideous way. Should be able to store all of my everyday tanking items there. Everything from remineralizers to nets to testing equipment.


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## Discusluv (Dec 24, 2017)

These would look nice. Contrast, texture, and function. 

Looking at the dimensions, though, it may not fit. 
https://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90420657/


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Those are right up my alley but would nearly double the amount of money I've put into the stand. Ha! Found some on Amazon that are decent-ish but they're out of stock for a while.

May have to go the DIY route. Surely I can find cheap baskets or containers that I can cover with canvas or something cool. Gray is my go-to but maybe I could use some cheap banana leaf fabric (you know, like the wallpaper on _The Golden Girls_) to cover them up. 

I have these two fabrics that could work:



















One is a table cloth in my sunroom and another is a wall covering inside the area where my bed disappears into the wall.

Some 80s green may look nice with red. We'll have to see what I find over the next couple weeks.


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## Discusluv (Dec 24, 2017)

somewhatshocked said:


> Those are right up my alley but would nearly double the amount of money I've put into the stand. Ha! Found some on Amazon that are decent-ish but they're out of stock for a while.
> 
> May have to go the DIY route. Surely I can find cheap baskets or containers that I can cover with canvas or something cool. Gray is my go-to but maybe I could use some cheap banana leaf fabric (you know, like the wallpaper on _The Golden Girls_) to cover them up.
> 
> ...


Both patterns are great! ( Thumbs up!)


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## Desert Pupfish (May 6, 2019)

Just love that retro 80's Golden Girl Florida-chic is making comeback... Will you have enough left to make a matching caftan?


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Ha! Maybe I could listen to Mod FM (107.3, I think?) while wearing it and doing water changes. 



Desert Pupfish said:


> Just love that retro 80's Golden Girl Florida-chic is making comeback... Will you have enough left to make a matching caftan?


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Turned out okay:











That white speck you see on the right corner is just dust.

It's gonna provide some nice contrast.


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## Jamo33 (Feb 18, 2014)

somewhatshocked said:


> Turned out okay:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Damn! That's some milk bar red right there! Looks awesome jake.


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## Discusluv (Dec 24, 2017)

somewhatshocked said:


> Turned out okay:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Its more than okay-- its amazing!


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

I may have stained a rug, have red paint on my toes and all that... because why wouldn't I after painting that stand super-red? But... I think the scape is finished. I could do better but I kinda like that it's not something I would normally create.

Here's a look at how I built up the substrate:











Plenty of crushed coral/aragonite/sand for buffering. All conveniently hidden beneath crushed lava.

From the top down:











From the right:











From the left:











From the front:



















The lava "sand" isn't as small/fine as I'd prefer but I'm happy with it.

I'll flood it and let it do its thing for a month or two once the clips for my top arrive. Will probably add some Chaetomorpha that I know will grow in brackish parameters at some point, as well.

Note: Photos may not show up for a bit because my host is updating.


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## Discusluv (Dec 24, 2017)

somewhatshocked said:


> I may have stained a rug, have red paint on my toes and all that... because why wouldn't I after painting that stand super-red? But... I think the scape is finished. I could do better but I kinda like that it's not something I would normally create.
> 
> Here's a look at how I built up the substrate:
> 
> ...


Looks amazing.


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Guess this is officially Day 1. Tank is flooded:










Can you tell that the company lied about the quality of the glass top? Definitely not high-clarity like the cube. Love the cube, not the cheap piece of glass on top. Probably won't matter in the long run but leaves me wondering if there are _any_ honest companies in this hobby.

But excitement! Tank is flooded. Gonna bring home some chaeto from my H. rubra tank in my office in a couple weeks. Then a few weeks after that, I'll start moving shrimp into their new cube. Undecided if I'll bring home the little snails I've got or if I'll pass them on to the friend taking half my colony. Will make that decision down the road. 

Water is at about 1.011sg in terms of salinity. Maybe a bit closer to 1.012. No heater, so temp will fluctuate from 60/61 to 72/73 throughout the year. Light's on a 12-hour timer. 

Hoping the LED I've chosen will be decent enough to grow some algae. I'll know relatively quickly. If it's not, the plan is to use a ZooMed light stand to suspend a clamp light (with the clamp removed, dome exterior painted black or slate gray) above the tank. Base of the light stand will go on the shelf below the main level of the tank stand. 

Pretty happy with this simple hardscape, the contrasts in color with the stand, its aesthetic in general. Little, red shrimp are really going to look great in this setup.


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## Discusluv (Dec 24, 2017)

somewhatshocked said:


> Guess this is officially Day 1. Tank is flooded:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


My absolute favorite. :smile2:


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Thanks.

I like it a lot. Wish I had 1/16" crushed lava instead of 1/8" but I'll live, I guess. ha.



Discusluv said:


> My absolute favorite. :smile2:


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

We're now a few days in and the tank has cleared up quite a bit and bubbles are disappearing:











Beyond that, nothing much has changed and likely won't for several more weeks. Now it's just a waiting game for algae and other junk to start growing.


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## Jamo33 (Feb 18, 2014)

somewhatshocked said:


> We're now a few days in and the tank has cleared up quite a bit and bubbles are disappearing:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Cleaned up good!
Take some of my algae, I'm more than happy to share!


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## Discusluv (Dec 24, 2017)

Will you be planting Buce or petite anubias on lava rock boulders?


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Won't be adding any sort of typical plant life as we know it in this hobby, as it wouldn't survive the marine salt or brackish conditions. 1.012ish specific gravity.

Will be adding a variety of Chaetomorpha - a form of macro algae - that I culture in my other H. rubra tank. So it'll technically be a planted tank. Just not like anything else we do on the forum.



Discusluv said:


> Will you be planting Buce or petite anubias on lava rock boulders?


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## Discusluv (Dec 24, 2017)

somewhatshocked said:


> Won't be adding any sort of typical plant life as we know it in this hobby, as it wouldn't survive the marine salt or brackish conditions. 1.012ish specific gravity.
> 
> Will be adding a variety of Chaetomorpha - a form of macro algae - that I culture in my other H. rubra tank. So it'll technically be a planted tank. Just not like anything else we do on the forum.


 That is so cool Jake! I'll have to read up on this macro algae because I know nada about it. This tank is so all-around unusual!:nerd:
Have you noticed an uptick in threads on shrimp in the past week or so? I really do believe it is because of your several builds--- good information and examples build confidence. It certainly has for me.


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

It could be because of my revived & new builds. But I think it's that several shrimp people have decided to come out of the woodwork and jump back into it separate from that. A few of them poking and prodding me for a couple months are why I decided to start journaling again. Bringing these tanks home definitely made it easier to start.

A lot of people are growing tired of social media and are realizing that forums like this are more fulfilling when it comes to complex hobbies. So that could account for some of it.

I just like showing others that we don't have to try too hard to create something that looks decent, that it's important to focus on the most basic parts of our hobby, that there's no reason to rip people off (over-priced shrimp that I used to sell for less than a dollar? nope. no thanks. time for me to start flooding the 'market' with free shrimp again), no reason to get too upset over the vision we have in our head. 



Discusluv said:


> Have you noticed an uptick in threads on shrimp in the past week or so? I really do believe it is because of your several builds--- good information and examples build confidence. It certainly has for me.


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## Jamo33 (Feb 18, 2014)

@Discusluv is right Jake. Your passion for this part of the hobby has bumped up the interest in the shrimp section of the forum of late.
I say this with confidence because I have been scouring your journals and as you know have already planned my next tanks...this stuff be addictive


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## Discusluv (Dec 24, 2017)

Jamo33 said:


> ..this stuff be addictive


:laugh2: LOL!


...it sure is!


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

I may be peeved about the low quality of the glass top because it ruins the aesthetic... but it's great not to have to worry about constant evaporation. The $13-$14 I spent ($8 of it went to FIRST CLASS - frustrating, I know - shipping) is well worth it for less evap in a brackish setup for sure.

Pretty sure I'm going to end up sourcing some high-clarity glass as a cover from one of the other tank manufacturers in the next few months. Since I can't do a vendor review, I'll just say that the company I got this from is misleading on all of their product pages about this being for their high-clarity cubes. Cubes that I reeeeeallly like and promote all the time on the forum, mind you. Kind of disappointing because the cubes are as nice as ADA and have held up for years - far longer than some of my other tanks.


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## Discusluv (Dec 24, 2017)

Did you get the baskets for this for shelves? I wanta see! 

The shrimp putting in here are stock you have had for awhile? For how many generations? 
These are the Hawaiian shrimp, correct?


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Haven't gotten the storage baskets I want yet. Realized I have some Amazon credit, so I'll probably order gray half-cube storage things from a seller there once they're in stock again.

Yep, the H. rubra that will occupy the tank are ones I've had since 2013. I'm guessing they were a year or so old when I got them then. So they're, I dunno, 8-9 at this point? They live several decades. They've bred regularly for me and I counted what I could today. Something like 160 of them after starting with 20. 

The friend I was initially going to split them with has agreed to take about 150 of them and I'm going to bring home 10-12 to start a new colony. Their tank is a large 9-10gal orb thing that's been developing for a couple months and can certainly handle a large population. I want to start small with my new tank because it's not going to be super-mature. I'm sure they'll breed and will fill the tank up over the next 5-6 years. 




Discusluv said:


> Did you get the baskets for this for shelves? I wanta see!
> 
> The shrimp putting in here are stock you have had for awhile? For how many generations?
> These are the Hawaiian shrimp, correct?


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## Jamo33 (Feb 18, 2014)

Maybe I am planning my tanks wrong if your plans reach as far as 5 years.


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

H. rubra can live 30-40 years, so you kinda have to be in it for the long haul when you start a tank with them. There's not a lot you can do in terms of planting, though, so it's not as difficult to maintain a tank like this.

That's why I think hardscape is so important in tanks for H. rubra. The janky lava rock structure I built for the tank they're currently in (earlier on in this thread) and some macro algae are the only things decorative. Wanted to be a bit more natural-looking with this go 'round and think I've succeeded enough to be satisfied with it. Definitely looks better than the old tank.



Jamo33 said:


> Maybe I am planning my tanks wrong if your plans reach as far as 5 years.


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

The new tank has been running with 12-hour photoperiods for nine days. If I don't start to see algal growth after two more weeks, I'm going to have to explore different lighting options. That's tough with a 20cm cube. So my likely other option is just a hardware store work light dome suspended over the tank with a screw-in LED. Not exactly as minimalist as the current setup.

Think I'll bump the photoperiod up for a while to see if that helps. 7:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M. should be okay for an LED fixture like this.


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Photoperiod has been going about 14 hours per day for roughly a week. Still no algae growth but everything is clear:










Will give it another week before moving to a brighter light source.

Guess I need to get my hands in the tank to see if I feel much in terms of biofilm and all that, do some testing, you know the drill. Just definitely want a bit of algae.

Loving the red stand even more than I thought I would.


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## Jamo33 (Feb 18, 2014)

somewhatshocked said:


> Photoperiod has been going about 14 hours per day for roughly a week. Still no algae growth but everything is clear:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Although the light source may not be perfect, the tank looks stella. Not having algae has always been a goal of mine...you're aiming for the exact opposite. Top tip to grow algae, get everything incorrect and completely out of balance. Tried and true by yours truly.


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## Discusluv (Dec 24, 2017)

I love the red stand and tank so much I am gonna copy it. Not tomorrow- but, soon as I can. 
You know what they say- emulation is the best form of flattery.


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

@Jamo33: It's mostly my impatience getting in the way. Just a couple weeks in, so I have to give algae time to develop. The LED fixture is plenty bright enough for plants - to the point that I'd have trouble if this were a freshwater planted tank and I didn't use CO2 and EI dosing. Tested on a 2.5gal tank I had last year that ultimately had to have CO2 while I had it set up as a temporary system. But it may not be bright enough for its current intended purpose. 

@Discusluv: Little pops of color like this make having tanks more fun, if that's possible. One would think it'd be a distraction, would take attention away from the tank sitting on it, that sort of thing. In real life, it's something closer to soothing and kind of softens the way a monotone tank (black like this, maybe tons of the same green on the freshwater planted side) is perceived. Certainly adds something the setup was missing.


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Day 22 and Ammonia is at about 1PPM. 

Will probably be 3-4 more weeks, if I had to guess, before shrimp can move in. Maybe a bit longer. Between now and then, I'm going to add Chaeto and continue to push for the development of algae.


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Algae! Finally!



































Still roughly 1PPM Ammonia, so gotta wait it out. Never intentionally added a source. 

But algae! Finally have algae. No need to immediately consider replacement lighting.


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## Discusluv (Dec 24, 2017)

somewhatshocked said:


> Algae! Finally!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


:bounce:Yippee! ~and that is some pretty looking algae...roud:


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## Jamo33 (Feb 18, 2014)

Add another, if not completely confusing, hooray to the mix. Took its time but there it is algae in all is glory!


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

It was an excruciating wait, @Discusluv & @Jamo33. Took forever for anything to happen.

Brought home some Chaetomorpha yesterday and will hopefully remember to move it from the cup it's in to the tank within a few days. Just pulled a small portion of it - about the size of a US quarter - and I swear it's already grown. The bit of ammonia that's in the tank will likely cause it to explode.

Plan is to use bits of it throughout the scape so it looks a bit more pleasant than it does in its current stark, dark, alien-looking state. But I do love it like this.

Contemplating adding some tiny brackish snails but haven't yet made up my mind.


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

It's spreading quickly:



















Still haven't added the chaeto. Maybe today? Kinda want to wait to let more algae develop. Once I add it? It'll use up all the existing ammonia.

Pretty sure I'll add snails. Found enough in my old tank that I kinda _have_ to.

Goal is to move shrimp in within a week of ammonia hitting zero. Only a couple more weeks.


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

It's only been a few days but there's been significant algae growth. Spreading on the rocks and finally on the glass: 



























Cut the photoperiod down to 12 hours from 14 and am finally satisfied that everything is working out.


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Finally added the "Chaeto" - I'm not really sure what it is but I _think_ that's what it is. A form of Chaeto. It's the only macro algae that's thrived in my old H. Rubra tank through the years.

Here's a look:



















It's been in my H. Rubra tank a long time and I decided to bring some home. Looks really nice once it expands. 

I'll start placing it lower in the tank and behind the rock as it grows.


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Chaeto finally stopped floating, as most of the air bubbles made their way out.

Sank in the front:


















See? It's officially a planted tank. Heh.

Algae is slightly subsiding, so I'm thinking about increasing the photoperiod a bit. Getting things dialed in is always fun.

Gonna add snails and shrimp sometime in the next couple weeks. Just waiting for my friend to return from a trip so I can send the majority of my H. rubra home with them while bringing home 10 or so for myself.


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Guess who finally added some shrimp to the tank!










Looking rough with algae but it's great for these little bugs. One of my favorite tanks because of its simplicity.

Here's one of the Halocaridina rubra starting to color up:










Feeding from the glass:


















On rocks:


















Caught one molting. Blurry shots but you can see the one on the right as it popped out of its shell:










Fleeing the scene, leaving some bits behind:










They're extremely active and exploring as much as they did in their old tank. Fingers are crossed for quick breeding.


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## Discusluv (Dec 24, 2017)

somewhatshocked said:


> Guess who finally added some shrimp to the tank!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Shrimp have landed! Love this tank---


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Yep. Finally got around to bringing them home. 

Now I need to drop some crushed coral in mesh pouches behind the large rock and add some snails at some point. Snails will get down in the crushed lava rock and turn over the aragonite bed I have hidden in there. 

And the crushed coral? That's just something I forgot to do. Whoops. It'll help keep things stable and give the shrimp even more stuff to do.


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## Jamo33 (Feb 18, 2014)

Hooray!!! Feels like an eternity since you started this up! Glad they have hit the tank Jake, well done!


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## Econde (Oct 13, 2015)

This is so cool. Jake, I really enjoy reading your journals, especially about shrimp. Thanks to all your posts, I got the confidence to try shrimp. Eventually I'd like to make my way to keeping Caridina, but that won't be for a while. Anyway just wanted to say thank you. Looking forward to more of your endeavors.


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Thanks! Just shy of three months. This is just one of those setups where patience is even more important than it is with freshwater dwarf shrimp species. Extreme algae growth is a necessity and a part of everyday life.



Jamo33 said:


> Hooray!!! Feels like an eternity since you started this up! Glad they have hit the tank Jake, well done!


Here are some updated photos taken roughly a day after they were added to the tank:


























Coloring up nicely. Originally planned to add 10-12 but ended up with 23. They're so small it was tough to count. My friend says I gave her about 175 of them - roughly 20 more than I thought. So this means their vase/tank ended up at ~200. If I don't have a berried mama by the end of the year, I'm gonna grab 10-20 more from the old colony. This tank can certainly handle them.

These little clowns are great. Way tinier than Neocaridina and a lot more alien-looking. Haven't really been able to see them this up close in probably half a year due to algae all over their old home. So this is a lot of fun. I don't believe they're more skittish than other dwarf shrimp and think that's just a... wrong (trying to be kind)... myth perpetuated by someone churning them out for profit without having kept them in ideal parameters despite claims to the contrary.

Speaking of their old home... gonna bring that container home this weekend and maintain it for the snails that currently live in it. I don't want to part with them and it'll be a nice backup vessel. Will come in handy for breeding. Who knows? Maybe I'll end up with a bunch of shrimplets and can convince some of you folks to start up little Opae Ula tanks of your own.


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Whoops. Just now seeing this or I would have included it in my previous update. It's different enough that I guess it should be its own post anyway.

.....

Thanks! Caridina really aren't difficult. You just have to be familiar with shrimping in general... and be comfortable with buffering substrate and remineralizing RO/DI water. It's not scary after the initial setup. It's maybe a bit easier in some regard because you know exactly what you're adding to their water.

Since it's not going to be for a while, you should consider just planning a tank for them. Spend several months on it and get it just right. Substrate (go ADA Aqua Soil Amazonia - it's my favorite), hardscape, plants - all that. When you're ready to set things up, it won't be a hassle at all. I'll even send you a container of DIY remineralizer to try on a gallon of distilled water when the time comes. That way you'll be able to see what it's like to mix up shrimp minerals before going all in.



Econde said:


> This is so cool. Jake, I really enjoy reading your journals, especially about shrimp. Thanks to all your posts, I got the confidence to try shrimp. Eventually I'd like to make my way to keeping Caridina, but that won't be for a while. Anyway just wanted to say thank you. Looking forward to more of your endeavors.


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## Econde (Oct 13, 2015)

somewhatshocked said:


> Whoops. Just now seeing this or I would have included it in my previous update. It's different enough that I guess it should be its own post anyway.
> 
> .....
> 
> ...


No worries. Yea my next setup will include buffering substrate. And don't worry about the remineralizer, I've copied your recipe and mixed my own :grin2: .


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Good grief! I need to get it together and update my tank journals! Oh my god. It's been more than a year since I've updated. A year! And it's not like I've done anything at all. Watching every episode of The Office, Schitt's Creek, King of the Hill, Bob's Burgers and Parks & Rec again does not count as doing something. I have no excuse. I've taken thousands of tank photos and haven't once started to update a journal. I hate this year.

(Side note: Do you have any idea how many books you can read in 9 months if you try? More than 100. Do you know how many shelving units you can put together in 9 months if you try? Half of one. It's just sitting there in my tank room.)

Have been trying to convince @Discusluv that she needs to start up a small tank of H. rubra because they're so low-effort. And in doing so, I've convinced myself to start another.

No filter, feed every month, no real water changes, just top-offs. Just 12-14 hours of light per day and lots of hidey holes.

I've grown to love them even more this year. Have them about five feet from where I sit every day in a giant, king size Cordaroys (google it - you'll scoff at the idea until you sit in one and them you'll want more) and they're more fun to watch than any of my other shrimp. So tiny and peaceful and graceful.

My colony has begun to throw some yellows and oranges and I'd like to start isolating them to see what happens. Fighting the urge to start two new tiny tanks of them.

So get ready to see me post about them a lot more over the coming months, I guess.

Hope everyone is getting through this messed up year in decent spirits.


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## Discusluv (Dec 24, 2017)

somewhatshocked said:


> Good grief! I need to get it together and update my tank journals! Oh my god. It's been more than a year since I've updated. A year! And it's not like I've done anything at all. Watching every episode of The Office, Schitt's Creek, King of the Hill, Bob's Burgers and Parks & Rec again does not count as doing something. I have no excuse. I've taken thousands of tank photos and haven't once started to update a journal. I hate this year.
> 
> (Side note: Do you have any idea how many books you can read in 9 months if you try? More than 100. Do you know how many shelving units you can put together in 9 months if you try? Half of one. It's just sitting there in my tank room.)
> 
> ...



I was so happy seeing your post after not being on here for a few days. 

I miss your journal posts as much as your journals. I know that doesnt make much sense to most-- but, you will get it. 



Maybe this post has come at a good time... just yesterday I was telling my husband I was going to shut down 2 of my shrimp tanks. I have murdered so many shrimp. :|


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Another six months have passed and this tank is still chugging along. I've got enough shrimp to start another little tank of them and am now in the planning stages. Anyone seen any interesting containers lately? Hoping to create something at least as interesting as this tank. But I have some spare 2.5gal tanks calling my name in the basement...

Surprised no one told me my photos weren't showing up. Neglected to reinstall my SSL certificates when I renewed them a couple weeks ago. Just updated them this afternoon, so everything is back to normal.


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## Plinkploop (Jan 24, 2021)

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Better-Homes-Gardens-2-Gallon-Beverage-Dispenser/49229390?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&&adid=22222222228037521798&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=m&wl3=90376761152&wl4=aud-1025747331336:pla-182518432592&wl5=9002556&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=online&wl12=49229390&veh=sem&gclid=CjwKCAjwzMeFBhBwEiwAzwS8zCujrr4IrCDdAVQwM2RRgs_xO_OpX4-k9EXNlkH-PMZMG6ZVDgdrBxoC-AEQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds



Always loved using things like this for centerpiece work. Not great as a permanent setting, but fun discussion starter.


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

This little tank is still chugging along and the shrimp are breeding and producing young. Still looks the same, so no new photos. It's at the point where it makes me concerned to see so many in the tank, so I've started up a few others to spread my colony around.

The little UP Aqua LED I've got on the cube is starting to flicker a bit here and there, unfortunately. So I've been on the hunt for a sleep replacement that I don't dislike. Bought a couple Zetlight LED pucks from a friend in China and they should be here in a few days. Hopefully I can use one on this cube and the other on a pico reef I'm setting up.

With the light's slow demise, the Chaeto has also met its slow demise and I'm going to have to remove it from the tank and perform a rare water change.

More of you should consider H. rubra. They're great little shrimp.


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

New LEDs showed up a few days ago and they're insanely bright - perfect for this tank.


























Tunable whites and adjustable blues. Fully dimmable. Gonna be a perfect replacement for the dying UP Aqua fixture. Will probably be better at growing algae for these cool little water bugs.

Now I need to take the UP Aqua unit apart to see what I can do resolve this flickering nonsense. Its housing is all aluminum and the bendy arm is decent quality. So worst case scenario, I'll add my own SMD5050 strip and use it elsewhere.


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## johnson18 (Apr 29, 2011)

Is this tank still running? Looks like the images aren’t showing up anymore. I’d love to see an updated shot. I’m in the planning stages of replacing/upgrading my current 2.5g H. rubra tank. It’s currently argonite and dry coral/rock I had left over from a nano reef build. Not sure if I’ll stick with the coral or switch to lava rock. It’ll probably be a 5.5g. A 10g would be nice but a tight fit with the other tank and filters on the same stand.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

johnson18 said:


> Is this tank still running? Looks like the images aren’t showing up anymore.


Yes, still running. Though, there are multiple tanks in this journal. And a couple containers I haven't yet documented.

Images aren't showing up because I have to install several new SSL certificates on my server. I'll get around to that at some point. But if you've seen any of the images in the past, the tanks all look the same since there are no plants other than a few types of algae. The only thing that really changes is the number of shrimp. I've been thinning the herd a few times per year.



johnson18 said:


> I’m in the planning stages of replacing/upgrading my current 2.5g H. rubra tank. It’s currently argonite and dry coral/rock I had left over from a nano reef build. Not sure if I’ll stick with the coral or switch to lava rock. It’ll probably be a 5.5g.


My favorite method is to use aragonite but pillowed beneath black substrate, like crushed lava rock or black sand, so it's not visible. Makes setups way more attractive.

5.5gal is the perfect size for these shrimp. Plenty of room to create a mountain scape of some sort. Especially if you can do something that takes advantage of vertical space to allow better algal growth in the upper portion of the tank. Nice volume for stability and a sizable shrimp population.

Have been considering another H. rubra setup myself. Probably in a cube with a glass top. Have thought about consolidating into a single tank but that makes selective breeding just impossible. Recently got a bag of smaller black lava rock at Home Depot on sale for $2 and think I'm gonna come up with some kind of tacky "mountain" made out of them. Stuck together with epoxy putty and various glues.

Once I get around to installing my SSLs, I'll try to share some of the photos of the color variants that have been popping up. They don't breed prolifically, so it's difficult to cull and make selections. And it seems sometimes coloration can vary. But they're still tops in my book. Easily one of the best shrimp in the hobby and one of my favorite aquatic critters. Wildly under-appreciated.

How long have you had yours, @johnson18?


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## AquaBell (Sep 3, 2021)

I cant see any pictures, is it my setting?


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

AquaBell said:


> I cant see any pictures, is it my setting?


See the immediate prior post in the thread for details.


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## johnson18 (Apr 29, 2011)

If I remember correctly, I set that tank up in the first half of 2018. They’re definitely one of my favorite shrimp in the hobby. There were quite a few people keeping them in the Phoenix clubs so they were available at pretty much any auction. Might still be, just haven’t been up there much the last couple years. My tank was mostly ignored in 2020/21 following an injury, mostly just top offs. I didn’t even clean the front glass for like two years. 

I’m looking forward to building them a new tank though. I like your use of aragonite under the black substrate. This seems like the way to go. The shrimp definitely look better over black substrate and rock. The plan is to build a rock structure to utilize the full tank height. I decided to would use lava rock but don’t know if I’ll pile up a bunch of smaller stuff or get some big pieces. I would keep love to keep the 2.5 running and have two H. rubra tanks but it’s got a pretty large chip out of the back glass. 


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