Hi! I'm contemplating becoming a supershrimp owner and am getting started gathering the materials and doing research prep work for my tank.
I kind of wanted to do something a little different by using a tall, square vase as a tank and using natural seashells/seashell fragments from the ocean to act as a substrate, a pH buffer, and in some cases, give shrimp little places to go. Aside from that and one of the mossballs, I was going to keep the setup relatively simple and start with just 10 shrimp.
A few questions:
1) Any issues with using a tall vase as a tank?
2) Should I still have a finer substrate even if I line the bottom of the vase with shells/shell pieces?
3) Any issues with using all these seashells in the tank?
4) I've read that I should scrub and boil the seashells to make sure nothing harmful comes into the environment. These were pulled straight off a beach, so am I OK if I do just that and then add them?
5) I noticed the supershrimp site specifies "coral pieces" for calcium carbonate. Are seashells also an adequate source?
6) Finally, if I wait to purchase the mossball together with the shrimp, but add the brackish water and shells and let the tank hang out while stuff ships, would I still get the right bacteria/algae or do I need to add the mossball first in order to introduce the right stuff?
Thanks in advance!!
Wild seashells as primary "substrate"?
Moderator: Mustafa
Re: Wild seashells as primary "substrate"?
Ok, been doing some research and I think I've answered some of my own questions. This is the one question I'm not sure of:
"if I wait to purchase the mossball together with the shrimp, but add the brackish water and shells and let the tank hang out while stuff ships, would I still get the right bacteria/algae or do I need to add the mossball first in order to introduce the right types of algae/bacteria from one of Mustafa's tanks?"
Other questions I think I found answers to:
1) Any issues with using a tall vase as a tank?
--Based on what I can see on here. Sounds like nearly anything will work but maybe I just need to find a lid to keep evaporation from happening and dust out of the tank?
2) Should I still have a finer substrate even if I line the bottom of the vase with shells/shell pieces?
---I boiled a bunch of the shells and smashed them down to a finer substrate so I think that will do.
3) Any issues with using all these seashells in the tank?
---Found a post where someone asked a similar thing (just had to change my search wording). Looks like seashells are fine in any amount as they are made of calcium carbonate (like coral) and will act as buffers only if the water tries to go acidic.
4) I've read that I should scrub and boil the seashells to make sure nothing harmful comes into the environment. These were pulled straight off a beach, so am I OK if I do just that and then add them?
---let's hope I don't kill off my shrimp. I boiled the shells prior to smashing them into a smaller substrate.
5) I noticed the supershrimp site specifies "coral pieces" for calcium carbonate. Are seashells also an adequate source?
---I think the answer here is "yes" since I searched elsewhere and found out that seashells are also primarily calcium carbonate.
"if I wait to purchase the mossball together with the shrimp, but add the brackish water and shells and let the tank hang out while stuff ships, would I still get the right bacteria/algae or do I need to add the mossball first in order to introduce the right types of algae/bacteria from one of Mustafa's tanks?"
Other questions I think I found answers to:
1) Any issues with using a tall vase as a tank?
--Based on what I can see on here. Sounds like nearly anything will work but maybe I just need to find a lid to keep evaporation from happening and dust out of the tank?
2) Should I still have a finer substrate even if I line the bottom of the vase with shells/shell pieces?
---I boiled a bunch of the shells and smashed them down to a finer substrate so I think that will do.
3) Any issues with using all these seashells in the tank?
---Found a post where someone asked a similar thing (just had to change my search wording). Looks like seashells are fine in any amount as they are made of calcium carbonate (like coral) and will act as buffers only if the water tries to go acidic.
4) I've read that I should scrub and boil the seashells to make sure nothing harmful comes into the environment. These were pulled straight off a beach, so am I OK if I do just that and then add them?
---let's hope I don't kill off my shrimp. I boiled the shells prior to smashing them into a smaller substrate.
5) I noticed the supershrimp site specifies "coral pieces" for calcium carbonate. Are seashells also an adequate source?
---I think the answer here is "yes" since I searched elsewhere and found out that seashells are also primarily calcium carbonate.
Re: Wild seashells as primary "substrate"?
Hi Inia747! Welcome to the forum!
Do you have a picture of your tall vase? What's the approximate volume?
You answered most of your own questions already...you didn't even need to boil the shells, just washing them and letting them soak for a day or so (at most) should have done the trick.
You can either wait to purchase the mossball or purchase it immediately. One way or another once algae start growing you'll know that the right types of bacteria and other microorganisms are in your tank and it's ready for shrimp. The advantage of purchasing plants from here beforehand is that they may accelerate this process.
Do you have a picture of your tall vase? What's the approximate volume?
You answered most of your own questions already...you didn't even need to boil the shells, just washing them and letting them soak for a day or so (at most) should have done the trick.
You can either wait to purchase the mossball or purchase it immediately. One way or another once algae start growing you'll know that the right types of bacteria and other microorganisms are in your tank and it's ready for shrimp. The advantage of purchasing plants from here beforehand is that they may accelerate this process.
Re: Wild seashells as primary "substrate"?
Mustafa, thank you for your response!
I attached a picture of the vase. It's basically a plain glass cylinder. I didn't want to get too fancy with it since it's a first tank (although I've seen some stunningly creative tanks on here while searching for answers, wow!).
Volume is approximately 1.5 gallons. I would probably add 1-1.25 gal of prepared brackish water into the environment to allow for the volume that will be occupied by the shells and leave some room at the top. Based on what I've seen in other posts, it sounds like that should be sufficient space for 10 supershrimp to be comfortable in their new home.
Thanks again for the help!
I attached a picture of the vase. It's basically a plain glass cylinder. I didn't want to get too fancy with it since it's a first tank (although I've seen some stunningly creative tanks on here while searching for answers, wow!).
Volume is approximately 1.5 gallons. I would probably add 1-1.25 gal of prepared brackish water into the environment to allow for the volume that will be occupied by the shells and leave some room at the top. Based on what I've seen in other posts, it sounds like that should be sufficient space for 10 supershrimp to be comfortable in their new home.
Thanks again for the help!
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Re: Wild seashells as primary "substrate"?
Thanks for the pic! Yes, that looks like it should be sufficient for 10 shrimp. 