Tank/rock help?

[DerpStar]

Hey everyone!

I ran across this site looking for more information on ecospheres/closed ecosystems. I'm so glad that I did my research before I decided to buy one of these spheres.
Of course after reading through multiple threads on Super Shrimp and reading through everything available under the Super Shrimp tab, I have decided that I want to attempt to raise my own little shrimp!


I already had an old 10 gallon tank (yes, that is a pipe from Mario lol) and went out to buy a fluorescent hood light, a box of instant ocean, a hydrometer, and a light colored substrate (so the shrimp stand out better!).

I was having a hard time finding black lava rock and limestone/coral rock/an alternative. Not sure if you guys could suggest a website or store for me. I'm not sure if the lava rock used for rock beds would be okay to use in the tank. Would perhaps washing them first and then soaking the rocks in brackish water help?

Anyways, thanks in advance for any responses!

[Jackal148]

Welcome to the hobby. I bought some nice chunks of lava rock at Petco the other day. They had two types, black and reddish. Got the black because I use black sand which really makes the shrimp color pop! Another possible source for lava rock though not big pieces is Home Depot. Get the type used for grills and rinse it well. My local fish store recommended them when I asked Charlie if he carried lava rock.

[DerpStar]

Ah, so rock bed type lava from a home improvement store is okay. Neat!

I found holey beach rocks online at a fair price that don't come in giant wholesale sizes. About how many should I include in the tank to help buffer? It says here that they are each about an inch to two inches and five come in a pack. Would that be enough?

[Jackal148]

I don't know that much about holey rock but I don't think you would need much. The idea of a buffer is that it kicks in when the ph begins to shift. I have read here that some people use egg shells as their buffer and I doubt they would use a dozen. LOL At any rate, I am sure someone with more experience might be able to answer your question regarding quantity. I'd just go by what would look right to me. I arranged pieces of holey rock at my local fish store until I got a pleasing effect and brought home 3. Put them all in my 6 gallon with the chunks of lava rock and everything has been steady for several weeks. Tank did go through the nitrogen cycle and now the nitrates have gone down to zero without any water changes. I credit the lava rock and macro algae for that. This is one very addictive hobby! I find myself watching these amazing shrimp more than my new angelfish fry.

[Mustafa]

Hi Derp,

Welcome to the forum. I would say that 1 or 2 packs of the carbonate rock should be good enough for buffering. I'm glad you did your research. In the end you're really going to enjoy watching the whole lifecycle of this amazing species! I still fondly remember my first larvae back in 2004...I was literally jumping around with joy.