So it begins (also ? Surface film?)

[Munakgirl]

So the tank has been set up 3 weeks... everything looks good so far.
I'm getting a liquid test next month to test before I order any shrimps.
For now just been using the free test strips. But I want to use a liquid test to be sure before I add any shrimp. (With how expensive it can be to order them I wanna make sure it's perfect before)

I am seeing some green algea starting on some of the rocks though! So thats good.

I do feed the snails once in a while. If I don't feed them they float at the surface and seem hungry...

Also question... since it's not filtered or have any water movement. What do people do about the surface film? I skimmed it off with a net a few times. But the way my tank is built its very difficult to do... (only a tiny part of the lid comes off. The rest is perminately attached.)

I'm hoping I can order some shrimp next month.

Though I was hoping to add some hermit crabs to this setup as well at some point... Maybe not able to since shrimpmart is down.
I also have a 1gl I'm starting up next week. So I can put some opae in that as well.

My 5gl is heated, and the 1gl will not be heated.
I'm wondering how they will do compared. My heater keeps the tank at 78 (with light on) but my room can get below 60 when it's cold. I keep my window open always because our house has no ventilation and it gets very stuffy and gross if you don't have the window open with a fan... so it can get cold.

[Varanus]

I think there will always be some surface film, but you'll find that once the shrimp and snails have grazed on it a fair amount that its not very noticeable. Mine was a light green for a while, but that cleared up over time as the snails and shrimp ate away at it.

Indeed, personally I find watching the snails climb upside down on the film and the shrimp paw at it to be one of the many entertaining things about keeping a still water tank like this.

[Mustafa]

As Varanus said, the surface film is actually food for the shrimp and snails. And it also helps with "cleaning" the water by reducing nutrients since the film is basically bacteria consuming nitrates/phosphates etc..

[Munakgirl]

Ah ok. I wasn't sure... since when I had snails before in my freshwater tank and they ran out of food they would float on the surface before resorting to eating my live plants if I didn't feed them. Someone told me it was a sign they were hungry and floating trying to catch falling depris.

In another note I'm so excited and anxious... I wonder when I should buy shrimps... I can't wait to see some activity in the tank.

I'm gonna have to wait for my test kit to come in the mail... I hate being patient sometimes...

[Mustafa]

I don't think it has anything to do with hunger. Of course they'll prefer pellets and fish food but when they're up there floating they're getting full too..in fact some snails prefer that stuff up there to surface algae.

I personally don't use test kits when I establish new tanks. The arrival of visible algae growth (green or brown, doesn't matter) has been in all these years a 100% surefire sign of the tank being ready for shrimp. Never had problems with that. So, I think you're ready if you see algae growing.

[Munakgirl]

=) I will keep an eye on the algea see if it spreads. It's just a tiny tiny bit so I feel like it's not enough just yet.

Plus I still need the liquid test for my mom's freshwater shrimp anyway (they are a bit more picky)

But at least that means I will prolly get to order shrimp this month =3... I was sorta afraid I may have to wait till next month.