Hi!

[SGcvn69]

Been lurking around for a few days now. I had wanted a new EcoSphere and found out they are no longer in business So....I stumbled upon what kind of shrimp it was and lead me here! I have some shrimp coming and have 3 containers. One of them undecided as the glass does have a kind of blue-ish hue to it. I'm sure the shrimp will do fine in that, but I worried about the algae getting enough light? Anyhow...I look forward to learning more from you guys! I miss these little guys!

[OpaeOasis]

The stained glass would be fine, but there's more to consider when deciding on an enclosure for them:
For size, I recommend 2 gallons at a minimum. This provides plenty of room for decorations, shrimp population growth, and allows for a fair amount of error in terms of water quality because a larger system can handle temperature/salinity/pollutants fluctuations better than a smaller one. It would be best to have a loosened lid to allow for oxygen exchange, and the opening of the container should be wide rather than narrow for the same reason (more surface area = more oxygen and ease of maintenance). Also, aim for more width than height in the container, these shrimp swim more than many species but still spend most of their time grazing off of surfaces and crawling around.

[SGcvn69]

The stained glass would be fine, but there's more to consider when deciding on an enclosure for them:
For size, I recommend 2 gallons at a minimum. This provides plenty of room for decorations, shrimp population growth, and allows for a fair amount of error in terms of water quality because a larger system can handle temperature/salinity/pollutants fluctuations better than a smaller one. It would be best to have a loosened lid to allow for oxygen exchange, and the opening of the container should be wide rather than narrow for the same reason (more surface area = more oxygen and ease of maintenance). Also, aim for more width than height in the container, these shrimp swim more than many species but still spend most of their time grazing off of surfaces and crawling around.

I opted for the nano aquarium and a small jar (about the size of the small round EcoSphere) for now. The small jar is for my work desk and the nano for home. I will be splitting the population so it won't be overpopulated. The narrow neck tinted glass jar is cute, but like you said, it would be hard to place decorations inside. It would have to be just substrate and some greenery. I may try it that way later just for kicks. The nano tank is a Aqueon 1. I assume that means 1 gallon, but a gallon of distilled water did not all fit in it? I wished they had a 2 cube, but the next up size was a 3.

[Vorteil]

Here's an example of what I feel would be the smallest size I would go. This is an extremely plain quart jar set up that's now over 6 years old. Just lava rocks, dried sea fan & some chaeto. Started with 15 Opae Ula and now there's over 60+. I haven't cleaned the glass since I started it.

https://www.reddit.com/r/OpaeUla/commen ... years_old/

https://www.reddit.com/r/OpaeUla/commen ... quart_jar/

[Droyed]

Vorteil, what kind of plant are the branches in your tank?

[Vorteil]

It's an old black sea fan. Used to be black but over the years the outer skin has worn away. There are some good artificial plastic ones. Before I put mine in I boil them for 15 minutes. It then sits in my FW tanks for a few weeks. I don't trust them. These are imported in from China. I have no idea if they spray anything on it. Chance you take. People have had mixed results.

[SGcvn69]

Here's an example of what I feel would be the smallest size I would go. This is an extremely plain quart jar set up that's now over 6 years old. Just lava rocks, dried sea fan & some chaeto. Started with 15 Opae Ula and now there's over 60+. I haven't cleaned the glass since I started it.

https://www.reddit.com/r/OpaeUla/commen ... years_old/

https://www.reddit.com/r/OpaeUla/commen ... quart_jar/

Wow that's an active tank! I don't plan to put too many into the small jar. Most will go into my cube instead! Got some chaeto from my local aquarium store, but now I think it's the reef kind....I have slowly acclimated it to brackish though so hopefully it does ok, at least until the algae settles itself! The little jar I got one of those balls. Got a sea fan too, but I think it maybe slightly big for my cube. Would be fine if I took out the lava rock.

[Vorteil]

I highly suggest you remove the chaeto. It's not a brackish water variety. I would estimate within a week or so it will break apart and melt. It will make a big mess and throw your water parameters off. The saltwater cannot be acclimated to brackish water.

[SGcvn69]

I highly suggest you remove the chaeto. It's not a brackish water variety. I would estimate within a week or so it will break apart and melt. It will make a big mess and throw your water parameters off. The saltwater cannot be acclimated to brackish water.

Really? It looks so nice too! Shrimp arrived!

[Vorteil]

I've tried to convert SW chaeto to brackish and it never worked. The only one I know if here on Petshrimp. That's where mine originated from. If yours is working that's great.

[SGcvn69]

I've tried to convert SW chaeto to brackish and it never worked. The only one I know if here on Petshrimp. That's where mine originated from. If yours is working that's great.

I haven’t had mine long, so who knows?! I took most of it out just in case as I am going out of town in a week for a week. Left just a few strands. I kept the bag and water it came in because it had little bits in there so it will live there til I know whether it grows or not! It’s in pretty similar salinity. I had added more distilled water over a few days when I first got it.