NEW UK Bee Shrimp Journal

**ShrimpUK** · 28th Dec 2011, 08:39 PM

ShrimpUK's 25L Cube Journal

I had been considering a small aquarium for the study for a while as my main 4ft planted aquarium is in the lounge and I spend a lot of my time these days in the study...

After doing some searching for a cheap shrimp tank, I managed to pick up a second hand 25L Cube which although small fitted rather well on my pc desk!

Cube is going to be a low tech set-up however I am dosing with liquid ferts, and plan to keep it as a Shrimp only Cube with Black Bee Shrimp.

After reading various topics on substrate, I decided to go with Cat litter as I am setting this up on a budget.

Before:
[Not allowed to post pic until I have made 15 posts]

After:
[Not allowed to post pic until I have made 15 posts]

Cube has a 25W Heater Thermostat set at 68o F, filtration is supplied via an Aqua Flow 100 Filter and Lighting is being supplied via a 11W Dennerle Nano Light.

Found a nice piece of pre-soaked Sumatran bogwood on eBay to which I have attached Microsorum Pteropus var. Needle and Vesicularia montagnei to with Glossostigma elatinoides and Pogostemon helferi planted in the foreground and Cabomba caroliniana and another un-known plant planted at the back - Both cutting from my main 4ft aquarium. Floating on the top I also have a few plantlets of limnobium laevigatum

Also recently purchased some Indian Almond leaves after reading good things about them, have just added one large leaf for now though with it being a small cube.

Following pics were taken Christmas Day:
[Not allowed to post pic until I have made 15 posts]

Shrimp wise I decided to go with Bumble Bees and today ordered 6 Caridina cf. breviata from Kesgrave tropicals, was going to hold off on ordering but I had some fish delivered from Kesgrave a few weeks ago by courier and everything was so well packaged with pads still warm that I decided as the temp is pretty good at the moment and as I received some money for Christmas that I would order them now.

Thats it for the time being, will update next week once the shrimp have arrived and are settled in :yup:

Cheers,

ShrimpUK

**ShrimpUK** · 29th Dec 2011, 01:58 PM

Think I have managed to work out how to add images

:

As Purchased:
qube.JPG

Currently:
shrimps 008.jpg shrimps 012.JPG

Popped in to a local MA branch today and found various shrimp species in stock, I watching their CRS and saw a lone Bumble Bee then spotted another one in another tank.. Spoke to a member of staff who said that they had been in stock before and must have been odds that were left over. Got the two for £5 so rather pleased, at least that will give me 8 to start with when the 6 from Kesgrave arrive

**ShrimpUK** · 30th Dec 2011, 06:16 PM

Not even one reply... WOW

**imke_j** · 31st Dec 2011, 05:17 AM

Hi, don't take that missing feedback personal, as many of our members are on holidays with their families now or lack time (as I did, reading your post the first time).

Your tank looks really neat and you have some talents in aqua-scaping I guess! I like the look and also think that Bumble Bee are a very nice specie to keep

For how long has your tank now been running? As I would advise 2 weeks minimum, and prefer up to 4 weeks for my own tanks, before adding livestock. Anyway, you should monitor the NO2 peak (Nitrite) and let your water be tested in your LFS, before adding the shrimp. Bigger water changes can help lowering the NO2.

You can also add bacteria starter products, like Mosura BT-9, Mosura Rich Water or others for sure. It will help your tank to cycle. Keep us updated please!

**ShrimpUK** · 3rd Jan 2012, 10:30 AM

Hi imke_j,

Thanks for your kind comment on the scape, I have been keeping fish on and off for around 20 years now with my first tank at 13yo. Currently have a 4ft planted community in the lounge which has been running 7 years and the new cube in the study which will only house Bumble bees apart from my two Zebra Nerite snails.

Below is a pic of the two shrimp I picked up in a LFS on the way home from work last week, I believe they are breviata... The other 6 shrimp will be here tomorrow morning as I have just had a confirmation email to say they are about to be dispatched and will be here by 1pm tomorrow

Cube has been running since the beginning of December, with substrate, plants, and bog-wood.

Using RO water and performing small water changes every few days, had water tested by LFS and store said it was safe to add livestock but to continue carrying out regular water changes for the next few weeks before dropping down to twice a week, just to be on the safe side with adding livestock for the first time.

First two shrimp have been in the Cube since the 30th December and seem to be fine, one shed within a few days and both now appear to be quite happy.

Will keep you posted on the progress and add some images of the new lot tomorrow when they arrive.

Cheers,

ShrimpUK

**Murad** · 3rd Jan 2012, 09:22 PM

Hi ShrimpUK, You have nice tank set up there. Nice Shrimp too by the way. Unfortunately i just started my built 3 days ago and am still cycling my tank. Congrats and good luck with raising your shrimps.

**blahdeblah** · 3rd Jan 2012, 09:53 PM

Hi - nice to see another UKer on the forum and nano looking v good. Look forward to seeing it develop so keep posting.

Just set my 9 yr old son up with his first tank. Got an Aqua Qube 15l, similar to yours, so very interested to see how yours develops. Keep us posted please!!

Filter very loud though and it's in his bedroom! How is the filter noise on your Qube please?

**magpie** · 3rd Jan 2012, 10:37 PM

Nice tank setup. Have a great shrimp keeping.

**ShrimpUK** · 4th Jan 2012, 08:55 AM

Thanks Murad & magpie...

blahdeblah, Thanks for the comment

Same here very please to see another UK based shrimp keeper on here.

Filter I'm using is an Aqua-Flow 100 with a spray bar... purchased Cube second hand for £10 and so it didn't come with anything. Cheapest filter I could find suitable for shrimp was the 100 but had planned to purchase the smaller 50 but it worked out more expensive on-line for some reason... Once settled in the filter is very quiet, what brand are you using, maybe there is some air trapped in the filter?

Only keeping bumble bees here, what species do you have?

Cheers,

ShrimpUK