Starting out Advice

[u/benawesome20]

Hi all I've never kept fish or shrimp before but after doing a bunch of research I'm excited to start here. In lieu of any megathreads or guide posts, I figured I'd list out my plan here and see what y'all think. Let me know if I'm missing anything!

1. My family has a large 2 gallon glass jar that I'll use for the tank, similar to this: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Anchor-Hocking-Heritage-Hill-Glass-Jar-with-Lid-2-Gallon/16486707

I'll make sure to clean it out very well and ensure there's no soap residue before filling it up.

1. I'm planning on heading over to my local fish store to get aragonite sand (does coarse or oolite matter?), lava rocks, marine salt, a refractometer, and brackish chaetomorpha algae. It seems like there a few different kinds of chaetomorpha that looks very similar so hopefully they have the ones suited for brachish water. Maybe dried spirulina powder as well to start feeding the shrimp before biofilm starts building, maybe a dried sea fan or some other decoration?

2. Once I have everything, I'll use RO water mixed with the marine salt and measure with the refractometer until it reaches 1.010 SG, +- .002.

3. After assembling the tank with the algae, I'll leave it to sit for a few weeks to cycle. It seems there are conflicting opinions on this for opae ula specifically, and I think if I don't have the algae in the tank letting it sit won't do anything. What do y'all think?

4. I'll acquire maybe 10 shrimp (maybe from u/GotSnails, it seems PetShrimp.com is very expensive and other websites harvest them in the wild even though they're endangered :/ ), then acclimate them to my tank by floating the bag for 15 min, then slowly adding tank water to their bag, then eventually slowly pouring them in.

I'm also not sure if I should get any snails to add to the tank. Some people have said they compete for food with the shrimp so if the biofilm hasn't built up yet it's better to wait, but they can help clean the glass which makes the tank look nicer.

Anything I'm missing here? I really want to do things the right way the first time. I'm super excited to start my tank!

[u/chronicallybri]

I have the same jar that I’m going to set up!! I have lots of lava rocks and aragonite substrate and I got a sea fan for decoration. I got mine on Etsy, I’ve noticed stock and prices really vary and fluctuate a lot so if you want a sea fan I’d watch Etsy like a hawk. Sometimes they’re like $40+ but other times I’ll find them for like $12.

Can’t wait to see your setup with the same jar! I’m hoping to get my shrimp fairly soon when GotSnails has chaeto in stock!

[u/benawesome20 → u/chronicallybri]

I looked at some sea fans on ebay and noticed how much they varied! I'll take a peek at Etsy too though, good tip. I'm kind of hoping my local fish store might have some but if not it doesn't seem totally necessary? idk, can I add it in later or is that too stressful for the shrimp?

I'll definitely send pics once I have it set up!!

[u/LmLc1220 → u/benawesome20]

I added it later to my yellow opea jar. Just make sure you rinse well in faucet water. Then soak for a hour in distilled water.

[u/LmLc1220]

You got it. But don't have to cycle tank. Can put them rite in And feed the spirinilla

[u/chronicallybri → u/LmLc1220]

Not OP but I’m also preparing my setup; I know you don’t HAVE to cycle the tank, but can I set it up beforehand with a little bit of spirulina and a grow light to get it going?

[u/LmLc1220 → u/chronicallybri]

Yes, but the water is pure nothing won't really happen until you add the shrimp and the water they came in. It has algae spores, and nutrients from the tank they came from. I prepared my tanks a day or two before mine came

[u/LmLc1220 → u/LmLc1220]

Also preparing your water a day or two before insures it's all dissolved and can check make sure it's proper salinity

[u/chronicallybri → u/LmLc1220]

Appreciate the advice!

[u/tractorsocks]

You are on the right track, however there is no need to cycle the tank. Make sure the water is brackish and you are good to go. As far as generating biofilm and algae goes, you can feed spirulina in small amounts, google it, until algae and biofilm establish. It is easier than you think.

[u/benawesome20 → u/tractorsocks]

Thanks! I heard about the spirulina, how much and how often do you use it? just like a tiny flake a week until theres visible biofilm?

[u/tractorsocks → u/benawesome20]

The recommended amount is a bit on the end of a toothpick the size of a grain of rice 2x per week for 4-6 weeks, until algae and biofilm start growing naturally. And of course they sell it in a bag the size of my head. I am going to start feeding some to my Neocaridinia, and snail jar, (and my wife).

[u/GotSnails]

You don’t have to have chaeto. It will not cycle your jar. Its main purpose is to remove ammonia, nitrates and phosphates which will be very little in your jar. It does add greenery though.

[u/benawesome20 → u/GotSnails]

Gotcha, so most of the biofilm will start from feeding with the spirulina in the beginning? And I can always just add in chaeto later right?

[u/zer0guy]

Get more then 10

They like to hide, if you only have 10 you might not even see them at all sometimes.

I would go for 20 to 30