evodrgn Posted July 28, 2014 Report Share Posted July 28, 2014 So I know a few here probably have the Marina hang on back breeder boxes on their tanks and I'm just wondering if those who use them put soil in them or just go bare bottom in them? I have one on one of my tanks but got some more that I plan on using for some projects and read elsewhere that bare bottom isn't good for the shrimp because there isnt enough places for the bacteria to hide even though there is moss in the breeder box. Looking for some suggestions for the other I plan on using. Plans so far include moss attached to ss mesh and some cholla wood when I get them lol. CiaraHono 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayr_Tigley Posted July 28, 2014 Report Share Posted July 28, 2014 Wont it be enough with just cholla wood? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted July 28, 2014 Report Share Posted July 28, 2014 you could just use sand or inert substrate considering that the water params are coming from your tank (if you have a flow through.) evodrgn 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shrimpo Posted July 28, 2014 Report Share Posted July 28, 2014 No need for substrate, the bacteria in the main tank will do the filtration job and also pass through and attach to the moss & walls of the breeder box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mayphly Posted July 28, 2014 Report Share Posted July 28, 2014 I keep cholla wood and moss in some of my boxes and just moss in others. I find it's easier to catch baby shrimp with less things in the boxes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evodrgn Posted July 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2014 The one I'm currently using has small pieces of driftwood and is stuffed with fissidens fontanus atm since I just got ss mesh and will tie them and make it much neater. Thanks for all the responses!!! I'll be leaving the breeder boxes bare bottom with cholla wood and ss mesh mosses hehe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triton Posted July 28, 2014 Report Share Posted July 28, 2014 I've seen ppl make full out mini tanks for them, have a small scape, and just a few of a certain type of shrimp... But be aware small shrimp will be able to get out into main tank, I can't keep endlers in them because they get over the overflow wall Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evodrgn Posted July 29, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2014 I've seen ppl make full out mini tanks for them, have a small scape, and just a few of a certain type of shrimp... But be aware small shrimp will be able to get out into main tank, I can't keep endlers in them because they get over the overflow wall The breeder boxes I'm using are shrimp proofed hehe so it's all good. Never seen mini-tank scapes for them though...that'd he pretty cool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vicente Mcdonnell Posted July 29, 2014 Report Share Posted July 29, 2014 How did you shrimp proof them? Im thinking of getting two and shrimp proof ing them as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evodrgn Posted July 29, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2014 It's mainly covering the outlet with fine stainless steel mesh or filter floss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctaylor3737 Posted July 29, 2014 Report Share Posted July 29, 2014 I have substrate in mine and use it to seed plants. Figure I'll have a nice breeding area,with Biofilm for when i want to do selective breeding. evodrgn 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evodrgn Posted July 29, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2014 I have substrate in mine and use it to seed plants. Figure I'll have a nice breeding area,with Biofilm for when i want to do selective breeding.I may have to try one breeder box with substrate in it to see if it differs from the rest haha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evodrgn Posted July 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2014 Okay so new question regarding the breeder boxes. Do I need to "cycle" the breeder box so that there is enough bacteria in the box itself before I add shrimp to it? The one I'm currently using is attached to a cycling tank so I'm not worried about that one it's the other ones that I have sitting at the moment and am deciding where to put them. Like before I'll be using moss and cholla wood in them. I understand that the water flowing through the breeder box will be from the already cycled tank but since it's new territory I'm thinking maybe the bacteria would need some time maybe to establish themselves amongst the cholla wood and the moss. Please keep in mind that I've actually never actually used one of these which is why I have all these n00b questions haha and sorry if it's annoying but I'd rather do things right rather than have a dead shrimp show up from not having enough =P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenteam Posted July 30, 2014 Report Share Posted July 30, 2014 No need to cycle since the water source is from main tank. I just set one up myself and run it with small pump to get better water flow. My concern now is how long can shrimp live in it & how many can be place in it without it becoming an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evodrgn Posted July 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2014 No need to cycle since the water source is from main tank. I just set one up myself and run it with small pump to get better water flow. My concern now is how long can shrimp live in it & how many can be place in it without it becoming an issue. I've read that some people have kept shrimp in the breeder boxes from eight months to two years....not sure on how many were constantly kept in there but I will assume that they did cull the babies that they didnt want in the boxes. Id say the amount of shrimp kept in there would all be dependant on the water stability and the amount of food they have based on how much moss and/or cholla woods you put in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eozen81 Posted March 14, 2015 Report Share Posted March 14, 2015 Hello, I am a new user of Marina HOB (Large) but I can definetely confirm that you need to put soil into the HOB. At first I didn't put any soil but only small mangrove root and moss and 3 baby shrimps were always on manrove. They didn't walk around the slippy floor. After I put soil every babies started to walk around as they do at the main tank. Old: Current: Soothing Shrimp and aquariumlover10 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mayphly Posted March 14, 2015 Report Share Posted March 14, 2015 Soil isn't necessary. However, you should let your box run for several weeks before putting shrimp in it so that biofilm can form inside. This will give babies something to feast on once they're born. Babies don't move much when first born. eozen81 and Soothing Shrimp 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eozen81 Posted March 15, 2015 Report Share Posted March 15, 2015 Soil isn't necessary. However, you should let your box run for several weeks before putting shrimp in it so that biofilm can form inside. This will give babies something to feast on once they're born. Babies don't move much when first born. I observed this slippy floor problem with my female, she was stressed as I put her in the box as she cannot walk around in the plastic floor. I mean not only biofilm is a problem but also the slippy floor as I observed this personally. Once you add some soil this is not a problem at all. On the contrary I didn't wait for biofilm but my 3 babies in the HOB look quite happy, they are feeding on moss, mangrowe, soil etc.... I hope they will be ok like this. mayphly 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vinn Posted March 16, 2015 Report Share Posted March 16, 2015 Added SD products underneath a layer of eco complete. Developing a nice layer of bio film. Managed to get 4 berried females already inside the breeder box. I'm moving some shrimps around that's why there's so many in the breederbox. Edit: just realized you don't really see many in the photo eozen81 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
9thdragon Posted March 16, 2015 Report Share Posted March 16, 2015 whats sd products? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monty703 Posted March 16, 2015 Report Share Posted March 16, 2015 Yes soil from the main tank does help a lot...babies will pick over it too and hide down inside until they feel comfortable enough to come out. Another trick I do with mine is cut a piece of craft rug hooking form (the type with the little holes in it) to fit along the top part that stays open, this stops the adults from swimming to the surface and surfing over the end back into the tank. Had that happen a couple of times with females that didn't want to be in there. If you cut it tight enough you can fit the bottom ends over the slots so that it doesn't move when you take the top off....it sometimes takes a few tries to get it just nice and tight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted March 16, 2015 Report Share Posted March 16, 2015 monty, would you show us that please? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyeGuy411 Posted March 16, 2015 Report Share Posted March 16, 2015 I use a 2x3cm piece oh Han's SS mesh, its fits perfectly into the litte track on the outflow of the breeder box. And its easily removed for cleaning. Soothing Shrimp 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monty703 Posted March 16, 2015 Report Share Posted March 16, 2015 NO that's not the part Im talking about. Let me see if I can take a pic of it OK here it is... I cut it to fit tight and there is NO way any adult shrimps can get out. Babies of course are a different thing, they could squeeze through those holes, but most babies stay down on the bottom for most of the 1st two or 3 weeks until they get more venturesome. Soothing Shrimp 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pratiksawai47 Posted October 22, 2015 Report Share Posted October 22, 2015 Do you guys use separate lighting system in the breeder box for the moss to thrive? Sent from my MotoE2 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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