Half-bare-bottom tank setup

[randy]

First of all, here is an example of my tanks. I think a picture is worth a thousand words, you should be able to figure out how to set this up ;-) Many people have adopted this setup and so far all gave me positive feedback.


 

 

Most of my tanks are set up this way. In my opinion and from my experience, the best way to set up a tank for breeding.

• Not much scape for better circulation and easier to catch shrimps.
• Half tank with bare bottom.
• Small UGF on the substrate side. I don't believe too much of UGF's filtration power in active substrate, but this way the new water from water change can be "bufferred" faster. I think that's more important than the filtration power it provides.
• (Optionally) Deeper substrate with filter media right above the UGF plate.
• Aquaclear 70 with a sponge fiter as the prefilter. In most case I actually turn down the water flow as AC 70, even with sponge pre-filter, creates too much of a current to my liking.
• Tank size : 5 to 15 Gallons (5 G for selective breeding, 10-15 G for mass breeding or grow up tank)
• We use ADA Amazonia for most tanks, some tanks with Netlea CRS substrate or even akadama topped with AdA. If I'm to choose just one, I'll say ADA all the way.
• The only filter media I use is Seachem Matrix, with very little Eheim stuff that came with the canister filters for some tanks.

 

So, why half bare bottom?

• You probably know shrimps poo a lot, but you have no idea exactly how much. With half bare bottom, I place food on the bare bottom side. If you have observed how shrimp feed, food basically goes through the intestine track very quickly. Very often you will see them pooing and eating at the same time. So this setup allows they to poo at least more than 50% on the bare bottom side (simple math), and result is that you can clean up easily without disturbing the substrate.
• A lot of time a tank would crash for no obvious reason. And if you tear it down and redo it you will find an bad odor from the substrate. I think it's because left over food and feces build up in the substrate over time and decay down there. One symptom of this is nitrate spike and nitrate level goes back quicky even after a water change. So with food placed on the bare bottom, you slow down this process by 50% assuming you clean up the feces on the bare bottom side.
• I find that biofilm grows faster on the bare bottom side. Not sure if it's just visually but it seems to me that way.
• You probably save some substrate this way.
• Easier water change : I'm not a very patient person, for most of my tanks I don't drip in the new water. I use a bucket and just pour the well prepared new water in (about 2 G of water in less than 10 seconds). And I always pour the new water into the bare side, this way substrate doesn't get blown everywhere (and stirring up that dirty pile under).

 

[Soothing Shrimp]

I'm guessing you vacuum the bare side. How do you avoid sucking up babies?

[wicca32]

i must say i kinda like the look of these tanks. i have thought about doing one myself

[randy]

I'm guessing you vacuum the bare side. How do you avoid sucking up babies?

 

I use airline tube tie to a long net handle to vacuum the bare side. On the outlet side of the tube, I place a feeding net so if a baby or two got sucked in they are in the net and easier to rescue.

[JamesHe]

I use airline tube tie to a long net handle to vacuum the bare side. On the outlet side of the tube, I place a feeding net so if a baby or two got sucked in they are in the net and easier to rescue.

I use water bucket to collect waste water, if I suck any shrimp, at end just net it back to tank.

[High5's]

Nice set up! I'm about to set up tanks just like that, what you say make's a lot of sense I to think this is the way to go for a breeding set up.

[Elo500]

Is that about 3" of substrate? I supposed the glass divider can be bought at any hardware store? Does this picture have the ug filter ? I see a lot of cube tanks in shrimp racks, is that just because the size /shape fits better on the rack vs a cheap 10g? Thanks for the explanation.

[MABJ]

I'm a sucker for beautiful scapes, but I may try this some day. It looks super shrimp oriented.

[randy]

Is that about 3" of substrate? I supposed the glass divider can be bought at any hardware store? Does this picture have the ug filter ? I see a lot of cube tanks in shrimp racks, is that just because the size /shape fits better on the rack vs a cheap 10g? Thanks for the explanation.

The more the longer it will last. I wouldn't do more than 3" although this tank is about that.

 

I cut the glass myself, you won't find the exact size for your tank in hardware store although some will cut them for you.

 

There are two tanks in that picture. The uplifting tube on the right in each picture is the UGF tube.

 

These are regular shape tanks (20"x13"x12"), but placed width-wise so I can put more tanks in one rack.

 

 

 

I'm a sucker for beautiful scapes, but I may try this some day. It looks super shrimp oriented.

 

I know....so this is only for shrimp room ;-) However, most people told me that they don't see anything else other than the shrimps so scaping is always ignored ;-)

 

[MABJ]

Hard to ignore my scapes when I'm done with them ^^

[Vicente Mcdonnell]

Does the UGF + ADA soil make cloudy brown water?

[Subtletanks91]

I'm going ro be adapting this at HW end of the year when the shrimp atop breeding and I can sell off the excess culls. I'll be doing 3" amazonia 1" substrat pro. And a puzzle ugf. I'll be doing a u shape though because of the rectangle shape of a ten gallon I think it will look alot cleaner and neeter. Plus I need room for my buce and moss

[Subtletanks91]

Is that a fuge ray or p+? And are those 7.5 or 25g cubes

[ctaylor3737]

Awesome man, your open to people,using your idea? I'm thinking of using. Will it use less substrate? You use the lexan stuff?

[Soothing Shrimp]

That's why he posted.  The less secrets in this hobby the better.  For example- It never hurt reptile breeders by putting out public info how to breed, genetics or husbandry.  IN fact, it increased sales HUGE!

 

Told ya he was a pretty cool guy.

[randy]

Does the UGF + ADA soil make cloudy brown water?

No, but I only use a small plate (7"x11") and air lifting. I wouldn't use powerhead to power the UGF with ADA. The idea is that water does go through the substrate in a slower speed to utilize the active substrate, but not so strong that it would deplete the active substrate too fast. This is particularly important if you do regular water change. The new water needs to blend in with the tank water and buffered by the substrate, without UGF it takes much longer for that to be done. Easy experiment for this, when cycling new tanks I always just use tap water for the first fill. For tank with UGF, the PH would go down to around 6 within 24 hrs, for tanks without UGF, it can take more than 3 days.

 

Most people think active substrate is just used to lower the PH, I have to disagree. I think the nutrients it releases to the water that in trun promote the healthy grows of micro-organism is more important the PH. There are cheaper way to lower PH.

 

Is that a fuge ray or p+? And are those 7.5 or 25g cubes

It's fugray plant version. These are 13G tank (20"x12"x13") but placed widthwise, so I can fit more tanks in the rack.

 

Awesome man, your open to people,using your idea? I'm thinking of using. Will it use less substrate? You use the lexan stuff?

Of course, that's why I posted this ;-) I've tried many different ways of tank setup, this is by far the best way so far. I'm not saying I won't keep trying.

 

That's why he posted.  The less secrets in this hobby the better.  For example- It never hurt reptile breeders by putting out public info how to breed, genetics or husbandry.  IN fact, it increased sales HUGE!

 

Told ya he was a pretty cool guy.

 

Soothing Shrimp, thanks for the kind words. My wife often asks me if you keep telling people how you breed shrimps, some day everyone would be breeding them and no one will buy shrimps from you. I have to disagree (she doesn't know this forum yet so I get to say whatever LOL).

 

Promoting this hobby is always my #1 goal. In fact we have a monthly g2g for local hobbyists and one was hosted in my place last night. I prepared beers and refreshments in the sofa area but most guys wouldn't leave the shrimproom LOL

 

[Subtletanks91]

Lol, that's the thing, once you get anyone over to the house they don't leave the fish room. I've had several people over to pick up some plants end up staying for an hour or so

[Vicente Mcdonnell]

How do you stick the glass to the aquarium? silicone? I might do the same thing but with acrylic.

also looks like there s a small gap under the glass where some of the round media are escaping a bit, is that for circulation?

[randy]

How do you stick the glass to the aquarium? silicone? I might do the same thing but with acrylic.

also looks like there s a small gap under the glass where some of the round media are escaping a bit, is that for circulation?

I silicone the divider in place. For more expensive tank, you can make a L shape divider and with two pieces of glass lay on the bare side to hold it in place so you don't need silicone.

 

No, the bottom of the divider is completely sealed off. Some filter medias are place on the bare part to grow more biofilm.

[ctaylor3737]

No, but I only use a small plate (7"x11") and air lifting. I wouldn't use powerhead to power the UGF with ADA. The idea is that water does go through the substrate in a slower speed to utilize the active substrate, but not so strong that it would deplete the active substrate too fast. This is particularly important if you do regular water change. The new water needs to blend in with the tank water and buffered by the substrate, without UGF it takes much longer for that to be done. Easy experiment for this, when cycling new tanks I always just use tap water for the first fill. For tank with UGF, the PH would go down to around 6 within 24 hrs, for tanks without UGF, it can take more than 3 days.

Most people think active substrate is just used to lower the PH, I have to disagree. I think the nutrients it releases to the water that in trun promote the healthy grows of micro-organism is more important the PH. There are cheaper way to lower PH.

It's fugray plant version. These are 13G tank (20"x12"x13") but placed widthwise, so I can fit more tanks in the rack.

Of course, that's why I posted this ;-) I've tried many different ways of tank setup, this is by far the best way so far. I'm not saying I won't keep trying.

Soothing Shrimp, thanks for the kind words. My wife often asks me if you keep telling people how you breed shrimps, some day everyone would be breeding them and no one will buy shrimps from you. I have to disagree (she doesn't know this forum yet so I get to say whatever LOL).

Promoting this hobby is always my #1 goal. In fact we have a monthly g2g for local hobbyists and one was hosted in my place last night. I prepared beers and refreshments in the sofa area but most guys wouldn't leave the shrimproom LOL

My exact plan for my shrimp room haha

[Soothing Shrimp]

Just a note here that silicone will not stick to acrylic, so acrylic cannot be glued to glass via silicone.

[Subtletanks91]

So how the heck am I supposed to se.... Never mind I figured it out, since I'm doing a u shape all I need to do is secure acrylic to acrylic and set in place haha

[Soothing Shrimp]

+1 That's what I'd do.

[Subtletanks91]

Lol. I've used silicone before to make my betas breeding box with acrylic. And it held very very well for about 6 months. The only mistake I made was putting rocks in it after 24 hours and in my 55g tank. The bottom fell out. But when I dismantled it, the walls were still stuck together I had to pry them apart. Very unusual

[EricM]

Just a note here that silicone will not stick to acrylic, so acrylic cannot be glued to glass via silicone.

 

 

back from the deal since the link was shared in another thread and i guess i missed this thread anyways.

 

Not sure I agree with that.. My sump and all my split tanks use acrylic dividers siliconed in place on glass tanks. 

maybe its the technique i used to glue that works. i run a bead of silicon first where i want the acrylic then i place the piece in. then i also run a bead on each side of the acrylic.

so its like a C around the edge of each piece. never had any come loose or any issues that way. the ones in my sump are also taking a lot of pressure from the HMF sponge stuffed between the sections.