Unheated tank with shrimp and polycarbonate sheets question

[knee]

Finally done setting up my 60 breeder and now I have an empty 20 long which I’ve decided to house shrimp instead of pea puffers. I will keep the tank unheated but I do have a bunch of extra ACO heaters incase I need it. I have an unheated 5g that doesn’t go below 60F even during the winter so I’m assuming a 20g will be better at keeping the temp stable. 
 

What fish can I keep in this tank that won’t harm the shrimp? I’ve already planned on adding heterandria Formosa but I want to see if there’s other fish I can add. I do prefer to keep the fish small and maybe the same size as the heterandria but I’m open to other suggestions as long as they will not harm the shrimp. This tank will focus on the shrimp instead of fish. 
 

My other question is about polycarbonate sheets to be used as aquarium lids. My 60 breeder doesn’t have a lid and I want to use the twin wall polycarbonate as lids. To the people that use them what do you use to cut the sheets? Does it block a lot of light? What’s your overall feedback regarding them? 

[AllFishNoBrakes]

On 3/26/2024 at 3:43 PM, knee said:

What fish can I keep in this tank that won’t harm the shrimp?

Anything that would also like the same temperature water. Keep in mind that any fish will eat shrimplets. My advice would be to let your shrimp colony get WELL established before you add any fish. Also, with shrimp in general, you want the tank to be well seasoned with algae and biofilms and other things for them to graze on all day long before you stock the shrimp. Sounds like the tank is probably already there, but still good advice. 
-All of my shrimp tanks have been unheated. No issues there from my experience. 
 

If you’re able to, find shrimp that were born and raised in your local water. You will have waaaaay more success if you have a well established and seasoned tank and you can source locally bred shrimp. 
 

On 3/26/2024 at 3:43 PM, knee said:

To the people that use them what do you use to cut the sheets? Does it block a lot of light? What’s your overall feedback regarding them? 

When I was setting up a ton of tanks I bought a sheet and made as many lids as possible out of it. I think I was able to make 8 lids from a single 4’x7’ sheet. Cut to size, cut again lengthwise to make a hinge, and then I just taped mine back together with clear tape. They’ve held up well over the past 4 years. I cut mine with a pair of tin snips (I used to work construction, so I happened to have the tool). Scissors should work fine but might be a bit of a pain. A table saw would be excellent if you have one. Don’t overthink it; they’re just plastic. 
 

They actually allow a TON of light through. Probably the thing that allows the most light besides not having a lid at all. Once you think about them being primarily used for greenhouses it makes a lot of sense. Cory has said that with a par meter he’s tested that they actually allow more light to pass through them over glass or acrylic. Again, they’re used primarily for greenhouses, so it makes sense. 
 

I think that the polycarbonate lids are a great option if you have a lot of tanks. However, every tank I’ve set up once I ran out of the sheet has a glass lid. If the glass lid is in your budget I would personally just do that. If you wanna play around, or enjoy DIY’ing things, then making your own lids is a relatively inexpensive way to tinker. 

Edited March 26 by AllFishNoBrakes

[knee]

On 3/26/2024 at 2:57 PM, AllFishNoBrakes said:

My advice would be to let your shrimp colony get WELL established before you add any fish. Also, with shrimp in general, you want the tank to be well seasoned with algae and biofilms and other things for them to graze on all day long before you stock the shrimp.

I agree and thats what im planning on. Im trading a few extra supplies i have for shrimP later when i get home from work. The tank they’re going in has been setup for more than a year now. It’s been overrun with pond snails at the moment. 
 

Do you think i can use the pvc cutter for cutting polycarbonate? I dont mind buying an actual cutter but if i can use what i have I would prefer that. I want to switch all my tanks to polycarbonate cause I’ve broken a few glass lids when trying to clean them and have cut myself a handful of times 😣

[AllFishNoBrakes]

On 3/26/2024 at 4:29 PM, knee said:

Do you think i can use the pvc cutter for cutting polycarbonate?

The best answer I can give is, maybe? The only pvc cutter I know of is meant to cut round pvc pipes 

[Dacotua]

On 3/26/2024 at 4:43 PM, knee said:

Finally done setting up my 60 breeder and now I have an empty 20 long which I’ve decided to house shrimp instead of pea puffers. I will keep the tank unheated but I do have a bunch of extra ACO heaters incase I need it. I have an unheated 5g that doesn’t go below 60F even during the winter so I’m assuming a 20g will be better at keeping the temp stable. 
 

What fish can I keep in this tank that won’t harm the shrimp? I’ve already planned on adding heterandria Formosa but I want to see if there’s other fish I can add. I do prefer to keep the fish small and maybe the same size as the heterandria but I’m open to other suggestions as long as they will not harm the shrimp. This tank will focus on the shrimp instead of fish. 
 

My other question is about polycarbonate sheets to be used as aquarium lids. My 60 breeder doesn’t have a lid and I want to use the twin wall polycarbonate as lids. To the people that use them what do you use to cut the sheets? Does it block a lot of light? What’s your overall feedback regarding them? 

I use a straight edge and a box cutter to cut the poly carbon sheets. You cut them similar to glass. You take your straight edge, place it on the sheet where you want to cut. Run the box cutter down the sheet, scratching the surface all the way down. Run the box cutter 4-8 times down the sheet in the same spot. Next grab the sheet flex it across the scratches you just made. If you scratched it deep enough, it will snap along it and your done. If it doesn't snap, place your straight edge along the line and proceed to use your box cutter and cut along the line again 4-8 times.  Then try to flex it at the scratch mark. It will snap eventually.

I use single thickness lexan for my lids when I need them. They are light and crystal clear.

 

[johnnyxxl]

On 3/26/2024 at 5:43 PM, knee said:

 

My other question is about polycarbonate sheets to be used as aquarium lids. My 60 breeder doesn’t have a lid and I want to use the twin wall polycarbonate as lids. To the people that use them what do you use to cut the sheets? Does it block a lot of light? What’s your overall feedback regarding them? 

I used a table saw with a very fine tooth blade, and no the green house polycarbonate didn't block the light, take a look in the picture below 

[knee]

On 3/26/2024 at 6:25 PM, Dacotua said:

I use single thickness lexan for my lids when I need them. They are light and crystal clear.

Do they warp eventually? I was looking at the single thickness sheets but was worried about warping. I was leaning towards buying the twin wall polycarbonate 

[johnnyxxl]

On 3/27/2024 at 3:07 PM, knee said:

Do they warp eventually? I was looking at the single thickness sheets but was worried about warping. I was leaning towards buying the twin wall polycarbonate 

The lexan will warp and absorb water with time.

[Dacotua]

On 3/27/2024 at 6:03 PM, johnnyxxl said:

The lexan will warp and absorb water with time.

Maybe, but I have had a lid made of it now going on 4-1/2 years.

 

[johnnyxxl]

On 3/27/2024 at 11:21 PM, Dacotua said:

Maybe, but I have had a lid made of it now going on 4-1/2 years.

 

https://youtu.be/mHIcPnJ6NJg?si=i2-1f4LNRbWhgrSL

[reefhugger]

On 3/26/2024 at 6:29 PM, knee said:

I’ve broken a few glass lids when trying to clean them and have cut myself a handful of times

I was interested in your post about lids as I recently cut the daylights out of my wrist wrestling a heavy glass lid off a tank.  😬 Good information here.