Sponge Filter / Shrimp Tank Ideas

[71_Bronco]

Hello all, first time posting on here.

I have a 20 Long set up with a variety of nano-sized community fish, and I'm planning a new "shrimp" tank.

My shrimp tank is going to be a custom "5 gallon breeder". I'm using a 10 gallon and cutting it down in height since I won't have many (if any at all) fish in it, and I've read that shrimp will prefer the larger bottom vs a tall tank.

For filtration, I was originally going to build my own baffle design in the tank (similar to the fluval tanks) so it would be very clean on the outside and everything would be contained. However, lately, I've been thinkkng about going the simpler route and doing a pair of small sponge filters as I think they would be better for the shrimp (provide aeration, not too much flow, food source, etc).

I have a well, so my water is on the hard side, and higher PH (about 7.8). I've read that the neocaridina shrimp would be better suited to my water. This kind of works out as I was leaning more towards the yellow "golden back".

The thoughts for the tank was to do plants (have a variety in my 20 long), and do natural wood, a small 25 watt heater, and a pair of small sponge filters (one on each side).

I just wanted to post my ideas and have some people chime in to see if this idea would work. Id like them to breed, as I think it would be very fun to watch.

Thanks!

[Maggie]

My yellow neocardinia shrimp hang out on and around the sponge filter and pretty much anywhere else. I also have a small shrimp-safe filter. They love plants and spend a lot of time on my floating water sprite as it has so much surface area for algae and bits of food to get stuck in. Good luck!!