Sophia Posted December 11, 2010 Report Share Posted December 11, 2010 I am taking the plunge in a small way, in the shape of a 22L tank. I will set it up in the garage so there won't be extremes in temperature and it will get a short time of a sliver of sunlight when the sun goes past that part of the room. In there I will put my bugs caught in the sheep trough (and more when I go hunting again) and I will be going hunting some shrimps and the like later. Questions: Who: If I am lucky enough to catch a bullie or 2, will that tank big enough, or should I let them go and stick with shrimps and trough bugs? My original idea was to grow bugs for feeding to the fish only but my fish-greed has returned and I wonder what else could be kept. Is there a limit on the amount of shrimps that should be kept? Filter: Presuming I need a filter, is one better than another? I don't want much current in a little tank, so I was thinking of a hang on back filter, or a little corner sponge jobbie. Light: I think filtered daylight from the other side of the room is enough light, please correct me if I'm wrong. There are no curtains on the room so they will get all naturally occurring daylight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshlikesfish Posted December 11, 2010 Report Share Posted December 11, 2010 Shrimp will probably get sucked up the hang on back so you'd need to use a pre-filter sponge. Basically any open cell sponge over the inlet will work, as long as the sponge doesn't have holes big enough for the shrimp to get through(apparently they can get through some sizes from what I read online) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia Posted December 12, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 I didn't think of that, thanks Josh. Further research into fish, it looks like an indoor unchilled tank wouldn't be cold enough for bullies. Unless I find some living in the warm sheep trough that is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zev Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 Sponge filter should be fine in a tank that size. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supasi Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 Temperature regulation will bet the hardest in a tank that size. You need plenty of dissolved Oxygen so will need plenty of surface movement. The bigger the tank the better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia Posted December 12, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 bigger tank not an option at this point, so it will have to be shrimps and bugs only then. Zev, do you have any photos of your daphnia set up you could post? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 unless your garage is lined and insulated they are inclined to fluctuate in temperature quite wildly. Have you tried following the temp in there, preferably with a thermometer that logs the minimum and maximum (cheap from gardening sections) With native tanks it is more relevant to give the dimensions than just the volume - ground are is so important. It will probably be fine for bugs (I love bug tanks!) though you will probably want a light to be able to see them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia Posted December 13, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2010 I haven't monitored the temperature but it's generally a steadily warm zone. It's under the house, made of concrete and bricks and there is a room to the side where I will put the bugs. It's always warmer than outside in winter and a little cooler than outside in summer. I haven't bought a tank yet but the one I'm thinking of is 30cm long x 28 deep and high. It might be 28x28x28, I'm not 100% sure. I was thinking of having one made but it seemed a little too anxious for raising bugs. The next thing that bugs me about bugs is the conflicting information I have found about raising them. I want to raise pond bugs to feed to the fish, and my source of various bugs is the sheep trough. So I thought I could copy that environment and set up a bare tank with appropriate food and cover. Then I realised some sort of filter would surely be necessary. Then I found an article on culturing daphnia alone and it says no filter, and only very gentle aeration so they don't get bubbles under their jackets. I'm all for trial and error but also keeping things cheap so if I don't need a filter I don't want to buy one. But I do want to have them reproducing and living semi-normally in the enclosed space. Any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia Posted December 13, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2010 Stella, have just found your 'new pond critter tank' thread where you made the 3 foot tank after having a 1 foot going. This is pretty much what I was aiming for - did/do you use any filtration? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supasi Posted December 13, 2010 Report Share Posted December 13, 2010 Replicate the trough. Dont worry about filtration. Just do small water changes once a week or fortnight. You will require light to promote algae growth as thats what alot of critters eat. If the water if too clean the bugs wont survive. I have heaps of bug jugs around the house. Mossies, daphnia, bloodworms, blackworms. All are unfiltered, just the blackworms have a bubble to airate the water. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted December 13, 2010 Report Share Posted December 13, 2010 Nope, no filtration, just periodic (3-4weekly) 50% waterchanges. The deep peat is probably doing something, and the plants are sucking up nitrogen (especially the lemna and azolla, which needs regular removal). No idea what the water quality is like, but the bugs seem to be happy. I love my critter tank. Will be a definite chapter addition to the second addition of my book Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia Posted December 13, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2010 Thanks guys for the confirmation. :bounce: All I need to do now is get the tank and I'm ready to start ! :bounce: I have some hauraki peat moss - the sort in the yellow bag from the garden centre - is that OK to put as the substrate? I've got a pond plant or 2 on my watchlist at TM if I don't find anything when out hunting too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted December 14, 2010 Report Share Posted December 14, 2010 yup, the yellow-bag peat is what I use. It can be a nightmare to sink. Takes ages to absorb water and there is often a lot of fine stuff that gets suspended. Here is what I recommend: 1: microwave it first - put in a large glass microvaveable bowl (glass won't absorb colours/smells), add water and mix to get it wet and 'muddy' and microwave for 10 minutes. (this will be messy) 2: put in tank, fill tank, leave to settle for a while. 3: scoop off the floaties. 4: using a siphon, suck out as much of the water as you can. Refill. Stir up the peat and let settle again, resuspending the fines. Repeat until the water is fairly clear of fines (will be a lovely tea colour) It takes a while to sort the peat, maybe a week for a medium tank, your little one night be faster. Add leaf litter over top - stops things stirring up the peat and gives a better substrate for different critters. Oh, and search the archive, I have talked randomly about the joys of peat substrate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia Posted December 14, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2010 Thanks Stella, I will do as you suggest. I will start soaking some leaves now so they are sunk by the weekend. These are going to be spoilt bugs. I will have to arrange a sheep to visit and drink from the tank now and again so they don't miss their old home Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zev Posted December 14, 2010 Report Share Posted December 14, 2010 Sounds like someone needs some old concrete washtubs in the back yard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia Posted December 14, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2010 no way jose, I am keeping my commitment small and tidy and moveable! I AM DISCIPLINE! ... now off to make some microwaved mud :happy2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia Posted December 14, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2010 Mmmm delicious peat pudding hot from the microwave! :love: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueether Posted December 14, 2010 Report Share Posted December 14, 2010 Give it a week or two and it might look like: Green with a few bugs :nilly: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia Posted December 14, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2010 That would be great. My next thing to think about is what plant(s) to give my bugs. Would be cool to grow a pond plant that grows out of the pond rather than something solely submersed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zev Posted December 14, 2010 Report Share Posted December 14, 2010 no way jose, I am keeping my commitment small and tidy and moveable! I AM DISCIPLINE! Yeah right... lets see how long that lasts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia Posted December 14, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2010 this is where I need that dancing banana Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia Posted December 14, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2010 My next thing to think about is what plant(s) to give my bugs. Would be cool to grow a pond plant that grows out of the pond rather than something solely submersed. hint hint... suggestions welcome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueether Posted December 14, 2010 Report Share Posted December 14, 2010 hint hint... suggestions welcome That little tank above has yellow button in it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted December 14, 2010 Report Share Posted December 14, 2010 Love the microwaved mud! :lol: And great photo blueether! Supasi is the one to ask if you are interested in natives plants. Also check out your library for the New Zealand Waterplants book (Coffey and Clayton). I think lighting might be an issue for plants in this setup, but nitella would probably be just fine. This is a native branched algae that looks like a plant and does just fine with minimal light. There are photos of it in my critter tank thread. (whoa, sudden influx of new emoticons!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia Posted December 14, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2010 That little tank above has yellow button in it is that one of these? http://www.trademe.co.nz/Home-living/Pe ... 864474.htm http://www.trademe.co.nz/Home-living/Pe ... 864475.htm looks like I have a lot more reading to do !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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