# Filtration on a shrimp tank



## Voo (30 Mar 2008)

Hi.

When trying to breed shrimps, i know it's recommended to use a foam filter. However, i'm wondering what do people use for larger tanks?

I'm using a Tetratec EX700 on a 10g tank, modified to have foam over the end. It's only been running a couple of weeks, but i'm not too satisfied with it.

To start with, there's a lot of bits floating around in the tank. the external filter used to take care of this, but now they dont get through the foam.

my next problem is the foam is getting blocked up too fast. i was hoping that i could at least leave it for more than a couple of weeks. But, after cleaning the tank today, i noticed the lack of water flow. it was next to nothing, and i hadnt realised :/ the foam was totally blocked, yet with the foam being dark i couldnt tell.

as i havent had any baby shrimp yet, im not sure how small they'll be and what you can get away with.

could anyone advise / give suggestions on the best ways to filter, whilst stopping the floating bits, and if possible, without the foam blocking so fast !!


thanks


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## planter (30 Mar 2008)

Hi Voo,

Ive not bred shrimps before but I think if you are to continue with the external filter you should try increasing the size of the foam. The larger the surface area of the foam the longer it will take to block! I think the reason you have 'bits' floating around is because the filter was drawing so little water. Maybe try a more coarse foam this will allow more flow through it.


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## daniel19831123 (31 Mar 2008)

You need a coarse foam filter and this is quite hard to come across here. I've tried looking for it everywhere and even those that are label coarse are still to fine for our needs. The closes that I could get was the interpet spare sponges for air filter but they cost 7 quid for 4!


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## Voo (31 Mar 2008)

How coarse can the foam be? I dont want the baby shrimps to be sucked into the filter.

The foam i have at the moment is very fine. I do have another foam filter i may be able to use, but this has been in salt water so may need soaking for a while :/


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## Voo (7 Apr 2008)

daniel19831123 said:
			
		

> You need a coarse foam filter and this is quite hard to come across here. I've tried looking for it everywhere and even those that are label coarse are still to fine for our needs. The closes that I could get was the interpet spare sponges for air filter but they cost 7 quid for 4!




I managed to find some coarse foam for a orka(?) filter. It was in a big block, so i could just cut a square off and use that instead. it's working perfect so far  and only cost Â£3.50


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## fishgeek (9 Apr 2008)

i use eheinm 2213? old classic style incase i got the number wrong

i find my adult shrimp happily walking on the intake strainer with no problems at all, 
i infrequently clean my filter so the flow is a bit slower

when i clean the filter i realease the small number of young shrimp from beneath the filtermedia canister ... 

andrew


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## Egmel (10 Apr 2008)

fishgeek said:
			
		

> when i clean the filter i realease the small number of young shrimp from beneath the filtermedia canister ...


You'll probably find it's safer in there than trying to avoid the hungry mouths in the tank


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