[gabriele.simion]

This is the jar I built for the opae ula
It is a 3 L jar, but the net volume without the decorations is 2,450 L (I measured it)
On the bottom there is a black inert gravel and inert rocks. In the future i am going to add a sea fan
I prepared the water with osmosis + 48 g of Instant Ocean Marine Salt. To prevent acidification I added two small pieces of cuttlefish bones under the gravel.
I started cycling on next saturday adding a small piece of fish flakes and a bit of spirulina
The tank has not direct light, but receive light from the lamp from the tank behind (12 h for day) and from the tank at his right (8 h/d). Both lamp are 13 W. I hope it is enough.

IMG_20201109_085011624.jpg (780.41 KiB) Viewed 8747 times

IMG_20201109_085031536.jpg (1.05 MiB) Viewed 8747 times

[Vorteil]

I would add the shrimp in there first and feed them in order to start the cycle. I don't like the thought of adding food into the jar and just letting it rot. If it's pure water there's really noting in there.

[gabriele.simion]

I added a starter of nitrifying bacteria with the food
I fear that not doing the cycling before adding the shrimp I will lose them
Normally when I cycle a freshwater tank i do it adding filter material from a mature tank, but now I can't because I haven't a brackish tank

i think to put in there a bit of Cladophora crispata from a freshwater tank. this alga is known to be immortal, so it could survive.

[gabriele.simion]

i put a small fragment of Cladophora crispata in the jar. if it will survive, good. if it will not, it gives organic matter for maturation

[Vorteil]

I feel that in order to really get the cycling going you need to add the shrimp + feed them to get the waste going to feed the algae. I've done many of my tanks & jars this way. Lost none. The opae put out very little waste to begin with. You'll also be adding the water that the opae come with that should have the algae spores to get you going.

[gabriele.simion]

@Vorteil,

I feel that in order to really get the cycling going you need to add the shrimp + feed them to get the waste going to feed the algae. I've done many of my tanks & jars this way. Lost none. The opae put out very little waste to begin with. You'll also be adding the water that the opae come with that should have the algae spores to get you going.

I'll try to order 10 shrimps and put them in it. I hope everything it'll be fine.
I confess that i'm a bit worried to do this, but i'll try

[Vorteil]

where are you located?

[gabriele.simion]

where are you located?

In Italy, but i found them in Europe

[Vorteil]

Are they hard to find in Italy? I had someone trying to buy those from me but it's expensive to export out of the US.

[gabriele.simion]

@Vorteil, some people breed them but now too less to spare
many import specimens from germany
in past i tried to order them from a czech wholesaler but they asked 19,80€ for specimen