# Internal filter that won't suck up shrimp and fry



## sithspawn (May 28, 2006)

Hi all, I have an ongoing problem of trying to figure out which internal filter to use for a tank full of fry or small shrimp. The tank i've got is a 1ft (length) by 7" (height by 6.5" (width). Previously I used a Eheim 2010 Internal filter in my 2ft shrimp tank amd since it's transparent, you could see that most of the shrimp were inside the filter. In fact it was like a shrimp condo; none of them were hanging out in the tank! This problem was due more to the shrimp being curious so they voluntarily entered the filter. I actually used a media bag to enclose the filter but the shrimp still kept clinging to the filter instead of hanging on to the plants and moss. My main worry is that the shrimp were pregnant and the shrimplet were going to get sucked in for sure. Eventually I used my Eheim 2026 external canister coupled to a chiller (In Singapore the water temp can hit 30 deg C, The chiller brings it down to 24 Deg C). I used the 2026 since I needed something with a little power to cycle the water through the chiller. That tank is fine now after putting a sponge to cover the inlet. Using an external filter for the 1ft tank is an overkill for sure even though I have an Eheim classic 2211 ( the smallest of the external canisters). I was thinking of an Eheim Liberty. I've got a pair of Bettas that have spawned and I used another 2ft tank with no filters, only an air pump but I couldn't change the water for weeks otherwise i would end up throwing the fry away as well. Although they do need aged water but the bare bottom of the tank was a mess and the fry were just plain too small to avoid when changing water or sucking up the gunk on the floor. Anyone using the Liberty can advice me if it's gonna suck up shrimplet or fry? Or If anyone has an alternative method for filteration for a small tank with tiny inhabitants? Thanks.


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## random_alias (Nov 7, 2005)

You could always buy a powerhead or water pump rated 1 or 2 steps above the GPH you desire. A small cube of sponge over the intake strainer and it becomes a water driven sponge filter and should be as critter safe as any other motor driven filter.

Versatile. Cheap. Silent. Easy maintenance. Works great in my nanos.

It can handle circulation, mechanical filtration, biological filtration and Co2 diffusion all at once.

It you think it would still suck up babies with the sponge you can always cut a small square of polyester batting and place that under the intake as well. Then you have porous and extra fine filtration.


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## fantasticaqua (Jun 20, 2006)

The liberty is a nice filter for this type of tank. I use a sponge that is formed in the shape of a cylinder over the inlet to my power filter and the water flow to low in my hatch tanks. This keeps the fry from working their way into the filters.


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## sithspawn (May 28, 2006)

*Pregnant shrimp again*

A couple of my Green cherries, Red cherries and Malayan shrimp are pregnant again, But i'm leaving them in the 2ft Tank while I redo the nano tank with ADA aquasoil and tiny plants and moss. My previous set up had a rock that had too many crevices for them to hide. I need to be able to keep track of them lest the die under the rock. Anyways I'm gonna split the CO2 from the 2ft tank with a 2 way brass manifold and inject some of it to the nano tank. The aquasoil and CO2 are to keep the PH low without using chemicals. I find that after every water change something will die in my 2ft tank because of the Seachem acid buffer I use to lower the PH. My PH on it's own can hit 8.5 and CO2 alone can't be used bring it down; I'll be suffocating them as well After a few weeks i'll put a filter in the nano tank for about 1 week before i put in a couple of cherries in and see if it's stable enough before i use it for fry and shrimplet. From what I know ADA soil is a bit on the poisonous side for shrimp unless the plants have used up some of the free floating nutrients first and then filteration should be used after a few weeks. Too early and you might end up filtering the plant nutrients as well. BTW i'm gonna check the Liberty out and see how it goes. The Eheim pickup 2010 will probably be used in my 2ft for more mature fry like my bettas are now; all above 1/2 inch...too big to get sucked in. Thanks for the advice!


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