GUIDE: Setting up Your CRS Tank with BORNEOWILD

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Fast and Easy to Set up. Simply Enjoy.

Are you fancinated by the beauty of small little critters known as Crystal Red Shrimps and simply couldn't resist the temptation of trying your hands on them? Welcome then, to join the big and still growing ranks of people in the fun and engaging hobby.

Setting up and maintaining a Shrimp Aquarium is a really simple affair as long as you grasp the grip of keeping water at the right parameters with simple to use products. In this article, we bring you a simple tutorial on how to set up a Shrimp Tank where you can also keep some nice plants as deocration.

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Get Started
To get started, first gather all materials that you will need. Find a non exhaustive list below:

• Glass Tank
• Cabinet and Hood if required
• Canister of adeqate capacity
• Light set
• Layout material such as rocks and driftwoods, or shelters etc.
• CO2 System (Optional)
• Substrate System
• Accessories such as tools.
• List of plants

It is easier to work on things all at once rather then partial installations.

Filter
With a regular size of tank more then 2ft, you can easily opt for an external canister filter option. For small tanks, we recommend either sponge filter, internal filter or hang on filter.



Light Set
With tank height of 2ft and below, you can either go for T5 or FL (Flourescent) systems.

Color of the bulb plays a good part on the color of your shrimps and plants as well. We recommend color temperature between 8000K to 10000K.



CO2 System
Not absolutely necessary but will be a good to have item if you are keeping plants. CO2 is essential for growth of plants in a planted tank besides all other factors. CO2 injection can also help to contribute pH lowering capability in the aquarium. You will need a CO2 gas tank with a solenoid regulator, bubble counter, check valves, and either a external CO2 Reactor or a internal Diffuser.



Substrate System
Gravel and base additives are another important part to the success of a planted shrimp aquarium as it is where the mineral gets slow release into the water column, and where plants will grow on.

Right at the bottom below the soil are the additives, bacterial and maturation products that helps to stabilize the aquarium quickly.



BORNEOWILD MINERAX : Essential Minerals
BORNEOWILD HUMIC : Increases capability of GH/PH regulation
BORNEOWILD VIGOR : A Super bacterium product that activates bacterial activities.
BORNEOWILD BACTER CRYSTAL : Soil Bacterial



Layout Material

We recommend using BorneoWild Minerocks as the layout rock, especially for a small tank.

Some rocks contains lime or other minerals which could raise the pH/KH of water. Sometimes, this is undesirable as pH of planted tank is best kept in the range of 6.5-6.8. If the rocks have opaque white streaks, it is possible one that will leech minerals.



Layout Tools
There are many aquascaping tools available at different quality and price range. In BorneoWild, more then 25 types of tools for various purposes are made available. The tools are basically designed to make planting and trimming different types of plants easy.




For more information of various tools, please CLICK HERE >>

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Laying the Substate Additive Medium
Spread the various additive thinly over the base of the tank. We recommend between 1.5-2inch thickness of soil.

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Pour the remainder of the soil into the tank and create your desired slope and surface with a sand flattener.

Next, layout the aquascape using BorneoWild Minerocks to your desired design.

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Next, start placing the plants into the tank. We recommend modular plants such as Mini Fissiden on rock, Moss on rocks, Anubias or Bucephalandra sp species that can grow with and without Co2 injection.

The advantage of using modular plants is that you are able to re-scape very easily without having to mess up the small tank too much.

Bucephalandra sp is a new series of semi-aquatic plants that are highly popular in many parts of the world now.

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Adding Water

After setting up the plants and rocks, it is time to add water. We recommend adding BORNEOWILD CLEANSE and BORNEOWILD RECHARGE to the newly added water. New water from the tap are usually heavy in chlorine, chloramine and other heavy metals and may cause harm to the plants.

You may also add some BORNEOWILD BACTER CRYSTAL if you did not use all up during the set up phase.

Using these water conditioners help to creates a better water environment where the ecosystem can build up and mature faster.

Start the filter running.

Start the fan or chiller too.

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Adding the Shrimps

After 1-2 Weeks, when you determine that the water is stable and mature, you may start adding shrimps. It is advisable to always start with a few pieces and observe the survivability before you start adding more.

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Maintain and Upkeeping the Shrimps




After you have keep the shrimps for some time now, you may want to consider some other additive products to enhance the color, size or health of the shrimps.

Here, we recommend a list of other products with their basic functionability:

CRIMSON - Improves redness of the shrimp shell
WHITE - Improves whiteness of the shrimp shell
STOUT - Improves shininess and appeal of the shrimp shell
SHIELD - Builds up Immunity
VITAL - Basic Vitamin
GH UP - Increases GH.
HUMIC - Regulates GH/PH. Use below soil as well as in water column.
DANCE - Increases chances of shrimp getting pregnant
VIGOR - Promotes growth, moulting and water quality. Use below soil too.

FERRUM - With or without Co2 injection and fertilization, you can use Ferrum to improve the growth of plants.