What equipment do you really need?

When you start reading about shrimp on the internet, it can feel like you need to buy half the aquarium store to succeed.

Filters, pumps, heaters, CO₂ systems, water preparation, test equipment, special feed, minerals and advanced lighting.

But how much of this is really needed?

The answer is much simpler than many people think.

Most successful shrimp aquariums are based on the same basic principle:

Stability is more important than advanced equipment.

In this article, we'll go over what's really needed, what's good to have, and what can wait until later.

The most important thing first

If you are only going to buy what is really needed to start a shrimp aquarium, you will need:

• Aquarium
• Filters
• Lighting
• Bottom material
• Plants
• Prawns

More than that is actually not required to get started.

The aquarium

For beginners, we recommend an aquarium of at least 20-30 litres.

Smaller aquariums work, but become more sensitive to changes in temperature and water values.

A slightly larger aquarium provides better stability and is often easier to manage.

The filter – the aquarium's most important piece of equipment

If there's one piece of equipment you shouldn't compromise on, it's the filter.

The filter has two important tasks:

• Keep the water clean
• Make room for beneficial bacteria

For shrimp, it is important that the filter is shrimp-proof.

Small shrimp fry are only a few millimeters in size and can otherwise be sucked into the filter.

AquaShrimp's range includes, for example:

• NSF-C200L
• MAXBIO-200L

excellent in smaller shrimp aquariums.

They provide gentle circulation while offering a large biological filter surface.

Air pump - is it necessary?

Not always.

Many smaller filters create sufficient movement in the water on their own.

But in some aquariums, an air pump together with air stones can provide:

• Better oxygenation
• Increased circulation
• Extra safety during hot summer days

This is why many shrimp farmers use air driven filters or air stones.

Lighting

Shrimp don't really care much about what light you use.

However, the plants care.

The goal is to create an environment where plants, moss and biofilm can develop.

A simple LED lighting goes a long way in most shrimp aquariums.

Bottom material

The bottom material affects both the appearance and the biology of the aquarium.

For beginners works:

• Dark sand
• Fine-grained gravel
• Inert soil

excellent.

Dark bottoms also often highlight the shrimp's colors better.

Plants - more important than many people think

If there's one thing that instantly improves a shrimp tank, it's plants.

Plants provide:

• Hiding places
• Natural cinema
• More stable environment
• Better water quality

Good plants from AquaShrimp's range are, for example:

• Hydrocotyle tripartita
• Schismatoglottis prietoi
• Hottonia palustris
• Rotala indica 'Bonsai'

These work great in shrimp aquariums and provide plenty of surface for the shrimp to graze on.

Do you need a heater?

Often not.

Neocaridina shrimps such as:

• Bloody Mary
• Ride Sakura
• Blue Dream
• Blue Velvet
• Yellow

usually thrives very well at normal room temperature.

If the temperature in the home is stable between around 20 and 25 degrees, a heater is rarely needed.

Do you need CO₂?

No.

CO₂ is mainly used for more advanced plant aquariums.

For a regular shrimp aquarium, it is completely optional.

Many of the world's most successful shrimp farms do not use CO₂ at all.

Which tests should you have at home?

This is a category of equipment that is often underestimated.

You don't have to measure everything all the time.

But some tests are very useful.

We recommend:

• JBL KH Test
• JBL GH Test
• pH/TDS meter

These help you understand the water and make troubleshooting much easier should a problem arise.

Do you need to measure every week?

No.

The goal is not to become a slave to numbers.

When an aquarium has become stable, it is often enough to check values ​​at:

• Fresh start
• Problems
• Major changes
• Fresh prawns

The most important thing is that the values ​​are stable.

What feed do you need?

Shrimp eat much more than many people think.

Not only ready feed but also:

• Biofilm
• Algae
• Plant residues
• Microorganisms

For example, works as a supplement:

• Premium
• Biomax
• Bactomax
• Protein
• Snowflakes
• Spinach

excellent depending on the needs of the aquarium.

Variety often results in healthier shrimp and better reproduction.

Do you have to buy everything outright?

Absolutely not.

A common mistake is to buy too much equipment before even starting the aquarium.

Start simple.

Get to know the shrimp.

Understand how the aquarium works.

Then expand as needed.

Our recommendation

If we were to start a new shrimp aquarium today, the shopping list would look something like this:

✓ Aquarium 20–30 litres
✓ NSF-C200L or MAXBIO-200L
✓ Simple LED lighting
✓ Plants
✓ Dark bottom material
✓ JBL GH Test
✓ JBL KH Test
✓ pH/TDS meter
✓ 10–20 Neocaridina shrimp

More than that is actually not needed to create a stable and successful shrimp aquarium.

Conclusion

The best equipment is not the most expensive.

The best equipment is the one that helps you create stable conditions over time.

A simple aquarium with good filtration, lots of plants and hardy shrimp will almost always work better than a technologically advanced aquarium that is constantly changing.

So focus on the basics first.

Once you master them, the rest of the hobby will be much easier and more fun.

In the next article, we will go over how to properly acclimatize new shrimp and avoid the most common stocking mistakes.