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Intake Strainer -Positioning? Shrimp Guards? Hacks and all.

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si walker

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Hi all.
I have a 35 Ltr Tank
External Oase 100 Filter.
I am using stock pipe work (no Lilly Pipes).

Currently I have about 40 Blue Shrimp happily living in the tank. With the stock strainer (inlet) most of them would be in the filter living in the dark. So for a few years now I have been covering the strainer with filter floss. Changing the floss weekly is a pain. Mainly because its surrounded by plants as its quite near the substrate.
I’m thinking that there must be an easier way to do this. I did try to fit one of the stainless steel covers but it was so tight on the tube I would really struggle to clean it. The sponge ones are massive and look pretty crap.
So my question is what are you all doing about shrimp guards?
Also how low do you position the Intake Strainer? Does it need to be really close to the substrate or can it be half way up the tank wall for example?
Hope this makes sense?

Thanks!
 
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I have a couple of tanks where I have made a simple shrimp guard using a piece of stiff Nylon or polyester filter mesh, 20's mesh I think, which is rolled up then placed inside the inlet strainer.
Sorry about the pics, this one has been in use a few years.
 

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Haha. We had a similar situation then!
I will take a photo of my version of yours. It’s a clip on version Which goes around the strainer instead.
I’m going to look at how easy it is to take the strainer off my inlet tube.
Think I need to raise my strainer (shorten the tube) because its really low down which makes removal difficult.
I really like this! Clever!
Thank you for going to the effort!
Simon.
 
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You may think that this looks like a Yakult drink bottle? You’d be right.
I heated a fork and burnt holes into it, and cut the bottom off and split up one side.
Put filter floss inside and slip over the intake. As it is food grade it is harmless and works really well. Been using for a long time. I wonder if anyone else will be inspired by our hacks?
 

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jolt100 said:
I have a couple of tanks where I have made a simple shrimp guard using a piece of stiff Nylon or polyester filter mesh, 20's mesh I think, which is rolled up then placed inside the inlet strainer.
Sorry about the pics, this one has been in use a few years.
Click to expand...
Hey. Your idea inspired me to unclip the my strainer. Gave it a well deserved clean and put a small roll of very thin filter floss inside. I will check it in a week to see how clogged it is or is not?
In another DIY fashion I have dismantled one of those stainless steel shrimp guards that wouldn't fit. It's now like a tube so was hoping it slotted into the strainer?
Keep you posted on that one!
 
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I will.
Good tip!
Looking out for a nylon mesh at the moment.
Was thinking along the lines of a course cooking sieve?
👍
 
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Old thread but ya just in case this could be useful for some folks in UK/Ireland - I used to have the same concern and I managed to find this handy sponge that fits perfectly to my inlet (£6 for 8 of them):
1688414757115.png
Amazon product ASIN B08JQ87TXR
But see it is not that handy when I want to change it for maintenance so I ended up not using it lol. I have come to accept the fact that there are bound to be some poor shrimplets grow up in the dark cannister home ha....
 
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I too looked at those! Taken my Lily Pipe and skimmer out now. Back to the oase basic set.
Gonna do a new setup for the tank this summer I think and try to simply things????
Somehow.
 
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I used to cut up some old net curtain and cover the intake basket with that. Every few days when I was working in the tank I would just pull it off and replace, or just give it a quick rinse. It was deadly at catching trimmings too. It cost nothing.
 
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si walker said:
I got some of those and were so hard to get over the pipe I gave up. And yes I bought the correct size 😁.
Click to expand...
Buy one size above for the pipes you need!
 
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