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Hi ceg, After reading many times, I took it that crypt plants were predominantly root feeding so had assumed a nutrient rich substrate was more important for this sp. I didn't think I was going to need a particularly high lumens light and my thought process in care for this tank was less about...

Hello all, I have just planted up a tank which has mainly crypts but with some trident and fern filling out at the back, however I'm short on lighting with my last cheap Nicrew Led throwing in the towel. As this tank is mainly occupied by crypts, wendtii brown, undulata, lutea hobbit and...

In this case I'd try a snail trap but as advice above, an assassin snail or 2 Will clear them up in a few weeks.

Minimum of 8 weeks is the length of time I give the tank to develop a nice bio film and for beneficial bacteria to establish on all surfaces. You can aid and assist with Borneo wild enlive or Mosura BT9 but they are not at all necessary.

Well, The vendor replied a d fold me it is quartz. However I've not long ago had to remove a slither of quartz that slipped under a nail. Even If it is quartz, I am amazed at the amount and the sharpness of the pieces. I've asked for replacement bags, I'm altogether uneasy about using the soil...

Hello all, I've just opened the first of 2 bags of ADA aquasoil in preparation of cycling a tank for TB blue bolts or a.n.other similar TB shrimp. To my extreme surprise I find a lot, and I do mean a lot of broken shards of glass mixed in and through the soil.. I expect there to be a certain...

Love the scape and the 'Brownie Ghost' Edwin, top notch.

Thanks for the replies all.. Some great info there and I now have a plan the m&s to fellow board members :thumbup: I'll see where my searches take me, if any of you have any samples you'd consider sending on for a fee please do let me know. Otherwise I'm googling some of these right now...

Hi all, As the title suggests I'm looking for small to mid ground crypt sp, can anyone advise through experience? I've done some research and the smallest available seem to be hobbit lutea and parva. I'm considering 'mi oya", wendtii brown/green, flamingo, willinisi. I'm sure there are more...

gorgeous looking tank, love the Marimo carpet - I wonder what kind of shrimp population have you got in there and what BPS CO2 are you dosing?

I asked my wife if I could have a pair of her stockings last night, she looked at me for a second and said 'Allan, you can tell me anything, you do know that don't you?' She almost seemed disappointed when I explained haha. She's been watching too much of that rot Kardashain on the TV.

Great, thanks Geoff, I knew I would be far from the only one using this method.

I'm already 90% decided on this but I thought I'd ask if anyone had done this as well.. My plan is to use tank soaked old nylon stockings to hold some ceramic media I've bought (alphagrog) rather than buy in the standard white nylon mesh. I can't be the only one using this method, but I do...

Late to the party here, but if it were me, i would set up a dedicated shrimp tank for the blue bolts. These guys whilst not as fragile as their TB cousins are still not bulletproof, certainly they are not as near as tough as their Neo Caridina bros. I would be more careful adding any fert with...

I would plant heavy with a new tank, as the algae will cone back if you don't do things a bit differently.. reduce the photoperiod now, and gradually increase, but I would say get as many heavy feeders in there as you can. The algae won't appear if there's nothing for them to use as food, and...

Orange ramshorn snails are voracious algae eaters, but with plenty of food on offer, they multiply in big numbers. I would suggest amanos but only if they are the only shrimp in the tank and as long as there is plenty of food, they are machines that can be aggressive and destructive. I would...

Ive seen aggressive destructive bahaviour by adult amanos and because of that, I wouldnt voluntarily keep them in a delicately planted community tank any more. But in a big planted tank as the sole inhabitants, youll not find a more dedicated clean up team. They are voracious eating machines...

Hi folks, thanks for taking the time to reply! I can see a daily water leech so have been changing - the piece is no where near your sized Zozo, although it is superbly detailed and I' looking forward to using it. Your post has given me confidence to use it and be less concerned although i...

Hello all, I have sourced a nice piece of mopani root and it's currently soaking so as I don't need to weight it down when I come to scape in the next few days. I have noticed a scum appearing on the surface which doesn't concern me hugely as tannins always do leech into the water when...

This looks really nice! I am just about to scape a tank with rock and wood and this looks a little similar to my own plans but yes I do like it. Your root wood looks nice size wise and detailed with character, where did you source it?

I plan on only adding them once I know their water parameters fit with the crystals, there's plenty of room, hides and vegetation in the tank - to be honest I don't think I'll ever see them unless they come out to pinch some spinach or kale as I gather they are very shy. There are no fish in my...

Just to add, I cooked the above, (no white fish) added a little montmorillonite powder and ended up with 2 freezer bags of small pea sized cubes. It was very popular the first time it was fed to the shrimp but because the food is blended and not 'whole' there is a chance that particles will...

Filter if not shrimp proof could be a reason but IMO there isn't really a safe fish out there.. Ottos in my experience wont actively attempt to take on shrimp but shrimplets at their smallest will get hoovered up by any algae/bottom feeder intentionally or not. Once fish get a taste for shrimp...

Hello all. I've had a look but there doesn't seem to be that many recent threads on micro crabs and was wondering if anyone has them as of now.. I am considering buying a few for my shrimp tanks but it would be great to get some feedback from someone that actually has them. Are these wee guys...

Hi Matt, your method of TDS constantly in flux goes against the traditional method of keeping everything stable all the time - if your shrimp are constantly have the TDS parameters dropped and increased then I'm fairly sure Taiwans won't be able to withstand it. I haven't kept Taiwans but the...

Well I've found that a simple algae food is the most popular - i have tried all the branded premium foods (shirakura etc) and frankly they've been ignored. Foods I have found my shrimp like are: Dennerle Crusta Gran Genchem Biomax (2) Shrimplabs Putty - I roll into small pea sized pieces and...

Hi all, A big thanks for taking the time to reply with your various experiences, it has given me a fairly clear way on how to go about this 'experiment'. As the shrimp that will be sharing the tank are fairly fragile my options as far as liq CO2 and ferts are restricted to a degree, that is I...

I have been inundated with bright orange ramshorn snails since introducing them a year ago in order to help with tank some pesky algae - boy did they make short work of it.. I've also see them 'clean' an algae covered anubia to shining brightness. if I ever have or see algae issues I always drop...

I wouldn't know this- if I wanted to know that much detail I would send an email to Dennerle and ask them for the MSDS on that product. Or just ask them for a break down on the mineral therein. good luck.

Please do report back with your findings. My learning curve has proven (and the loss of quite a few shrimp at the same time) that too many water changes stresses the shrimps by excess moulting. However if it's your only option then all i can recommend you also dose with minerals that the shrimp...

Hello all, As my experience with plants tends towards the Rhizomed variety with an occasional Lysimachia thrown in, I thought I would ask for some suggestions. The tank is a 100L 71 x 31 x 46H CM and my plan will be for it to eventually house some Golden yellow sakuras; and the desired result...

I've been talking to a few shrimp breeder/keepers and they are now generally swaying away from the Re-mineralised water method as more and more people begin keeping CRS so shrimp are being introduced. Personally speaking I am neither here nor there about it but I think the remineralised RO...

I took the dragon strone out of the dishwasher and it was largely unaffected sadly.. a sharp knife is my next attempt - but it's practically caked in orange clay so i'm contemplating just shelving it.

Good luck Vanish, if you have the chance to position the eggs in a flow or part of the tank the circulation is better that might add a bit of % to survival rate chance, but i really hope it goes well for you.

Generally speaking and I can only go from what I've learned is the following guide.. Water change: Once every 4-6 weeks at 10-20%. New water promotes moults and adults can't cope with this as easily as juveniles, as per Aqua360 :) Temps: Shrimp can survive in low temps but for breeding...

Hello, Welcome to the forum.. As Lindy says it will depend on the type of shrimp you want to keep. Cherry Neo Caradina shrimp are generally thought to be hardier and 'easier' to keep than their cousins the Caradina shrimp. It is all subjective and down to persoanl preference but IF you want...

Agreed with dw above, the pre-filter option is the best. I have bought the sheet pre-filter online at a very cheap price but had to wait whilst it was shipped via sea freight. I was able then to cut and DIY a HOB pre-filter. Only I used Gel superglue to bind the sponge. There's alway one or 2...

I have them and they do a great job at hitting the Algae and so far haven't eaten any of my plants, but one thing to note.. they reproduce quickly and in great numbers. once they are in you'll find it tough to be rid of them. However I've read they are good for shrimp, and they do mop up excess...

It was literally 3 steps from me, but it hadn't occurred - - nice one Cor, I will get it loaded tonight last thing. hopefully it will do the trick :)

I did but but was chucked at the end of summer and not got round to buying one yet.. however Cor has just come up with an idea..:woot:

Hi all, So, I'm cleaning up some dragon stone.. I spent an hour Friday evening cleaning it with a cheap toothbrush but realised the amount of hard clay on the rock was significant as holes, canals and ridges were appearing as I brushed away. I've just spent another hour after soaking it 48...

If in doubt - get a dedicated tank - I wouldn't risk seeing your lovely shiny shrimps become luncheon. At the very least get onto google, good luck!

Lovely shrimp, you must be accordingly proud. I'm moving to bolts in the near future and hope to have some red TB in the aftermath :) well done - it's not easy keeping shrimp of that fragility in such good conditions. Do you use any specific water treatments? I ask simply because since I started...

Bigger version of my thumbnail, and 2 reds i added to a new tank a few days ago.. the blues have now started breeding after about 3 months of inactivity..really happy about it as well..

they forage for food and if you feed sparingly they will eat algae of most types so i've experienced. it wouldn't hurt at all to add some cappata. You'll be able to get some from the sponsors but I've had some luck buying pretty cheaply from ebay.

After some great results with algae and Amano I had to return the Amano I brought in due to them pulling up my carefully prepared HC and them literally eating any thing I would add. If you keep Amano and only Amano then they would be fine but hungrier they get the more they forage and they will...

If it turns out your fish have taken a taste for shrimp they will continue to dine given the opportunity.. if you happen to have a second tank and the motivation, I would definitely recommend using it as a dedicated shrimp tank. I think they're way more interesting than fish and they can be...

There are a few sellers in the sponsor section whof sell shrimp who I am reliably informed are excellent. If you don't find what you are looking for from them send me a message.

snails or shrimp - i know what my choice would be :)

Hi - I think these look more like detritus worms but I'm certainly no pro. If you can look at them through a magnifier, check the heads- Planaria has a triangular shaped head but is difficult to see unless your very close.

definitely reduce your feed regime, i've moved completely to leaf litter and powder for the shrimps. Bacter AE is the best out there I've found.

I would absolutely buy some 'no Planaria' and dose asap. Very hard to say but I am in the same boat as of a few days and will be using No Planaria tonight.

The only fish I think are safe to keep are oto catfish which take no interest whatsoever in shrimp. You'll probably find they are hiding and may in time show themselves if they feel secure - as Manisha suggests a good helping of moss in the tank provides cover and also is the perfect place for...

Looking great Colin, and of course will only look better with age.

I've now got banana, mulberry, guava, cappata and amaranth leaf. All are doing their job and shrimp seem content.slight issue with snails destroy v the mulberry but I'm happy the feed regime I'm on is for the best. I'll add a grain of bee pollen now and again if I think babies have hatched.

This ties in with exactly what I was advised by a trader. I keep my tds at 200 - 250.

Nice photos, couldn't help but notice the leaf in your tanks Lindy..I've just ordered what feels like a back garden worth of litter leaf and decided that my input food wise is going to be minimal powder Bacter AE and the Dennerle Bio tase (alternating) along with leaf litter. My shrimp...

great tip re the mixing of shrimp - and put's any plans I had to mix them well and truly on ice. my blue neo shrimp have taken 2 1/2 months to get to the stage of breeding with my first berried shrimp seen only last week - so I know now how long it will take when trying to start a colony.

I am about to do the same scape but no pics, :(. How did the MC dry start go? How long did it take to grow to the point where you flooded the tank?

I could only suggest Oto catfish to live with shrimp in confidence they wont be touched... A tropica rep actually told me their products were shrimp safe as long as the dosage was followed and after using their under substrate soil, and both of their liquid ferts I can't say I have had any...

I have been looking for some dry start method carpet plant info and came across this: http://www.ebay.es/itm/311659073312 I guarantee you I'm not the seller of this item, more wondering just if anyone has bought this vial of seeds and how it's worked out. I can't imagine it lasting longer than...

Hi Darrell, Thanks for taking the time to talk about devils ivy and the rest, I appreciate it. I bought a small portion of salvinia natans and was given a small bag of frog bit so I hope those will help pull some of the nitrate, if they don't do the trick then I'll buy a pothos and go for it...

Hi all, Apart from water changes, has anyone used or know of a shrimp safe nitrate removal treatment or method? I was going to add a small pothos plant or at least a cutting to the side of the tank using a small cup on suckers (cheers again Colin I'll use it for an aneubia instead) but some...

I'd have a look at the website sponsors there's a few there that sell shrimp :). If no one has availability I would recommend proshrimp.

Here's my shrimp and including a berried I found last night. Sadly all my photos are too data heavy for photos ..another time lol.

Nice Colin, you've managed to indulge in your past time and added to the interior decor at the same time. Looking great.

I hope it will be able to help some folk who are trying to combine CRS with scaping without lots of water changes, constant scrutiny over water parameters, and that background feeling of inevitability. One thing my search has done is open a door to petrology and I can see myself following up...

I am hoping soon Manisha, I've a nano planted blue velvet shrimp tank to catch up with maintenance first. Then once that's done I'll indulge my first real scape attempt. :)

Good morning all, I've been fortunate enough to chat with someone I've met on my travels whilst searching for inert stone for which to use in an iwagumi scape and he's very kindly sent me a guide of sorts, so with his permission I will simply cut and paste his advice. Martin studies geology...

Great read thanks Tim, keeping in mind this is only my second planted tank lol, I am going to attempt the above method. Hopefully the plants will survive and thrive! I'll be back with hopefully good news.

I'm about to start an Iwagumi scape and a friend and fellow board member suggested emersed growth to establish carpeted MC which makes good sense.. The tank is a fluval 80 x 36 x 43 CM 125L with substrate ADA amazonia, and the issue I have is would the ammonia from the substrate combined with...

Got to appreciate this tank Colin, the inhabitants must be happy and the slow easy way your betta was swimming suggests contentment.

I'm really quite pleased with the selection of rock that's been sent Colin, now comes the fun part .

Hello folks, just home and received 15kg stones from AE, I'm pretty happy with the selection offered and price paid. Sorry about photos, I took them in a rush so I can get some food. 2 litre Milk carton there for perspective. The dark grey piece is especially likeable and will definitely be in...

I can absolutely recommend Glasgarten Bacter AE, it's the reason I believe my shrimp are ignoring the bought solid foods I'm offering them. That and the abundance of greenery that was growing like wildfire..now thankfully gone.

I have cappatta in there but what about mulberry leaves? I know nettles and spinach are favourites with CRS..I'm finding the shrimp market to be expanding daily and every time I look there are more and more products to choose from..

I have the feeding dish but I can't actually fit it in.. tank dims are 40 x 20 x 20 so it's full with plant growth and wood etc but I will be using it in the bigger tank :thumbup:

Thanks folks for the pointers, once I get the stone from Richard I'll update with a few images.

Evening all, Has anyone used Manten for an Iwagumi (Sanzon) aquascape? I've placed an order with Richard of Aqua essentials as it's inert stone and costs the same as Seiryu but notice the stone looks different in style e.g. rounded that the Seiryu. Not to say I won't receive what I've asked...

I'll try upping the food a tad, but if I see my carpet coming up at the roots again he's getting taxi'd to my LFS very quickly indeed :bored: thanks for replying..

Hi Daveslaney, As I saw a lot of activity last night, I actually did this, and dropped 2 of the tiny Hikari algae wafers.. Could it be There is not enough bio film to go around and I should up the feed? in the past I've offered them food only for them to ignore it by and large.

Hi all. So I did my usual check this morning before leaving for work and to my annoyance found the one and only large amano I own sitting among my Hemianthus callitrichoides slowly digging in and around it uprooting as it went. Overnight it has systematically uplifted 1/3 of my nano tank...

nice info thanks nicpapa, as someone who's about to do the same, I've learned they are quite fussy about the conditions. Do you have any recommendations on what minerals/additives to include when laying the substrate? and on Substrate would you say ADA Aquasoil or Dennerle Shrimp king active...

this HTML class. Value is http://nanocaridina. This has charts I think. .

And I've just re read your OP, with regards to the many coloured shrimps. . I would strongly suggest you keep to one colour per tank, neo caridinas do interbreed and the babies of say a blue jelly and a red Sakura would revert to their natural state, IE brown. Different grades of reds within...

If your talking about moss, aneubia and ferns, no co2 needed. If you want to attempt carpet plants then yeah you'll need to consider it. In saying that every plant benefits from co2, and you can if you want but I started simple and branched into co2 after getting the shrimp established.

Have to echo the java moss, if you have the space get a good 9 x 9 of it, it provides cover and a food source. If you cant live with the messy aesthetic try using moss as the foliage of a mini tree, I'm sure I've seen them for sale somewhere if you'd rather buy than craft one yourself.

I'd phone first that was a few months back and he's likely none left by now, the quality was Sakura level, and a few painted.

You know I bought some really nice red cherry shrimp from m and r dogfish a few months ago and because he didnt stock any shrimp accessories, i forgot about him. I bought fish from M and R about 20 years ago when I was single and trouble free, haha now I'm married and my daughter is showing...

In that case I can fall back on MA if needs be for my weekly water change but I'd rather be in a position to just have it on hand if needed. If for example I'd there was a spike in water parameters, I'd be in the soapy without a change on hand so might have no option but to get one.

I was thinking the very same question late last night re RO water as I'm from Howwood and in need of the same amount on a weekly basis.. I'll also ask MA at braehead. Have you been in there recently? The changes they've made are great, bordering fantastic.

After wondering why my shrimp were all but ignoring the expensive foods (Shirakura,Ebita,Shrimp Labs) I'd bought them I decided my tank with the weekly dose of Bacter AE was providing enough grazing for them to bother with snacks. I was about to throw out some left over veggies which had...

I use tropica green and orange ferts - no effects, i attempted 1/2 dosage of liquid carbo and saw a big difference in activity, although no losses due to my reactive water change. I don't use any liquid carbo products now and shrimp seem to be fine. if i were to user it again i'd add 1/4 dose...

Great stuff, many thanks Tim, my budget took a hammering setting up the my tank, but I know my plants need co2 to survive and thrive. I nearly bought the aquaone co2 95g kit today. Going to need something and soo or else the plant will suffer.

That is exactly what I'll do, I'm looking for as fine a stemmed carpet plant as I can and the Cuba looked lovely. I've got the aquaone co2 95g ready to be paid for as it's the only way I can effectively get co2 to the plants that need it. The fire extinguisher is overkill or my 27 litre tank...

Read very favourable things about the dennerle deponit, I nearly went with it myself. And I can certainly vouch for the dennerle garlenkies substrate, it's very fine and my plants have taken exceptionally well. It's also made for shrimp so if you're adding inverts they'll love it.

This is my fear, although it was pearling last night so I'm taking that as a good sign. I'm afraid I simply can't afford s pressurised co2 system right now however, I'm on the look out right enough, but a co2 system comes after the bills and other commitments sadly.

I have crypt, Alternanthera X2 and Cuba just planted yesterday hence the co2 decision. I do need it just not sure how to cheaply and safely administer it. Oh and phillipean fern and a little flame moss which is slowly spreading.

I can only vouch for Tropica plant growth and fine 0.5-2 mm substrate, plants (so far) seem to be thriving, especially the cuba, it seems to love this combo. If Discus are known foragers I'd give it a miss as Tropica advises cutting at the plant/root transition to avoid disturbance; Either that...

my tank is only 25 litres and on top of that I've got shrimp to keep alive and space constraints, so the smaller the better. the aqua one deal seems pretty reasonable, i'll need to research just how good it is and how shrimp friendly before buying. Liquid carbon might be the best option as...