CRS Tank Log

[sdlTBfanUK]

Fantastic news!!!

They may slow down/stop breeding in winter remember but that's not something you need to worry about at the moment.

I think most people leave at least the back (I leave back and both sides) alone, to grow algae/biofilm, the babies especially like that? If you don't like seeing the growth on the back glass then you can get some black background to put behind the tank, this will also show the shrimps off better, especially babies if they are on the back???? Also as the sponge is black and the filter is also black etc they won't be so visually obvious???? 

Always great to hear a success story so thanks for the update!

Simon

[jayc]

16 hours ago, Lizzy said:

This tank is really ugly

LOL, who's looking at the tank?

Look at all those CRS!! 

Good work Lizzy. I'm so glad the RO system has paid off for you. If you have surplus and want to part with some, let me know. I sold off my CRS a few months ago, and seeing your tank makes me want to get them again.

14 hours ago, sdlTBfanUK said:

They may slow down/stop breeding in winter

Lizzy is in Newcastle Australia, not Newcastle UK.

We are heading into Summer, officially Spring at the moment, but we will be seeing temps of 34C this Friday. 

[Lizzy]

18 hours ago, sdlTBfanUK said:

especially babies if they are on the back????

Ironically, the babies don't seem to hang out on the back glass much. Its mostly the adults. The very new babies seem to LOVE the mini bolbitis. That's where I see most of them until they're big enough and start exploring the rest of the tank.

I don't really care about it being ugly haha. I have the 30C to satisfy my need for a "nice" aquascape.

3 hours ago, jayc said:

Good work Lizzy. I'm so glad the RO system has paid off for you. If you have surplus and want to part with some, let me know. I sold off my CRS a few months ago, and seeing your tank makes me want to get them again.

Cheers jayc. I'll definitely keep you in mind when I decide to reduce shrimp numbers! I'll just wait a bit to see what colours and patterns I end up with. Just noticed you're in Sydney. I wonder if there are many other NSW CRS keepers on this forum?

[jayc]

4 hours ago, Lizzy said:

I wonder if there are many other NSW CRS keepers on this forum?

I'm sure there are, or at least there used to be heaps in NSW. They have gone dormant now.

 

[sdlTBfanUK]

8 hours ago, jayc said:

LOL, who's looking at the tank?

Look at all those CRS!! 

Good work Lizzy. I'm so glad the RO system has paid off for you. If you have surplus and want to part with some, let me know. I sold off my CRS a few months ago, and seeing your tank makes me want to get them again.

Lizzy is in Newcastle Australia, not Newcastle UK.

We are heading into Summer, officially Spring at the moment, but we will be seeing temps of 34C this Friday. 

I know winter is a way off your end, you lucky lot!

Do you have a chiller Lizzy, you don't want to risk all those beautiful CRS if it gets too hot, especially as they are near the window - been there, sort of!!!

Simon

[Lizzy]

1 hour ago, jayc said:

They have gone dormant now.

Shame there aren't more active locals.

1 hour ago, sdlTBfanUK said:

Do you have a chiller Lizzy, you don't want to risk all those beautiful CRS if it gets too hot, especially as they are near the window - been there, sort of!!!

I don't have one Simon. I've thought to buy one multiple times. A couple of reasons why I didn't: 1. CRS survived last summer. Tank got to 27-28 degrees some days when we weren't home and I never had any deaths. Not saying it won't happen in the future, but they appear to be hardier than I first thought. 2. My other half isn't keen on another canister filter to run a chiller, fearing leaks. Don't ask lol. I would've bought another Eheim 2213. I have one on my 30C and its perfect.

On another note, I just bought a CO2Art Pro-SE regulator. Planning on running CO2 on the 30C. Still need to get a gas cylinder. I have limited cabinet space so I have to work out what will fit as I want the biggest cylinder I can get. I also need to figure out if I run an inline reactor or diffuser in the tank. Any suggestions? I believe inline is the most efficient, but I don't know of any drawbacks.

Lizzy

[sdlTBfanUK]

We don't get the heat you do their but I am planning to get a cooler, a fan when we get to spring if the shrimps do well. I don't know whether that type of cooler is available where you are and it may not be powerful enough anyway. I will just put it on the tank when needed, but thats unlikely to be often here, and so  easy to set up. Obviously this isn't any good where you are based but I wanted to show an alternative to the chiller in case that suits?

https://www.pro-shrimp.co.uk/aquarium-coolers/3100-jbl-cooler-200-aquarium-cooler-4014162604293.html?search_query=cooler&results=8 

Believe me when I say you don't want to go through the heartache of cooked shrimps, I am still gutted 6 months later and the new lot will never be the same????

CO2 and shrimps is very risky and so I wouldn't use it, especially if it isn't needed and everything is ok?

Simon

[Lizzy]

I’ll be investing in some type of fan before the weather heats up, for sure. Those JBL things are interesting. I was thinking more along the lines of the flat computer-style cooling fans. Doesn’t matter though, whatever is effective.

19 hours ago, sdlTBfanUK said:

CO2 and shrimps is very risky and so I wouldn't use it, especially if it isn't needed and everything is ok?

The CO2 is going in my 30 cm cube - no fancy shrimp in there. 

[Lizzy]

I haven't updated in a while. My CRS tank is still going well. Lost a few of the older shrimp, but i think they were just old. Not many berried as of late. I have a lot of younger shrimp now that aren't of breeding age yet. Hooefukly things pick up again soon. 

I moved all the regular cherry shrimp in with the CRS to separate them from my Bloody Mary's. I wish I had more tanks. 

Couple pics of the bloody Mary shrimp.

Thanks 

[sdlTBfanUK]

Those are superb photos and the shrimp all have really great colour.

Simon

[jayc]

1 hour ago, sdlTBfanUK said:

Those are superb photos and the shrimp all have really great colour.

Gotta agree. Nice looking shrimps.

[Lizzy]

Thanks Simon and jayc. 

I have several grades and patterns amongst the CRS. How do you guys think I should go about more selective breeding? Pick a quality I like then separate a few that have that quality? 

Lizzy

[sdlTBfanUK]

My 'thing' is variety so I would just remove ones that I'm not keen on, or if I get too many of one/lower grade and need to reduce numbers! With all taiwan bee types you never get the boring natural types you get with neocaridina over time!

I guess if I was to want to concentrate on one grade I would get a smaller additional tank and put those shrimp in that and just keep moving them from tanks, to the right tank as and when they appear as babies but of the wrong grade for the tank they are in, if that makes sense, and you still have the mixed tank to enjoy. I don't know how you tell what genes the shrimp are carrying or what the offspring will look like thats too advanced for me?

Simon

[jayc]

7 hours ago, Lizzy said:

How do you guys think I should go about more selective breeding? Pick a quality I like then separate a few that have that quality? 

That's exactly how I would start with selective breeding for higher quality.

Separate as many good shrimp as you can into another tank. 

[Lizzy]

I've had a bit of a think about this and I have a few options:

1. Get rid of current tank and buy 2 smaller eplacement tanks - other half wont be happy about this and I'm not that keen either. 

2. Divide current tank into 2 - dunno how best to do this. Seems like it could be more hassle than it a worth. 

3. Sell the shrimp I don't want to keep - easiest option. 

Tested the water params today.

TDS 155, PH 6.8-7.0, GH 7/8, KH 0/1.

I'm wondering if the high-ish PH is why the population never really "exploded". The RO water made a world of difference, but I still don't have "hundreds" of shrimp. 

I have half a bag of ADA Amazonia. I'm tempted to remove the current Amazonia and replace it with fresh stuff after I let it leach in a bucket with a HOB for a few weeks. Surely that'll help bring PH down. I use the same water in my  cube that houses Bloody Mary's (RO with Salty Shrimp GH+). It has fresh Amazonia and co2 and PH sits about 6.2. Probably a bit low for them but they seem to do fine. KH 2 and GH 6 in that tank. 

Thoughts? 

Thanks 

[sdlTBfanUK]

I would go with number 3. I would just carry on as it is for now (sorry to take so long to reply but I have been mulling it over) as it looks to be going very well and every time I mess about 'trying' to make things better it all goes wrong so is it worth risking it when you are already doing so well and worked so hard to get it this far. Obviously removing the red cherries would make extra room/food for crystals but it looks nice as it is, so I would just remove any cherry and crystals when you find ones that aren't to your liking/grade. 

You could reset the tank and change the substrate, but I suspect you would lose shrimp in the short term!

Simon

 

[jayc]

A 4th option - Keep current tank, and buy a 2nd smaller tank. To breed higher quality shrimp in. Promise other half that this is the last tank ? Sell the shrimp you don't want to keep to help fund this 2nd tank.

 

Have you tried anything to bring the pH down?

[Lizzy]

9 hours ago, jayc said:

Have you tried anything to bring the pH down?

I haven't, yet. That's why I was contemplating changing the substrate to fresh stuff. Any other "long term" PH reducing suggestions? 

17 hours ago, sdlTBfanUK said:

You could reset the tank and change the substrate, but I suspect you would lose shrimp in the short term!

I agree, it's risky. I would let the new stuff leach in a tub with a filter for a couple months before using it. Even then I reckon the shrimp would kick up a stink haha. 

[Lizzy]

Does anyone have experience using alder cones, peat moss etc to reduce PH? Given the KH in the CRS tank is 0-1, I imagine it won't take much to lower the PH a touch. 

[beanbag]

On 4/1/2020 at 9:15 PM, Lizzy said:

 (RO with Salty Shrimp GH+). It has fresh Amazonia and co2 and PH sits about 6.2. Probably a bit low for them but they seem to do fine. KH 2 and GH 6 in that tank. 
 

Salty Shrimp GH+ will not give you KH2, but SS GH/KH will.

[Lizzy]

4 hours ago, beanbag said:

Salty Shrimp GH+ will not give you KH2, but SS GH/KH will.

You are correct. Typo. The cube is KH 0 as I only have SS GH+. 

I might experiment and put some of the CRS (that I would otherwise sell) into the cube with the Bloody Mary's. 

[sdlTBfanUK]

Don't forget that your shrimp will decrease breeding in winter, which you are approaching!

I would maybe change 20% water for a month and see if that makes a difference as you may still have a quantity of tap water in the tank if you are doing small changes  of 10%. Not a lot of point though if you plan to reset the tank with new substrate!

As you were using tap water at the start and that had a higher PH then the soil would have exhausted quicker so it may be a good idea to change the substrate. As you are using RO now the soil will buffer much longer and it looks from the last picture of the tank that there isn't too much grown in to make changing the substrate too difficult? It wound be easier to start the soil in a bucket for a month and then run the new setup for a month, this way the shrimps only need a new home for a month and maybe the CRS could go in with the bloody mary (the red cherry though???) for that time? At least if you do all that soon you will be done/set for the next breeding season!

Having gone through this thread in its entirety I think the fact you started with tap water of a higher PH (admittedly only slightly) is what has caused this. Remember though, in reality it is all working pretty well and those shrimps will be used to those parameters (which aren't that bad anyway) so changing/messing will probably mean much work and loss of some shrimps, however if you are up for that,  all considered I would change the substrate and because you will be using RO from the start in the long term it should pay off?  You may not need to change the substrate for a long time or even ever when using RO water as the buffering won't be needed if the PH of the RO water is already perfect?

Simon 

[Lizzy]

 

On 4/5/2020 at 7:22 PM, sdlTBfanUK said:

I think the fact you started with tap water of a higher PH (admittedly only slightly) is what has caused this.

Aa you say Simon, the Amazonia in this tank is super old, probably close to 5 years, and I used tap water almost the entire time. It would've lost any buffering capacity yonks ago. 

Anyway, I bought a new ADA Mini M the other day ? I'll take my time setting it up over the next few months then transfer all the CRS in. 

[Lizzy]

Been a while since I posted as the forum was busted and I couldn't log in for ages. I hope everyone's well.

I set up a new ADA Mini M for the CRS last month. It's still cycling. Plants are growing in nicely and I've ordered an Oase FiltosSmart 100 with the integrated heater for it. Ive always used Eheims with an inline heater and I can't wait to try the Oase out.

My cube is growing well too. The Cherry shrimp in there are breeding prolifically which makes for challenging water changes as I try not to suck shrimplets out. I put 10 CRS culls in there the other day and I'll be interested to see how they fair. 

The CRS took a long hiatus from breeding recently. I was worried my water quality had gone to poo. Spotted a female carrying the other day so all's good in the world.

[jayc]

Wow, nice tank!