But the shrimp will be thinking otherwise. Look at all that yummy brown diatom!

I am old school like that too. I prefer the classics patterns/colours. And I try very hard to not create further hybrids. I want my CRS to be CRS. My tigers to be tigers. etc...   @kms, all the more to support the site and sign up as a paid member.   @Cesar, what's the deal now with the new forum update? Has the photo size limits been changed, and if so what is the max for regular members?

Thanks for that, it helps to know that it is probably going to be fine with time. I tried a different substrate this tie so that is all I can put it down too! I will revert to the JBL in future as this hasn't happened with that? I don't use any plant ferttilisers, and as above have never had to with the JBL substrate. The JBL is primarily a plant substrate and the shrimp king is primarily a shrimp one I guess, though they both seem to do the same buffering /softening etc? There will be a bit of a delay with breeding I expect as they don't mature until they are 6 months I believe? Again, thanks for that, it helps to know what someone else thinks and the tank has improved (hard to believe from the photos) going a bit greener and the stringy algae virtually now disappeared. Also a few new leaves on some plants etc. I just checked the water parameters and they are spot on! Simon

The new update has reduce the photo size to 1.67MB for me, and all the photo taken with my phone is over. My pinto only cost less that GBP 4, as for the Red Wine, its 5 for GBP 10.20, any extra Red Wine will be GBP 2 if more than 5 is purchased.

New tanks often go through a brown diatom phase and its just a waiting game before the diatoms naturally senesce.  Ride it out. The shrimp will certainly help clean it up and I'd wager that diatom rich biofilm is good nutrition.  You'll have shrimp breeding before you know it.  There is certainly a good complex variety of habitat for them to explore and exploit. Are you using any plant fertilisers yet?