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Well done mate. Keep things stable and I'm sure there will be a bunch of little shrimps running around soon.

Below is what it means when we say the zebras blend in to their background!! Almost didn't see this lady shrimp this morning! But it thankfully when I looked closer.... Second berried girl in the Zebra tank! Fingers crossed. Love how different her markings and colour are to the other berried girl. ???

Here is my formula for re-mineralising RO or Rain water: Powdered compound Grams needed: Calcium Sulphate CaSO4 Heptahydrate (so it dissolves easily) or Dihydrate if you can't find it, but dihydrate is not as soluble. 58gm Magnesium Sulphate (Epsom Salt) MgSO4 37gm Potassium Sulphate (aka Sulphate Of Potash) K2SO4 11gm Iron Sulphate (optional) FeSO4 0.30gm Manganese Sulphate (optional) MnSO4 0.16gm Total weight 106.46gm Multiply accordingly if you need to mix bigger batches. Alternatively, Iron and Manganese can be replaced with a Micro-nutrient (trace element) mix of 0.46gm. Again micro nutrients or trace elements are optional, but a small amount of these minerals can be beneficial for shrimps. They will get it elsewhere if it is not added here. You can either use it in powder form, adding small teaspoons to your water change until a TDS of 140-160 is reached. OR You can premix this in 500ml bottle of RO water, and drip it into your water change until the desired TDS 140-160 is reached. If you have a TDS pen, you can check how much 1gm will raise TDS in 1L of water. Similarly you can also test GH/KH raise in 1L of water. It is very important you test this yourself, since there can be a number of variables between your mix and my mix. This mix will not alter pH. You will be able to find all you need at www.aquariumonlinestore.com.au <--- Back in business as of Jan 2018! It is getting more difficult sourcing Calcium Sulphate heptahydrate. The best source I can find is from home brew shops. keg-king.com.au/calcium-sulphate-1kg.html - $9.75 for a kilo. This is food grade stuff. removed - never seem to be in stock. https://www.keg-king.com.au/calcium-sulphate-caso4-300g.html.html https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/111974621019 - $20.89 for 1kg of Calcium Sulphate. https://www.bunnings.com.au/manutec-1kg-epsom-salt_p2960980 - 1kg of Magnesium Sulphate. https://www.bunnings.com.au/richgro-1kg-soluble-powder-sulphate-of-potash_p2980321 - 1kg of Potassium Sulphate (Potash). Alternatively, if you need a remin mix for Neocaridina or Tigers, you can replace 15g - 20g of Calcium Sulphate with Calcium Carbonate or Calcium chloride. Calcium chloride is probably easier to dissolve in water and that would be the preference. This will raise KH a bit. http://keg-king.com.au/calcium-carbonate-caco3-300g.html - $4.95 for 300g of Calcium Carbonate.

Hi all. Was going to wait to I had this set up a little better. But thought I start it anyway and use it as a bit of a progress journal. Got some plans for ground planting and attaching some moss to a few of the driftwood branches. Plan is to keep it to cherries and CRS

The following chart is a general guideline of adjusting water parameters, usually during setup of a new tank. Someone asked for a guide on adjusting water parameters. As I don't recall one being made on SKF, I thought I'd start a little Cheat Sheet for adjusting water parameters. The following chart is a general guideline of adjusting water parameters, usually during setup of a new tank. While it is good to know how to adjust a certain water parameter to suit your fish or shrimp, it's often a better idea to keep these parameters stable rather than constantly changing it. Changing water parameters will stress the livestock. Some species of fish or invertebrates may have more specific requirements so please review each individual species for their specific needs before adjusting water parameters. Too High Too Low Comment pH Reduce pH with: Reverse Osmosis (RO) water. Add Rain Water. Check for Rocks that might be increasing pH. Treat water with peat moss. Add more driftwood. Increase CO2 levels. Increase pH by: Adding conditioned Tap Water. Add a pinch of Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) (bicarbonate of soda) Adding Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3) like shell grit, coral grit, cuttlefish bone. CaCO3 will raise GH & KH. Add some limestone rocks. Similar to KH adjustment. TDS Reduce TDS by: Diluting with Reverse Osmosis water. Diluting with Rain Water. Increase TDS By: Adding Calcium & Magnesium either as standalone chemicals or by purchasing premixed products like Salty Shrimp Bee Shrimp Mineral GH+ or Mosura Mineral plus Ultra. Mixing with tap water, assuming your tap water's TDS is higher. However this option of raising TDS is a very distant second to the above. Only use this method in an emergency. Water softeners do NOT reduced TDS. KH (Carbonate Hardness) Reduce KH by: Diluting with Reverse Osmosis water or Diluting with Rain Water. Raise KH by: Adding a pinch of Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) (bicarbonate of soda) Adding Potassium carbonate (K2CO3) Adding Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3) like shell grit, coral grit, cuttlefish bone. CaCO3 will raise GH & KH. Adding a premix product like Salty Shrimp Bee Shrimp Mineral GH/KH+ will raise KH slightly. Note: KH is also naturally reduced by the nitrifying bacteria. GH (General Hardness) Reduce GH by: Diluting with Reverse Osmosis water. Diluting with Rain Water. Remove any coral, cuttlefish bone or shell grit. Check for Rocks that might be increasing GH. Raise GH by: Adding Magnesium Sulphate (MgSO4) will raise GH without altering KH. Adding Potassium carbonate (K2CO3) Adding Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3) like shell grit, coral grit, cuttlefish bone. CaCO3 will raise GH & KH. Adding a purchased premixed products like Salty Shrimp Bee Shrimp Mineral GH+ or Mosura Mineral plus Ultra. Water softeners are NOT recommended to reduce GH. Temperature Reduce Temps with a: Chiller. Fan blowing across the water surface. Cool the room with an Air Conditioner. Raise Temps with a Heater. Nitrate (NO3) Reduce Nitrate by: Performing more water changes. Diluting with RO or Rain water. Add more plants. Reduce feeding amounts. Add Purigen or Macropore. Do nothing Only accounting for Nitrate. Ammonia and Nitrite should always be zero. Ammonia(NH3) / Nitrite(NO2) To reduce NH3 and NO2: Do partial water changes. Add (more) aquatic plants, as they take up ammonia as nutrient. Remove any organic matter that shouldn't be there. Reduce the frequency or quantity of food. Add beneficial bacteria to the water. Lower your tank's pH. Try increasing aeration of the water. Use Ammonia absorption media. Some water conditioners can detoxify ammonia & nitrite as well as remove chloramine. Should always read zero. This assumes your tank has been cycled. However, you are experiencing a spike. If you are still cycling a new tank, treatment will be different. Cycling a new tank essentially requires patience and maybe addition of beneficial bacteria (either from bottle or from old filter media). View full article

Welcome @Weeeelium to this great forum!

This is what I've found in one of my farm tanks. I think that there are few more zebras hidden somewhere out there :)

My kids took over the PS4 but I used to only play games like Ratchet & Clank, Mortal Kombat etc... Too useless with modern style games, tried COD when it came out and got sick of getting my butt kicked by 10yr olds lol

I thought I'd add this topic to accompany Blue Bolts great thread on correct ratios and dosing of Calcium and Magnesium. http://www.shrimpkeepersforum.com/forum/showthread.php/4383-GH-Ca-MG-Ratio So why is Calcium & Magnesium important to both aquarist who keep fish and those of us who keep shrimp? CALCIUM SULFATE: CaSO4 Calcium sulfate in your aquarium will keep a more stable electrolyte balance (for osmotic function), while magnesium is another important element that works with calcium. A proper amount of Calcium and Magnesium in your aquarium will affect your shrimp or fish health positively, including fish from low pH environments such as Apistos, Discus or German Rams Magnesium and Calcium have been shown to increase resistance to degenerate diseases by lowering the acidity in the body. This will help with prevention of ich and fungus in your fish. Calcium also helps in healing and stress, and without proper calcium levels healing may be difficult or impossible. Calcium is also important and has been shown to both prevent and treat Hole in the Head disease common to cichlids (also referred to as HITH). The addition of antibiotics (such as Tetracycline) will lower calcium absorption, while the presence of correct amounts of calcium in the aquarium water will considerable reduce the toxic side effects of Malachite Green which is why a GH (for freshwater calcium measurement) of 100 ppm (for freshwater) is SO VERY important to ich treatment. Calcium can adversely affect the kH of a discus aquarium when combined with sodium carbonates or bi carbonates, which is generally kept at a pH below 6.5. Not that calcium has a direct impact on raising or lowering kH, but that it assists in buffering the water to avoid swings in kH and thus pH. I have successfully used sources of calcium in discus (low pH) aquariums by using a mix of RO (Reverse Osmosis) water and tap water (dilution will vary depending on your tap and tank water parameters). Then add electrolytes/mineralsto the RO water and add peat to the filters. This method has been used successfully with discus and calcium added with no pH climb. The peat will leach minerals into the water that will bond with the Carbonate thereby preventing it from bonding to the “H+†ion, thereby lowering KH and subsequently pH. This is a good method for planted tanks as the nutrients can also be used by plants. Calcium sulfate is soluble in water. However, it's solubility is extremely poor. Only a small amount will dissolve, and this will take place extremely slowly over time. To improve solubility, use a mortar & pestle to crush into a fine powder before adding to water. Calcium is particularly important to the average shrimp and invertebrate keeper. Calcium plays a huge role in Osmoregulation. And as such plays a big role in assisting the shrimp's moulting cycle. Ever have shrimp die during a failed moult? Check the Calcium levels in your water. MAGNESIUM Magnesium is important for proper osmotic functions in fish and invertebrates. Magnesium is essential for Calcium assimilation, so when magnesium levels are low, the calcium supply becomes exhausted. For this reason, Magnesium is better added in the proper balance with calcium (which both are essential to each other for proper utilisation). Epsom salts that contain magnesium sulfate, are best used for therapeutic reasons such as to aid in flushing the system as it aids in and speeds osmotic function, and helps to move fluids out of the body. Sulfates, one of the major components of Epsom Salt, have been shown effective in improving nutrient absorption and toxin elimination. Magnesium, the other major component of Epsom Salt, plays a role in the activity of many enzymes. Also note that Epsom salts (MgSO4) do NOT evaporate or decompose, so only add more after water changes. Where to Buy: Calcium Sulfate CaSO4 can be purchase from Aqua Green Aquotix online store (aquariumonlinestore.com.au) Ace Chem (http://www.acechem.com.au) - bulk orders Magnesium Sulfate can be purchased from Aquotix online store (aquariumonlinestore.com.au) Bunnings (Manutec Epsom Salt) Big W (Manutec Epsom Salt) Ace Chem (http://www.acechem.com.au) - bulk orders If there are more sources, let me know and I'll update the list.