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Just remember not all filters have DI Resin only the aquarium RO filters have the added DI resin cartridge. It can be added to a normal RO filter and again the resin needs changing regularly depending on how much you use the filter. I make about 120 litres a week so change mine about 8 monthly . I only have a small portable unit so change often for bigger units it may not be necessary as often .

Found some eggs in the tank and I now have some 20-30 Fundulopanchax Gardneri Nsukka eggs. The eggs are starting to hatch. Have found 3 fry so far !

Some pictures of my crs and snow after 3 years of selection. Never been able to decide which one i prefer the most so i m keeping those in 4 different tanks Crs Snow Red bee

Put Bob in to Sponge it out

Very nice shrimp. The red bee photos are beautiful

I find the shrimp will actually use the airlines and heater cables to climb out. The easiest way to stop that is to make a collar on the lines. You can use a piece of plastic, or tape the lines so the shrimp can't climb but the easiest thing to use is a bread bag tag. They fit neatly onto the airline and heater cable, they aren't too big and unsightly but you do notice them. Also keep your water a bit lower as the shrimp can climb up the glass using the algae . I often see shrimp grazing above the water line. i do have glass lids so I leave the back one on all year round - the fans can still cool the water - I tape the gaps all around the back glass and rarely lose shrimp that way now. My Tibees used to always go walkabout!

@uslanja Are you saying that the water coming out of the R/O untouched has a TDS of 147? If so, that's not right. The TDS should be close as possible to 0. If it isn't then I believe that indicates the DI Resin inside needs replacing. "DI resin removes the mineral content back to Zero which is great for the fish but not so good for your health. When the DI removes the residual mineral which include natural pH buffers, the pH of the water plummets to below acceptable levels for drinking water."

your RO water should be close to 0 when no additives such as salty shrimp are present by the time the reading shows 10 -12 -if you even allow them to get that high - you should be changing the filters.. I suggest you test again and if the reading is correct you need to change your filters -which should be done 6-12 monthly and also possibly the membrane which should be done around 2 years depending on size of your RO filter. Depending on your unit you should change the first filter 6 monthly and the filter after the membrane 12 monthly . When making your RO water the tap should only be on fairly slowly -if you run the tap too fast the filters can't work properly and you put the filter under too much pressure. We have a great sponsor FSA filter systems who can go through your maintainence routine with you . They are extremely helpful and can get that side sorted for you very quickly.

That's kind of impressive... you could almost scape with it.

Hi Matt, not sure what you have been told. But Eco complete does not give off ammonia like ADA substrate or CAL Black Earth premium. It will not help start a cycle in your tank since it has no ammonia, which means that beneficial bacteria, won't grow until there is some ammonia (food source for BB). Eco complete is good if you already have a mature filter media you can seed the tank with. By all means, do test the water parameters for ammonia and nitrites. If you find them to be zero, then there is no ammonia from the substrate, which means you tank has not cycled. The moment you add any source of ammonia, say from tap water, food, fertlisers or from livestock who produce waste, then the tank will not be able to deal with the ammonia. And if you are going to cycle the tank, then leave purigen out until the tank is completely cycled. Otherwise you interfere with the beneficial bacteria's food source - ammonia and nitrite.

Thanks