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There are some times when you need to drop the water levels in your tank, for example, to change substrate. You've spent potentially months or even years cultivating a nice layer of biofilm on the walls of your tank. So how do you stop the biofilm from drying out and dying off? The simple solution is gladwrap/cling film/clingwrap. Simply lay a piece over each wall of your tank to keep in the moisture. And when you refill the tank it will float to the surface for easy removal.

lol, my skf cupboard is fairly bare atm. I got a mug or XL tee if you like.

Hi Zoidburg TDS before and after are 110ppm.. It's quite complicated how I make the KH/pH, All it takes is 2 of the tiny scoops (level) of fine powdered Hydrated lime. My tap water TDS is 51ppm 15ppm of this is sodium (the bicarbonate that the water company use to elevate the resevoir water from pH5.56 to pH6.6 ish at the moment (I tested the resevoir water pH 5.65 TDS 30ppm) I've been running the tank at pH6.4 ish with the other water patameters (see below) for a few months now, it's that before and after water changes week after week. I do the following (twice)- 1 ten litre bucket of dechlorinated tap water. Scoop out a pint of the water into a pint glass. Give the glass water a 1 second blast of compressed CO2 gas via a tube and air stone (ph4.5 now). Add 1 tiny level scoop of fine powdered hydrated lime and stir like mad. A second blast of CO2 and stir like mad, pH will still show as the tap water pH6.6 (false) actual pH6.4 Add water back to bucket. (I test TDS levels in the bucket as I complete every stage). Add to bucket and stir; 3 large level scoops of Calcium Nitrate. 3/4 of a large scoop of Magnesium Nitrate. Do the same in the second bucket. The average of the TDSs for the buckets is within 1 or 2ppm of 110ppm. Thats a 20% water change once a week for months. The last deaths were in and just after Summer, when I could not keep the water temp below 25C (I need to fit LED lights clear of the tank instead of the Juwel Rekord 800 T4 tubes in the hood). I have just tested the water now; pH6.4. KH test, no result but will be less than KH2 (see pH) 3GH Nitrates 4-5 ish? TDS 111ppm. Ammonia, Ammonium and Nitrites 0 as ever. I am still working on the research for water parameter, but one thing is very clear already, it is very easy to keep RCS in very soft water (mine's a tad too soft on the GH and KH). Posting water company figures for the important data for my tap water. Cheers Andrew.

Finally the water parameters are good. I am doing a final 90% water change and I have turned on the chiller. Next weekend I get to go shrimp shopping. Wooohoooooooo

Just an update. After the F1 shrimplets had grown up. I culled the males and kept 3 females. From those females, I then crossed back to a RB. Heres the female berried. After releasing the eggs, I discovered I may have created some Blue Steels. Heres the pic of the baby. And now here it is at juvie age. Only found 2 of them and hoping for them to be a pair. Fingers crossed. :D Also...I'm hoping this one could be a red steel. Might need to work on it but it looks promising.

Done @NoGi, I should win some sort of prize for this ^_^