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You don't hang about do you? Cycling a new tank can't be rushed though.......... at least you already have the shrimps in a tank so there won't be that niggle to rush you, you may even have babies before then? Hopefully the CRS will settle into their temporary new tank without any issues as the parameters are perfect at least. I use soil substrate, Lava rock, driftwood and plants and that's about it really so you should be fine with any combo of those and what you have picked up knowledge wise on here! I don't have experience of Stratum but they should all be fairly similar I would think. Simon

FTFY. Akadama and Benibachi are both shrimp specific substrates and are acid buffering, so perfect for Taiwan bees. But not sure why you would want to mix them in one tank. Also ... I can't see it, but I hope you have a thin layer of foam under those tanks, just to level out the surface. Not critical, but probably a good precaution. The wood is going to move around with weight and age. Getting some moss and plants going in the tank from your Local Fish Store can also help introduce a little beneficial bacteria.

Unfortunately we can't get Panacur C in Australia. But good suggestion for others outside Oz.

Just for reasons of water hardness, consider an inert substrate in the Neo tank. They will certainly live and breed on buffering soil, but it's not needed and does kind of complicate things. If I was setting up for Neos only, not a doubt I would avoid active substrate.

Oh, I don’t plan on transferring them any time soon, don’t misunderstand me. I’m just trying to figure out how I’m going about this new tank. I figure what, on the norm a month of more before the new tank will be ready. I’m thinking about this new tank, specifically. I guess the combo I’m currently using will create the same parameters I currently have, which will be great for the CRS. I plan to grab a second, identical 10 gallon to setup for Cherries. Trying to do a side by side, one Neos and one Cards.

Fluval Stratum is active soil that buffers water acidic (as for Caridina) to the best of my knowledge. For Neo's I prefer using inert substrates such as Eco Complete, Flourite, or plain ol' aquarium gravel. I'll put driftwood in any shrimp tank.

Not a Sulawasi keeper (yet) here either, but I have used the product on bees and cherries. Panacur C is also very effective and shrimp-safe if you have access to it, it's sold as a dog dewormer. Glad to hear your planaria have disappeared, they are such a pain! Keep an eye on the tank, though. Sometimes babies deep in the substrate can survive the first wave and start popping back up.

Using SS G+ I picked up 20. Several are excellent grade being nearly all white. I’m impressed. I also ordered a 10 gallon rimless. Considering setting up this 10 gallon and cycling to transfer the CRS, then converting the Spec V for Cherries. Stratum and driftwood work for the new tank if I'm keeping CRS, right?

Those parameters look perfect for caridina shrimps and oh look one appears???? How many did you get? As cherry shrimp aren't as fragile you may be able to keep some in there as well if you want to as they are only just below cherry shrimps (or as blue ridge states TTs) ideal range! Pleased to hear it is going so well. I assume you are using (correctly) GH+ now instead of GH/KH+ you were using? Simon

So everything is holding hard, for almost a week, at Ph: 6.5-6.6 KH: 1 GH: 5 TDS: 160( finally got this down and solid). So this happened.....

I'm not sure I can be much help as I am having similar issues with my now 3 months running shrimp tank, though the plants have some buds and a few new leaves so am hoping it will settle down with time???? I am still getting a lot of stringy algae, Kh 2 drops (that must be the new SHRIMP KING substrate). I think 50% of the shrimps have survived over a month? If you have enough time maybe you should go back to the start with details here of what you have in the tank/setup and how long it has been running etc so that others have more to go on as there isn't much here, on this thread anyway. Simon

HAHA, ok that makes more sense.

Ha, I actually meant what I said, just worded it less than ideally. I was trying to say that I use new tanks to squeeze out old tanks filter sponges in. Adds BB to the new aquarium but doesn't kill off too much left in the sponge like tap can. But yeah, that was very much less than clear! Thanks for pointing that out.

Lots of different ways to go about things, but I put leaf litter and live plants in as soon as the tanks are filled. Anything to get a jump on healthy algae and biofilm growth is a plus from my perspective.. I add ammonia daily if the substrate doesn't leech it until nitrates are showing on a test kit. Also use my new tanks to squeeze out filter sponges from healthy tanks just to get beneficial bacteria and some diversity of microorganisms going. Wish I had anything to offer regarding the substrates, but I'm unfamiliar with them on this side of the pond. As long as it isn't a CACO3 based and an acid buffering substrate in the same tank I don't see why they would be compromised. I agree, that's a very sharp looking tower you have there! Look forward to seeing your progress.

I filled water today. I set up 3 aquariums with Akadama and benibachi, and the other is full benibachi. I hope the closet is strong :). I'll wait 1 month for the cycle.

I think it is very difficult to get the balance right and it will probably take the tank time to adjust to any changes. Overfeeding is a VERY common problem, I always use a LOT less than the manufacturers recommend! I have never used any plant fertilisers and my 2 established tanks are lush and green! The reset shrimp tank looks pretty much as you are describing yours, but I am assuming it will settle down with time as I did exactly the same as I always have done (different make of soil/substrate only difference), we will have to see on that though! My new shrimps aren't interested in anything other than biofilm at the moment, I have tried spinach or shrimp lolly and they just ignore them, I guess there is plenty of biofilm in the tank as it has been running for a while and there aren't many shrimps in there at this stage either? Shrimp have almost no bioload, as I believe anyway? If you disturb the substrate the shrimps usually make a beeline for that area as it disturbs more biofilm for them. Simon

Gotta wait for me to get a pair of Sula first.