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Thanks, I called the company and they said the bigger cabinet isn't reinforced in the middle. Going to play is safe and order the smaller unit.

I’ve used a mortar and pestle to make my own food. I’ve used a mix of all 5 of the Shrimp king pellets, BacterAE, and Almond leaf. I feed that once a week, works like BacterAE in the way it disperses. I feed very little, as I don’t want to pollute.

I will watch this space eagerly and hope to read some good news soon. I use that same food mix. With so few shrimps in a big tank they may not really need additional feeding as there should be sufficient biofilm! I think one stick is sufficient for 30 shrimps so if you are feeding you should crush a pellet and only use a small bit for now! I have smashed all the pellets and mix them together so the shrimp get a mix and dip the end of an old shrimp lolly stick (tooth puck would work also) about 2mm in the tank water, then quickly in the mix, then swish that in the water so the food is spread about the tank and not too much either? Shrimps have very little bio load so I would consider reducing the weekly water change to 2 gallons which is just over 10% and that should be enough? Hopefully all will settle down and once the babies start that will be exciting. Simon

I’m not planning on changing anything, as my tank parameters seem to be great. I did a 3 gallon change which is my weekly regimen, but that’s it. I also have a handful of shrimp food from Shrimp king( sampler pack which has Mineral, Leaf, Snow Pops, Complete, and one other one I can’t recall). The shrimp don’t seem all too interested in them, and in such a large tank, they seem to be content with biofilm for now. I just hope this mama holds on to drop her shrimplettes.... hopefully the yield is decent and I can get the population back up. I’m down to 6-7 Crystals.

Sorry you are still having problems and all I can recommend is you ride it out a bit longer and don't over panic as that can make thigs worse. Doing a water change usually triggers a molt so small and regular is probably the way to go (not too large)! With the changing tanks and power outage it may just have weakened the older/adult shrimps! I am having a similar situation myself and my tank has been running for 3 months? Almost all the original shrimps I added July have died (not seen any bodies though as my tank is much more densely planted etc) but I am putting those down to being bought through a shop and the tank probably wasn't ready as it hasn't gone as previous tanks did from day 1. The tank is looking better and I added shrimps direct from a breeder mid september and they did well for a few weeks but I'm now seeing less (they could be hiding, again no bodies seen). All parameters are ideal, as yours are, so I really am at a loss and will just have to ride it out a bit longer and hope it works itself out? Everything I have done has worked before with the only difference being the substrate so unless there is a disease/pest or something else killing the shrimp I am at a loss also with mine? It may be worth seeing if you can get something like this (Other manufacturers do a similar) as you aren't using leaves: https://www.pro-shrimp.co.uk/shrimp-king/804-shrimp-king-humin-fluid-vital-4001615061420.html It does slightly brown the water. I would also get a shrimp food, maybe snowflake in case they aren't getting enough food which if they do mob the food may be an indication - my shrimp don't touch anything I put in yet as I assume there is enough biofilm! Simon ps Keep us updated!

I had this with a friend that bought a very nice sideboard to put the tank on, so not meant for an aquarium. I took them to the wood yard and had a piece of plywood cut to the size of the sideboard top. Plywood is very tough and has no sagging so the weight is spread to the outer frame this way. Coated the plywood with a few coats of varnish (could buy some with a plastic laminate on top possibly) as however careful you are water will get splashed and leave water marks over time. He is still using this top 10 years later and it has been moved several times and of coarse it means the sideboard top is still as new. Plywood has the grain of each layer at 90 degrees to the previous layer and is therefore VERY strong (much stronger than wood of the same depth) and as I say, it will carry the weight to the frame of the unit as it doesn't bend. I would expect a unit built specifically for aquariums would be substantial but I would check how it is made as JayC states! All my tanks (3 about 30L each) are just on normal pieces of furniture (though of very good quality) without the plywood modification, but if you aren't sure and want more peace of mind, the plywood option is ridiculously cheap and easy. ONLY plywood, not MDF or chipboard etc - must be plywood because of the way it is made and its rigidity! Hope this may help? Simon

it really depends on how these cabinets are constructed. If you can have a look at it before buying, that will be helpful. If it's not reinforced underneath, then it's not going to hold much weight.