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I try not to put any meds with shrimp, many commercial med will kill shrimps, unless they are specific made for shrimps, I have 4 babies from my pinto, and about 14 babies from my CRS.

Just an update to this. Within two days after adding that "Dr Tim's Waste Away", I probably killed off 3-4 babies, but after that they have mostly been fine. So I don't know whether that product had some "bad bacteria", or disrupted the ecological balance or what. Oh well, I guess I won't use that any more. I also started doing super slow water changes where I remove 10% of the water, but then add back partial amounts over the next few days. I think this helps prevent triggering failed molts in the babies.

It looks much smarter with the back section covered as you have done and that should help with evaporation as well! I would aim for Ph 7.2-7.5 but it is fine where it is so I wouldn't do anything too involved/complicated to get it down as you may end up doing more harm than good! A warning with this type of tank. Mine was same design but only 15L but when the sponge started getting a bit blocked and with evaporation, the level of water in the back can drastically drop whilst the main tank stays full (as the drain to the back section is at the top) so you do need to keep a check on the back often (probably daily), it could even run dry in the back whilst still looking full in the tank. This is a bigger problem/risk if you have a heater in the back section (I don't think you do yet) as it will probably break/switch off, but might also damage the pump! At least it is easy to top up into the back so it doesn't disturb the tank. A plastic/glass top is definitely recommended for the main tank section. Simon

What PH should I be shooting for? My parameter goals were way different than you guys are suggesting. I guess all I got isn’t good info online.....?I added some Almond leaves last night, PH have come down a hair. I also modified the sump chamber, as evaporation is awful in this tank. I’ll need a lid too, but for now the sump is covered. Left a see through area for evaluating top off level.

It depends how much work and risk you want to take? I tend not to take risks with sick fish or shrimp and would whip it out ASAP then if you have the time and inclination put it into a seperate tank to try treatments but I wouldn't try anything with it is the tank with the others. If you have a good number of shrimps I would probably just cull it in reality (sorry to be so blunt) rather than risk the others, or if I had an empty small tank just put it in that and see what happens in a few days. I certainy wouldn't try treating it with the other shrimps in the main tank though........ It may be related to the waste away you used? Might it just be trying (failing) to moult, though I doubt it if it has been a few days? Simon

Thats all looking like it is coming along nicely and the parameters look great. I would aim for TDS 180-200 range but don't fixate too much on a set number. As JayC said the TDS will rise anyway so I guess aim for the 180 and that gives room for some increase (evaporation etc etc) but the shrimp you are planning being cherry shrimp are very adaptable anyway! A few Indian almond leaves may help with the biofilm and PH, and give another visual aspect? Fantastic to hear that the crystals are doing great now and welcome as a platinum member. Simon

Ok, I just rechecked the parameters. I cleaned out the vials really well before hand. After testing 2 times for each: PH: 7.8 ( maxes out my normal PH liquid test at 7.6, but the PH pen is reading at 7.8. Picking up a high range test tomorrow to double check. I’ve never needed a high range before) GH:8 KH:2-3 TDS:193 I suppose I either tested wrong the first time or the vial was dirty. I would think the TDS needs to come down a hair. Thoughts? I remineralized a little higher than I planned, I was shooting for more like 170-180. Where should I be trying to get?

There are many reasons why this is good practice. 1) A cycling tank causes water parameters to go all over the place. Water parameters will almost never be where it should be for a species specific tank. Changing out the water and adjusting it to the right parameters with RO water + remineraliser is the easiest option. 2) RO water can cost money. So starting out with RO and then throwing it out (because of #1 above), seems like a waste. 3) RO is devoid of any minerals for bacteria to grow in. So starting with RO is no good. 4) Tap water has the right parameters to start beneficial bacteria, except for the chlorine of course. It's got a high pH, it's got some ammonia in it. It's a lot cheaper than RO. 5) A newly cycled tank is usually high in Nitrates. So a large water change is going to be necessary anyway.

The overwhelming majority of your bacteria is on surfaces, media, plants, rocks, and in substrate. The water has already been changed out as of today. The DR Tim’s is the pure ammonia. I always take the ammonia to around 4 ppm with ammonia. I wait till it’s zero, and repeat at more like 3-4ppm. As soon as the bacteria can take the ammonia to 0 within 24 hours, I consider it cycled. Either way, I have a while before I’ll add anything. Biofilm needs to build. I’ve switched the water out with remineralized RO water. GH:10-11 KH:3 Does that look to be a bit better?

Sounds about right for a 10gallon. If you added a whole gallon, 10% of mature filter gunk, it will introduce millions of beneficial bacteria . I don't think Dr Tims did much in this case.

What’s the fastest you guys have ever seen a tank cycle. As of right now, adding Dr Tim’s pure ammonia resulting in 0ppm ammonia after 24 hours..... I did seed this tank with squeezed out filter sponges( about a gallon worth), the media and sponges that came with the tank were in another tank for about 1.5 weeks before setting this tank up.... no way this is cycled.

Nice gives it A very clean look, But kinda confused on your cycling technique? So your using tap water for now, and then gonna switch it out and remineralize later? I understand that a lot of the anaerobic bacteria we are looking for will be in the substrate, but you’d be removing a lot of it when switching waters out?

Update: Got some plant trimmings in, as well as a few leaves and pieces of cholla wood from another tank. I was unhappy with the screen I installed over the sump intake holes, it restricted flow. So instead, I made and installed an overflow box. Screen was removed. This greatly improved surface skimming and water clarity.

All from same source! Blues and reds bought at same time, yellows were bought 2 weeks later. Then bloom happened about 2 weeks after that. And you may be right about my tank not being fully cycled. It’s settled down now, crystal clear water and the remaining shrimp have come out of hiding and are feeding normally. I just had thought it so odd the survival rates (especially the red vs. blue)

Hello folks, I have a tank with Taiwan Bee shrimps for about 6 months now and generally everything is fine, and the shrimp made babies and the babies are generally doing ok now. So probably all the water parameters and etc are fine because all the other shrimp seem to be doing ok. However, I have this one Red Wine Panda that seems to be sick. I didn't notice this until two days ago, but maybe it started sooner. The shrimp is a little bit pink-ish (only in the middle white section) and on closer inspection, maybe the white part is a little more clear than the other shrimps. It stays in one area of the tank all the time and doesn't go out during feeding time. Mostly it just stands around, waves its antenae, and walks around a little bit. It still does graze and eat sometimes, so things are not that bad yet. I suspect it could be a bacterial infection, but I had also read that when they get that, their antennae tend to get shorter / broken off. The only thing I have done to my tank "out of the ordinary" is about 3 weeks ago I dosed a very small amount of Dr Tim's Waste Away, which killed off 3-4 babies, but left the other shrimp unaffected. Anyway, my question is what to do about it: 0) Typical shrimp keeping advice: Don't make any changes and don't do anything. Maybe it'll get better by itself. 1) Somehow make the overall tank more anti-bacterial - Indian almond leaf, or H2O2 treatment (reluctant to do this if it will nuke the babies) 2) Isolate this shrimp in one part of the tank and feed it "immune boosting foods" like stuff with Beta Glucans, Shrimp Fit, etc 3) Isolate this shrimp in one part of the tank and feed it food soaked in oregano oil 4) Totally remove it from the tank so I can start dosing the water column with stuff. I would have to set up a new quarantine tank, though.