Woman vs CRS/CBS

[Cocobid]

Have read & read thread after thread about the joys, challenges, frustrations and just some really wacky stuff that us humans do in the quest for raising CRS~~~~~

I officially dove in and a nice shipment arrived today of both 50/50 Blacks and Reds.

They are in a small bare bottom tank 2-1/2G quarantine grow out tank. Has moss and wood in RO water. The largest one is about 1/2" down to just plain tiny. No DOA's
My thought is...will leave them there for a month or so.

Final destination is a snazzy retro metal frame that I did several years ago. Some may remember that one.
Aquasoil!!! This tank is going in my office (home) where I spend most of my time. The temp in that room is constant year round. It's like our bunker LOL. Literally the walls are bullet proof. This way I should not have to heat the tank in the winter. Goal happy shrimp.

Hopefully you will not be hearing this woman roar in frustration with these little guy!!!
Wish me will
Please send us your thoughts and lots of direction.
Karen

[Tonysok]

Nice, they are neat little creatures. Just keep an eye on your water parameters since you're using RO water with a bare bottom tank. I'm not sure what kind of buffering capacity your wood has, but from my experience with nothing to buffer the RO water it can change quickly from leftover food and such. Good luck tho and share us some pictures.

[Tex Gal]

I support you Karen!! You go girl!

[Cocobid]

LOL Drinda....
Ok first shivers ran through the nervous system....should I take a scoop or two of aquasoil from an existing tank and scatter in the bottom of the tank to buffer???
Plan is to do partial water changes daily, 3-4 cups.

[bsmith]

What is the PH in that tank with nothing in it?

[Cocobid]

Prior to adding shrimp it was 6.8ish I think???
Just checked it sitting at 7.0

[bsmith]

That sounds good, I really see no reason to add the AS.

[airriick]

You might want to use some water enhancments though.

Since you're just using RO water.

Shirakura or Mosura products have both.

Old Sea mud, Mineral powder, Ca+. .

[fibertech]

You may want to add Equilibrium to your RO water to make it more stable. This is what I do.

[Craigthor]

A few things to consider:

Temp- Stable around 73 seems to be the best consensus I've seen. Too low and they get slow and lethargic too high and they stop breeding and randomly die off.
GH- 4-6 I keep my tnak at 4 by adding Mosuras Mineral Plus
KH- 4-6
Nitrates- I keep mine aroud 10ppm (Only dosing the ADA Line and only 1 pump per 20 liters, ok sometime 2) I test 3 times a week and record my findings.
Nitrites- Must be 0 not a problem with a well cycled aquarium, I do still test though for my own sanity.
Ammonia- Again 0 don't have my test kit for it but my tank is well cycled.
PH- Mine floats around 6.4 as I sue CO2 via pressurized at ~30ppm I slowly raised my CO2 to this level over 3 weeks.

Having a well cycled aquarium atleast 45-60 days old is highly recommended. Lots of Bio Media is a plus for superb water quality, I have 1L of biomedia for each 4L of water in my tank. Tiny water changes. I only change ~10% per week at most and that is only becasue I've added new shrimp. Larger changes can stress them out I've read for some and not for others. Top off with pure RO when needed. Whne I was using fans to cool my tank I was topping off as much as 3 times a day. Now with the chiller its only every 2-3 days.

Craig

[Cocobid]

Keeping my fingers crossed, so far no deaths. This is for me incredible. I'm changing 4 Cups of water daily. That seems to be what it takes to keep the bottom clean. They seem to be doing well. I'll try and get the water quality numbers up tomorrow.
I am seriously considering using the 14T for these shrimp. Once again more reading LOL
Currently what is in the tank are green shrimp & the blue black mystery shrimp. I am in the process of removing the B/B shrimp to another tank. Is it possible to keep he green shrimp with the CRS???? Guidance here is really needed. Due to the size of the 14G would be a lot easier to provide overall better conditions. It has aquasoi, RO, & DIY CO2. Great tank. Water quality extremely stable. Somehow I am determined to successfully breed and keep CRS~~~

[bsmith]

You can keep the shrimp together but it seems they do better in a tank all by there selves.

[Cocobid]

Decision made the CRS/CBS are going into the 14T, well cycled been up since the holidays. Have been trapping most of the shrimp that were in there!!! After water change today and a little rescaping will add them to their new home, unless you'all think it is to soon. Yes the filter intake is covered. It is a virtual jungle in there. Lots of bio film. They have really grown just in the week they have been here. Still no losses. The only fish in the 14 are micro-rasboras. Very small.

So it it ok to add??
Thank you all for all your impute
Karen

[kvntran]

Karen,

I would say go ahead. These shrimps love bio films. They also feel safer in heavily planted tanks. They will make babies if they feel at home.
Also, more plants = less water changes = more time to enjoy them.

Kevin

[Cocobid]

Thanks Kevin!!
Are my (your nephews) shrimp the same as your bloodline?