[somewhatshocked]

Sometimes boiling the wood will help it become water-logged. Otherwise, it could take days or weeks. One thing you could do is weight it down with a heavy rock.

A tip for Dwarf Hair Grass: If you break it up into tiny clumps - 3-4 strands per clump - and plant it in a checkerboard pattern, it will fill in more quickly.

 

[somewhatshocked]

Don't do water changes as you're cycling your tank.

Since it will be for shrimp, even once the tank is cycled, you'll want to continue adding ammonia for a week or two to allow time for a nice biofilm build up. 4-6 weeks of total "cycling" time is usually a great idea for shrimp.

Snails are a good thing in shrimp tanks. Babies eat the goodies left behind/that grow on snail slime trails, snails eat leftover food, they clean the glass.

 

[somewhatshocked]

While you're 'cycling' - you may have to test every day to see how much ammonia you'll need to add in order to continue building up bacteria.

Snails are up to you. Could go with Ramshorns, Pond Snails, Apple Snails, Bladder Snails, Nerites, et al. If you're currently adding ammonia for the cycle, I wouldn't add them until your tank is ready for shrimp.

 

[somewhatshocked]

Looks like things are coming along nicely.

You'll definitely want to keep adding ammonia. Since you'll only be stocking shrimp, you could aim for 1.5-2PPM daily. I.E., your tank should be able to process that much ammonia in a 24-hour period.

That allows you to build a strong bacterial colony to process waste and to develop lots of goodies for the eventual shrimp that will inhabit your tank.

 

[somewhatshocked]

You use plain ammonia, no surfactants. Typically the janitorial strength stuff from Ace Hardware. (search the forum for "fishless cycle")

 

[somewhatshocked]

Not exactly. Go here to read what the fishless cycle is.

You have to provide a food source (ammonia) in order to develop bacteria that "cycle" your tank. Once the tank can process X amount of ammonia within 24 hours with ammonia dropping to 0, nitrite being at 0 and having at least some sort of nitrate reading, then your tank is ready. But read that link above.

 

[somewhatshocked]

I'm always afraid of harming fish when putting them into tanks that aren't cycled. Many consider it cruel. But you may be able to do it.

Just usually easier to add a few drops of ammonia each day until your tank is ready.

 

[somewhatshocked]

Yep! Sometimes it takes a while for DHG to do its thing but it eventually will - even in low light.

 

[somewhatshocked]

When the time comes for me to give you some Cherry Shrimp, I'll also give you some nicer mosses that you can spread throughout the tank or glue to wood.

Looking great so far.

 

[somewhatshocked]

Have you tried using an old toothbrush to remove that stuff?

Usually works pretty well.