CRS dying...help

[josephogk]

Hi, just some additional info here. Inorder to achieve a crs tank with stable water parameter, some components which I feel is essential as follow:
1. Soil - Personally used ADA Amazonia Soil, its well known to water at low ph suitable for your shrimps.
2. Tank size - At least 2ft
3. Filter - Invest in a good canister filter that is able to break down ammonia/nitrite efficiently
4. CO2 - Try not to inject any CO2 at all, if really necessary for your plants, monitor your CO2 level ensure its not too high. Alternatively, just keep low tech plants like mosses.
5. Chiller - I maintained my shrimp tank at 23-25deg using a chiller.
5. Lastly, at least get test kits for ammonia, nitrate, ph. All these will come in handy to investigate any shrimp deaths.

[lyebw225]

Thanks for the advice...my tank has more or less stabilized after i added calcium into the water. I actually dissolved calcium tablet (for human consumption) into the water. I figured my most of my shrimps died in the process of molting. Is a chiller really required for a shrimp tank? And no, i don't inject C02, i have java fern, java moss and moss ball. I have a 2ft tank, currently doing 15-20% water change per week.

[darrentyl]

Calcium? Do you check the gh of your tank?

[cheetf]

Not recommended that you keep adding the calcium though. Might cause moulting problems too.