FAIL... Starting Again......

[technics]

Hi all,

My 1st attempt on keeping shrimps fail miserably even with all ideal parameters with API test kit. Now on the verge on resetting my 2feet tank and start all over again.. Now instead of quietly reading the pro tips from forum gurus, I would like to seek help from you guys so that I will not fail again.. I'm really at my wits end as my low grade CRS is dying almost every 2 days.. Instead of trial and error, advice from LFS uncles, I have been dillgently reading posts from AQ shrimpers knowledge

For a start of the stuffs I looking at. Please feel free to comment and correct me.

Soil: RAC Normal and Powder soil or Borneowild soil
BB : Mosura BT-9 or Totto PSB liquid
Base : Mosura Old Sea Mud, Benibachi Fulvic grain or Borneowild Humic
Plants: Using back my current plants ( fissiden moss on drift wood, Frogbits)
Filteration: Ehiem Ecco pro 200 with inflow and itflow lily pipe and Gex immerse filter with rainbar outlet
Chiller : Hailea HS-28 with external temp probe

Is there anymore stuffs I need to get it right this time round. Please help this noobie failure to stand again..

Thank You all..

[Ingen]

I am no shrimps expert and failed miserably like you too. What I observed is a newly set up tank has higher chance of failing even with the all the ideal parameter in place. I reckon it could be 1. Tank is not truly stable, 2. Not enough micro organism to provide healthy growth or molt.

I'm trying again in my 2ft 3-4 months old tank that's not set up for specifically for shrimps and they are doing well so far *finger crossed*, then again, I just introduced shrimps two weeks ago, can't say much for now until they have successfully breed.

Subscribing to this thread to learn more from pros

[Suzerolt]

You have the quite good equipment there. Consider purchasing test kits to check water parameters.

Note that equipment is one thing. The process of getting the tank & water parameters ready is another (i.e. proper cycling & filtration)

Do share more.

[technics]

I already cycled my tank for more then a month and test all parameters with API test kit.(Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, KH, GH, PH,TDS) before adding the low grades. Initially was ok, 20 low grade, 3 Ottos, 1 Netrite snail and plants doing well without any added ferts. Feed shrimps with Borneowild Spinach and Mulberry leaves. I acclimate the shrimps diligently using the slow drip method. Slowing along the way, I added more low grades as I got no luck for any offsprings. Did 10-15% water change weekly with 3-4 days aged tap water infuse with recommended dosage of Seachem Prime. After WC, dosed the recommended dose of BT-9. My army of low grade from 80 till today 12...
Parameters as of last week
Water Temperature - 24*C
PH - 6.2
Ammonia - 0ppm
Nitrite - 0ppm
Nitrate - 0ppm
TDS - 125
GH - 4
Kh -2
I admit I was quite a noob in the beginning, after reading through pages n posts of AQ gurus, I decided to give it another try. That's why now I'm looking at stuffs specially for shrimps. And hope I will fare better this time round...

Thank You

[Dscheng]

Your nitrate 0 is a bit suspicious that your reading is not accurate. More ever you got livestock in. Other than nitrate reading, your water parameter looks good. If you are really serious to setup shrimp tank, you might consider distilled water. But remember to add mosura mineral plus for distilled water.

Just curious what type of bio media are you using?

[technics]

Bio media is stock from Ehiem Ecco pro 200 package... Soil is don't know what brand as recommended by LFS. Test kit is API fresh water.
Thats why I want to restart again with all shrimp related brand stuffs and hope to succeed this time round.

[Dscheng]

Do check the API test kit expiry date. Anyway good luck.

[14litre]

I do not have experience with CRS.

I am starting to be on the right track for RCS (hopefully) where it starts to breed. I have countless failure too.

CRS needs different parameters than RCS and it's more sensitive to it.

I'll share with what i have on my RCS.

I agree with Dscheng that you might want to rebook at the Nitrate reading.

Assuming you are using test solution and not test strip.

I made mistake before by not reading the instruction carefully.
I simply add bottle 1 &2 one after another, just like the ammonia test solution.

This is wrong. One part easily overlooked is that the 2nd bottle needs to be shaken for a while before using.

My first reading before following the instructions was 0.
After following the instructions, it went very high, 2nd highest I think.

I'm not saying you did it wrong, but worth to reaffirm it.

It's also worth testing your aged water parameters to see if it matches to your tank.
I discovered that my aged water will increase the tds overtime so my weekly wc is through distilled water.

You mentioned the drip method when you introduced the shrimps. I supposed you are also doing drip method when you do the wc. It is also necessary I felt.

Other than that, all seems well.

The challenge I felt is always this part that all seems good and yet the shrimps are dying. Quite discouraging.

But keep it going. You will reach there someday.

[Dscheng]

http://www.discobee.com/blogs/news/17030569-shrimp-water-parameters

Very good link for difference shrimp idea water parameters. Not sure what happen to the link, you can copy and paste the address into your browser to view.

[technics]

API tester is all fresh n not expired... I will do a test again tomorrow n see e results again...
Thank you all for the advices... Really at my wits end.. Another up the lorry again...

[cheetf]

Any full tank shot?

[Suzerolt]

It's important to give the API test kit (eg Nitrate) a quick shake before use. I agree that all major parameters reading 0 is suspicious.

Any copper medication used before in the tank or equipment? Shrimps are sensitive to copper which may leach out from rocks (if copper medication was used before)

Do you use CO2?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[technics]

No CO2 used, no copper medication or plant ferts

[Urban Aquaria]

Your new planned setup with all the mineral supplements, bacteria additives and chiller etc, looks like it would create a good environment for the shrimps... i guess on the equipment/additives aspect of the setup, its as good as it gets. The rest is just how well you maintain the tank over the long term.

Btw, was your old/current tank also setup the same way too, or was it more basic without the added minerals, bacteria and chiller?

[technics]

Your new planned setup with all the mineral supplements, bacteria additives and chiller etc, looks like it would create a good environment for the shrimps... i guess on the equipment/additives aspect of the setup, its as good as it gets. The rest is just how well you maintain the tank over the long term.

Btw, was your old/current tank also setup the same way too, or was it more basic without the added minerals, bacteria and chiller?

I only have one 2ft tank currently. After the current death streak, I want to reset and restart again.. When I first start this current tank, Mosura old sea mud, Totto PSB BB, drift wood with moss, frogbits and few branches of I don't know what the nameof the plants. Ottos and nerite snail all are happy n enjoying.

[technics]

I'm currently looking at either RAC or Borneowild soil for the re-start..I don't dare to look at ADA soil as it seem to be a more pro level soil..

[technics]

[QUOTE=cheetf;821416]Any full tank shot?

I will try and attach a pic of my tank..

[Urban Aquaria]

I only have one 2ft tank currently. After the current death streak, I want to reset and restart again.. When I first start this current tank, Mosura old sea mud, Totto PSB BB, drift wood with moss, frogbits and few branches of I don't know what the nameof the plants. Ottos and nerite snail all are happy n enjoying.

Your current setup seems okay... if the otos and nerite snails are doing well, then i guess the water parameters should be relatively safe too (if there were any toxic parameters present, it'll probably have affected the otos and nerite snails by now).

Perhaps the current shrimps gradually dying over an extended period of time could just be lack of certain minerals or nutrients in the water to support their continued growth and molting. Your new setup with the additional minerals and vitamins should help with this issue. Alternatively, you could also just carry on with your current setup and let the tank mature further, eventually the parameters should become balanced and conducive for the shrimps to thrive in.

For any new plants or hardscape that you purchase, it would be a good idea to soak and quarantine them for a while before introduction into your tank, sometimes they may still contain residual pesticides from the plant farm which might affect the shrimps

Do also check that no one in the household is using any chemical aerosols (ie. cleaning detergents, polishes, perfumes, deodorants etc) in the same room or around near the tank, as its possible some of those toxic chemicals could get into the tank and cause issues with the shrimps too.

I'm currently looking at either RAC or Borneowild soil for the re-start..I don't dare to look at ADA soil as it seem to be a more pro level soil..

If your main focus is keeping and breeding the shrimps, then its definitely best to use soil which are designed specifically for shrimp keeping, like the RAC soil. It will buffer the tank conditions for the shrimps without high levels of ammonia being released (the shrimps have no use for the ammonia anyways, they are not plants).

ADA aquasoil is mainly for those who focus more on growing plants, its not actually designed for shrimp keeping (though its still possible to use it for shrimps, just need extra time to cycle it and additional work to to flush out the excess unused ammonia and nutrients).

[technics]

Your current setup seems okay... if the otos and nerite snails are doing well, then i guess the water parameters should be relatively safe too (if there were any toxic parameters present, it'll probably have affected the otos and nerite snails by now).

Perhaps the current shrimps gradually dying over an extended period of time could just be lack of certain minerals or nutrients in the water to support their continued growth and molting. Your new setup with the additional minerals and vitamins should help with this issue. Alternatively, you could also just carry on with your current setup and let the tank mature further, eventually the parameters should become balanced and conducive for the shrimps to thrive in.

For any new plants or hardscape that you purchase, it would be a good idea to soak and quarantine them for a while before introduction into your tank, sometimes they may still contain residual pesticides from the plant farm which might affect the shrimps

Do also check that no one in the household is using any chemical aerosols (ie. cleaning detergents, polishes, perfumes, deodorants etc) in the same room or around near the tank, as its possible some of those toxic chemicals could get into the tank and cause issues with the shrimps too.




If your main focus is keeping and breeding the shrimps, then its definitely best to use soil which are designed specifically for shrimp keeping, like the RAC soil. It will buffer the tank conditions for the shrimps without high levels of ammonia being released (the shrimps have no use for the ammonia anyways, they are not plants).

ADA aquasoil is mainly for those who focus more on growing plants, its not actually designed for shrimp keeping (though its still possible to use it for shrimps, just need extra time to cycle it and additional work to to flush out the excess unused ammonia and nutrients).

Thks UA, i'm an avid follower of your advices. I had read through all the precious advices u gave to fellow shrimpers. I quarantine the plants based on your method before introduced to the tank.. Shrimps, ottos using the drip acclimate method.. The reason why I want to start all over again is because I have spend quite alot on the initial shrimp setup. In the beginning, it was really pleasing to see my army of shrimps grazing around, going crazy when I put a leave of mulberry.. There were a numbers of clear molting shells ard, but no luck on baby shrimplets. But this recent weeks, I have been fishing out dead shrimp every 2-3 days with no any visual signs as what AQ bros describle. It was heart breaking,even my wife is laughing at me..
Thats why,im popping over to Aquarist Chamber to get RAC soil, those initial setup stuffs from Mosura. Pray and hope my shrimping luck will change for the better.. I want to build my shrimps army again... Slowly but surely

[Jianyuan]

I don't practice the habbit of feeding leaves to my shrimps, cant be sure where the leaves are gotten from right? The main concern to me is pesticide might be on the leaves.