There is hob filter that come with surface skimmer but there is possibilities of shrimp be suck in as well.
You can try biochem no-planaria powder for the leeches problem. May work on them.

still got bacteria infection to add in.. ahahahhaha
-Seed shrimp & nematodes - can vacuum substrate to reduce. (harmless but just ugly only)
-Planaria & hydra - Just use biochem no-planaria powder , dose 3 days - all settle(confirm), Biochem no-planaria is from Taiwan anyway.
-Leeches- No-planaria powder may work.
-Pest snails - No-planaria sometime kill them too else get some snail trap to reduce it or employ assassin snail.

all those pest come from the plants and shrimp purchase that hitchhiker on the plants and water, nothing to do with your setup unless you use second hand soil. Taiwan imported shrimp here are notorious to giving free planaria pest as bonus. That how i got my first planaria infestation last time.


This post has been edited by arrow: Nov 19 2013, 07:22 PM

although JBL Tormec Activ like sera super peat can reduce ph when use as filter media, it is not a long term solution as it effect only last 3 to 6 mths and there is fluctuation when near end of his lifespan, which make it not that suitable for CRS tank which need constant stable parameter, shrimp soil can provide that stable ph buffering for at least 1 to 2 year.
Don't ever use Ph down products for shrimp tank especially for crs as this ph down only provide temporary effect.
Any fluctuation in water parameter is proven fatal for sensitive shrimp like crs.
There is no shortcut in keeping sensitive shrimp like crs.

Rcs can breed in high ph, in fact im breeding my blue rili in a 1ft tank with ph8.2 with under gravel filter and sponge filter.

Crs is very different. They need special requirements just for them to survive, not to mention breeding them.
If you really into crs really need to invest in soil.
Ada amazonia soil csn be use. But make sure to throughly cycle it and do few large water change few days apart in 2 werk prior to adding the shrimp.

You can use those BW additives for planted tank for shrimp tank as well. Just cycle your tank with amazonia soil as usual, poke the soil with a stick to help release trapped air bubble(if not those trapped air bubble may release ammonia later when you disturb or the shrimp dig the soil later), once cycled, do a few large water in a week prior to adding shrimp to remove excess nutrient from soil, try not to disturb the soil substrate after that.

-Cherry. fire red , plamata and red rili are begineer shrimps in the neocaridina shrimp family. (good as starter shrimp with cherry the cheapest to obtain).
-Fire yellow or also known as yellow golden back are intermediate/sensitive shrimp, demand a mature tank. (try get smaller juvenile size as they have better survival rate that full grown adult).

refer here for palmata shrimp picture, their color variant.
http://swisstropicals.com/Neocaridina%20palmata.html

Shrimp adjustment is like children. They more easy to adapt to new environment when they small. Adult shrimp especially the sensitive one will have higher dying rate in new environment.

This post has been edited by arrow: Nov 24 2013, 01:04 PM

They are harmless. Just an eyes sore.

For rcs. Can. Just that the shrimp will have to roller skate on the floor during the initial phase till biofiln build up on the floor. Color will be dull without strong contrast on substrate and decor.

dead shrimp , after few hour body left in the tank, all will be soft and start to rot.
Shrimp died after molting the body will be soft and their body after molting is prone to attack from fish and affected more by tank parameter.
Shrimp normally mate after molting that why certain times a shrimp be swarmed by others.

Yes. Malaya can be kept with bare tank but most wont show their color, as substrate and surrounding color is one of yhe main key in determine their color change.

i use many kind , Eheim Pro Substrate, ADA Bio Rio, Seachem Matrix, Rein Biotech Biohome Plus etc,
Sometime the media you choose depend on your filter type and holding space, of all those i like Biohome Plus and if according what it claim
is true , it have the highest surface area among all those media i use, that mean it good for small filter that have filter media space constraint.
http://www.reinbiotech.com/pets/all-brands...&category_id=24

Yup. Bio media. Filter wool and some filter add in purigen as well.

Look alike like azoo active filter media.

Third Try : Project Sulawesi.
NO coral stone/sand , with just lot of mineral and lot of algae.



This post has been edited by arrow: Dec 11 2013, 12:19 PM

Yes. Rili shrimp.

Healthy , remember Malaya also known as rainbow shrimp? changing color is their unique features.

Bare tank easy to maintain as no hidden waste but for me it is really ugly.
Moss is basic plant in shrimp tank, so no wrong getting some, benibachi soil is good as it have far less ammonia leaching then Ada Amazonia soil. Currently benibachi soil is out of stock in kuala lumpur. I only left half bag just enough for my Sulawesi tank as nutrient provider for hair algae cultivation.

Bacteria is very important in any shrimp tank. It serve as food and help maintain eco system in tank. A good bacteria colony under the soil will help in maturing the tank and help prevent old tank syndrome.
To kill seed shrimp. You can take out all soil and dry them under the sun or install heater to heat up the water to 40c to kill them. But bacteria colony in soil will be wiped and tank is like reset.
Stir the soil may not drice them all out to be eaten by guppy. It may kill the guppy if too much debris is released from the soil if keep on stirring and pollute the water.

The black sand sold in lfs. Some are actually carbon based like active carbon. That why some claim will absorb impurities and improve water condition.
This may have a issue later as cheap active carbon will release back toxic it hold back to water once it reach it capacity. Need more feedback to determine whether this black sand is ok or not.