My success story

[tooth]

I pull hair algae out when it gets about 2 inches long. The shrimp do not eat it, as far as I can tell.

[Erlina _rusli]

Hi
From whati've read if the sand substrate was a live sand?
I havea aragonite live sand but washed it couple times because mustafa said the live sand wasnt good. But i saw the algae on the wall of your tank is not green color, it was more look like biofilm? I have biofilm slime like all over my sand and the surface of the water. Is it a good stuffs for opa ulae shrimp?
I really cant wait to add shrimp but im waiting my lava rock to get green now ,so far only sand surface a lil bit green

[Erlina _rusli]

Here is my cycling tank

[Erlina _rusli]

My tank pic

[tooth]

Thank you for the pics. I used hermit crab substrate for my tank. The algae is quite green--the phone camera is not very accurate.
I cannot recommend using the crab substrate unless one is willing to wait several months for cycling. However, after cycling there is so much organic matter in the substrate you may never need to add food to the system. I'm going on 5 years with no external food added.
Brad

[ThisGuy]

Hi
From whati've read if the sand substrate was a live sand?
I havea aragonite live sand but washed it couple times because mustafa said the live sand wasnt good. But i saw the algae on the wall of your tank is not green color, it was more look like biofilm? I have biofilm slime like all over my sand and the surface of the water. Is it a good stuffs for opa ulae shrimp?
I really cant wait to add shrimp but im waiting my lava rock to get green now ,so far only sand surface a lil bit green

Shrimp sometimes eat it snails (the ones Mustafa sells)will eat biofilm.

[tooth]

Another year has passed.
My tank will have been up and running for 5 years this month. The water clarity continues to improve, slowly. I still do not know what caused the cloudiness.
I'm not seeing any berried shrimp for the Spring, yet. Unless the population has reached equilibrium, I should see some soon. They usually start about now, as things warm up.
I've still not added any food to the tank.
I'm not seeing the algae growth slackening. Last Fall I noticed a few bare spots of substrate showing, but they've all been covered with algae since then.
I'm hoping that means more shrimp this spring/summer, as the food supply is not diminishing.

[Erlina _rusli]

Photo pleasee..!
Im so excited i saw 4-5 berried shrimps when i gave tiny little dust algae food, they all came out, i think there is more hiding , the albino berried one ...
My algae not growing much

[tooth]

The water is still a little cloudy. I'll see how the photos turn out.
Today, the first berried shrimp of the spring season showed up. I was almost convinced the tank had reached equilibrium.
The cluster looks small, about 8 eggs.

[Mustafa]

Thanks for the update and congrats on the first spring season eggs! Wow...5 years NO FOOD! Newbies/beginners reading this...I'll repeat NO FOOD FOR 5 YEARS, and his shrimp are happy and reproducing. But please read the entire thread to see why he didn't need to feed for that long.

[Super Jess]

I love that this thread is still going. Thanks for continuing to update!

[tooth]

Goodness. There are now 6 berried females. It appears the Spring orgy is is progress.

[Sasquatch]

It appears the Spring orgy is is progress.

Where do my shrimp sign up? They need some lovin

[Flippers]

Amazing!! I'm cycling my tank now... It has a few nano marimo balls (not from this site) and Java Fern. Would you suggest removing it? If I remove it, should I just start over? I have a little bit of treated tap, too... Should I dump it and just do R/O?

[Varanus]

Amazing!! I'm cycling my tank now... It has a few nano marimo balls (not from this site) and Java Fern. Would you suggest removing it? If I remove it, should I just start over? I have a little bit of treated tap, too... Should I dump it and just do R/O?

I'd say remove the plants but keep the water and wait for it to cycle. No need for unnecessary work.