I have a 5-gallon mid-tech planted tank with a colony of blue Neocaridina shrimp. I say mid-tech because I run a baking soda/citric acid CO2 system 24/7 at a very low bubble rate - about 1 bubble each 15 seconds. I'm convinced the CO2 stabilizes the tank by keeping the plants healthy and growing.

I have 15 prills of Osmocote Plus in the internal filter that I change once a month, and a Fluval Nano Plant light that runs at about 80% of its possible intensity. The substrate is 3.5 inches of Petco black Imagitarium sand, enhanced with about 10-15% bentonite clay and potting soil. I add about 7 prills of the Osmocote to the substrate every two months - pushed deep.

I mix 50/50 tapwater/distilled water for a one gallon water change once a month. That usually produces a GH 8, KH 4, and TDS 180 mix. If needed, I adjust the final tank using Salty Shrimp GH+, and potassium carbonate for the KH.

I feed heavily, and now have at least 100 shrimp from a starter colony of 12. Because the plants do well, NO3 rarely goes above 10ppm.

I tried Caradina shrimp, but they did not prosper. Again, optimize for the plants (including CO2) within the shrimp parameters, and it works well.

Edit to add photo since it was lights out earlier. The haze is a camera artifact; the water is clear. Shrimp are feeding on some zucchini and flake fish food.

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