Why is my tank never clearing up? MANY details in comments
10gal shrimp tank, established for 2 years.
I moved about 8 months ago and it’s looked like this since.
Water changes clear it up briefly but it just goes back to this.
7.4/0/0/0 tested with both master freshwater API and Red Sea titration tests.
Phosphate is undetectable as well.
I moved the tank as I always have, 5gal into a bucket with livestock, other 5gal dumped, wet paper towel over plants during transport.
Used the same 5gal from transport and then filled up with 5 new gallons from the new place.
Immediate hypothesis was new water source being the cause, so I’ve been buying spring water and doing 1gal changes every few days, also tried a britta, but the spring water obviously isn’t from the same source and after about 20~ gallons of accumulated changes over months, it clears up for sub~ 24 hours and then is back to this.
I have an Aquaclear 20 on there with about 50gal worth of ceramic rings, a pre filter sponge, and a coarse -> fine sponge layered under the rings.
I was the manager of an LFS for 8 years, I’ve kept literally hundreds of tanks, this has never happened and is only happening with this tank.
I dosed some aquavitro seed which is supposed to be a heterotrophic and autotrophic bacteria blend as well, with no change at all.
Anyone have any ideas? I’m at my wits end
Edit; forgot to mention I’ve also cleaned all filter materials, the biological in old tank water, but my entire inhabitants have been 4-6 cherry shrimp that turned into about 20. They seem to be dying slowly and not breeding anymore. My nitrates have literally never been detectable, I used to dose NPK, but not after moving.