Hi all,
I can't help with the CRS, but I can do the water bit.
My only concern is GH and that mine isnt quite high enough. Test kits are shunned a bit as inaccurate so i got a water report from my supplier which stated my tap water to be soft having 18mg/l as calcium and 45mg/l as calcium carbonate. Before going down the CRS route i thought id see if this is a possibility. In my planted tank i add sera mineral salts (Ca, Mg and K) but this in turn increases TDS, which i understand should be kept low also.
The water sounds fine 1dKH is equivalent to 17.85 milligrams of calcium carbonate per litre of water, so you have
about 2.5dKH. 1 dGH is defined as 10 milligrams (mg) of calcium oxide (CaO) per litre of water, CaO has the RMM of Ca(40) + O(16) = 56. and 40/56 = 0.714. Therefore 7.14mg of Ca per litre of water is equivalent to 1dGH,
so again you have approx 2.5 dGH.
Can food sources provide the necessary minerals needed for correct moulting and breeding? and if so which ones are best?
After Dincho's CRS food guide (in Paulo's link) have a look at: <
http://www.ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=8970>, I'm still a little bit dubious about the need for special shrimp foods.
I'd just make sure they get some calcium rich vegetables, something like a blanched Brassica- Pak choi, Broccoli, Savoy Cabbage or cooked Sweet Potato, Carrot or Butternut Squash. I'd then feed a good quality Spirulina based flake and a small amount of Red Astaxanthin pellets, and that should cover all bases nutritionally.
The other things I would have in the tank would be a filter sponge and lots of dead leaves.
Calcium values for fruit and veg etc here: <
http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Document.aspx?Document=HH3720SX_2237_FRP.doc>
TA Aquaculture should be able to supply the Astax crumb and Spirulina flake, and I've always found them excellent to deal with.
cheers Darrel