Hi new here

[Stephen]

Ok Stephen thank you now it’s just a matter of where I can buy seachem products today in my area where I live the best shop is a maidenhead aquatics a couple of miles away. I might have to call and see if they have any in stock.
Honestly I had various aquariums years ago but I never had to deal with such difficult water quality for the set up.yes I use a water conditioner but it doesn’t seem to do the job and the shrimps will arrive on Thursday

Maidenhead Aquatics do not normally sell Seachem products (they will gladly sell you something else though).
Buy from Amazon, it will arrive tomorrow.

Seachem Stability 100ml £6.99 (Link)
Seachem Prime 100ml £7.49 (Link)

[PaulVerrall]

Ok Stephen thank you now it’s just a matter of where I can buy seachem products today in my area where I live the best shop is a maidenhead aquatics a couple of miles away. I might have to call and see if they have any in stock.
Honestly I had various aquariums years ago but I never had to deal with such difficult water quality for the set up.yes I use a water conditioner but it doesn’t seem to do the job and the shrimps will arrive on Thursday

Amazon do seachem Prime on next day delivery. Struggle to find Fish stores that stock Seachem products, what area are you in? Someone may know somewhere

[Mymel]

Martinspuddle Great advice thank you will get them used exactly like that.
I tried every pet shop in the area but no luck on the plants so I ordered the seachem products on Amazon….. so much for buying local I have sent the guy on eBay 2messages but I don’t think his English is good enough to understand or he just doesn’t want to react to my reply fingers crossed I get it sorted

[Martinspuddle]

Both plants species can be purchased of ebay, links below.

ebay - Guppy Grass

ebay - Dwarf Lettuce

[plankton]

Welcome to the forum.
I notice that you have a nitrite reading on that (dodgy) test strip, also high nitrates, neither of which the shrimp will thank you for and it also points to the fact that there is probably some ammonia as well which is also lethal.
The hard water is fine for neocaradina shrimp.
If the shrimp still arrive on Thursday you will need to do a 100% water change before they go near it.
The Maidenhead bio stuff is ok once you have an established setup, I use it as it's the only thing I can get easily for when I add new stock.

[Mymel]

So seachem is being delivered today and I was able to postpone the arrival of the shrimps (hopefully) do I make a water change before or just add the products? And if how many percent would you change? Plants have been ordered but I don’t know when they arrive

[Martinspuddle]

If it was me, 50% waterchange, add Prime, add plants when they arrive and test before adding Shrimp.

[Mymel]

Ph and ammonium is fine btw.I got a better test kit yesterday.So nitrate being the big enemy…. It’s such a shame as the plants already in the tank are growing very well.

[plankton]

Test the tapwater for nitrates - that will give you the starting point.
If you're under 40ppm (or ml/l depending on which test kit you got) then you should be ok with neos, although they do prefer it as close to zero as possible, they aren't quite as fragile as caradinas who need soft water and low nitrates.

[Mymel]

Yes tap water just around 0.25 Mhh Thames water