here's another update. my crypts were taking over the tank so i took most of them out, and rearanged everything else to leave a bit of an open area in the front for viewing the shrimps.
i got some bulbitis recently which is all curled up from growing freefloating for months. it seems otherwise healthy so i moved it and it's driftwood to this tank because for some reason all plants do best in this tank. i am starting to think the shrimp are magic.:screwy: