Maintaining safe levels

[badfet]

Hello again,
Well my tank is up and running, its been running now for the last three days, 55 gal, wet/dry filter, 2 402 PH, 45 LB LS, 45 LB LR, and a Berlin PS. This morning I tested for ammonia and the nitrates levels. Also for PH Levels. Using the advice I received b4 setting the tank up, I placed to shrimps in the tank to get the ammonia levels up. So I understand why all of my levels are up. My question is how long do I leave those shrimp in there, and is a water change the only way to bring your levels down, how offen does the water have to be changed, can I use tap water instead of spring water, and what percentage of water should I change ?????

 

[bang guy]

Leave the shrimp in there. They will rot and feed the bacteria as well as the sand bed bugs. You Ammonia level will rise then fall overlapped with a rise and fall of Nitrite. This is normal. To maintain the maximum amount of life you should do water changes when the Ammonia level exceeds 0.5 ppm but you don't want to get it too low so don't change a large amount of water.
Avoid Spring water at all cost, that's NOT what you want to use. Distilled or Reverse Osmosis is what you're looking for - RO/DI is best (DI = DeIonized). I don't suggest Tap water unless you've done a full analysis and know what's in it.
There should be detrivores in the sand and Rock eating the Shrimp, have you seen them?
Guy