1ft Cube Iwagumi shrimp tank...help needed

**T00500** · 28th Jan 2015, 19:16

Hi Guys,

Started this one foot cube in early Nov 2014.

Using Planta Soil, Ryuoh Stones and a simple hang-on filter.

Planted with just mini fissidens.

Just got a test kit and tested PH 7.5 and NH3/ NH4 = 0

Shrimps are still dying left right center....weirdly, the larger ones surviving better.

Won't even hope of them breeding....just hope they will stop dying...

2014-11-16 00.45.59.jpg

**Urban Aquaria** · 28th Jan 2015, 19:21

Looks like the rocks are releasing minerals and pushing up the pH and possibly GH (can see the white calcareous areas on the rocks and under their surfaces), and it seems the Planta Soil has already lost its pH/kH buffering capacity.

The smaller shrimps could be dying due to molting issues, perhaps the GH is too high at the moment. The larger shrimps might be able to withstand the water conditions at the moment as they tend to molt less often when older.

Do check the other parameters like nitrite and nitrate... with your tank having just a few patches of moss and a hang-on filter, those parameters may currently be at elevated levels too.

**T00500** · 28th Jan 2015, 19:29

Thanks UA, love your blog.

What can I do to lower or buffer GH?? More water changes?

**Urban Aquaria** · 28th Jan 2015, 21:28

Originally Posted by T00500

What can I do to lower or buffer GH?? More water changes?

Yeah, more water changes (with lower GH softer water) or distilled/RO water can help to reduce the GH to more moderate levels. It'll be best to do a series of smaller water changes over a span of time to avoid sudden fluctuations.

Note that all of this is just guesswork at the moment though... i only assumed it based on the unusually higher pH even with active soil substrate. It may not even be due to high GH after all, could be some other parameter. A GH test kit would be able to measure and confirm it for you.

If you find that the rocks are indeed constantly increasing the GH, then it would be better to just remove the rocks and replace with hardscape that don't raise GH so much.

**sixhunter** · 28th Jan 2015, 22:58

hmmm thats wierd, if threadstarter began this tank in nov, wouldn't the active soil still be buffering and bringing ph down to below 7 ? For a one feet cube tank, that amount of soil should be very decent i doubt the buffering would lose out ? It has been less than 3 months for the soil (if its brand new) shouldn't have any issues with ph lowering abilities at all. Is your 7.5 ph an accurate reading/test ? Have you tried measure the ph of your tap water, and then do a simple troubleshoot for your soil by placing some into a small container of water and test the ph after a few days. If the latter shows 7 and above ph, your soil may be an issue. But ph 7.5 wont cause your neo shrimps to die though. Probably urban guess might be right about the gh. But then again haha, it really varies alot, taiwan kept neo shrimps have very high gh and still can breed well. When comes to shrimping, it seems like a very greyish area (what works for you, works for you haha) But usually new tank may encounter problems easier maybe because tank conditions have not matured enough

**Urban Aquaria** · 28th Jan 2015, 23:14

Yeah, that's that thing with the buffering capability of active soil substrates, they all have a buffering lifespan that is affected by how much they have to "fight" to pull down the pH and kH. The buffering lifespan also depends on the quality and characteristics of the soil too.

If there are rocks or other additives in the tank that are pushing up pH, then the soil will have to use up more of its buffering ability to counter it, which accelerates its depletion... in some cases, with tanks that have a lot of calcareous rocks, it can be exhausted very quickly.

**T00500** · 28th Jan 2015, 23:25

Originally Posted by sixhunter

hmmm thats wierd, if threadstarter began this tank in nov, wouldn't the active soil still be buffering and bringing ph down to below 7 ? For a one feet cube tank, that amount of soil should be very decent i doubt the buffering would lose out ? It has been less than 3 months for the soil (if its brand new) shouldn't have any issues with ph lowering abilities at all. Is your 7.5 ph an accurate reading/test ? Have you tried measure the ph of your tap water, and then do a simple troubleshoot for your soil by placing some into a small container of water and test the ph after a few days. If the latter shows 7 and above ph, your soil may be an issue. But ph 7.5 wont cause your neo shrimps to die though. Probably urban guess might be right about the gh. But then again haha, it really varies alot, taiwan kept neo shrimps have very high gh and still can breed well. When comes to shrimping, it seems like a very greyish area (what works for you, works for you haha) But usually new tank may encounter problems easier maybe because tank conditions have not matured enough

Well....I tested the PH and hoped it would be 7 or lower....but from the color chart its really closer to 7.5...I have not tested my tap water yet though....

Do I test the tap water straight up or after adding anti-chlorine?? (Don't think the anti-chlorine would make much difference though)

**sixhunter** · 29th Jan 2015, 00:20

Originally Posted by T00500

Well....I tested the PH and hoped it would be 7 or lower....but from the color chart its really closer to 7.5...I have not tested my tap water yet though....

Do I test the tap water straight up or after adding anti-chlorine?? (Don't think the anti-chlorine would make much difference though)

i think if prepare TWO small container around 1-2L, just add a few drops, let it mix for a few minutes later you do a quick test. Then introduce some of your (1) spare planta unused soil into one of the containers, and (2) some soil from your this existing tank into another container. Probably test the ph of these two containers the next day to see check any consistent or inconsistent readings.

**sixhunter** · 29th Jan 2015, 00:21

Originally Posted by Urban Aquaria

Yeah, that's that thing with the buffering capability of active soil substrates, they all have a buffering lifespan that is affected by how much they have to "fight" to pull down the pH and kH. The buffering lifespan also depends on the quality and characteristics of the soil too.

If there are rocks or other additives in the tank that are pushing up pH, then the soil will have to use up more of its buffering ability to counter it, which accelerates its depletion... in some cases, with tanks that have a lot of calcareous rocks, it can be exhausted very quickly.

Yea urban that is true, it will shorten the lifespan for sure as it has to keep buffering. I did tried with some coral rocks on ada soil for a few months, but it wasn't enough to kill the soil yet haha. Threadstarter tank is really quick new to be totally drained of its buffering i feel, the less than 3 months seems to be just a cycling period hmmm i wonder about that too, curious curious haha