Advertisements
Aquatic Avenue Banner Tropica Shop Banner Fishy Business Banner
Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 57

Thread: Shrimp tank pH and kH problem

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Narnia
    Posts
    46
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore

    Exclamation Shrimp tank pH and kH problem

    Advertisements
    Fresh n Marine aQuarium Banner

    Advertise here

    Advertise here
    Hi

    I'm having problems with my pH and kH.
    2 Feet Tank
    ADA Soil
    Eheim 2213
    Aquazonic 2 T5 tubes
    1 DW
    Hornworts, Frogbits, US Fissiden, Weeping Moss

    Using API Liquid Test Kits,
    Ammonia: 0.25
    Nitrite: 0
    Nitrate: 10
    pH: 5.5
    gH: 3
    kH: 1

    Tank has been cycling for 25 days already. The pH used to be 6.5, but today it dropped to 5.5. I just did a 50% water change to try bring pH up. Would like to keep Shrimps like Chocolate/FR or CRS. Is there a need to bring up my kH and pH. If yes, how do i do it?

    Need help lol Thanks...

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Punggol
    Posts
    369
    Feedback Score
    10 (100%)
    Country
    Singapore

    Re: Shrimp tank pH and kH problem

    Looks normal to me. I will suggest to do water cycle longer. At least for another week or so and do update on your water parameter readings.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Posts
    65
    Feedback Score
    1 (100%)
    Images
    32
    Country
    Singapore

    Re: Shrimp tank pH and kH problem

    Really? I thought pH 5.5 is too low. Will it go back to 6.5 on its own? Also I read that having low kH like 1 causes pH to fluctuate anyhow?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Posts
    22
    Feedback Score
    2 (100%)
    Images
    1
    Country
    Singapore

    Re: Shrimp tank pH and kH problem

    i think let the tank cycle longer. i cycle my tank about 1 month plus, using ADA new. ph around 6. Normally, i just check ph n gh only.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Punggol
    Posts
    369
    Feedback Score
    10 (100%)
    Country
    Singapore

    Re: Shrimp tank pH and kH problem

    Well, Ada soil normally range from 5 to 6.4 (based on my own experience)

    That's why I mention is normal to me. After awhile when the water cycle is more or less done, you should be able to achieve close to 6.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Posts
    65
    Feedback Score
    1 (100%)
    Images
    32
    Country
    Singapore

    Re: Shrimp tank pH and kH problem

    So it's ok? Thought 5.5 pH is too low for shrimps like Sakura or fire red?

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Yio Chu Kang/Serangoon
    Posts
    1,499
    Feedback Score
    12 (100%)
    Country
    Singapore
    Quote Originally Posted by darrentyl View Post
    Well, Ada soil normally range from 5 to 6.4 (based on my own experience)

    That's why I mention is normal to me. After awhile when the water cycle is more or less done, you should be able to achieve close to 6.
    I agree that is the normal range... I have kept my PRL in PH of 4.3... They are fine... My tanks reaches this PH when I was doing my reset... So there is not really much of a cycle when they are sharing the same parameter...

    TS, the parameter you have given is fine for CRS... So don't need to bother and tweak it... Just let it cycle well and get ready to put in shrimps...
    钱不是问题!问题是。。。我没有钱。。。
    花钱像拉屎一样简单,赚钱像吃屎一样难。。。

    http://alvinchan80.blog.fc2.com

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Narnia
    Posts
    46
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore

    Re: Shrimp tank pH and kH problem

    Thanks for the response Hmmm... Okay then. I guess it's normal lol. Hopefully my pH increases again. What about my kH? It seems quite low and will cause my pH to be unstable?

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Narnia
    Posts
    46
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore

    Re: Shrimp tank pH and kH problem

    But I won't be keeping crs at the moment. I want to play with some chocolate shrimps or sakuras first. Is it still ok? How about my other parameters? They good?

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Yio Chu Kang/Serangoon
    Posts
    1,499
    Feedback Score
    12 (100%)
    Country
    Singapore
    Quote Originally Posted by muthubaba View Post
    Thanks for the response Hmmm... Okay then. I guess it's normal lol. Hopefully my pH increases again. What about my kH? It seems quite low and will cause my pH to be unstable?
    KH is fine... But with the PH at 5.5, neo caridina should have some problems.. Maybe won't die, but breeding might be slow or no breeding.. Just cycle the tank well..
    钱不是问题!问题是。。。我没有钱。。。
    花钱像拉屎一样简单,赚钱像吃屎一样难。。。

    http://alvinchan80.blog.fc2.com

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Narnia
    Posts
    46
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore

    Re: Shrimp tank pH and kH problem

    I see. Alright. Anyway if anybody has any thing that can give it to me for bacteria do let me know here like piece of sponge in ur filter from your established tank.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    Woodlands, Singapore
    Posts
    1,794
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore

    Re: Shrimp tank pH and kH problem

    Try adding less than a handful of coral chip, bury it in the soil somewhere in the soil. Mine have the same soil. I bury some in the middle, it's maintain at 6.3-6.5 and I like it that way. My fishes not having issue with ph. Extra one you can keep it somewhere in a plastic container and store it away.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Yio Chu Kang/Serangoon
    Posts
    1,499
    Feedback Score
    12 (100%)
    Country
    Singapore
    Quote Originally Posted by Blue Whale View Post
    Try adding less than a handful of coral chip, bury it in the soil somewhere in the soil. Mine have the same soil. I bury some in the middle, it's maintain at 6.3-6.5 and I like it that way. My fishes not having issue with ph. Extra one you can keep it somewhere in a plastic container and store it away.
    You shouldn't do that to a tank for low PH shrimps.. the leeching rises GH till you don't know where is the source when you bury it in the soil... Fish are not as sensitive as shrimps..
    钱不是问题!问题是。。。我没有钱。。。
    花钱像拉屎一样简单,赚钱像吃屎一样难。。。

    http://alvinchan80.blog.fc2.com

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Narnia
    Posts
    46
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore

    Re: Shrimp tank pH and kH problem

    i did thought of that but i prefer a natural way. and didnt want to risk having adding too much coral chips or face the problem again when the coral chips wear off or something lol

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Posts
    1,168
    Feedback Score
    1 (100%)
    Country
    Singapore

    Re: Shrimp tank pH and kH problem

    Like Alvin said coral chip is not advisable for shrimps tank. Nature way use aged tapwater aged for a week ph should 7. After a month you ph will buffer around 6.0 but bear in while if continue user of the tapwater that way your soil will deplete it buffering like in 6-8 months. So I would suggest once you reach the ph you want switch to distill water. Just my unworthy cents of opinion.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Punggol
    Posts
    369
    Feedback Score
    10 (100%)
    Country
    Singapore

    Re: Shrimp tank pH and kH problem

    Actually wondering will there be harmful effect in the event of hanging a small bag of coral chip to bring up the PH abit?

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Posts
    2,213
    Feedback Score
    2 (100%)
    Country
    Singapore

    Re: Shrimp tank pH and kH problem

    I notice that there's still detectable amount of ammonia in the water.
    When ammonia get's broken down to nitrite, the hydrogen from the NH3 get replaced with oxygen. The freed hydrogen then reduces pH of the water. So it is normal for a cycling tank to have low pH due to the accumulated ammonia being broken down by the newly colonized bacteria. Once this ammonia is gone, pH will slowly rise with water change until it reaches an equilibrium with the source of H+ (there's enough H+ in the water that the soil can no longer passively leech anymore into the water, and the release of H+ from ammonia breakdown is being countered by waterchange).

    Using coral to "buffer" the pH works in different ways depending on whether the pH is meant to stabilize above or below 7.
    For tanks with waters that are meant to be acidic, the coral chips produce KH that essentially cancels out some of the constantly produced H+ ions from ammonia breakdown and soil.
    This means that the KH a test kit can detected would always be low at acidic pH (it is being constantly reacted with H+). pH will slowly go up depending on how much KH is being produced, which is in turn depending on how low the pH is (hehehe, confused? The lower the pH, the faster the coral chips break down, the more KH is produced) until a new equilibrium is reached.

    This also means that both the coral chips and the soil are depleting each other. Chips will get smaller and smaller, while soil loses acidity.
    This may sound counter-productive, but in order to change the pH's equilibrium (to a desired range) and to buffer against pH crashes, some coral is not a bad idea IMHO.

    I keep a very small amount of coral chips (around 10 pcs?) in my tank which I constantly add or remove (so don't bury them please) to keep my pH at 6.0-6.2. Sometimes I overdo things and pH goes down to 5.8 or up to 6.4, but it's easily remedied. A pH monitor helps alot in this case but don't expect instant pH changes as it may take a full day to see the effects of any removal or addition of coral chips.

    However, avoid dumping in a bag of coral chips. The pH spike may cause an ammonia spike that could get toxic.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    Woodlands, Singapore
    Posts
    1,794
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore

    Re: Shrimp tank pH and kH problem

    Yes, I agree with Don. Small amount is about 1-2 phalanges (section of finger), so really not a lot. And best of all is that it has calcium which I am interested to see if it helps in molting which so many shrimp keepers have been complaining about.

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Narnia
    Posts
    46
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore

    Re: Shrimp tank pH and kH problem

    hmmm..
    i have questions lol.. im lost trying to make my tank look nice and relaxing to look at. all i have now is just a few pieces of wiremesh with us fissidens tied to them. my tank seems really plain
    will shrimps hide no matter how good the water is? because i have a DW but it has plenty of hiding spots for shrimps to hide. and i wouldnt want all my shrimps hiding and i cant see them.
    anyone can advise on this?

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Posts
    2,213
    Feedback Score
    2 (100%)
    Country
    Singapore

    Re: Shrimp tank pH and kH problem

    Shrimps hide when stressed, sick, moulting or berried. If you cannot lure them out with food, it means they are likely hiding from the above reasons.

Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •