Water parameters affecting Crystal Red Shrimps

[caRoland]

will kh affect crs?
how to bring it down?

tks rgds
caRoland

[peter2883]

I'm a newbie to CRS but since no one replied you I thought I would...

I've made quite alot of research on CRS & it seems that the key to keeping & breeding CRS you should take note of only 2 parameters...

1) Temperature (Below 26 if possible)

2) PH as CRS are sensitive to PH swings...

The "Old Birds" don't seem to care very much about the other Parameters on the couple of Forums I've visited...

Hope this helps...

[Neon Shrimp]

Thanks peter, I agree with you

[mjck]

To bring KH down ... just do a water change .. our tape water has a kh of kess than 2 degrees. However do take note that a lower KH will affect the water's ability to buffer for pH swings.

Because of the low KH of our tape water, i usually add baking soda to it to get a KH of around 8. My cherry shrimps seems to be doing well @ KH 8.

[caRoland]

thanks to the replies..

one more thing, read from the web that after we cycled the tank for 1 week( 1 ft tank), we need to do a large water change! then add in new aged conditioned water.

Arent we getting rid of the bacteria by doing that???

so i'm confused, by the way im using used ADA soil from my current tank and a new hang on filter.

or is there any kind of solutions you guys used to speed up the process in a harmless manner?

tks rgds
caroland

[peter2883]

The water change is to get ride of the nitrite & nitrates in your tank... If you have plants, the plants will absorb the nitrite & nitrates...

Put some fish into the tank that would jump start the process but not make the process shorter...

Use filter media from an established tank will make the process shorter but imho I would still cycle the tank for at least 02 - 03 weeks at the very least...

The bacteria will not die off or be removed completely as they will be in your filter system... The best way to cultivate BB (Beneficial Bacteria) is to use a Canister Filter...

[caRoland]

thanks for your info peter, so i guess you got a successful crs tank.

actually i'm thinking whether i can get some stable crs water from guys here to speed up the whole process.

think this will be the safest and fastest way. Get some used sponge and water wouldnt it be faster??

[peter2883]

Very embarassed to say that I'm still cycling my Tank... I was on a 1.5 Foot tank & after 3 weeks I changed it to a 3 Footer as I read that a bigger tank is a better setup... I'm just started cycling my new tank for 03 days... Long way to go... But good thing is I'm still using my last Canister on the new setup so there will be beneficial bacterial (BB) in it & should be faster but then again this tank has about 190L compared to 45L on my last tank...

I've also added an Eheim 2228 to this setup & praying that everything would go faster...

Getting the used sponge would cycle your tank faster but imho the water doesn't help much... Using the sponge from an established tank would multiply the BB in your setup much faster... Put it in one corner & let the BB grow freely in the tank... But make sure minimum light only as BB will die in Sunlight... Shaded & not direct is ok (That's what the guy at the LFS told me...) I know it might not be possible for you to keep it in complete darkness as your tank might be in the living room...