Shrimp tank water ph of 4.5 to 5?

[gyjd]

Greetings to all in AQ.
Am new to shrimp-keeping so hope to learn from all.

Currently keeping cherry shrimps & malayan shrimps for couple of months,
was surprised my water ph value 4.5-5....

My shrimps are ok but my apple snail's shell seeem to be eroded & thinning....pls advise how to adjust water parameters.

thanx in advance.

regards,
dickson

[mark0308]

Hi,
At your current PH level, your biological filter would not be able to function properly. What type of filter systems are you using.
You can add some coral chips in your tank where the place that circulation is good (like output of your filter). You had to monitor it.
Change the PH slowly, do not let the PH swing up to fast and note that your shrimps may not like high PH.
When your desire PH is reach, remove the coral chips and monitor whether it drop back. If your PH don't hold, you need to add sodium bicarbonate to increase your KH.
Hope it helps
Best regards
Mark

[gyjd]

Hi,
At your current PH level, your biological filter would not be able to function properly. What type of filter systems are you using..... If your PH don't hold, you need to add sodium bicarbonate to increase your KH.
Hope it helps
Best regards
Mark

Thanx alot for yr advice, Mark.
i'm using a small hang-on filter for my 1feet tank.
will try to take a pix to show.
Will try yr method, btw what's sodium bicarbonate? is it baking soda?

regards,
dickson

[AA24]

Yup.. it is baking soda.. can anyone confirm at what level of ph will the acidity start killing off all the BB(beneficial bacteria).. I always thought that by ph5 its already a total wipeout..

thanks..

also, I think that you might want to check that your ph test kit is testing correctly.. might br giving you a wrong reading.. as I have not experienced such a low ph with water in singapore..

[mark0308]

I think anything below PH 5.5, BB will start to die.
Singapore tap water PH should be quite high, 7.5 to 8 at my area ( Sengkang ).
PH can went down in a planted tank if you don't change water for a long time, just doing top-up with co2 injection or you clean your filters.
I just had a PH crash that wiped out most of my fishes and all my shrimps because I clean my 2 cansister filter at a interval of 2 weeks. I had 2 cansister running my planted tank and thought it was quite safe to clean one at a time and did not monitor the water parameter after cleaning the filter.
Best reagrds
Mark

[catohcat]

for my experience, I see that undergravel filter is a good bet to keep pH stable. My undergravel filter keeps the water flow through the Gex soil constantly. \My tank is 1ft but my pH is pretty stable @6.5 and I experience no pH swing when I clean my only canister filter. I have yet add in baking soda as I'm afraid it will affect my CRS. One can agrue that undergravel filter will not good for your plant to grow but I face no problem with that as I put a thick gravel of 3 inch.

[gyjd]

Thanx to all who chip-in advice.

Jerry, u are rite. this is 1st time i use Sera ph test kit so i confirm by testing again.

Mark, we stay in same estate too. as u said, i only top-up with over-nite tap water & wash my hang-on filter like once a month...

tot of setting up a DIY bio-filter which can help stabilse my water, any suggestion pls?

regards,
dickson

[mark0308]

Hi Dickson,
You need to re-confirm pH value first. If your current pH is correct, BB will not grow in your bio-filter. You need to raise your pH to a higer level to around 6 to 6.5, higer than that your shrimps may not like it.
I guess you have some plants in the 1 ft tank too.
Bio-filter is alway the bigger the better, since your tank is only 1 ft, a big cansister will not be idea because current will be to strong, I guess you have to DIY or get a small cansister.
Best regards
Mark

[AA24]

hi dickson.. just need to know what kind of pump or filter system you are using.. then maybe can suggest how to diy..

cheers