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As far as your concern of pH and Gh:
PH: 6.4
GH:3 DH
They are ok.
Previous attempt:
Tank Specs
Dimensions: 2x1x1 ft
Substrate :GEX red packet
Temperature: 24 degrees celsius
PH: 6.4 (I think its on the low side)
GH:3 DH (I think its on the low side)
nitrates/nitrites: negligible
Basically, I think it is my PH and GH that needs improving.
I been reading a little bit here and there and I learnt some stuff:
1. Ideal parameters for crs would be temperature 23-25 degrees C, PH 6.5-6.8, GH 6-8, ammonia/nitrite and nitrate zero.
2. GH and KH are measures of water hardness but KH is specifically due to carbonates. What we want to increase is the general hardness. General hardness is caused by metal ions such as zinc, magnesium, calcium and iron.
3. Shrimps don't do well in the presence of heavy metal ions, especially copper.
Things I want to know:
1. Exactly what kind of metals are considered unsafe for crs? For example, if i have some rusty iron wire in the tank and it seeps iron ions, would that be harmful to crs? According to my knowledge iron is supposed to increase water hardness too right?
2. I know alot of hobbyists mention using mosura products to increase GH, but weekly dosing of mosura products is too costly for me. I was wondering if using coral chips in my canister filter or adding limestone to my scape will be a good alternative for increasing water hardness in a continuous and gradual manner?
3. Also how would adding coral chips or limestone affect my PH? the PH of the water in my previous attempt was pretty low (less than 6.4) so I am assuming the coral chips may be able to increase my ph to a higher, more stable level?
Successful CRS owners please advice!! Thanks.
kowtow,
Xianghao
As far as your concern of pH and Gh:
PH: 6.4
GH:3 DH
They are ok.
silane
The biggest problem most shrimp keepers have aside from maintaining the pH level to below 7.0 is maintaining the temperature at 24-26C
If you can maintain pH and temperature the rest of the parameters should be much easier (and cheaper) to maintain.
hmm but somehow on my previous attempt, my crs dropped one by one. the 2nd generation juveniles also dropped one by one. I am really not sure where i am going wrong then.
Did you cycle your tank well before adding the shrimps? Also what (if any) water conditioner are you using?
i am using the AP Pro Genesis.. the rather small bottle one. Yes I did cycle my tank for about a week plus on my previous attempt and I used partially recycled water from my previous cherry shrimp set up. The thing is my shrimps did not die at the beginning, in fact there was breeding going on. I probably got 2-3 batches of new borns, but somehow they disappear gradually before reaching adulthood. They were gradually dying more than they were breeding. I also did not see a boom in population for my sakuras. anyway i am trying more time, and my tank is undergoing cycling right now..
i wanted to bring this topic up again, does anyone know what is the upper and lower limit for GH and KH? right now it seems like my GH is at 14 degrees whereas my KH is at 3 degrees.. i'm using the JBL 5 in 1 test strips. right now I have had 1 or 2 sakuras death, and I am not sure the cause, but i do know my shrimps aren't dropping dead all at one shot. Can anyone advise please?
go get a separate test kit for GH and KH, more accurate. for CRS i think best is GH 10 and below.
I chose to use 5 in 1 kit because its more cost efficient, i'm after all only a student and surviving on allowance. ok if i were to choose between a kh test kit and a gh test kit, which one is more essential to buy and which brand do you recommend? I have the impression that gh is more important because it measures carbonate as well as magnesium and calcium hardness? Which of these are actually beneficial to the shrimps? Its got something to do with moulting right?Originally Posted by boxedfish
bro, you from NUS right? if you free, can come my house see my setup.
API brand selling the GH and KH test kit together for around $15. Normally they come together. the 5 in 1 test kit might at first looks cost efficient, but will come to a point where u just want to test just either PH, GH, KH or whatever, no need to waste the whole strip. Anyway, 5-in-1 test strips comes in 20 plus strips rite? the liquid test kits can test much more times than that.
[QUOTE=kendrick_86;504580]bro, you from NUS right? if you free, can come my house see my setup.
yeah, I'm from NUS, if I am not wrong I bought my resun 450 from your friend from NTU, who in turn bought the chiller from you or something. Haha it'd be cool if you let me check out your set-up, maybe can get some pointers from you, and perhaps buy some shrimp from you if you have any to spare..
haha... sms me at 90080995. today should be quite free lei.. results out soon le.. haha..
[quote=Xianghao;504718]Ah.. ok thanks bro I will take note. Perhaps I will go get one of these days. Then howabout nitrite and nitrate ammonia all these? Is it important to get test kits for those also? If so my wallet sweat man..bro, you from NUS right? if you free, can come my house see my setup.
yeah, I'm from NUS, if I am not wrong I bought my resun 450 from your friend from NTU, who in turn bought the chiller from you or something. Haha it'd be cool if you let me check out your set-up, maybe can get some pointers from you, and perhaps buy some shrimp from you if you have any to spare..
[quote=Xianghao;504721]i don't check for nitrate and nitrite. if your tank is properly cycled, not overstocked and throw in some floating plants, should be fine. i do check for ammonia but all the time is 0 if you follow the above advice.
[quote=boxedfish;504754]ahh.. floating plants. taken note. thanks
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