is pH 7 okay for CRS breeding?

[crazyhanz]

I just got myself a pH test kit and found out that my tank's pH is 7. Is this ideal for the breeding of CRS? Any guys here successfully bred their CRS in such conditions? Are there any ways to alter/lower the pH without the use of soil? I know that peat can lower the pH but it is also not as stable.

Will smaller water changes every week likely make my water softer eventually? I used to dose my tank according to EI method and thus have just made a 50% water change to reset everything. Now dosing according to normal fertilization method. Thanks in advance guys.

[globalcookie]

CRS are comfortable in pH 6.2-6.5 region. Am not sure if breeding will be affected at higher pH.

You may want to check e pH for your water source. Given a choice, I would use some soil in CRS tank, but for existing tanks, it is not advisible to introduce new soil to the tank.

[crazyhanz]

That's was what I gathered from the information on the net as well. But I have also came across comments from breeders in the US who are breeding their CRS in parameters where their pH was 7.4 - 7.6. I have yet to have a confirmation from people from Singapore though if this was indeed possible. Can anyone here confirm if this is possible?

[seanskye]

You can try blackwater essence or ketapang leaves, but your water will become a bit brown...

[crazyhanz]

For blackwater essence, how much do I add to my tank? I am currently using a 2x1.5x1 ft tank. And does this effect last? Or is is safe to say that its better than using peat?

[Piyayo]

You can try adding peat also, it lowers Ph, and Kh a little. This is much cheaper than buying substrate.

It works for me.

[EddyTing]

Sorry bro crazyhanz, I also have a question on CRS hoping to get some advice, hope you wont mind if i ask here. I'm keeping my CRS with 9 cardinals, 2 rummies and a few cory with lots of X'mas moss and fissidens. Afraid that they wont hatch the eggs which they are carrying, I've saperated them in a breeding box with Java moss on the ground and wall of the container and some X'mas moss as bushes for them to hide. Will they hatch this way? They seems to be hiding and not as active looking for food as when they were 'free'. Please advice...

[crazyhanz]

The thing about using peat is that I'm afraid too much of it will cause a pH crash. So the problem is, how much is too much? As mentioned before, my tank is 2x1.5x1 ft. My filter is an atman cf100 canister filter with a flow rate of 1350l/hr. How much peat do you reckon I should add to the filter to get a slightly lower pH. A handful maybe?

[cheetf]

Sorry bro crazyhanz, I also have a question on CRS hoping to get some advice, hope you wont mind if i ask here. I'm keeping my CRS with 9 cardinals, 2 rummies and a few cory with lots of X'mas moss and fissidens. Afraid that they wont hatch the eggs which they are carrying, I've saperated them in a breeding box with Java moss on the ground and wall of the container and some X'mas moss as bushes for them to hide. Will they hatch this way? They seems to be hiding and not as active looking for food as when they were 'free'. Please advice...

Sorry man, it's CRS or fish. Putting them inside a breeding box is not ideal for the long term. Depending on where you put the box, water circulation in the box could be a problem.

The thing about using peat is that I'm afraid too much of it will cause a pH crash. So the problem is, how much is too much? As mentioned before, my tank is 2x1.5x1 ft. My filter is an atman cf100 canister filter with a flow rate of 1350l/hr. How much peat do you reckon I should add to the filter to get a slightly lower pH. A handful maybe?

That is the usual problem. There are no instructions. Suggest you go with small amounts (a small handful) and monitor it daily, adding to it as required.

[Piyayo]

crazyhanz,

You shouldn´t put the peat into filter, because that way is hard to monitor. Put into a stockings or an execcutive sock, or a net, and start with a little amount, let´s say half a handful.

This way you can take away the peat from tank in second, and no need to open the filter. Start with a little peat, because it moves the Ph a lot, and the firts days, use it a few hours monitoring the Ph.

You will notice which amount is right for your tank in days, and after that you can take away the peat and use it only if Ph rises.

If you want to lower Ph a low, do it slowly.

[crazyhanz]

Thanks for the input Piyayo. Does the peat stain the color of the water like how ketapang or blackwater essence does? Is there any particular brand that I should use?

[EddyTing]

[QUOTE=cheetf;473474]Sorry man, it's CRS or fish. Putting them inside a breeding box is not ideal for the long term. Depending on where you put the box, water circulation in the box could be a problem.

Lesson learned.....came back from work today and discovered one of my 3 'mum' to be died..... Released the surviving 2 back to the big home.

[Spid]

I just got myself a pH test kit and found out that my tank's pH is 7. Is this ideal for the breeding of CRS? Any guys here successfully bred their CRS in such conditions? Are there any ways to alter/lower the pH without the use of soil? I know that peat can lower the pH but it is also not as stable.

Will smaller water changes every week likely make my water softer eventually? I used to dose my tank according to EI method and thus have just made a 50% water change to reset everything. Now dosing according to normal fertilization method. Thanks in advance guys.

The main reason for a lower ph region for CRS breeding or keeping is that shrimps or shrimplets will be less prone to bacteria/parasite attack.

To be on the safe side, ph is best maintained below 6.5 for sensitive species of shrimps like CRS.

[crazyhanz]

So that's the reason why we want to keep the pH at such levels. Thanks for clarifying. I learnt something new today. Thanks Spid for your input.

[cheetf]

The main reason for a lower ph region for CRS breeding or keeping is that shrimps or shrimplets will be less prone to bacteria/parasite attack.

To be on the safe side, ph is best maintained below 6.5 for sensitive species of shrimps like CRS.

I'm sorry but I tend not to agree totally with the reason for keeping the ph to the lower region. I think it is the way that the shrimp are so called 'designed' to thrive in a optimal ph band and it so happens to be that the band is between 6.2 to 6.8 for CRS. If your theory is true then species like sulawesi shrimps which prefer higher ph waters would not be able to breed or survive for that matter.

[owk688]

ph too high the crs will not change the shell often.... and because of this crs will not carry egg often.

[Spid]

I'm sorry but I tend not to agree totally with the reason for keeping the ph to the lower region. I think it is the way that the shrimp are so called 'designed' to thrive in a optimal ph band and it so happens to be that the band is between 6.2 to 6.8 for CRS. If your theory is true then species like sulawesi shrimps which prefer higher ph waters would not be able to breed or survive for that matter.

Of course CRS can survive in the higher ph region but as to the ability to survive or breed well in this higher region always prove to be much more difficult. As ph rises, the toxicity of ammonia, nitrate and nitrite will also rise. Given this situation chances of a shrimp prone to be parasite or bacteria attack seem higher. There also lies in the fact there why shrimp keepers around our region preferred to use soil with ph lowering ability.

Yes Sula shrimps are a different story. They are not captive bred but wild, and to ask them to adapt to a lower ph is a suicidal thing. Therefore it takes a lot time and effort to maintain and breed them. Losses of them is always inevitable after purchases through LFS. As a matter of fact, I only hear deaths more than births from those who have tried to keep them. I myself till date has lost a lot too. For those who have kept them, Im sure you will realise majority of these guys just died off after a few days once you have adjusted them well in your tank and it takes pain just to maintain and breed the leftovers. It can be the requirements of high ph which in fact weakens the shrimps or the suppliers side issue or even issues from our side. Of which Im not too sure but one thing Im quite sure is that seldom we are able to hear or see people having a good population of them. A good population here means a great producing colony.

[cheetf]

Of course CRS can survive in the higher ph region but as to the ability to survive or breed well in this higher region always prove to be much more difficult. As ph rises, the toxicity of ammonia, nitrate and nitrite will also rise. Given this situation chances of a shrimp prone to be parasite or bacteria attack seem higher. There also lies in the fact there why shrimp keepers around our region preferred to use soil with ph lowering ability.
.

I am not denying the facts that a lower ph contains the toxicity of ammonia, nitrate and nitrite.

What I am saying is that the reason why we keep the ph low in this case of CRS is to match the optimal conditions for the shrimp. Not so much to lower the ph to contain the harmful effects of the ammonia and such. If the optimal condition for CRS is a high ph, do we still keep them in a low ph environment just to keep away the toxicity of ammonia, nitrate and nitrites?

All shrimps have a specific ph range that they should be kept in. We try to achieve this to mimic it's natural habitat.

[Spid]

I see. I get what you mean. Good discussion as always.

[cheetf]

Same here.