Finally pluck up courage to post my 2ft tank set up

[alvinchan80]

In the first picture of the shrimps that I shown, there is a piece of CRS that its body is almost transaprent. Know that it could be due to stress but shrimps have been in tank for a week already. Most of the shrimps have regained its whiteness except for a few pieces. I also notice a few shrimps have a transparent line in between its head and the body after molt. Previously, it was not like that. Understand that it must be my tank water that is causing all these problems. Would like to know how do I improve it and what causes these to happen?

My water parameter are as follows:

Ph: 6.29
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 20ppm
Kh: 2dkh
Gh: 6dkh
TDS: 146ppm

In my opinion, CRS losing white is not only stress if it is already in your tank for awhile.. It's in the genes.. But they are still ok..

The only advice I can say is 'if there isn't any problem with your tank now.. Don't touch it or do anything..'

[revo79]

I also thought of the genes issue but when they were still in the LFS tank that time, they do not look that transparent. Also did not notice any crack line on them at that time. That's why I thought it could be my tank water that causes them to be like that. Anyway, will just monitor and won't do anything.

[cheetf]

Is your tank fully cycled? Nitrate seems fairly high.

[revo79]

Tank has been cycled for 5 weeks and water test being done every alternate days at the fifth week. Ammonia is at 0.25ppm, Nitrite is at 0ppm and Nitrate at 40ppm. After a 50% water change and did a test again 2 days later, Nitrate drop to 20ppm while Ammonia and Nitrite at 0. One week later before adding any shrimps, i again tested my water parameter. Ammonia and Nitrite is 0. It's only the Nitrate that remains at 20 ppm. I have thought it is considered fully cycled as Nitrate has not been increasing. Should be because I do not have any floating plants like frogbits to suck out the Nitrate that's why it has not decreased. Guess I need to get some frogbits to bring it down.

[ZackZhou]

Tank has been cycled for 5 weeks and water test being done every alternate days at the fifth week. Ammonia is at 0.25ppm, Nitrite is at 0ppm and Nitrate at 40ppm. After a 50% water change and did a test again 2 days later, Nitrate drop to 20ppm while Ammonia and Nitrite at 0. One week later before adding any shrimps, i again tested my water parameter. Ammonia and Nitrite is 0. It's only the Nitrate that remains at 20 ppm. I have thought it is considered fully cycled as Nitrate has not been increasing. Should be because I do not have any floating plants like frogbits to suck out the Nitrate that's why it has not decreased. Guess I need to get some frogbits to bring it down.

Gh can try to bring down to 4~5. then you won't see cracks between the head and body so often already. However, it's still noticeable if the shrimp is about to molt.

Correct me if I'm wrong. Lol.




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[revo79]

[QUOTE=ZackZhou;619800]Gh can try to bring down to 4~5. then you won't see cracks between the head and body so often already. However, it's still noticeable if the shrimp is about to molt.

Correct me if I'm wrong. Lol.

Hi bro ZackZhou, any idea how to bring down my GH? No rocks inside my tank but did notice my Gh from 5 climb to 6 in the most recent test. Other than that is the mineral plus which will affect both Gh and Tds. But my Tds is still considered low at 146ppm while Gh is high at 6. So hard to balance this two.

[ZackZhou]

Tds low maybe because you don't dose ferts in your crs tank if I'm not wrong? Change water with bottled water such as a brand starting with dixxxx. It's under cocacola. Forgot the brand name sorry. Its gh is 1 with Tds @around 80~90. get your gh correct first and Tds is secondary. As you do not really know what makes up your Tds, as it measures the conductivity of the water.


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[revo79]

Yes, you are right. I don't dose ferts as I think it is not required for my set up. Ok, i know you are referring to which brand of bottled water, it is Dasani right? But i thought we should use pure distilled water, from what i know Dasani is not a pure distilled water. Actually I am currently using distilled water to top up my water change as my aged water is not ready yet. Will this help in bring down the Gh?

[ZackZhou]

Yes, you are right. I don't dose ferts as I think it is not required for my set up. Ok, i know you are referring to which brand of bottled water, it is Dasani right? But i thought we should use pure distilled water, from what i know Dasani is not a pure distilled water. Actually I am currently using distilled water to top up my water change as my aged water is not ready yet. Will this help in bring down the Gh?

Yes, we should use distilled water for water top up. However, dasani brand I measured their water gh and Tds. Though at gh 1 its Tds is around 80. You can use this property of this mineral water to compensate your tank water you see, (your tank is low Tds, high gh. Where dasani water has relatively high Tds for it's gh) if you get what I mean. This is more efficient than you add distilled water followed by mineral plus again, to j crease the Tds! Hope you get what I mean


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[magpie]

[QUOTE=revo79;619812]

Gh can try to bring down to 4~5. then you won't see cracks between the head and body so often already. However, it's still noticeable if the shrimp is about to molt.

Correct me if I'm wrong. Lol.

Hi bro ZackZhou, any idea how to bring down my GH? No rocks inside my tank but did notice my Gh from 5 climb to 6 in the most recent test. Other than that is the mineral plus which will affect both Gh and Tds. But my Tds is still considered low at 146ppm while Gh is high at 6. So hard to balance this two.

GH 5 to 6 is still consider fine for CRS. As for the band on the head, as long as the shrimp molt regularly, the band should be gone. If you do witness death due to the band on its neck then it is something wrong with your tank water. Otherwise, just leave the water parameter as it is.

[revo79]

Yes, we should use distilled water for water top up. However, dasani brand I measured their water gh and Tds. Though at gh 1 its Tds is around 80. You can use this property of this mineral water to compensate your tank water you see, (your tank is low Tds, high gh. Where dasani water has relatively high Tds for it's gh) if you get what I mean. This is more efficient than you add distilled water followed by mineral plus again, to j crease the Tds! Hope you get what I mean

Yes bro, i get what you mean. Will try out this Dasani bottled water for top up. Just measured my water parameter again, Gh has now jump to 7.

[revo79]

[QUOTE=magpie;619916]

GH 5 to 6 is still consider fine for CRS. As for the band on the head, as long as the shrimp molt regularly, the band should be gone. If you do witness death due to the band on its neck then it is something wrong with your tank water. Otherwise, just leave the water parameter as it is.

Gh has now climb to 7, think I will heed bro ZackZhou's advice and use Dasani bottled water to do my water top up for the moment and monitor the situation. The crack between the shrimps' head and body has improved. Just not comfortable with the Gh standing at 7.

[reiner09]

[QUOTE=revo79;620537]

Gh has now climb to 7, think I will heed bro ZackZhou's advice and use Dasani bottled water to do my water top up for the moment and monitor the situation. The crack between the shrimps' head and body has improved. Just not comfortable with the Gh standing at 7.

7 is abit on the dangerous side..try lower it to between 3-5..most of the crs keepers here are maintaining in this parameter..better to follow right..?

[revo79]

Yes bro. I would want to bring down my Gh. I think I would need to stop dosing mineral plus at the moment.