How to make my water more suitable for crystals

[Munroco]

Have set up a few 2 foot tanks for shrimps and fish. They all have matten filters and akadama bonsai soil as substrate. The akadama has worked well in bring the ph of my water down to about 6.2 but my KH (1) and GH (3) seem low. Particularly the KH. TDS is also very low at about 30 ppm. Is there something I could put in my filters which would bring KH and TDS up without messing up my PH?

[jayc]

I would say that your KH is fine. Leave it at 1, that's not going to be an issue for the shrimp.

 

Using a remineraliser like Salty shrimp Bee shrimp GH+ will fix your low GH and TDS in on go.

Alternatives are products like Mosura Mineral Plus Ultra. 

 

There are also similar products that will raise all 3 - KH and GH and TDS. Like Salty shrimp GH/KH+. But if you want to keep a low pH, then avoid altering the KH.

 

Edited March 10, 2017 by jayc

[Munroco]

Thanks Jay. I'll leave the KH as it is then, thats good to know. Looking at ads for salty shrimp, most of them mention RO water. I am planning on using tap water. Assuming its ok to use with tap water then I'm just about good to go. Tanks have been cycling for about 3 weeks and are all showing zero ammonia and nitrites and minimal nitrates.

[Zoidburg]

What are your tap water parameters???

[jayc]

3 hours ago, Munroco said:

I am planning on using tap water.

You can use it to reconstitute tap water, but like Zoidburg asked, what is the tds of your tap water?

Did you use tap water for the tank that read TDS 30? That's very low if it's tap water.

[Munroco]

The reading I get from my tap water is 38. I'll do a full test on it later today. Done it b4 but can't remember results. All six tanks were filled with tap water. TDS range on them is very narrow 29-32

Edited March 10, 2017 by Munroco

[jayc]

@Munroco, you have the perfect tap water for fish/shrimp keeping!

Its almost rainwater.

[Munroco]

That's nice to know, its what we make whisky from.

Full readings are;

PH 7.2

Ammonia zero

Nitrites zero

Nitrates between 0 and 5

TDS 33

KH (1)

GH (1)

[Brentwillmers]

That's great tap water. 

Straight out my tap reads

TDS: 470ppm, Have to use high range PH test and sits at 9.6, GH: 8dh, KH: 7dh so I stick to RO water. 

When using Salty shrimp GH/KH to get a GH of 4dh my PH shoots to 8 and KH is only around 3dh, TDS about 200ppm

tested the RO water and TDS 2ppm PH unreadable as it's under the test kits ability. GH 1dh, KH0dh 

In my case without a good buffering soil it turns into a juggling act. Having to substitute with peat moss, alder cones, cap leafs and fulvic grain to hit the PH to acceptable levels. 

I also have a sochting oxydator, does anyone know if it could this alter PH level in excess? Because my PH always seems to creep up and can't figure out why.

??

 

Edited March 10, 2017 by Brentwillmers
Spell check

[Munroco]

Looks like I'm really lucky. It used to be standard practice when I started keeping tropical fish to let water sit for 3 days before adding fish. Fishkeepers in my area didn't have to bother, we just poured the water in closely followed by the fish. We didn't do cycling back then.

[Brentwillmers]

Looks like I'm really lucky. It used to be standard practice when I started keeping tropical fish to let water sit for 3 days before adding fish. Fishkeepers in my area didn't have to bother, we just poured the water in closely followed by the fish. We didn't do cycling back then.

Must save you time and money. And the whisky is an added bonus[emoji23]


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[Munroco]

I've ordered some Salty shrimp Bee shrimp GH, should have it by Tuesday. I've been pruning the plants in my fish tanks to plant this new rack. I'll break down my existing shrimp tank and transfer my surviving shrimp over as soon after that as I can, then I can use the plants and wood from that too. Now for the hard bit, finding shrimp at reasonable prices. I'm planning on getting a group of F1 Taiwan bees to start of with. Hopefully they will breed and I'll see what I get from them. Thanks for the advice.

[Brentwillmers]

Now for the hard bit, finding shrimp at reasonable prices. I'm planning on getting a group of F1 Taiwan bees to start of with. Hopefully they will breed and I'll see what I get from them. Thanks for the advice.


That's the hard part. shrimp at a reasonable price depends on what quality you willing to pay for. I used to get high grade PRL shrimp for about $50 each now can't find any under a $100 each but they great quality. But do keep your eye out on the sale side of the forum or post a "want to buy" in the classifieds on the forum.
Any shrimp you buy here are legit and great quality. And sometimes you get a bargain like I did.




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