Should I start with CRS or RCS ?

[Seattleshrimp 4]

Hi ! 

I live in Seattle where the water is incredibly soft and I have a tap water pH of 6.7, GH of 0-1 and KH 2. My existing tank with plants already has buffered substrate. Would I have better chance of keeping CRS than RCS with my current water parameters ? Or would RCS do okay? 

 

I do have an RO system already, and I could  remineralize my water with salty shrimp KH/GH+. Which would allow my GH and KH parameter to be okay for neocaridinas, but I already have a tank with active substrate. I’m 100% I don’t have space to set up another tank with inert substrate. 

 

Would do you recommend ? What are pH you have successfully kept neocaridinas and have them thriving ? 

 

Thanks ! I appreciate all the help as I am new to the hobby. 

[jayc 2,115]

Hi @Seattleshrimp,

welcome to SKFA.

 

With that tap water and the fact that you have an RO system, and active substrate, you can try for CRS.

Both RCS and CRS would suit your water parameters. 

However, you would be constantly battling to keep the right parameters with Neo caridinas. 

[Seattleshrimp 4]

Hi Jayc, 

Thank you ! 

Yeah, I think CRS would be best suited for my current water parameter. I’m just debating whether if CRS are harder to keep  than RCS. 

Do people in the hobby refer CRS harder to keep in that the water parameters for caridinas are harder to achieve or the species itself is pickier than neos. 

Thanks ! 

[jayc 2,115]

CRS can be harder than Neos, but that's because people can't (or rather, "find it hard") to maintain water parameters around 6.5 - 6.6, with low GH and KH. Buy since your tap water is already there, it should be easy for you, theoretically. 

Just remember to use a dechlorinator. Avoid using Prime, as I find it to have too much formaldehyde, which can be a problem with shrimps.

[Seattleshrimp 4]

Which dechlorinator do you recommend? I’ve always used prime, good to know. 

[jayc 2,115]

Many decholrinator products used formalin. You really need to read the fine print on the product to look for Formalin/formaldehyde or  Sodium Hydroxymethane sulfonate aka Formaldehyde Sodium Bisulfite.

Seachem Prime, Tetra, API, are all guilty of using it. Use too much in a shrimp tank and you could see deaths up to two weeks from using too much. Formaldehyde damages gills in fish and shrimp.

My recommendation:

1) RO 

2) Rain water

3) Aged water over 1 week.

3) Or use a bottled dechlorinator but let it sit for 24 hours with an air stone for the formaldehyde to gas off.

[sdlTBfanUK 459]

I recommend you watch this very good video as it may help with choosing which shrimps to go with and covers pretty much everything!

https://skfaquatics.com/forum/forums/topic/14161-basics-for-shrimp-keeping-video/

NeoCaridina are a lot sturdier and adaptable than the Caridina but starting with RO water and remineralising makes both fairly easy though the remineralisers for each type are different so you will need to decide before buying that. Neocaridina GH/KH+, Caridina GH+. As JayC states, with RO water you also won't need to dechlorinate the water.

Simon

[beanbag 44]

12 hours ago, jayc said:

Many decholrinator products used formalin. You really need to read the fine print on the product to look for Formalin/formaldehyde or  Sodium Hydroxymethane sulfonate aka Formaldehyde Sodium Bisulfite.

Seachem Prime, Tetra, API, are all guilty of using it. Use too much in a shrimp tank and you could see deaths up to two weeks from using too much. Formaldehyde damages gills in fish and shrimp.

My recommendation:

1) RO 

2) Rain water

3) Aged water over 1 week.

3) Or use a bottled dechlorinator but let it sit for 24 hours with an air stone for the formaldehyde to gas off.

Well I learned something today.