Benibachi soil ph too low

[shrimpy1547]

benibachi recommends 5cm of soil, which i have followed religiously.

my PH is stabled at 5.1 - 5.2

Could the depth of the soil affect the PH?

I always thought it buffers to 6.0- +-5 regardless of the depth.

[BlueBolts]

It depends on the tank/size volume, i.e. height of tank. My 26lt tanks have approx. 80-100mm of benibachi, and PH original sits at 5.2 ... 1/3 substrate, 2/3 water = Substrate @ 80mm, Tank Height @ 270mm and Top of Substrate to Water Level is 180mm.

But I used other tanks at 50mm substrate, and with tank volume @ 60lt. ...1/5 substrate, 4/5 water = Substrate @ 50mm, Tank Height @ 300mm and Top of Substrate to Water Level is 220 mm, PH sits @ 6.4.

If you're keeping Caridina (TB's, CRS..etc) that's good PH, but if you're keeping Neocaridina (cherries), you can always siphon some of the substrate, for the next tank :-)

[shrimphive]

It depends on the tank/size volume' date=' i.e. height of tank. My 26lt tanks have approx. 80-100mm of benibachi, and PH original sits at 5.2 ... 1/3 substrate, 2/3 water = Substrate @ 80mm, Tank Height @ 270mm and Top of Substrate to Water Level is 180mm.

But I used other tanks at 50mm substrate, and with tank volume @ 60lt. ...1/5 substrate, 4/5 water = Substrate @ 50mm, Tank Height @ 300mm and Top of Substrate to Water Level is 220 mm, PH sits @ 6.4.

If you're keeping Caridina (TB's, CRS..etc) that's good PH, but if you're keeping Neocaridina (cherries), you can always siphon some of the substrate, for the next tank :-)[/quote']

So with your Neocardinias BB you use a thin layer of the same substrate as you would in your cardinia tanks?

Do you set any tanks with 100% Inert substrate or expired substrate (substrate that has lost its buffering capacity)>?

[BlueBolts]

My Neocardinals suffer, and MUST share the WP my cardina's like….:-) there's a hierarchy in my shrimp world. LOL

More then 50% of my tanks soil is near exhaustion, so several tanks have a explosion of neocardinals. Low PH dampens neocardina's breeding and shrimplet survival.

If you're focused on neocardinals, there's no point using a buffering soil……but if you want a balance of both worlds, a 40-50mm thick buffering soil in a 35lt tank will buffer at about 6.4-6.6.