Hello people I'm new to the shrimp game and I'm very intrigued with crystal shrimp, I have just set up a new tank and running it it in so to speak, I'm giving it 2 weeks to settle down before I add crystal shrimp, my kh is fine but my Gh is through the roof, any advice on these water pillows that's softens the water, my concern is they produce sodium which I believe it's bad for shrimp.

Also I've got c02 to start the plant life and when established do I need to run c02 through the tank everyday 

Any advice would be awesome ??

Hi Les,

you have come to the right place with this question. Lots of experienced people on SKF.

A little more info might help us give you relevant answers.

Firstly, what sort of substrate are you using in this new tank?

Second, are you using tap water? Treated with anti chlorine/chloramine presumably.

When you say KH is fine and GH is through the roof, what exactly are those KH & GH readings?

Do you have pH, TDS readings?

 

In general, it's not advised to use the water softening pillows, as you said, it adds sodium. And that is not going to be good for the shrimp. Using peat to reduce pH, KH and GH would be the better option. The optimal solution would be to get an RO kit, but that is obviously a major investment, and one that needs to be made if you plan on being serious as a Crystal bee keeper (or any Caridina shrimp for that matter). Cherry (Neocaridina) are a lot more forgiving and will tolerate a wider range of water parameters. But a Crystal shrimp is a lot more fragile (specifically the limited gene pool we have in Aus). 

Alternatively, rainwater can also be used, as long as it is collected and stored in safely. By safely, I mean the tank and roof is not metal, and there is a "first flush" system in place.

My ph reading I took this morning is 6.5 my kh level is 4 and my Gh is 20 I'm using a non copper based subrate and I have gravel layed down also, I've got peat moss in my filter, maybe it's the gravel I've used but unsure, I've also got some drift wood which I've attached Java moss too and a few other low level stem plants, I think I will collect some rainwater for my next water change seems to be the way to go as I want crystal shrimp but I'm not adding shrimp until I get my levels right. I've also added some cheap fish to help the Eco system which I will give to my next door neighbour after I'm done, maybe I need to play with it a little more, but I will get there as I've got some time on my hand what about distilled water mixed in with rainwater??? I said to myself I will give it 2 weeks but maybe I should wait a little longer, as I don't want to use chemicals in this tank.

Maybe I might trying more peat moss in the filter

Yes tap water I have used 

my last water change was around 30 percent is this to much???

My ph reading I took this morning is 6.5 my kh level is 4 and my Gh is 20

Yes tap water I have used 

my last water change was around 30 percent is this to much???

pH looks good at 6.5.

but the GH reading might be wrong. Or the KH reading is wrong.

KH to GH is way off.

might be the test kit, what are you using, and is it expired?

what substrate are you using?

if the tank is till cycling, then 30% water change is fine.

 

2weeks / 3weeks, the duration is dependent on how low it takes for your tank to cycle. Ammonia, nitrites must be zero. 

Ok the the test kit is just a simple test kit from Aqua one and the substrate I'm using is ruby high

I will do another test tom and take water samples down to the local aquarium shop to get tested

Appreciate the feedback ???

I'm a very much a novice that's for sure 

Learning heaps as I progress through the different stages that's for sure

Hey Mate,

Firstly welcome to the forum @Les72 as @jayc said you have come to the right place. The other major investment you will need if you plan to keep CRS and the like is a chiller. Especially being up north you will find that without one you have an extreme risk of losing or your shrimp in the heat as  you want to keep the tank temperature under 25. Chillers are quiet expensive investment but worthwhile when you factor in the cost of losing more expensive shrimp when you move on.

I keep mine set at 24 in summer and 23 in winter only to prevent my chiller from turning on so much. Cherry shrimp are more accepting of higher temperatures and can tolerate upwards to 30ish not that you really want to have it that high. 

How big is the tank you are keeping your shrimp in ? Obviously the larger the tank you have the more stable your perimeters will be unless you end up running a sump setup with smaller tanks which is probably something  a bit more down the track lol.

Edited October 27, 201510 yr by OzShrimp