CRS and whether to use RO water to maintain water parameters

[roscoeb]

Hi 

 

I'm relatively new to shrimp breeding.

I have CRS - 6 and Cherry Reds - 4 and a few Ghosts  -3  and a have just aded 4 Taiwan Bees - Taitibees

Currently I'm using tap water after I've added Prime and aged it  with an air stone going for a week or so :-) 

My GH is around 3 and KH around 4 usually TDS I keep < 150

Tank is a 14 Litre Nano and I keep the temp to 22.5 degrees C

I was wondering if anyone could let me know their opinion  regarding using RO water and adding a minerals like Salty Shrimp - which I have noted people mentioning

Thanks

Roscoe

 

Edited June 26, 2017 by roscoeb
spelling

[Zoidburg]

There are no "Cherry Red" shrimp. There are "Red Cherry" shrimp, though.

CRS = Crystal Red Shrimp (Caridina)
RCS = Red Cherry Shrimp (Neocaridina)


Your GH is too low for your shrimp (you want at least 6 GH) and the KH is potentially too high for the Crystals and Taitibees.

The Cherries and Ghost shrimp can do just fine on sand or gravel substrate with at least 6 GH and a pH of 7.0-8.0. but the Crystals and Taitibees would do best on a buffering substrate with remineralized RO water using GH+ only minerals. Ideally, you want a KH of 0-1 (typically 0, but 0 and 1 read the same on the API tests), or a max of 2, with a pH of 5.0-6.8.

 

Would recommend setting up a separate tank for your Caridinas so they can live in preferred parameters.... unless they came out of Neo type parameters?

Do you know the parameters they were raised in?

[jayc]

20 hours ago, roscoeb said:

using RO water and adding a minerals like Salty Shrimp

It's the only way to go if you want full control over what is in your water and control of the water parameters. Rain water is another alternative.

Shrimps and many softwater fish (generally) like low pH, low TDS water. And for many people this is almost an impossible task with their tap water. pH comes out at close to 8.0 and TDS is 80-100, at least the last time I tested my tap water here in Sydney. That 80-100 TDS is made up of a lot of unwanted chemicals and metals.

If you also knew what was in our tapwater, you WILL want to swap to use RO or rain water and add your own minerals using products like Salty Shrimp. 

[roscoeb]

Wow

Thanks for the feedback. I need to get a separate tank going ASAP. I am off to the LFS to get one and setup a RO + Salty Shrimp..

Thanks so much for your help 

Ross