Research On Shrimps

[Congee]

Hi Everyone. I have been doing research on other shrimps to keep in using NYC tap water only. There is alot of information regarding different types of shrimps. I would generally like to know what shrimp keepers here in NY are keeping AND if they are using tap water or RO?

Right now, I have RCS(and 1 rili shrimp!) but I would love to move on to RCS or some other more interesting shrimps! Blue bees are also a consideration. I am just considering the cost. It seems like an RO system would be very costly.

I do have unlimited supply of distilled water but the use of it seems more complicated than just adding it into the tank. I currently have Seachem equilibrium. Would that be good enough to use to replace the minerals I need?

I would love to hear shrimp stories from NYC people. I thought it would be better to ask here because we all have similar water parameters. I know these are newbie questions and I could probably do a search but it seems the answers to my questions vary from person to person lol.

[acitydweller]

I keep neos (RCS, Taiwan Painted Fire reds, Fire reds, Rilis red and blue and wilds) and caridinas (CRS, CBS, PRL, Golden/snowwhite) using NYC tap. No need for R/o unless your water tests incredibly poluted. my tap reads 30 tds, 0kh/1gh/6.8ph

For Neos, use baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) to raise gh/kh or use equilibrium.

For Caridinas, raise GH with Mosura mineral plus, shirakura CA+ or Fluval Shrimp mineral supplement. They do better with a low KH.

BTW, Equilibirum was selling for $4 a bottle at the last meet in Brooklyn.

[Monster Fish]

The tap water in NYC is very soft. Almost like RO water. GH and KH can range between 0-2 degrees and TDS can be well below 40 ppm.

A lot of the people here remineralize the water for neos. I know you can keep crystals in our water just fine. Just bring up the GH a few degrees.

I don't use Seachem Equilibrium but I do use GH booster from nilocG and baking soda to raise my KH.

[sonicpath]

Originally Posted by acitydweller

I keep neos (RCS, Taiwan Painted Fire reds, Fire reds, Rilis red and blue and wilds) and caridinas (CRS, CBS, PRL, Golden/snowwhite) using NYC tap. No need for R/o unless your water tests incredibly poluted. my tap reads 30 tds, 0kh/1gh/6.8ph

For Neos, use baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) to raise gh/kh or use equilibrium.

For Caridinas, raise GH with Mosura mineral plus, shirakura CA+ or Fluval Shrimp mineral supplement. They do better with a low KH.

BTW, Equilibirum was selling for $4 a bottle at the last meet in Brooklyn.

you can also drop a small piece of coral into the tank to raise gh/kh

[cantsay39]

~.~ i have blue bee(didnt see them breed yet) blue pearl, red rillis in one tank.<-- they breed like rabbits.. crs cbs golden bee <-- breeding like rabbits bumble bee, and tibees(not breeding) in one tank <--- don't know what they been doing besides eating.. rcs in one tank<-- they were breeding until i added seiryu rock.. so i have to move them to another newly set up tank.. waiting for results.. tangerine tigers in a tank getting bigger not yet berried... had a feeling the 10 i got is all males... oebt in another started with 26... now left with 5 high grades but not breeding... figuring out still.. super yellow neos started with 10.. died one during the shipment.. and died one for no reason.. and now i see eggs still waiting for the babies..

[jellie]

LoL, my Tangerine Tigers are mostly male too. Must be something in the water.

[frrok]

I've bred Neo's(Sakura RCS) in our water just fine only raising GH slightly. My tap actually has a KH of 2 or so. With no water changes though! IME, I think shrimps do better and breed more in a super stable environment with clean water! I've never tried crystals but some say we have almost perfect water for them.

They are not doing so well now that I've added c02. Shrimps don't like a lot of Co2 from what I've read and experienced.

Good Luck!

[gnod]

Originally Posted by Monster Fish

The tap water in NYC is very soft. Almost like RO water. GH and KH can range between 0-2 degrees and TDS can be well below 40 ppm.

A lot of the people here remineralize the water for neos. I know you can keep crystals in our water just fine. Just bring up the GH a few degrees.

I don't use Seachem Equilibrium but I do use GH booster from nilocG and baking soda to raise my KH.

i hope this isn't a stupid question but.. don't you live in long island? just curious if tap between long island and nyc is different is all.

[Congee]

Thanks for your input guys. It is good that I dont have to get an RO machine. It is just crazy expensive. I haven't been doing much with my shrimp setup. I just use age tap water with prime. I got the shrimps a month and a half ago and now i have five berried. I also have seiryu stones in my tank. My tank actually started out with 6.0 ph with all other tests being neutral. I added some coral to raise 7.6.

[Congee]

I think my nitrate test is flawed. It is always showing 160 ppm lol. I don't know if that is correct buy i tested it on tap water and nitrates are 0. Shouldnt my RCS be dying and not berrying if that were the case?