[jared992]

Today I found out my massive die off was caused by floramax midnight substrate. My PH literally went from 6.3 to over 8 after adding in the substrate. Even a small handful can raise the ph of the entire tank in 30 seconds. I probably got a bad batch, but I figured I should warn others out there so they do not have to rip their tanks apart.

 

[Kinection]

I've heard about some bad batches for Eco Complete...
please don't happen to me.
Sorry for your loss though.

 

[GeToChKn]

That's a rather blanket statement to blame you adding substrate to any already established tank, and that's what killed your shrimp? I've played with acids, peat, all kinds of things in playing with pH and never heard of going from 6.3 to 8 in 30 seconds with a handful of any substrate. a 6.3 pH would kill neo's more than a 8 pH would. That substrate is very very dusty, did you rinse it or just dump it in?

 

[jimmytruong87]

that's why, you need buy fluval substrate

 

[sbarbee54]

Yeah there is allot of factors that could have happened. But 6.3 is very low to keep noes in. My mine is 6.8-7. If you want a good healthy breeding group


Sent from my iPad 3 using Tapatalk HD

 

[GeToChKn]

Whenever adding substrate to an established tank, due diligence is always on the onus of the aquarium keeper to test the substrate in a container of water for parameter changes.

 

[jared992]

That's a rather blanket statement to blame you adding substrate to any already established tank, and that's what killed your shrimp? I've played with acids, peat, all kinds of things in playing with pH and never heard of going from 6.3 to 8 in 30 seconds with a handful of any substrate. a 6.3 pH would kill neo's more than a 8 pH would. That substrate is very very dusty, did you rinse it or just dump it in?

I did not add the substrate to an established tank. I started the tank with the substrate. My PH out of the tap is 6.3.

 

[AnotherHobby]

I did not add the substrate to an established tank. I started the tank with the substrate. My PH out of the tap is 6.3.

Out of curiosity, have you let your tap sit out for 24 hours and then tested it? A lot of tap water has CO2 in it that lowers the pH when it first comes out. Mine has 20 ppm CO2 and is 7.4 out of the tap, but raises to 8.2 in less than a day as the CO2 dissipates.

 

[ravvin trann]

out of curiosity, have you let your tap sit out for 24 hours and then tested it? A lot of tap water has co2 in it that lowers the ph when it first comes out. Mine has 20 ppm co2 and is 7.4 out of the tap, but raises to 8.2 in less than a day as the co2 dissipates.

no wonder i can't even keep my feeder shrimp alive! I was using dirt from the back yard!

 

[ravensgate]

I did not add the substrate to an established tank. I started the tank with the substrate. My PH out of the tap is 6.3.

So you started the tank and added shrimp to it immediately? you didn't let the tank cycle? If that's the case, yes, pH will bounce sometimes drastically during the cycle and yes, it can kill your shrimp. You need to let the tank cycle and get established first before adding livestock. 2-6 weeks typically.

 

[Aquatic Delight]

I did not add the substrate to an established tank. I started the tank with the substrate. My PH out of the tap is 6.3.

So you started the tank and added shrimp to it immediately? you didn't let the tank cycle? If that's the case, yes, pH will bounce sometimes drastically during the cycle and yes, it can kill your shrimp. You need to let the tank cycle and get established first before adding livestock. 2-6 weeks typically.

if the tank hadn't cycled yet and you added shrimp ammonia could have killed them as well.

please tell us a little about your tank so that we can attempt figure out what happened (GH,KH,PH,Ammonia, Nitrate, Nitrite)

 

[ravensgate]

Yes, if that tank wasn't cycled, not only would ammonia kill them but nitrites and nitrates as well could have had a part in it. Aquatic delight is right, we need more info as to what happened.

 

[Mrturritos]

Wow I think I know this guy or at least I heard about him from a co-worker. Poor guy came into the store to get a refund on the substrate. I tested my ph that has black flora max (2.5 gallon) and ph is 7.0 while the CRS tank is 6.8 being buffered down by bog wood and leafs.

He, I imagine lives close by and probably has similar tap water. The Ph this time of year goes up so if you haven't done a reset ph test of aged tap water might want to do that and then compare. Most people around western washington have either acidic or neutral water, but I have seen a few cases of people who live up north of seattle (rarely south) have very high 8.0ph depending on the time of year.

 

[Kehy]

In Ellensburg (eastern side of the state) the pH out of my tap is about 7.6 and I've seen it go about 8.0...can we trade water?

 

[Rob in Puyallup]

Crappy water here in Puyallup, too. Forced to use distilled for all of my tanks.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S III using Tapatalk 2

 

[acitydweller]

I did not add the substrate to an established tank. I started the tank with the substrate. My PH out of the tap is 6.3.

And the story takes a turn... Read up on how to keep dwarf shrimp and inverts in general. Water conditions are paramount and pristine is the name of the game. In failing to do so, you are just wasting time, money and killing otherwise happy and healthy souls.

We all want to rush into setting up a tank and one may get away with accerating a cycle in larger tanks but hardly is the case for nanos

 

[azjenny]

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=210898

Guys, it seems like everyone is jumping all over this guy. Nowhere did he say he that he JUST started this tank, he just said that when he started it, it was started with this substrate.
Check out the link above, I think he thought we would remember that he was talking about this thread, I did.
It does say that the tank was fully cycled.

 

[Aquatic Delight]

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=210898

Guys, it seems like everyone is jumping all over this guy. Nowhere did he say he that he JUST started this tank, he just said that when he started it, it was started with this substrate.
Check out the link above, I think he thought we would remember that he was talking about this thread, I did.
It does say that the tank was fully cycled.

i missed that whole thread...

i haven't seen the temp mentioned....does anyone what the tank temp is?

also I am assuming the filter media is new?

 

[Koro-chan]

I live in Federal way and we are apart of the King county municipal water system. My tap measures at 6.8 ph, 1 kh, 2gh. My tank is a consistent 6.6 ph from CO2 and bog wood. My CRS are very happy.

 

[binbin9]

koro, I live in kent and my tap comes out about 7.4 but it's definitely soft. 6.8 out of the tap save you a heck of a lot of money!