CRS ready?

1371 Views 14 Replies 8 Participants Last post by rodcuda, Sep 1, 2012

ThatGuyWithTheFish

Discussion Starter · Aug 10, 2012 (Edited)

I'd like to add simple CRS (A or S grade) to my shrimp tank, because I like the look, I want to add diversity, and I'm dedicating this tank to shrimp only. So, can I add them with my water? I have 19 Cherry/Sakuras, and I might want to add otos. It's 10G and 1.5-2 months old.

pH: 7.4 BUT I can buffer it to 6.5 with API buffer
KH: 3, so I can easily buffer
GH: Tap water is 2.5, but I've been adding Fluval Mineral supplement
Nitrates: a bit high at 20 ppm, but I can lower it with water changes. Do BW foods raise them?
temp: unheated, 72-75 maybe
substrate: Fluval Stratum
rocks: Seiryu
plants: HC, 1mL Excel daily (spot dose)

Also, do CRS eat hair algae?

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randyl

· #2 · Aug 10, 2012

ThatGuyWithTheFish said:
I'd like to add simple CRS (A or S grade) to my shrimp tank, because I like the look, I want to add diversity, and I'm dedicating this tank to shrimp only. So, can I add them with my water? I have 19 Cherry/Sakuras, and I might want to add otos. It's 10G and 1.5-2 months old.

pH: 7.4 BUT I can buffer it to 6.5 with API buffer
KH: 3, so I can easily buffer
GH: Tap water is 2.5, but I've been adding Fluval Mineral supplement
Nitrates: a bit high at 20 ppm, but I can lower it with water changes. Do BW foods raise them?
temp: unheated, 72-75 maybe
substrate: Fluval Stratum
rocks: Seiryu
plants: HC, 1mL Excel daily (spot dose)

Also, do CRS eat hair algae?

My two cents,
- PH is a bit high for CRS. They should survive, may even berry, but not likely to keep full term, even less chance to raise baby shrimps.
- PH Down is not a great way to lower PH for shrimp tanks.
- excel 1.0/10G (recommended dosage?) is a bit too much for shrimps, not saying it will kill them, but they will live better without.
- All food, once eaten, turns to ammonia by animals, then ammonia turns to nitrite which turns into nitrate. Assuming your tank is cycled.

ThatGuyWithTheFish

Discussion Starter · #3 · Aug 10, 2012

randyl said:
My two cents,
- PH is a bit high for CRS. They should survive, may even berry, but not likely to keep full term, even less chance to raise baby shrimps.
- PH Down is not a great way to lower PH for shrimp tanks.
- excel 1.0/10G (recommended dosage?) is a bit too much for shrimps, not saying it will kill them, but they will live better without.
- All food, once eaten, turns to ammonia by animals, then ammonia turns to nitrite which turns into nitrate. Assuming your tank is cycled.

I'd be using API's pH 6.5 buffer, not pH down.

randyl

· #4 · Aug 10, 2012

I have no experience with API PH6.5 buffer, you'll hardly find anyone using that for shrimp tanks so there's probably a reason for that. You can try and let us know what happens.

Using active substrate is about the easiest way to keep PH stable. Or you can use peat treated water which is a bit more work but low cost.

FYI, from API's description:
Compatibility:
Proper pH 6.5 is for freshwater aquariums only. Proper pH 6.5 is a phosphate buffer and should not be used with live aquatic plants.

somewhatshocked

· #5 · Aug 10, 2012

Yep, definitely have to agree that Excel usage isn't a great idea with Crystals.

Your pH isn't a good idea. Buffers should not be used with shrimp. Primarily because they aren't adjusting your hardness, which is something you have to maintain for shrimp. It also jacks up your Total Dissolved Solids, which also need to be stable - especially if you're new to sensitive shrimp.

Should probably read up a bit on the requirements for maintaining healthy CRS. There are tons of sites (like this one) that will provide you with easy to understand information. And you're obviously in the right place here on TPT.

acitydweller

· #6 · Aug 31, 2012

@theguywithfish, What's your progress in keeping crystals?

ThatGuyWithTheFish

Discussion Starter · #7 · Aug 31, 2012

I'm going to use either peat or humic to buffer my pH down to ~6.8. I'm only dosing excel bi-daily now too. I'm keeping A/S grade so they should be hardier, right?

acitydweller

· #8 · Aug 31, 2012

They are hardier compared with tibees but less so with most Neocaridinas.

If comparing amongst crystals in general, it all depends on the genes and how they were raised. The grade primarily refers to the color patterning on the body. I have SSS+ that have outlived B and C crs in the same tank though they were from different sources.

mythin

· #9 · Aug 31, 2012

im experimenting with excel in my crs SS+ culls in a 5.5 tank with cherries too, I should dose by ml, but i've been using half a cap full when I do my water top offs every 3 days or so. No deaths, 2 berried CRS, one berried pfr, no shrimplets yet I dont know how the shrimplets will react.

Shrimpaholic

· #10 · Aug 31, 2012

I'm fairly new to keeping CRS, (I have been keeping shrimp just over a year. Imo the best way to keep CRS is to give them as close to the ideal water params as possible. Being that you have Neos, as do I, you may have to find a balance for the two in water params. I have cherries with my CRS so I try not to lower my pH to low (6.6ish). From the information I have gathered here it seems that most people here who have success keep their parameters around;

70-74F
pH below 7
TDS low in the 125-200 range
GH 5
KH 0-1
Nitrates < .5ppm
Nitrites/Amonia 0

Most use 100% RO and add shrimp mineral supplements or a blend of some RO and tap water.( I prefer using 100% RO so that I have complete control of what is in my water)

Also until only recently I have began using some of the high quality shrimp foods thanks to a very kind hearted member here, and I got my first berried female. (I hope she is still berried, away on business until tonight.) So imo the foods played a big part in helping them get berried.

In summary get your water params closer to ideal instead of kind of winging it with less than ideal water params. You may find that your CRS can survive but with sensitive shrimp, the less things you have to go wrong, the more likely you are to succeed. Good luck.
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cantsay39

· #11 · Aug 31, 2012

If i were you i remove the seiryu rocks because if buffers the ph, because crs are kept below ph7~

ThatGuyWithTheFish

Discussion Starter · #12 · Aug 31, 2012

I like the seiryu, and I have Stratum already. It doesn't buffer too much, as my KH is 3-4. Adding humic or peat should help.

cantsay39

· #13 · Aug 31, 2012

by my experience with shrimp stratum it's base buffers to 6.5, but had molting problems 3 of my berried crs died from it, so you need to take a closer look into that. Currently for my taiwan bees crs cbs i use U.P Shrimp sand... so far everything working fine 0 deaths

cantsay39

· #14 · Aug 31, 2012

the rocks buffers through the time in the tank >.< because there is ph swings during the daytime and night time due to the photosynthesis the plants that are in the tank..

rodcuda

· #15 · Sep 1, 2012

How did you have moulting problems on berried shrimp? I thought they did not moult while berried? They moult and then breed and become berried and then do not moult until after the eggs hatch.

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