[Pakman]

Help....

I've now had 3 CRS adults and now 2 juvi die off in my 13G heavily planted tank for no reason that I can see. Water Params are all 0 for amonia, nitrate, nitrite. Temp is 70-72. I use Tap water with Prime, so there might have been a flux in local tap that is causing some issues, but not sure how to test for that.

I've just done a 30% water change with RO water to try to balance it out. I don't think it's a molting issue as I still see molts on the bottom of the tank. I did do a trim of the plants last weekend, but also did water changes after the trim.

Any thoughts guys?

 

[Soothing Shrimp]

What is your gh and TDS?

 

[Pakman]

I will check tds and GH for both the tank and tap when I get home tonight. But unless the water company made some changes, nothing has been different with my water handling.. ie prime and let sit for 1 or 2 days before using for water change.

Taptalk via mobile phone, watch out for spelling errors. ;-)

 

[Pakman]

On a similar front, if I am doing water changes using ro do I need to remineralize.. What is recommended for preping ro for use? Prime only or do I need to add more?

Taptalk via mobile phone, watch out for spelling errors. ;-)

 

[Soothing Shrimp]

Ro does not need prime, but does need remin for wc.

 

[ravensgate]

Some RO units don't remove chloramine, I use prime on all my RO. It doesn't hurt and better safe than sorry

 

[Duck5003]

Unfortuately public water levels can change, expecially this time of year. A lot of runnoff, rains, snowmelt, etc.

Another question, what does your GH and TDS typically look like normal tap? And how long have you had these CRS??

 

[Soothing Shrimp]

Really? First time I've heard that. :icon_eek:

 

[Pakman]

I will check GH, KH and TDS from tap and tank when I get home tonight, but I'm really nervous now. In general, I think my tap had a TDS of ~200, GH and KH were around 2-4 depending on how to count the drops.. (have a really hard time telling.).

I'm getting some Indian Leaves to put into the tank maybe that will also help.

*sigh*... hate it when I lose shrimp.

So, was going to buy some Fluval Shrimp Mineralizer. Easier for me to find than Mosura or others... anyone else have good luck with that?

 

[35ppt]

Unfortuately public water levels can change, expecially this time of year. A lot of runnoff, rains, snowmelt, etc.

Another question, what does your GH and TDS typically look like normal tap? And how long have you had these CRS??

That might be a factor of if you have a surface water source or a groundwater source. But I think municipalities try to keep things about the same. Altho mine does have a lot of chlorine at times.

Maybe it was just the change in params from a recent water change you did? Too much change at once, and they did not like it? Total guess on my part.

 

[Pakman]

Ok, so tested the water in the tank...
TDS = 300
GH = 4
KH = 2
PH 7.8
A, NO2, NO3 = 0


Tap before adding prime:
TDS 270
GH 6
KH 3
PH 7.8
Ammonia 0.25ppm ???
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5ppm

on the other hand... the RO water i just bought has:
TDS = 10
PH 6??

so, need some remineralizer...does it also raise PH a little? 6 seems a little low to me.

 

[dreamer_yoyo]

Do you have any unpleasant algae growing in the tank. like blue green algae, etc? If you have blue green algae, shrimps would die. This could be one reason.

Another: I would expect a little Nitrate NO3 level. When NO3 is nothing, the environment is not good for Nutrifying Bacteria growth, and there could be a lot of negative bacteria growing in the tank, they very soon process the organic matters, and since it's heavily planted, if you have the lights on long, nutrients would be fast consume by plants. Ending no NO3. Negative bacteria may cause shrimps become sick and dying.

 

[Pakman]

No alge problems lately, and lights are on for about 8 hours. Have not changed my light schedule.

Taptalk via mobile phone, watch out for spelling errors. ;-)

 

[shrimpo]

According to this http://shrimpkeeping.com/water-params/
Crystal Red Shrimp
PH: 6.2 - 6.6
KH: 0 - 2
GH: 4 -6
TDS: 100 - 180
If they've been living close to the above parameters, your current params will shock/kill them.

 

[dreamer_yoyo]

Do you take closer look at the shrimps, any sign on its shell?
Since your tank are so heavily planted, do you fertilize that tank?

 

[Pakman]

No fertilizer in the tank. Shell of some of the shrimp looked a little translucent. No cracks though..

Taptalk via mobile phone, watch out for spelling errors. ;-)

 

[MsNemoShrimp]

Your pH and temperature is very important. So far, your pH is off by quite a bit given that CRS strive in pH 6-6.5. Temp should be between 72-76 as well.

RO will help but you need good soil to keep it low of a pH, otherwise adding low pH RO water to something that will slowly raise it up won't do it any good :/

 

[Dead Can Dance]

Hmm, I wonder if that's why I lose a lot of my shrimplets.
Can we test for chloramine / chlorine ?

Some RO units don't remove chloramine, I use prime on all my RO. It doesn't hurt and better safe than sorry

 

[Duck5003]

Really? First time I've heard that. :icon_eek:

Yeah, although it is highly uncommon it does happen. I had the pleasure/opportunity to participate in two internships with two different municipalities and this can happen, particularly in the spring with excessive run-off and higher water table.

One major note though that i missed when i posted that, is the area. OP looks like they are in CA and i'm in the mountains of PA lol so i cant really say for sure for that area. They do strive to keep everything in check and as stable as possible, but there are many measures that have limits/ranges and some factors that have nothing to do with our safety and health, however may have effects to our livestock. i.e. hardness, TDS, PH.

Think of it like our tanks, we strive to keep things in ranges or at certain params however we all know sometimes we slip out of those ranges or have issues. Whether that be an uncontrolable, or human error. Now with that said we work with closed systems, so you can imagine the difficulties and variables that municipalities and water treatment facilities have the potential to face, and they arent treating the water for specialized fish/inverts.

However i digress, as i dont feel that this is necessarily the issue at hand here. Your params seems high. If your not already doing this, try testing your water after letting it age for 24-48 hours. See if it changes. Something i do for my softwater species is a 5 gallon bucket with water and prime, and 3-4 ials. Age for 24 hours, drops my GH at least a degree and takes my ph from 7.1-7.2 down to 6.6-6.7. Also, sorry if i missed it but how long have you had these CRS?

 

[Pakman]

The shrimp have been in the tank for several months, and I typically do something like 30% water changes, so no major stress. Both sets of tanks have i think azoo substrate and some driftwood, and are planted. I'm thinking that my PH being high is coming from my tap water, so moving to RO that is about 6 should help to bring it lower. I'll look at that. I'm waiting on the remineralizer to show up at my doorstep, is it ok to do some 25% water changes now without remineralizer to help with the PH and TDS levels? or should I really wait for the remineralizer?