[Min_90]

Hello everyone,

i have a new tank set up with the parameters mentioned in the title. I believe the CO2 and uns controsoil are contributing to the values i have. The tank is 3 weeks old by now and NH4 NO3 NO2 are at safe levels. I currently have a brown algae and small bacteria bloom and was thinking of adding some Armani’s, otos and nerites to fight algae. But the more I read into their optimal water parameters the more I question if they will survive in my water conditions. I have looked into adding crushed corals to my canister filter or adding baking powder to raise KH and pH at the same time but have also gotten advise in the past of letting the fish snails and shrimp acclimate to my water. That way I don’t have to constantly worry about hitting ascertain levels.

any thoughts?

This is what the tank currently looks like. water is a little turbid. I assume this is a bacterial bloom and there is brown algae everywhere. Especially on my S. Repen, the leaves are coverd.

 

[Plinkploop]

I'm not quite a acidic as you are, but I know I'm going to be in need of remineralization once I'm ready to for the shrimp. I know with snails I have kept in acidic blackwater conditions have required calcium in their food. I have kept crabs and crawfish as without much of a problem. Shrimp are much touchier (not sure about amanos) and often cannot molt properly without the appropriate hardness (I don't believe ph is as much of a factor as an indicator). You might want to look into a product made for shrimp tank remineralization. I picked up salty shrimp.

 

[Min_90]

I'm not quite a acidic as you are, but I know I'm going to be in need of remineralization once I'm ready to for the shrimp. I know with snails I have kept in acidic blackwater conditions have required calcium in their food. I have kept crabs and crawfish as without much of a problem. Shrimp are much touchier (not sure about amanos) and often cannot molt properly without the appropriate hardness (I don't believe ph is as much of a factor as an indicator). You might want to look into a product made for shrimp tank remineralization. I picked up salty shrimp.

I just looked up salty shrimp. So this would be something I have to add with every water change correct? Anyway for me to fix the problem long term without worrying too much about it.

 

[Plinkploop]

Yes, it's an additive to use it water changes. When you're running soft water tanks using crushed coral/ oystershells, texas holey rock and other buffers it's very easy to cause drastic hardness fluctuations. Unless you're trying to achieve true hardwater situations or you are ready to do the calculations for how much to add to raise to a certain percent and when to change out (hardness is raised by calcium and trace minerals leeching as your soft water breaks down the coral/ shell/ limestone). From my own personal experience using a certain dose of a product in the water at each water change is so much easier.

 

[pauld738]

Hey just wanted to point out that the vast majority of the time hardness refers to Gh. Kh is a different measure.

And shrimp don't seem to have a problem molting in low ph conditions. As long as Gh conditions are met.

The low ph will affect snail shells. The lower below 7 you go the more effect this has on the shells. As noted feeding calcium helps this. Not sure if I would subject nerites to that low of a ph though. I have ramshorns that regularly go below 6.0.

I will note that with a gh of 25, which is considered rather hard water, things might be a tad difficult on shrimp.

If you look online, gh tables for the various species are all under 20 Gh for upper limits. Often times much, much lower. Range for Amano's go upwards of 15 or so.

I'm sure somebody somewhere has done it. Just wanted to point out you are pushing the boundaries with that 25 Gh.



Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

 

[Min_90]

Hey just wanted to point out that the vast majority of the time hardness refers to Gh. Kh is a different measure.

And shrimp don't seem to have a problem molting in low ph conditions. As long as Gh conditions are met.

The low ph will affect snail shells. The lower below 7 you go the more effect this has on the shells. As noted feeding calcium helps this. Not sure if I would subject nerites to that low of a ph though. I have ramshorns that regularly go below 6.0.

I will note that with a gh of 25, which is considered rather hard water, things might be a tad difficult on shrimp.

If you look online, gh tables for the various species are all under 20 Gh for upper limits. Often times much, much lower. Range for Amano's go upwards of 15 or so.

I'm sure somebody somewhere has done it. Just wanted to point out you are pushing the boundaries with that 25 Gh.



Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

I think I might have not been clear enough. I meant to say that my GH and KH show 25ppm and 0ppm instead of dGH or dKH. According to the tetra test strips this is very soft water.

so this is still okay shrimp and snails? I’m planning on adding neocaridina in the future. Amano’s,nerites and otos are only for the brown algae that is everywhere and green algae on the glass right now.

Yes, it's an additive to use it water changes. When you're running soft water tanks using crushed coral/ oystershells, texas holey rock and other buffers it's very easy to cause drastic hardness fluctuations. Unless you're trying to achieve true hardwater situations or you are ready to do the calculations for how much to add to raise to a certain percent and when to change out (hardness is raised by calcium and trace minerals leeching as your soft water breaks down the coral/ shell/ limestone). From my own personal experience using a certain dose of a product in the water at each water change is so much easier.

I see maybe it just seems more work than it actually is to me lol.

 

[Plinkploop]

I see maybe it just seems more work than it actually is to me lol.

It's more work than it's worth in a planted tank. It gets "sciency" and your tank becomes a constantly monitored experiment (this is what's happened to me). In the end I gave up.

 

[pauld738]

I think I might have not been clear enough. I meant to say that my GH and KH show 25ppm and 0ppm instead of dGH or dKH. According to the tetra test strips this is very soft water.

so this is still okay shrimp and snails? I’m planning on adding neocaridina in the future. Amano’s,nerites and otos are only for the brown algae that is everywhere and green algae on the glass right now.

My bad, completely missed that!!

Gh needs to come up 71.6 ppm min.

And having tested water with active substrates with a Hanna kh checker, which has a slightly better resolution then liquid test kits, you probably have some kh in there. Just not a lot.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

 

[Min_90]

It's more work than it's worth in a planted tank. It gets "sciency" and your tank becomes a constantly monitored experiment (this is what's happened to me). In the end I gave up.

So I just ordered a 200g jar of salty shrimp. In the instructions it says to dose 2g for 10 liter assuming RODI water. So in a 20 gallon/80 liter I would need about 16g since my GH and KH are nearly zero?

 

[Plinkploop]

That's my understanding. I still haven't jumped in yet since I'm still working out kinks in my cycling.

 

[Min_90]

With that out of the way do you guys think my approach against the brown algae will solve the algae issue?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Plinkploop]

Amanos and nerites like diatoms. Otos will be hit or miss with diatoms. IMO otos are best added to mature tanks, but they can do fine and be helpful in new fully cycled tanks, just make sure to supplement their diet with blanched veggies/ greens until you've built up some organic matter/ algae.

 

[Min_90]

Now that I have the gH at appropriate levels will there be an issue of me adding salty shrimp directly to the aquarium when doing water changes? I change my water with a python system to avoid buckets and make everything as easy as possible. I would really like to avoid mixing beforehand.