[Odin]

hello

I'm new. I'm pretty new to planted tanks (two years various tanks) and very new to shrimp ( two months) keeping. Right now I am keeping blue dreams in my ten gal. My betta is in there, he doesn't harm the shrimp, if anything I've seen them hitch a ride on him.

I feel like my tank is over crowded with plants. I often have to trim and replant alot into my other tanks. I just want my shrimp to be happy.

Basic water parameters:

PH 6
Nitrate 5 ppm
Ammonia 0 ppm
Nitrite o ppm
GH 75 ppm
Kh 0

I'm not sure how to get KH to go up? Is my PH to low?

I do 10% water changes once every week and a half.

I feed Bacter AE once a week, shrimp party food every other day. My mysteries get algea wafers. My betta gets betta pellets. I do have a almond leaf and some cones in my tank for extra grazing. (I do have an issue with "pest" snails).

I have a normal hang on the back filter with a sponge attached to bottom that I rinse in separate tank with tank water twice a week because it gets dirty quick.

My substrate is floval strattum. My lighting is Current Satellite pro.

Anyway. Any advice would be great. I want a better looking tank that will be optimal thriving conditions for my blue dreams and betta.

 

[Griznatch]

Both shrimp and betta love "heavily planted" tanks. Too many plants is usually more of an aesthetic thing, unless some of the bigger ones are causing die-off on the smaller plants. Your tank looks pretty good, I wish my 10 gallon looked like that!

Just re-read, your PH might be a little low for Neos, but your Betta probably likes it.

 

[Odin]

Thank you! Good to know, I'll monitor if I see any die off.

Do you have suggestions on raising ph in a slow way by chance? I'm not sure what is causing such low ph.

 

[Griznatch]

Most likely it's your substrate, raising it slowly would be the key for sure. I don't have experience with active substrate and my water is hard here, so I'd be a poor choice for advice on that. There are plenty of people on here that do use it, and I'm sure they have some good tips on bumping it up (slowly).

 

[Zoidburg]

1.) What tests are you using? Test strips or liquid?

2.) What are your source water parameters?

3.) Trying to 'fix' your pH is more likely to cause harm to your tank or inhabitants as the substrate is meant to lower pH. Trying to raise it will cause fluctuations in parameters.

 

[Odin]

1.) What tests are you using? Test strips or liquid?

2.) What are your source water parameters?

3.) Trying to 'fix' your pH is more likely to cause harm to your tank or inhabitants as the substrate is meant to lower pH. Trying to raise it will cause fluctuations in parameters.

Hello,

I'm using liquid tests for ph, Nitrate, nitrite, ammonia. I'm using cheap test strips for GH and KH but also shows PH, Nitrate, Nitrite.

I've never tested my source water. I will do that when I get off work tonight.

Should I not mess with fixing PH? Will it harm my shrimp?

Whoops I meant to say I have Neocaridina Blue Dream Shrimp. I have 8 out of the ten I purchased originally a few months ago. I do have more coming in the mail any day now.

 

[Zoidburg]

If your GH really is around 4, it's amazing they are doing well thus far! However, offspring are unlikely to survive and it's possible the adults will fade over time as well. Generally speaking, they do best with at least 6-8 GH, preferably 7+. Not too many people can keep them successfully in lower GH.

And no, I would not recommend trying to fix your pH - each time you try to raise your pH, the substrate will fight to lower it back down, causing instability.... shrimp do best in stable paramters.

 

[Dreya]

With those parameters you'd be better off switching to caridina instead of neos. Less struggle for you, just as pretty. More vivid colors to my eye actually. A little more pricey to start but far more likely to breed in your conditions. You don't have to pull the neos out, I'd just add the caridina in and see who does better long term. They won't interbreed (altho they may compete for food) and a 10G with 1 fish and 1 snail has a lot of room for more shrimp.

 

[Odin]

If your GH really is around 4, it's amazing they are doing well thus far! However, offspring are unlikely to survive and it's possible the adults will fade over time as well. Generally speaking, they do best with at least 6-8 GH, preferably 7+. Not too many people can keep them successfully in lower GH.

And no, I would not recommend trying to fix your pH - each time you try to raise your pH, the substrate will fight to lower it back down, causing instability.... shrimp do best in stable paramters.

Well, considering I stated that I have only had them two months -I wouldn't say "they are doing well this far" my females all were berries and not a single baby survived longer than week. I thought it was due to my betta possibly snacking, and me messing with the tank drastically. (Re-arranged, replanted, stirred up substrate). Now I'm understanding it's my GH?

I need to purchase a more reliable GH KH kit.

Is it possible for shrimp to get their minerals from the mineral rocks in the tank? Food?

If not....how do I raise GH gradually?

With those parameters you'd be better off switching to caridina instead of neos. Less struggle for you, just as pretty. More vivid colors to my eye actually. A little more pricey to start but far more likely to breed in your conditions. You don't have to pull the neos out, I'd just add the caridina in and see who does better long term. They won't interbreed (altho they may compete for food) and a 10G with 1 fish and 1 snail has a lot of room for more shrimp.

Funny you should mention this. I originally wanted caridina but all the research I did said to start with cherry shrimp bc they are less demanding and hardier for beginners. I've already spent a small fortune on these little guys between them, food, tank set up - I really just want to see them thrive.

 

[Dreya]

Yeah I can relate. Live and learn as they say! Its just too bad those lessons are usually expensive

API test kit for GH/KH with the test tubes is way more accurate than strips and you'll need it if youre going to try to adjust those. I agree with Zoid to ignore PH, using those ph up and down chemicals is going to be just a constant chasing of a number. Your tap water must be marvelous if those are your measurements in tank with no adjustment. In a tank without active substrate you'd probably be right on the button.

You'll need the measurements of your tap, your tank, and decide what your target is for GH. Your substrate is probably going to consume KH and always keep it at or near 0 until it is exhausted, which can be a year or several, depending how much KH you ask it to buffer. So honestly to avoid excess complication, I'd just focus on GH and set a moderate target like 7. Your substrate will lower it some, but hopefully you'll end up higher than 4.

Figure out how much water you usually change. 25%? If you're not doing heavy EI type fertilization or having problems with ammonia don't go crazy with big changes. Then spend a little time playing with that volume of your tap water in a bucket, adding a little remineralizer at a time until it is the GH you want. Keep written notes of how much you needed. It will be a lot less amount than the guidelines on the label, because those are starting from 0 GH RO water. I like the salty shrimp GH/KH which reconstitutes at a ratio of about 3GH to 1KH. I did not like equilibrium because it didn't dissolve as easily or stay as stable, and it needed 3 separate products purchased. Some people here make their own mixes from dry chemicals.. very cheap but you need the aptitude and interest to do so.

I'd just keep doing the weekly water changes using the new boosted water until the tank gradually rises. You'll have to keep watching tank parameters during this process because you have several opposing factors in play. If you do decide to go more aggressive, keep in mind if you raise GH by more than 1 all at once, you will likely lose some stock.For that reason I'd advise against adding directly to the tank, at least until you've played with whatever minerals you've chosen and have a better feel for how concentrated they are.


Good luck!

 

[Zoidburg]

There are many GH+ only minerals out there... Salty Bee, Salty Shrimp, Shrimp Nature, Vin, SL-Aqua, etc.

Some are powders, some are liquids. Liquids are faster to use and may contain more essential nutrients but you get more with powders. Main thing is, avoid any with KH.


And yes, lack of GH could cause offspring to not survive because there's not enough minerals in the water for them to properly molt... but they could also be a snack to fish!


If you really want Caridina... I would recommend starting with tigers... heck, I think tigers are a better "beginner" shrimp than Neos! But that's from my own poor personal experience! I've never really had success with Neos long term.... I did for a short while, but then they were killed by poisons in the air... and haven't had any luck since.... and I haven't kept tigers either... just YKK's.... which are believed to be TT hybrids.

 

[PFlo57]

Thank you! Good to know, I'll monitor if I see any die off.

Do you have suggestions on raising ph in a slow way by chance? I'm not sure what is causing such low ph.

Using Fluval Stratum is the reason PH is so low. With all those plants it should deplete nutrients in gravel in 6 months or less. You should see a ph change slowing over time. That gravel though it is stated for plants, also works very well for Caridina type shrimp as they prefer the lower PH also. Neo's prefer a higher PH, but can survive in lower. Just may have problems with survival rates in shrimplets along with other issues.

 

[Odin]

Hi, just wanted to say thanks for all the advice. I haven't gotten a kh gh testing kit yet that's more accurate yet.
I really hope the buffering will go away in 6 months!
Right now my blues are alive...but not breeding. Here are a few pictures, my camera sucks for these guys.