[ryannguyen]

I set up my tank for 6 months and a half. After the first months of cycling, I added 10 CRS to it. Then, 2 weeks later, I added another 5 CRS. They looked healthy and active when I added them to my tank. After that, on October, I added more 5 CRS and got one berried. However, I didn't remineralize my RO water, all my shrimplets couldn't survive due to low GH (only 1 survive). I still hadn't realized the problems at that time and got another 2 berried on Dec. A month later, 2 berried female released their baby shrimps, but none of them could survive. Suddenly, I realized that the quantity of my shrimps was losing. At the beginning, I had 20 CRS. 6 months later, I only had 13. Now, I only had 7 (I saw 1 death last months, 1 death 2 days ago).

I checked water parameter. Everything still matches the standard parameter. After the loss of all shrimplets, I started using SS bee GH+ to bring up 134 TDS and GH 6 (then, it decrease GH to 4 because of BW Humic). My set up is very simple. Substrate: 3" ADA aquasoil with BW Humic, Minerax, Virgor, Bacter Crystal. I'm using UGF, sponge filter (L), Zoo Med 501 with full de*nitrate, and eheim 2213. I added BW Shield, Crimson, White, Stout weekly on Sunday. I added BW Dance on Thursday. Feeding every other day with different shrimp foods.

My water parameter:
pH 6.0-6.4
KH 0
GH 4
TDS 134
Temp 72F
Nitrate 0-5.0 ppm

Full tank shot:

Please help me. Thanks
Tuan

 

[HUNTER]

I know what you mean. I had 45 RCS to begin with, I only seen 2 dead, and now I only have maybe 20 left, what happened to them?

 

[stanjam]

If you were using straight ro water that would explain the adult deaths. Ro water should read 0 tds.

Am not sure about all the additives you are using. I stick with just the salty bee shrimp remineralizer. Keep it simple and be patient. Consistency in your water is key.

 

[ryannguyen]

Problem is I used the salty bee shrimp remineralizer, but shrimps still die. Fortunately, I don't see any death of shrimp this week. I'm dosing the additive with the recommended dose of the manufacturer (Borneowild).

 

[dubels]

How is the current on that tank? That is some impressive over filtration for such a small open tank. Maybe start cutting back on the additives and/or only add them the day of or after a water change. If you are having deaths, especially from low GH you want to stop dosing Dance. Dance can basically force shrimp to molt even before they are ready and if they are having GH problems that can lead to deaths.

Are there two mineral rocks in your tank or are they just regular rocks? If they are regular rocks, did you test them?

Did you test for Ammonia?

 

[ryannguyen]

Yes, there are 2 mineral rocks. My GH is 4 (tested yesterday) and I think this is standard for CRS. I would stop dosing Dance and watch for result. I don't water change weekly, just top off with remineralized RO water.

 

[dubels]

If you are not changing water weekly I am not sure how the concentrations of the additives are adding up in your system. I doubt that the shrimp and plants are absorbing all the additives you add in before you dose the next round. But someone more versed in the subject should chime in. Just looking for something not obvious because it seems like you have a great setup going.

BTW the standard parameters are just a guideline to get you towards the right place. You may have to tweak the parameters to get the shrimp to survive for you. Any notes on the parameters of the water of the breeder or seller?

 

[Soothing Shrimp]

...I don't water change weekly, just top off with remineralized RO water.

There's a warning signal right there. If you don't change water, just top off with pure RO, or you are adding gh and TDS every time you top off.

 

[ryannguyen]

What is the problem when I top off with remineralized RO water instead of pure RO? changing GH and TDS dramatically?

 

[ravensgate]

It compounds over time (TDS, GH increases) You top off with pure RO, no remineralization. You do water changes with remineralized RO.

 

[ch3fb0yrdee]

There's a warning signal right there. If you don't change water, just top off with pure RO, or you are adding gh and TDS every time you top off.

+1

I lost a shrimp a while back when I was topping off with remineralized water which I mistaken took for pure ro. I realize my mistake when I did a quick TDS test and since haven't had any issues. Never top off with remineralized water as it tends to compound the gH issue and really throw off your parameters.

Besides that the tank looks sweet. Everything else seems to be in order. I wouldn't say it's the newly set up tank as I added Crs into freshly cycled water and now if have berried mommas all over.

 

[ch3fb0yrdee]

What is the problem when I top off with remineralized RO water instead of pure RO? changing GH and TDS dramatically?

Tank water evaporates leaving the minerals behind. This increase the gH inside your existing tank. This issue is compounded when you add more water with minerals that will again increase the gH.

 

[ryannguyen]

That reason make sense. However, I am using remineralized RO water for a month. Before that, I had used pure RO water. TDS was measured was 84 and GH 4. Where have my 13 CRS + some shrimplets gone? If they died, at least I had to see their bodies?

 

[ChadO]

Shrimp are scavengers. If Fred dies, Barney eats him. I rarely see dead baby shrimp, they get consumed pretty quickly. Adults, it can depend. I've seen where they just leave the body, and I've seen where there wasn't much left to bother - especially if it died during the night.