[tpl*co]

I think that's where my problem is, in water changes.

For CRS and RCS, I guess I want to know:

What type of water conditioner do you use or how do you treat your water prior to putting it in the tank?

What types of products to avoid?

What amount of water needs to be changed and how frequently?

Thanks!

Tina

 

[MikeNas102]

I use only Seachem Prime. Nothing else. Don't go overboard with all those different water conditioners. Just remove the chlorine/chloramine, that's all. Don't buy into that beneficial bacteria, replenish the fish slime, hocus pocus BS. I change anywhere from 1/3 to 1/2 the water weekly for my RCS. They reproduce like ants and the plants/mosses are always healthy.
As far as preparing the water, I would say there's about 20-30 minutes between when the water comes out of the tap and I add Prime and when I actually pour it into the tank.

 

[crazie.eddie]

What type of water conditioner do you use or how do you treat your water prior to putting it in the tank?

I have RCS and I use Prime. I keep a separate tank to age and heat the water. I also use a spare filter to keep the water agitated. Once I use the water for WC, I replace the water immediately and keep the equipment running until the next WC.

What types of products to avoid?

Water conditioners that only bond with chlorine/chloramine and not ammonia. Chloramine is ammonia and chlorine, so if a water conditioner only removes chloramine, then ammonia is leftover.

What amount of water needs to be changed and how frequently?

Since I age and heat the water, before adding into the tanks, I usually remove about 30%-45% during the water changes. My frequency usually depends more on water evaporation, which is usually about every 5-7 days. When the water evaporates (2-3 days) just below the water line, I replace the water. When it occurs again, I perform a water change.

 

[Color Me Blue]

I use only Prime too. I had ill effects with Amaquel(?)

I do 50% water changes once a week (I EI dose). I have a plastic trash can that I fill with RO water + Tap water + Prime. I do this the night before (Saturday) and then do my WC on Sunday. On that Sunday, I place a heater in the trash can to get the temp to what I have in the tank.

Tina: Do you dose your tank/s?

Remember, that with CRS....the higher the grade, the more sensitive they are. Your water needs to be in EXCELLENT form.

 

[tpl*co]

I use only Prime too. I had ill effects with Amaquel(?)

I do 50% water changes once a week (I EI dose). I have a plastic trash can that I fill with RO water + Tap water + Prime. I do this the night before (Saturday) and then do my WC on Sunday. On that Sunday, I place a heater in the trash can to get the temp to what I have in the tank.

Tina: Do you dose your tank/s?

Remember, that with CRS....the higher the grade, the more sensitive they are. Your water needs to be in EXCELLENT form.

No, haven't dosed this tank for fear of screwing things up more.

Tina

 

[Color Me Blue]

If it's just shrimp in the tank, then I would do at least 1/3 to 1/2 once a week.

How do you change your water? With a python? Bucket? I would treat the water before placing it into the tank. That way you give the chemicals time to do their work. Better to be safe than sorry. IMO

I also prefer Prime. I have nothing but positive experiences with it and you don't have to use much of it, so it lasts. More bang for your buck.

 

[ToYoTa]

I dont use Prime in shrimp tank's. I read that you have to shake well before treating. I use prime in my fish tank and lost several fish untill I started shaking the bottle well before treating and I havent lost any fish due to w/c since.

 

[Hydro]

I also use Prime and do 50% water change each week. My preparation is quite similar to Color Me Blue. I prepare the water, with Prime, at least one day before the change and run a pump to agitate it overnight.

I used to change water on the shrimp tank using my phython and dosing prime directly into the tank (based on tank volume), and experienced many deaths. Ever since I started preparing the water the day before, no more deaths and many babies.

 

[Color Me Blue]

I dont use Prime in shrimp tank's. I read that you have to shake well before treating. I use prime in my fish tank and lost several fish untill I started shaking the bottle well before treating and I havent lost any fish due to w/c since.

You should always shake up those bottles. I shake all chemical bottles/containers, unless otherwise instructed not to. Chemicals have a way of settling and need to be re-distributed in the container.

Sorry you had a bad experience with Prime. Most shrimp keepers here use Prime. I have yet to find a better product for the job.

 

[sunmiztres]

I dont use Prime in shrimp tank's. I read that you have to shake well before treating. I use prime in my fish tank and lost several fish untill I started shaking the bottle well before treating and I havent lost any fish due to w/c since.

Same here. Prime has killed off tons of my fish. I sure wish I knew why or what happens to the prime to cause this? I contacted Seachem and they said to shake the bottle but on the bottle it does not say this. Another person from this forum contacted seachem and they told her there is no need to shake the bottle so now were back at step 1. I also noticed with prime that the less prime that is in the bottle the more it smells like sulpher. I used prime for 2 years and loved it until i used it in my fancy guppy tank that had well over 300 guppies. I put 1 ML in it and within seconds they went crazy and started dying, (this is a 80 GL tank) As I recovered the DOA's I noticed their scales were melted. I lost at least 100 of them before I could catch them and move them to a new tank.

 

[eklikewhoa]

I just add some amquel+plus and novaaqua plus to the tank and then just add tap water.

 

[Drifter]

I got an RCS tank and do 50% WC every week....

I use Tetra AquaSafe because of these two points (taken from their site)....

# neutralises substances in the tap water that are harmful to fish: elimination of chlorine as well ase highly effective and permanent binding of heavy metals such as copper, zinc and lead

# adds essential substances from the fish´s natural habitat that tap water cannot provide: iodine for vitalisation of the fish, magnesium to promote growth and well-being, vitamin B to combat stress

I am just new to this hobby but I know that copper is really bad for RCS and iodine is good for them

 

[spypet]

welcome to PTF, Drifter roud:
fill in your State and or Country please

I think what matters is letting the treated water settle
and temperature adjust before putting it in your tank.
I kill shrimp when using it within minutes of the tap.

what is the difference between the
Tetra AquaSafe in the yellow bottle
white and green bottle?

 

[Drifter]

Thanks spypet...I have updated the profile....

the yellow one is for aquariums and the green one is for ponds....don't know whats the white one for....haven't seen that before...

 

[sunmiztres]

welcome to PTF, Drifter roud:
fill in your State and or Country please

I think what matters is letting the treated water settle
and temperature adjust before putting it in your tank.
I kill shrimp when using it within minutes of the tap.

what is the difference between the
Tetra AquaSafe in the yellow bottle
white and green bottle?

I think the last picture is their new "look" They are changing the way the bottle looks.