Doc4PC2

Yeah, who knows for sure, unless you are an expert or researched them very well, enough to know the differences. Because I sure don't.

I was wondering if anyone knew of a moss that looks like a lawn at the bottom of the tank. I would like moss that covers about half of the tank floor but stays fairly short. Like I said, just looks like a lawn on the floor of the tank. Is there such a type of moss? That covers the substrate, stays short, and looks like a lawn? Would anyone know where to buy it?

I decided to take out the UGF. There was just too many questions, too many differences of opinion on them. With powerheads, without, reverse flow, regular flow, capped and uncapped, cleaning, tons of people that just hate UGF's. Some that swear by them. I tried it with a Powerhead in Reverse flow, but it would suck up a shrimp if it got too close. Running normal flow, the current would be too powerful for shrimp, running without a powerhead, the gunk would build up under the plates. In reverse flow, with one side capped, the water coming up through the substrate is still too powerful and would bother the shrimp. The only powerhead that I could find that was adjustable with water flow, and had reverse flow was the AquaClear Powerhead 50 which was the smallest, but in a 10 gallon tank, it was still too much even at the lowest settings. For a larger tank, it would be good, at least a 29 gallon or larger, but for a 10 forget it. I do have the water polisher filter attachment though which I can run every now and then, and it will make the water completely crystal clear. I also have a small UV sterilizer to do the same that I will run every now and then. But, overall, the UGF experiment for me was a live and learn one and ultimately I took it out. I had to do a 90% water change anyway when the nitrites and nitrates spiked, so that was the best time to take out the UGF before I got too far down the road with the UGF in the tank.

Invertobsession has some dwarf electric blue crayfish for sale for 14 bucks each. You can put them with Shrimp when they are small and don't have their snippers fully grown, but I heard they will take a shrimp fry when they have their snippers fully grown, but don't touch the larger shrimp. They are too slow to catch them and generally leave the shrimp alone. There are quite a few shrimp keepers with crayfish in the tanks I've heard, but you can't keep two crayfish of the same species or they will fight for territory.

For sure, I have been on a learning and research binge for about 6 weeks now, taking in everything I can about Shrimp. There are a lot of differences in opinions out there, but I try to take from the experts and people that have been at it for awhile and that have successful tanks. Take the best and leave the rest. lol

yes, Thank you!

But is my PH of 6.0 to 6.2 too low for Crystal Red Shrimp?

Okay, but when everyone says, they have a GH range of 4 to 8, does that mean, they are getting 4 to 8 drops, and not some other reading? so when some says they have a GH of 6, and I say I have a GH of 6 drops, is that the same thing? Thanks!

Hi, It seems like my PH is about 6.0 to 6.2 in my tanks when I am using RO water and Shrimp Supplement and nothing else. My tanks water conditions are: Temp - 73 degrees F PH - 6.0 - 6.2 GH - 6 KH - 3 TDS - 170 So my tanks are cycled now, and I have two fish in each tank to keep it cycled until the tanks are CRS Shrimp only tanks. So, are my water conditions right? I am concerned about the PH level of 6.0 to 6.2 Is it too low for CRS? I could put in a small bag of crushed coral to bring it up some, if I need to. My substrate is inert black substrate, and I have mainly moss and a couple of plants in my tanks.

Hi, I have the API Gh / KH kit, and I see other people that have Crystal Red Shrimp say that I want a GH of 4 - 8, and a KH of 04 for CRS I don't know how you are getting this reading or GH 4 - 8? Is that the number of drops to achieve the color? Same with KH, is the number of drops I use to achieve the right color in the test what I am looking for. The test shows It took 6 drops to turn from orange to Green on GH and 3 drops to go from blue to yellow on KH. Is my Gh / KH alright then for CRS? Because I don't understand how or what you are reading to get the range you are talking. There is no 4-8 range or 0 - 3 range on the test except the number of drops. Then it says, if my GH took 6 drops, my ppm GH /KH is 107.4 if my KH took 3 drops, my ppm GH /KH is 53.7 Either way I have no idea if I have the right water conditions for CRS when it comes to GH / KH

He is going to let me return it and get the GH+ which is awesome! You can bet I will be getting all of my Shrimp products, food, etc from The Shrimp Tank from now on. Also, Dave said to get a 100 to 120 TDS, but I thought you were suppose to be at 190 to 210 for Crystal Red Shrimp? CRS keepers, what TDS do you try to achieve? Thanks!

I hope so.

I wonder how everyone feels about Under Gravel Filters (UGF)? Do you use a UGF with a Reverse Flow Power Head on one side, cap the other side, and leave off the charcoal filter attachment? (or on) Or run the UGF regular with the charcoal filters attached? Or run the UGF regular without the charcoal filters attached? Or use the UGF with No charcoal filters, No air stones, No power head, and just use the UGF as Plenum? Do you use the charcoal filters attached when you are doing a fishless cycle? I want to get everyone's opinion on the subject of UGF's, both pro and con. Thanks! Doc

Yeah, I appreciate the thinking, but I probably won't use snails for cycling or even algae cleaning, it just seems like when you get them, you have them for life. I'll just stick to a couple of ottos for cycling as ottos are the only proven fish that will leave shrimp alone and they do not scare or stress the shrimp. I like the debate though. I wonder how everyone feels about Reverse Flow Under Gravel Filters, or even for a Plenum? Should you use the charcoal filter that you attach to the end of each UGF? or put a reverse flow power head on one side, and cap the other side and leave off the charcoal filter? Or should you just cap the tops, leave off the Charcoal Filter, with no air flow, no power head, and just use the UGF as a Plenum? Curious to see how everyone feels. (I'll post it in a new topic) Doc

I think that just confused me more. lol This was the only one they had, so I thought was the stuff, but maybe it will be alright with just RO Water.

I just got my order of Salty Shrimp GH / KH + Mineral Supplement today. It say on the directions to use one level spoon (that is included) about 2g to 10 Liters of RO water. So, 10 Liters equals 2.64 gallons or 42.26 cups. But it doesn't say, to get what TDS reading? If anyone has some experience using this, let me know. I want to have a TDS reading of 190 to 210 for Crystal Red Shrimp, with a Low GH and KH. It is for a 10 Gallon Tank that has a couple of plants, some moss, and two moss balls in it. It has a sponge filter, a Bio - Wheel 100 back filter with stainless steel mesh on the intake, and water temp of 73 degrees F. I have a small 2.5 gallon with RO water and Fluval Shrimp Supplement and nothing else that gives me a reading of 200 TDS. But, I have never used the Salty Shrimp GH / KH+ before, but I bought some because everyone said it was the best and I guess a lot of Shrimp owners use it, so anyone that is using it with RO water, can you tell me about how much to use for a 10 gallon tank, it would be appreciated. Thanks!

Hi, I am new to this forum, and the Shrimp world, but I am going into anyway! I am setup and ready to get my first shipment of CRS next week and go from there. My tank is cycled and setup for a CRS only tank and I think I have the water quality right and their new home good to go. Bring on the Shrimp!

Better yet, I will put a couple of ottos in there so it stays cycled, and leave it for a backup to my 10 gallon CRS shrimp tank, in case of an emergency.

Good information, Thanks danielt! I have a small 2.5 gallon tank with a sponge filter in it, heater, and very small back filter that is cycled. Today I changed the water, used Tetra Safe Start, RO Water, and a little Stress Zyme. I mixed it and waited a little while, then I did a 50% water change with just RO water and some Fluval Shrimp Mineral Supplement, and I get a TDS of 198. The PH is 6.5, Ammonia - .2 GH - 8 KH - 3 Nitrite - 1 Nitrate - 5 Temp 74 degrees F There is a moss ball and nothing else in the tank right now. I will have to ammonia dose it every day until I put something in it. I was thinking about getting a dwarf Blue Electric Crayfish. What do you think? or maybe some Tiger Shrimp by themselves.

danielt, Won't that make my TDS high is I use Tetra Safe Start, or one of the others? When I take reading with Tetra Safe Start, and RO Water and nothing else at all, I get a TDS reading of 500. Everyone has been saying don't use "anything" But, RO Water and Salty Shrimp GH+, and that's it. So, I get a reading of 190 to 210 TDS. Isn't this what the CRS (Crystal Red Shrimp) want is a: TDS: 190 to 210, Temp: 73 degrees F, PH: 6.8 to 7.2, Low: GH - 4 - 8 Low: KH - 1- 2 Use: RO Water, and Shrimp mineral supplement *Sponge filtration, *dark substrate, *some moss, and some hiding places, *weekly small water changes, *monitor water quality regularly, *8 to 10 hours of good led lighting a day, *if a person uses a back filter, to put sponge over the intake, *be a Shrimp only tank, *Feed good quality Shrimp food from companies like Mosura, and Shirakura, and, *maybe once a week, put in small piece of organic Frozen spinach - take out any leftovers after 3 hours that they haven't eaten, * make sure no food, or plant fertilizer has NO copper in it, * Do not overfeed, Above is all that I know about keeping and raising Crystal Red Shrimp, Black Crystal Red Shrimp, Yellow Neon Shrimp, Blue Velvet Shrimp, and a couple of others. So is all of this right? Or am I off base on any of it? And, again, Thanks for everyone's help, time and answers.

Daniels, won,t that make my TDS high if I use something like tetra safe start ? When I take a TDS reading with RO water and safe start and nothing else, I get a TDS reading of 500? Shouldn,t the TDS for CRS be around 190 to 210?

I do have a API master kit, I just use the test strips for quickness, and master kit to get the better reads.

Thanks for your help. So, are you saying change all of the water? Will it take out my cycling? I've been doing a fishless cycle the past 6 weeks with pure ammonia, and testing every day until it cycled.

I don't have a choice right now except to use what I have which is RO water and the Fluval Shrimp Mineral Supplement which was recommended by a lot of CRS keepers, but that doesn't matter, it is what I have for now, and my shrimp are coming next week, so I can't get Salty Shrimp GH+ fastest enough, but it is ordered. In the meantime, I need to know, if you think I should do a 90% water change? I did take 5 cups of RO water and added 1/4 teaspoon Fluval Shrimp Supplement and it gave me a reading of 200 TDS, which is perfect. So I figure, I have about 9.5 gallons in my 10 gallon tank which is 152 cups, so I need to add approx. 7 teaspoons of supplement for a 10 gallon tank to get a TDS of 190 to 210. But I will have to take into account if I do a 90% water change, the 10% of what is left and what that will do that to my TDS reading. When I use the API test strips, and test my RO water by itself, I get 130 GH, 10 KH, 6.5 PH with the temp at 70 degrees, when I add the supplement and nothing else, I get a 200 TDS. Again, Thanks for any help, I don't want my CRS to get here and die. Doc

Thanks everyone for the advice. That is good stuff! So, if I just use RO water with the minerals and nothing else, I can achieve the 190 to 210 TDS. So should I do a 90% water change then? and them just refill it with RO water and minerals and nothing else with a TDS of 190 to 210? So, it would be: Temp: 72 degrees TDS - 190 to 200 PH - 6.8 - 7.2 Zero Nitrites, Zero Nitrates, Zero Ammonia, Cycled Tank Sponge Filter, I have a back filter with the intake covered with a sponge I have two moss balls, and moss on the left side of the tank, about a 6" X 6" size, and plenty of hiding places for them, This will be a shrimp only tank What do you think? And Thanks for everyone's help. I am glad I found this forum. Doc