Water7 Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 I am still in the "waiting for warmer shipping weather" stage so I do not yet have any shrimp. However, I've been using this time to get ready. Firstly I should say I'm not able to devote too much of a budget to growing my aquatic hobby, but on the other hand, I want to do things right, rather than cut necessary corners. Secondly, I'm planning to keep red cherry shrimp. The tank that will house the shrimp is a 20 long. It has been running and planted with fish and/or snails since May 2013. It has fish in it currently, which will be removed when I get shrimp. It has a heater, and a Hydrosponge IV with a 3 watt air pump. It is an old air pump, probably not something currently in production. It's hard to know whether or not this pump is adequate. I do not run an air stone inside this sponge because the pump then becomes very noisy. I have access to two kinds of water, and my two tanks each contain a mix of the two. Our tap water comes from a rainwater harvest system and runs through a sediment filter, charcoal filter, and UV sterilizer. Currently we're in process of further upgrading our rain harvest system. I also use a great deal of well water, which is hard water. The downside of this is that it comes from a handpump well which is a good walk (and downhill) from my house and is also quite stiff to pump. So it is a definite effort to get this water for my tanks. I'm planning to buy a KH/GH test, because I don't know these parameters for either of my water sources, and I'm hoping to be able to use less of the hard-to-get well water than I have been. The ph of my tapwater is 6.8, but my well water tests as high as the test kit measures, so it is likely higher. I understand that this may mean it is higher than the ideal range for RCS, and I may need to get a high-range ph kit as well. Are there other tests that would be considered essential to keeping red cherry shrimp? Is it important to test for ammonia, even in an established tank? Thank you for your help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OblongShrimp Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 If you are picking up other tests then it might be worth getting an ammonia test but if you go slowly with your cycle (or in your case use an old setup) then I think you can get by without one. They do come in handy though if your shrimp start dying and you aren't sure why. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Water7 Posted January 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 Thank you, Oblongshrimp. I think I will get an ammonia test. All advice is appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielt Posted February 24, 2014 Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 Neos tolerate high pH. I keep Rili in water as high as pH 8.4. If the value does not swing they will be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted February 24, 2014 Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 I agree danielt. They can tolerate it, but tolerate and optimal are two seperate issues. heh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielt Posted February 24, 2014 Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 They bred fine. It's the hardness that's more important as far as I noticed with mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted February 24, 2014 Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 How hard do you keep your water? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielt Posted February 24, 2014 Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 6-7 dgH. Had 12 berried mothers at some point. I got 60 or so but it's heavy planted and looks like there's no more than 20 shrimps in there. Until they get food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 Just dropped my GH down to that this year. Before I was more concerned with TDS, now I'm trying something different. At least when I feed up at the front of the glass and I can see most of the shrimp on feeding day anyway. heh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielt Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 TDS & Hardness (gH) are the two main parameters that I try to keep as constant as possible. Even neos prefer a low TDS with 6-7 dgH of hardness if possible. Especially if they were bred in such clean water.I keep CRS/CBS in TDS 330ppm just fine, with berried females but the water change is done not more than a week apart with a volume of 15-20% AT MOST. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
octanejunkie Posted February 28, 2014 Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 Im lazy and keep it more simple, and consistent, 150-200 TDS, GH 4-6 regardless of species, and 6.5-7.6 pH in tanks based species, on cardinal or neo. Works for me, YMMV Sent while on the go... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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