ElevateShrimp Posted August 23, 2015 Report Share Posted August 23, 2015 So I couldn't find any prior posts about the importance of calcium in shrimp keeping. It seems that most people avoid using calcium carbonate (crushed coral and the like) because the solid will dissolve in to a base molecule that will affect the water's pH. However, I've been having some frequent shrimp deaths in my caridina tank (parameters are near "perfect", GH 5/ KH 0/ ammonia nitrite 0/ nitrate 10ppm/ temp 71-72F) and I believe it is due to no calcium source, low pH of 6, and snail breeding. I think the snails are taking a lot of the calcium (of the little there is since KH = 0) out of the water and thus causing molting or carapace damage. Can anyone chime in on this topic? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shrimple minded Posted August 23, 2015 Report Share Posted August 23, 2015 What remineralizer are you using? I was under the impression that most use Calcium Sulfate (or something else) to achieve appropriate Ca levels. I believe Calcium and Magnesium are the primary minerals addressed with GH+ remineralization. I'm sure there are many others that can provide a better answer here, so please correct me if I'm wrong about any of the above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElevateShrimp Posted August 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2015 I am using SL-Aqua Blue Wizard If my calculations are correct, 0.27 grams of Calcium Carbonate would create KH 1, and would be soluble at pH 6 up until 302 grams. However that calculation is negating the pH changing effects of the carbonate ion, and I haven't done polyprotic titration calculations in years so ill skip that for now lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesHe Posted August 23, 2015 Report Share Posted August 23, 2015 Nobody uses CaCO3 in bee shrimp tank, simply because it would affect the pH level. (due to increase KH). I only use in the case that my pH is too low (add crushed coral in small amount). and reduce the GH value of new water to get the correct GH and pH. Your GH is on the high side. I keep my GH around 3. Do weekly water change and remineralize the RO water. It won't be any Calcium deficiency. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElevateShrimp Posted August 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2015 GH 3, good to know. I keep mine at GH 5 since that is the parameters of the water they came with. I was thinking that a lack of calcium in the water would affect their exoskeleton, but now I'm thinking it could also assist them in molting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shrimpy Daddy Posted August 25, 2015 Report Share Posted August 25, 2015 GH 3, good to know. I keep mine at GH 5 since that is the parameters of the water they came with. I was thinking that a lack of calcium in the water would affect their exoskeleton, but now I'm thinking it could also assist them in molting. If you are using RO with remineraliser, Calcium and Magnesium are the least concern. Caridina needs 5 to 6dGH. Anything lesser will cause thin shell and will die easily, such as the shell crack and caused infection. Moulting process has nothing to do with thick shell and can't moult, which is what myth had been spreading. Frequent shrimp die can be caused by a million problems. If you are suspecting issue, you should see shrimp that has shell hanging half way or they can't harden their shell after moult (they will be eaten alive by other shrimp). ElevateShrimp 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revolutionhope Posted August 25, 2015 Report Share Posted August 25, 2015 hi elevate, im no expert at all but i do know you can get API calcium test kits, and a guesstimation of the ca:mg ratio can then be made. i've managed to do this and if i can do it anyone can :-) calcium sulfate dihydrate is best thing i know of to use to boost up calcium in the water column. other forms of calcium sulfate are too much of a pita to dissolve. see the below links for some good info on this subject. http://shrimpkeepersforum.com/forum/topic/4228-gh-camg-ratio/ http://shrimpkeepersforum.com/forum/topic/4249-why-the-need-for-calcium-magnesium/ and on this page you will find a gh:ca:mg calculator tool in excel spreadsheet form if you want to do the test on your tanks. http://www.aquotix.com.au/advice/management/gh-general-hardness hope this helps! love n peace will ElevateShrimp 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted August 26, 2015 Report Share Posted August 26, 2015 GH of 3-4 is good for me. When my gh was higher with cards, they had problems molting and I would lose shrimp babies. JamesHe 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shrimp Home Posted August 28, 2015 Report Share Posted August 28, 2015 GH of 3-4 is good for me. When my gh was higher with cards, they had problems molting and I would lose shrimp babies. Did you mean that high GH will make the babies molting too much and the result is die? How about GH 6 with taiwan bee shrimps??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted August 28, 2015 Report Share Posted August 28, 2015 For my water, higher than gh 4 makes the shell too hard to molt. Not saying a higher gh may not work for someone else, but for me it doesn't. RyeGuy411 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyeGuy411 Posted August 28, 2015 Report Share Posted August 28, 2015 For my water, higher than gh 4 makes the shell too hard to molt. Not saying a higher gh may not work for someone else, but for me it doesn't. I have found the same thing in my tanks, GH 6 seems to cause molt failure, GH 3-4 and I have a near 100% baby survival rate. And again what works for some might not work for others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesHe Posted August 28, 2015 Report Share Posted August 28, 2015 and for neos/Cardinal, crushed coral is widely used to be mixed in substrate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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