# crs basics



## bratyboy2 (Feb 5, 2008)

what do i need to do to keep them?


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## Gordonrichards (Apr 28, 2009)

I've found that shrimp only tanks work well.

Water changes weekly.

Siphon food away after they have a chance to eat it.

Have tons of plants to soak up excess nutrients, which I know you are in possession of, lol.

I recently had a crash, lost almost the entire colony, I have since moved them to a stable 20 long, hopefully it will grow again.


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## bratyboy2 (Feb 5, 2008)

i guess im getting 10 crs in a trade (s grade) and i was planning on a 5 gallon tank with java moss and bare bottom and just let them got to town. i may even do a 10 to keep it better stable. i have cherries in my 28 bow with fish. i know i dont have a ton now but i have some as back up but i plan to rid those fish of fun soon


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## tex627 (Nov 2, 2008)

heres a post i made on another thread here on the forum. I hope this helps.


Default Re: Information for keeping CRS
jlo, i agree with what you say but i dont thing everything you stated is necessary to breed CRS. i started breeding CRS last december and i listened to everyone on the web and bought all the things people online said i needed. heres what i think is actually NEEDED:

1.heater
2.substrate
3.a filter that is able to turn your tank's water around more than 5times/hour and that will not suck in baby shrimp(i.e. if you're using a 20 gallon to breed your filter should be able to filter 100gph or more)
4. water parameters-as long as its stable you will be able to breed in the following conditions:
TDS: ~200
gH: ~5-6
pH: 5.5-7.2 (the guy at brian's tropicals breeds his in a pH of 7.6 as long as parameters are stable they will adapt and breed)
kH: doesnt directly effect the shrimp but will alter the pH
nitrate <20
nitrite and ammonia 0
5. 30% water changes once a week
6.food w/o copper(flake, algae wafers, crab cuisine)
7. last but not least, a tank(any size but bigger the easier)

the following are the things that will make breeding a lot easier:
-bigger tank(20 gallon reccomended)
-ada soil(will set water param to what CRS prefer automatically)
-good light(2-3 wpg) will support healthy growth of plants and will help soak up nitrates and other nutrients therefore minimizing water changes
-CRS food
-calcium supplement
-chiller
-purigen(this stuff is amazing! takes care of all my problems)
-2 filters that will turn your water around 20-40 times ( i have 2 HOB filters with a sponge over the intake of course, one with lots of sponge and purigen for mechanical filtration and the other for biological filtration with all media.
-hiding places:driftwood, plants, biomedia(what i use) and other things that wont effect water parameters

well this is basically it. i hope this could help people on a low budget. my point is a lot of things that people reccomend arent necessary. dont get me wrong though i agree with everything jlo says its just not NEEDED.

as for the undergravel filter, it will shorten the lifespan of soil if used with soil. its definitely not need but will increase biological filtration. you could always do that by adding anothercanister filter with good media in the long run you'll be saving money using an extra canister filter attatched to sponge filter because then you wouldnt have to change the aquasoil on a yearly basis.


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## bratyboy2 (Feb 5, 2008)

thanks tex! i will keep this in mind for when i get them.


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## tex627 (Nov 2, 2008)

no problem! shoot me a pm if you ever have any questions about them.


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## James He (Aug 24, 2009)

What's purigen?


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## screename (Jan 4, 2005)

the most amazing stuff ever. keeps your water crystal clear. its like micro filtration

http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/Purigen.html


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## James He (Aug 24, 2009)

screename said:


> the most amazing stuff ever. keeps your water crystal clear. its like micro filtration
> 
> http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/Purigen.html


Thanks,

But I dose NPK fertilizer daily basis in my planted tank. I don't want to loss N if I use it.
Looks like micros are ok.

Any comments welcome.

James


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## tex627 (Nov 2, 2008)

purigen has minimal affects on ferts. it only soaks up organic matter. this is why i prefer this over carbon


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## James He (Aug 24, 2009)

tex627 said:


> purigen has minimal affects on ferts. it only soaks up organic matter. this is why i prefer this over carbon


Thanks, did you try on planted tank? I ordered two 100mL package, haven't try it yet.
My goal is to keep NO3 at 10ppm level, and use EI method.

If I can't keep NO3 ~ 10ppm, I will try to put filter on a timer only running at night. and dose NPK + micro every morning.

James


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## tex627 (Nov 2, 2008)

yes, I used it on a planted tank. I never tested nitrates though. My plants were growing extremely well even with puirigen in the filter. I'm currently running purigen on 3 planted tanks.


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## eminemchang2 (Nov 10, 2007)

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/seachem/53803-purigen-disagreement.html

according to this thread, it have minimal effect on the NO3 from ferts

hope that helps


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## James He (Aug 24, 2009)

> ccording to this thread, it have minimal effect on the NO3 from ferts


Thanks

James


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## bratyboy2 (Feb 5, 2008)

sorry i forgot i posted this. idk that i want the shrimp right now. kinda tight on cash but i think they are neat so i will look into them in time


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