# CRS SHRIMP advice for the noob.



## styderman (Jul 1, 2007)

I am buying a coulple low grade CRS shrimp. I know i need the sponge over the filter and to keep my tank at a low temp with a chiller. (chiller is on the way) my tank is a planted tank with hc and other stuff. its a 20L. I plan on investing in quality CRS shrimp in the future, but these are just so that I can learn. How long do these things live for? Are there any other things that I need to remember when keeping these shrimp.


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## Chuppy (Aug 5, 2007)

Weekly Water change not over 20%.. CRS is a very sensitive shrimp.


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## Wood (Jul 27, 2006)

What are your tank parameters? Are you dosing ferts? What type of sponge are you putting over the intake? Just because there is a sponge there doesnt mean that the babies cant get sucked into the filter.... Get a sponge filter, that is my first recommendation. 

-Ryan


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## phreeflow (Aug 4, 2007)

In addition to everything that's been said...don't dose with anything that contains copper, soft water, oversized sponge filter is probably best or a modified canister filter, super clean water...that means no ammonia, nitrite, nitrates, and no overfeeding. They live for about a 18 months or so but you won't run out of shrimp...breed like crazy. But you will have a bunch of related offspring...look for diff't bloodlines when that time comes.


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## styderman (Jul 1, 2007)

I use a magnum 350 on my tank with glass lily pipes, works great. In the filter I use a sponge with bio-rings in the basket, that it. i dont really use fertilizers. my tank kind of stablized and I havent had any unmangable algae. Fixed the algae that i used to have with a few otos. But other wise i bought one of those black sponges. that even those little opae ula cant get sucked up in. So take out all fish?ram and tetras The water here in hawaii is hard 7-8-8.0, will my chiller be enough to lower the hardness. or do i need to buy a reverse osmosis system? That is a little to expensive for me.


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## eklikewhoa (Jul 24, 2006)

The chiller will do little to nothing for the pH, how is the hardness of the water? Where I am at the water is rock hard with high pH and the main thing helping me with my CRS right now is ADA Aquasoil which lowers them all and keeps it pretty stable.


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## Halibass (Jan 28, 2007)

Yes, like eklikewhoa said, you can use Aquasoil to help lower the pH and soften the water. You can also use RO water for water changes (you have a small tank so just use the vending machines where you get a gallon for 25 cents, fill up a 3 gallon bottle at one time).


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## styderman (Jul 1, 2007)

Can i use the water softner thing from ada http://www.adana-usa.com/index.php?main_page=afa_product&cPath=26_63 would that help to soften my water. it looks cool. The chiller is because the temps her get to like 90. in my house it gets to like 92. which ada soil would you suggest? is there only one type of aqua soil?


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## Halibass (Jan 28, 2007)

styderman said:


> Can i use the water softner thing from ada http://www.adana-usa.com/index.php?main_page=afa_product&cPath=26_63 would that help to soften my water. it looks cool. The chiller is because the temps her get to like 90. in my house it gets to like 92. which ada soil would you suggest? is there only one type of aqua soil?


That ADA water softner may not be necessary. I have a 8 gallon tank with Aquasoil. My pH out of the tap is 7.8. My pH is around 7.0 using a mix of RO and tap water. If I went with straight R/O, the pH would be even lower. I keep cherries and CRS without any issues. I use Amazonia Aquasoil; if I had to set up another smaller tank for CRS, I would probably use the Aquasoil Amazonia II. The original gets messy if you have to replant or if you stir up the substrate at all.


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## Chuppy (Aug 5, 2007)

phreeflow said:


> In addition to everything that's been said...don't dose with anything that contains copper, soft water, oversized sponge filter is probably best or a modified canister filter, super clean water...that means no ammonia, nitrite, nitrates, and no overfeeding. They live for about a 18 months or so but you won't run out of shrimp...breed like crazy. But you will have a bunch of related offspring...look for diff't bloodlines when that time comes.


Agreed=)


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## styderman (Jul 1, 2007)

i didnt want to make another tank, I just wanted to use the tank that is planted already, that why i figure if i buy this thing then I really dont need a ro filter. what you guys think?


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## Chuppy (Aug 5, 2007)

Well it works! but rather costly... i mean i have one of em..it's quite easy to maintain.. just don't leave the resin to dry off/out


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