# Shrimp Newbie-to-be. soft+acidic setup with shrimps?



## eylk (Dec 15, 2007)

Hello,

is there a way to put shrimps in a planted, soft, acidic driftwood set up?

Main reason is that I want to get a pair of German Rams!

if I can provide them (shrimps) with enough magnesium and calcium, will that cut it? Then I am also concered about the KH and PH. If i were to add driftwood ,
peat moss and all the 'buffers' for a soft/acidic set up... the mag and cal is really going to be a problem right?

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Also, I have API testkit tubes (5ml I believe), might be switching to Sera,
are the test tubes the same in capacity? so that I can re-use them..

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Lastly, TDS. total dissolved salts. I really really am confused with this topic. so i just want to know. Can I do a 90% PWC , perhaps every 2 - 3 months to reset the TDS so I dont have to worry about the positive and negative charges of ion to cations to electrolyes to...

Thanks


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## rjfurbank (Jan 21, 2008)

I think most shrimp are ok in soft, acid water--in fact most of the caridina sp. require it (i.e. CRS, CBS, etc.). The easier ones like RCS, etc. don't require it but can adapt. I have kept both RCS and yellow shrimp in soft, acid water and they did just fine and bred.

You will likely have a bigger problem w/ trying to keep the rams with the shrimp--they will likely eat them all.

Regarding the TDS--most people that check this I think do so to monitor the build up of fertilizer and other "junk" in the water and change it when it gets above a certain level. I think most do not wait to do 90% changes in the water but do 30-50% changes more regulary. I do this amount weekly or every other week in my shrimp tanks.

Good luck!


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## giypsy (Oct 6, 2009)

*Shrimp Newbie-to-be. ph seems high*

With regard to the water status for shrimp in general, what is the optimum ph for healthy shrimp?
Cycling a 5g w/a consistent ph of 8, tap is 7.5. A 90% wc last Sunday lowered the ph & Monday's reading was 7.6. On Wednesday it was back to 8 again. I thought I read that shrimp are happiest in 6.5 to neutral.
My kH & GH kits are wending their way here, so I do not have those stats handy.
Keeping in mind that a 5g will always be tough to keep stable; Thoughts?
Thanks


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## eylk (Dec 15, 2007)

rjfurbank, thanks for the reply..

i am actually doing 15-20% PWC weekly for my tanks.. i guess i gave the wrong impression with my sentence.. What I meant was, on top of the 15-20% PWC I am planning to do a 90% 2-3 months to 'reset' the TDS since I dont test for TDS.. what do you think?

also..
I intend to use diftwood and perhaps peat moss to stabalise the PH... that should settle the acidic part..
i will like to know what are you methods to bring the water hardness to that level and also to maintain it.. considering the fact that the shrimps AND plants need the magnesium and calcium..

thanks


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## tex627 (Nov 2, 2008)

TDS=total dissolved substances. If you're looking for soft water, do not add any buffers as it will only add more solids. 90% water changes might be to much and may shock the livestock too much and will lower the bacteria population too much. the most I would recomend is a 50% WC.


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## Gordonrichards (Apr 28, 2009)

Shrimp Tanks.
Plant the tank like crazy.
Do 10-20% water changes weekly.
Seems like your ph sucks. The shrimp may get used to it.
They love my 6.0-6.2 tap water.


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## giypsy (Oct 6, 2009)

Gordonrichards said:


> Shrimp Tanks.
> Plant the tank like crazy.
> Do 10-20% water changes weekly.
> Seems like your ph sucks. The shrimp may get used to it.
> They love my 6.0-6.2 tap water.


For a shrimp-arium, no question about it.
Tap is 7.5-6 & in a smaller tank, ph mgmt will 
continue to be a challenge. I have just received
a second load of foundation plants, enough to
scape both tanks instead of just the 10g.

the Shrimp-aruim will receive the bulk of the
Ludwigia argulata Needle Leaf as well as
4 healthy Japanese moss balls. The
Glass shrimp love them.

My GH/KH kits due next week. After I see chem readings,
I may go the Almond leaf route.


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