# What are the water parameters of your invert tank?



## Piscesgirl (Feb 25, 2004)

Curious to know! 

What is Kh?
What is gH?
Do you run Co2 (pressurized or DIY?)?
What is pH generally? 

My shrimp tank now has a Kh of 3, finally, after I was negligent in supplementing calcium carbonate for awhile (water out of tap is very, very, very soft). I run pressurized Co2 on it now, but will have to say it did wonderfully well on DIY previously. My ph is generally somewhere between 6 and 6.5. I don't really test gh, but my guess it is the same as Kh because it would come from the calcium carbonate.


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## shalu (Oct 1, 2004)

kh2-3.5, gh2-3, no CO2. My tap water is much harder, I use RO for water change. Tank TDS 120-140 ppm. I was hoping softwater increases hatch rate for shrimps like with many fish. Maybe it helped. cherries breeding like crazy. crystal reds breeding very well. bumble bee babies on the way.

ph usually >7.6, highest my test kits will go. I wouldn't be surprised if it goes above 8.0 during photoperiod, since the tank is extremely heavily planted with no CO2 added. There goes the crystal reds can't survive high ph theory out the window.


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## Plattykins (Apr 3, 2005)

Just recently, my invert tank became a fish and invert tank. Nothing has changed much except now there are fish. 

-temp 76
-pH 7.0 - 7.2
-KH 3 (used to be 4, but since the water company dropped the pH, the KH dropped also).
-GH is 7
-nitrate anywhere from 20 and up, depending on if I just did a water change.
-I haven't run DIY CO2 since I put the shimp in and moved the Rasbora's to another tank


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## Piscesgirl (Feb 25, 2004)

Interesting folks! I don't believe the shrimp would have difficulties with high phs -- I worry more with the lower phs. I suppose, however, as long as calcium is high enough, they should be fine, i.e. low ph due to co2 rather than super soft water.


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## Plattykins (Apr 3, 2005)

Piscesgirl said:


> Interesting folks! I don't believe the shrimp would have difficulties with high phs -- I worry more with the lower phs. I suppose, however, as long as calcium is high enough, they should be fine, i.e. low ph due to co2 rather than super soft water.


I agree, which is why this weekend I plan to drop a piece of cuttlebone in the filter. I have some shells in there, but they do not seem to be as effective as I had hoped. I do have soft water and I can see the effect of the water and some improvement with the shells in the filter by observing the Ramshorn snails. They have improved, but I would like to see better.


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

PH 6.5-7.0

KH 3

GH ?

I run DIY C02 currently, but will be changing to pressurized this year.


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

30 gallon with pressurized C02 -
pH - 7.0
KH - 9
GH - 8 or 9
Nitrates - <20

2 gallon tanks with no C02 -
pH 8.1
KH 9
GH 8 or 9
Nitrites <20


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## czado (May 26, 2005)

I keep a shrimp only refugium/sump, but maybe you're still interested:

10g (plus 8g main tank) with DIY CO2
pH - 6.6-6.8
kH - >5.5
NO3 - 15-20ppm


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## Piscesgirl (Feb 25, 2004)

Shrimp Refugium Sump -- now that 's interesting! Never would have thought of that for freshwater. Do you have a picture of that? *edit -- opps, never mind, I followed your link. Very very cool. I love the wooden frame around the sump, that is just too unique. Great job with the tank and refugium.


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## czado (May 26, 2005)

Thanks.


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