# Ph problem in shrimp tank



## peter.k (9 Jun 2016)

Hi all.
I have set up new shrimp tank for taiwan bee shrimps 6 weeks ago.
I didn't have enough ADA amazonia soil so i added JBL shrimp soil.
I'm using RO water with Salty Shrimp Bee Shrimp GH+

So my tank water is:
TDS - 160
KH - 2
GH- 4
and Ph- 7.4 or 7.6

I don't really understand why Ph is still high. Need Ph to be 5.8 - 6.4.
Even with 3 catappa leaves inside and *no* *rocks*
Did i made mistake mixing 2 substrates? 
Or what did i do wrong? Plz help if you can.

Tank: Aqua Nano 30
Aquasoil: ADA amaz.. and JBL shrimp soil
Biochemical Sponge Filter Air Pump
3 x Almond Leaves 
6 x Mineral Balls (15mm) 
2 x Cholla Wood 
Moss


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## Eduard18 (9 Jun 2016)

Hi ! Are you sure that your RO water is really RO water? I mean have you checked the RO unit ? Are you sure that the membrane and the other filters are still functional? 

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## peter.k (9 Jun 2016)

Hi. its from Maidenhead Aquatics St Albans
I just checked RO water left in container. TDS 70.


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## zozo (10 Jun 2016)

Why do you absolutely need to have a PH 1 unit lower?

Most fish and shrimp etc, do not realy mind the PH value as long it's not in the danger zone they all can coop with a rather wide range the most important is it should be stable. If you do not dose co2 to adjust the ph value and have a low tech tank, it's better to just keep it stable with what you get from the tap, then using chemicals etc. to change the PH value. Since you need to keep monitoring it closely and keep adding to keep it stabelized. The lower your KH is the easier it will fluctuate and get out of control.

Those PH altering properties of capata or almond leaves is rather a myth, you would need quite a bunch of leaves per liter to have little effect. And it will stain your water rather heavily before it alters the PH. I'm using those leaves for it's microbic properties, but i never noticed a PH change not even with the recomended 1 leaf per liter which i tried out of curiousity.

In low tech with out adding chemicals, your ph will always rise since the water will deplete from co2 by plant uptake and or gass exchange into the atmosphere.. It might lower a bit after a waterchange because tap water has some more dissolved co2 in it, but a day later it will be back in it's higher value.

Anyway if you realy want or for what ever reason need a constant and stable low PH value in your tank, you definitively be better of with adding co2 then using any kind of chemical or other additions like peat or leaves.

Even if some fishes are found in their natural habitat at ph 6 or even lower, still does not say the can't live healthy in ph 7.5. Most fish do addapt to these values and are rather negatively affected if the ph value constantly changes over a daily bases..


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## BigTom (11 Jun 2016)

Your water is pretty soft, so it will take relatively little to move the pH around. I don't know what's in your 'mineral balls' but they might be contributing something that is pushing the pH up. 

In very soft water pH is inherently unstable and it's generally a waste of time chasing specific values. I agree with zozo that your shrimp should do just fine as it is. 

As the tank matures you may well find that the pH drops due to bioacidification anyway. 

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## peter.k (11 Jun 2016)

thx you all
I have in my tank:
Shrimp Mineral Balls - 25mm
I have done little digging and found 
'' The releasing activity depends on the pH of the tank water. The more acidic the water, the more minerals are released. For setting up new tank with active soil, it is best to add in these balls to maintain the pH and providing the trace elements & minerals to the water''
I agree with everything about Ph. I never had taiwan bee shrimps before so i wanted to prepare following instructions found on internet. Anyway. Received my shrimps and they look happy after 4 hours acclimation.  Just keeping eye on TDS.
But still not happy with quality of RO water from my lfs. 
Thx you again all


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## Lindy (11 Jun 2016)

Ideally your kh should be 0 and your gh5-6 for these shrimp. RO water with a tds of 70 is terrible, my tap water is 49 and I won't use it. They also require the lower ph. You may not see any breeding if the shrimp do survive these conditions. 

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## Lindy (11 Jun 2016)

Also my ph is 6.4 and I have 9 mineral balls in my 50l tank and they do not have a noticeable effect on parameters. 

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## peter.k (11 Jun 2016)

thx. I'm going to get 4 Stage 50 Gallon Per Day Reverse Osmosis System with DI from http://www.osmotics.co.uk/categories/Reverse-Osmosis-Systems/
Or any other suggestions?
Do i need it with deionisation stage?


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## Lindy (12 Jun 2016)

I'm sorry I don't know anything about RO units as I use rainwater.


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## peter.k (16 Jun 2016)

Any of you know, how deep substrate do i need for 30x30x30 cube?
Thinking about  shirakura red bee sand.
will 4L be enough?
My current mix of jbl and ada  is doing crazy Ph swings from 6.9 to 8.6 in few hours.


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## alto (17 Jun 2016)

Just calculate volume length (30cm) X width(30cm) X height (of substrate) eg, 4cm ~ 3600 cubic cm
& 1ml = 1 cubic cm
so 3.6 litres if substrate is 4cm deep

The4L Red Bee sand should be fine (except sometimes the volume claimed by company is not so accurate )


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