GH: 21 KH: 13 - Neocaridina

[WDIK]

Cherry Shrimp - Neocaridina

 

API liquid test kit.  Shook the bejeebus out of the tube between each drop.  Did the GH test twice on the tank water.  Tap water GH tested at 23.  First time doing a GH and KH test.

 

10 Gallon planted tank.

Temp:  75

PH:  7.8

Amonia: 0

Nitrites: 0

Nitrates:  ~5

 

My shrimp are doing OK as far as not having any deaths for a few weeks, but I noticed some are starting to develope a white band.  Some research claims this is a molting issue.  Worried that I'm going to start finding dead shrimp soon because some of the shrimp in my first ever stocking had the white band and died shortly after.

 

20% water change each week using tap water treated with Prime.

 

Any suggestions on what I can do to get the GH and KH down to "acceptable" levels?  Not sure I can do RO water. 

 

I posted this on another forum also.

[WDIK]

I do not have a TDS pen, but can get one next week if you think it would help.

[Chiumanfu]

If your tap water is testing at 23, there's not much your can do. Get a RO system or possibly use bottled water.

[WDIK]

If your tap water is testing at 23, there's not much your can do. Get a RO system or possibly use bottled water.

 

Thanks.  Doing some thinking on this.  20% weekly water change may be overkill for a 10 gallon planted shrimp only tank.  If I cut that down to 10% weekly a 5 gallon RO jug lasts me quite a while and isn't very expensive.  I've read some people use a percentage of RO with a percentage of tap also.

 

I like the thought of an RO system for convenience, and I can install it myself.  Just not sure about the initial cost.

[WDIK]

Just ran to a local grocery store (small town) and bought 2 gallons of their "RO" water from a machine.  It tests at GH of 8 and KH of 5.  PH ~6.4

 

I have another local store I can check tomorrow.

[fishcrazy]

You can buy DI water from most grocery stores. It is about 70 cent a gallon. That's what I am doing until I am able to afford an RO unit.

[WDIK]

You can buy DI water from most grocery stores. It is about 70 cent a gallon. That's what I am doing until I am able to afford an RO unit.

 

See my post above.  The store I checked is 59 cents a gallon for a new jug, 39 cents if you reuse the jug.  But the water didn't test the best.  The cost of a small RO unit isn't a huge concern, but I think it's overkill for one 10 gallon tank.  I could always add more tanks. 

 

Maybe I shouldn't be drinking my tap water though. 

[zodiac]

RO will have a gh/kh of less then then 1.

may be filtered tap water.

 

in the water isle you can buy gallon jugs if they have it.

RO water will be labeled "drinking water".

you can also get distilled water,same thing.

 

lower the gh very slowly or they will die.

[fishcrazy]

See my post above.  The store I checked is 59 cents a gallon for a new jug, 39 cents if you reuse the jug.  But the water didn't test the best.  The cost of a small RO unit isn't a huge concern, but I think it's overkill for one 10 gallon tank.  I could always add more tanks. 

 

Maybe I shouldn't be drinking my tap water though. 

The DI water I brought tested 0-TDS GH-0 KH-0 and PH-7.0. I brought an actual brand of DI water not water from an RO machine. These were in jugs.

[WDIK]

Yeah, the water I got was from a Mr Water "reverse osmosis drinking water" machine.  Who knows how often they change the membranes and filters though.  Could go from the readings I'm getting one week to close to 0s the next week.  At 39 cents a gallon for refills, I thought this store would be pretty economical if it worked out.

 

I'm going to try the other local grocery store tomorrow.

 

Researching RO units.

 

ETA:  Just doing some more thinking.  If the water from this store machine is consistently GH of 8 and KH of 5 and I started doing topoffs and 10% water changes per week, at least I could slowly bring the numbers down to a "reasonable" level.  Any thoughts on that?  I may have to check the PH of the store bought water again.

[fishcrazy]

The parameters of the RO water from the store is fine for neos. My parameters are Gh -6 Kh- 4 to 5 and TDS 290 Ph- 7.6

They are doing great. You might have to do a 20% water change one week and slowly drip the water in or add a half or cup or so every 15 mins. This is my way of doing it. Everyone has their preference. However it may take several weeks.

[RyeGuy411]

So it also sounds like you have been topping off your tank with tap water? If that is the case you are making the problem even worse, as water evaporates from the tank it leaves behind minerals from your hard water. When you top off you are adding more minerals to the water every time. Unless you top off with RO that should have no minerals just pure water you are making the tank harder and harder.

[WDIK]

So it also sounds like you have been topping off your tank with tap water? If that is the case you are making the problem even worse, as water evaporates from the tank it leaves behind minerals from your hard water. When you top off you are adding more minerals to the water every time. Unless you top off with RO that should have no minerals just pure water you are making the tank harder and harder.

 

Nope.  Sorry for the confusion.  I've never had to top off between weekly water changes.  I have a glass Versa Top.  If I start going to every-other-week water changes, I will be needing to top-off.

[RyeGuy411]

If you dont top off you no matter what you are losing some water to evaporation on a weekly basis. When you do water changes you are still adding to your water hardness, even with a very small amount of evaporation it will add up over time.