cidbozek Posted July 22, 2015 Report Share Posted July 22, 2015 My ro/di unit for my reef tanks puts out 0 tds, 0 kh, 0 gh, 7 ph. My tap water is ph 8.4 after aerating for 24hrs, 160 tds, 7 kh, 9 gh, nitrates 5. I have ten(10g) tanks cycling with ammonia, hmf filters, eco complete substrate, and today is day 4. I would like to keep neo shrimps in 5 of the 10 tanks. If I use a mix of 25% ro + 75% tap I come out with 120 tds, ph 7.5, gh 6, kh 5. Would you guys and gals run with this or go full ro/di and remineralize? I also tried a 50/50 mix but 80 tds, 7.2 ph. Im new to freshwater other than my 10 gallon high tech planted tank(soon to be a 40 breeder). Thanks in advance for any help. Mike MableBile, Edwardnah and JosephKex 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyeGuy411 Posted July 22, 2015 Report Share Posted July 22, 2015 Those numbers sound fine for neos. The one problem some people have including myself is my tap water (well) tests fine 9gh 7kh pH 7.8 and TDS about 220 but it is toxic. I lose neos one after another for an unknown reason. The only way to know is try it out or go full RO and not have to mess with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cidbozek Posted July 22, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2015 Thanks for the reply. I'm on city water here with tap of 160tds, so I know it's not toxic(well I guess I really don't know!). I'm going to give it a go, if it is toxic I'm going to flush about 200 dollars in shrimp....My city water report claims a ph of 8.3. I wish I didn't even have to mix it, but from all my reading I would be best to get it down to 7.5. It's not really a big deal I have the time, that's why I'm giving shrimping a try with a ten tank rank system. Hopefully some others will chime in, I'm only on day 4 of my cycle so we got time lol. Thanks again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wygglz Posted July 23, 2015 Report Share Posted July 23, 2015 Hey Cid, I am completely new to shrimp so please put other's opinions way above mine, but we are doing a 75% ro / 25% well water mix. Our water tests fine but we are considering remineralizing just to reduce variables. We find fluctuations in our well water but city water can have them too I believe as long as they are within parameters. Also, some things that wouldn't be considered toxic for us may be for shrimp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faralon Posted July 23, 2015 Report Share Posted July 23, 2015 As others have mentioned, the issue is the TDS or Total Dissolved Solids. Sure you have a high TDS with your tap / well water, but what does that TDS consist of, is it all the minerals that assist with a healthy living environment for the shrimp, or is it just a bunch of junk that the EPA deems as acceptable levels of "waste" suitable for human consumption. Alternately, city water can and will fluctuate. If the processing plant sees an abnormal ammount of XXX in the water and has to treat the water to negate said issue, your going to get different TDS during that time. Also note that some of that TDS is the chlorine that you're going to negate with product, bringing your actual "potentially beneficial" TDS down. Some people use tap successfully, so don't let this turn you off to that, as it is a money saving issue. But to rule out any/all variables of water quality, you would have to use DI water with a TDS of 0 and remineralize. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk sarah and EricM 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
35ppt Posted July 23, 2015 Report Share Posted July 23, 2015 It is advisable to keep nitrates as possible, so having that already in the source water is not the best. Adding floaters should help. So you will be doing Neos and Caridina? For the latter, you do want to do full RO plus a shrimp-specific remin product and a buffering substrate. The neos would probably be OK with that ro/tap mix, but you would have a more consistent quality if you just go with all remin RO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trotwood Posted July 23, 2015 Report Share Posted July 23, 2015 I had the same issue as others above have mentioned. I was using tap(well) water as the numbers were suitable for neos. Everything went great for a couple of months and then suddenly, after a particularly rainy spell the shrimp started dropping like flies following a regular water change. I immediately purchased an RO filter and some remin just to be on the safe side and all is again well in their little world. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cidbozek Posted July 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2015 Just going to do neos. Now that im choosing to remineralize can you recommend which mk-blue diamond or ss gh/kh+? I'm leaning toward mk because its a liquid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trotwood Posted July 23, 2015 Report Share Posted July 23, 2015 I'm using the ss gh/kh+. I'm still getting the hang of it but so far am not thrilled as it makes the PH quite high. I've heard of people using the ss gh+ with neos and having success. I've also heard good things about SL-aqua Red Wizard which is a liquid. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faralon Posted July 23, 2015 Report Share Posted July 23, 2015 Seeing how perfect Blue Wizard is working toward remineralizing for Caridina, I would totally use Red Wizard if I was going Neo. Liquids are super nice. Trotwood 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maylee Posted July 23, 2015 Report Share Posted July 23, 2015 I'm using the ss gh/kh+. I'm still getting the hang of it but so far am not thrilled as it makes the PH quite high. I've heard of people using the ss gh+ with neos and having success. I've also heard good things about SL-aqua Red Wizard which is a liquid. I experience the same thing with gh/kh+. I end up with a pH of 7.6 - 7.8 using it. I'm tempted to use Blue Diamond on the next watch change but I'm not sure if using a new remineralizer would complicate things or not, especially one that doesn't affect kh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cidbozek Posted July 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2015 I experience the same thing with gh/kh+. I end up with a pH of 7.6 - 7.8 using it. That's just what I'm trying to get away from, 7.5-7.6 ok but 7.8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cidbozek Posted July 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2015 I'm using the ss gh/kh+. I'm still getting the hang of it but so far am not thrilled as it makes the PH quite high. I've heard of people using the ss gh+ with neos and having success. I've also heard good things about SL-aqua Red Wizard which is a liquid. How high is your ph reading trot? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trotwood Posted July 24, 2015 Report Share Posted July 24, 2015 When I first mix it for a TDS of 140 (gh-6) the ph is 8.2. After 24 hours it drops to the 7.8-8.0 range. If I mix for a lower TDS (110ish) I can get a ph more like 7.4. My problem is I'm not sure which measurement is most important. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maylee Posted July 24, 2015 Report Share Posted July 24, 2015 The thing with gh/kh+ is that it's supposed to remineralize at a ratio of 1/0.5. So, as far as I understand, if you mix for a gh of 6 then you get a kh of 3. That's what results in the higher pH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cidbozek Posted July 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2015 When I first mix it for a TDS of 140 (gh-6) the ph is 8.2. After 24 hours it drops to the 7.8-8.0 range. If I mix for a lower TDS (110ish) I can get a ph more like 7.4. My problem is I'm not sure which measurement is most important. I'm going to try to and find a mix that leaves me with a ph of 7.5, I'm guessing probably somewhere in the range of gh of 5 and tds of 115-120. which should put the kh around 2.5. I'm good with all those numbers for neos with all the reading I've been doing. Also as the tanks get established and an almond leave now and then ph probably end up around 7.2? Hope a vet here will stumble across this and give us some thoughts. I'm having a blast and I'm only on day 6 of my racks cycle lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chibikaie Posted July 28, 2015 Report Share Posted July 28, 2015 ^-^ You actually want an environmental chemist, I think. Most vets aren't trained to work with freshwater invertebrates. I know I stumped mine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cidbozek Posted July 29, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2015 ^-^ You actually want an environmental chemist, I think. Most vets aren't trained to work with freshwater invertebrates. I know I stumped mine! LOLOLOLOL By vet I was referring to a veteran neo shrimp keeper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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