Experiences using ONLY tap water with shrimp? No R/O. Good or Bad stories welcome.

[ShrimpP]

Assuming your tap water isn't too hard or too soft for the species you keep, therefore usable.

 

So I know a lot of people say to use RO water, due to the tap water supply being "un-guaranteed" as it could change at any time depending what the city adds to the water, as well as only contaminants along the water line such as water run-off or anything in the pipes.

 

Just want to hear everyone's stories. Whether you have had success always using tap water, or if you used to use tap water until one day all your shrimp died because of the water supply. If they did die, are you 100%, without a doubt, certain the tap water was to blame?

 

I am primarily interested in hearing Neocaridina experiences as my tap water is neutral/moderately hard, but Caridina experiences are great to hear about as well (although the water would probably need to be soft to begin with)

[Shrimp lady]

I wish I could help as I'm on Well water which is hard and a higher P.H. but I hear folks in the Seattle area breed Discus & Apisto's here with no problems. Water is soft with a PH of 6.8 out of the tap. We get our city water here from snow melt to resevoirs here

[Greenteam]

When I first started I used tap for neos with 0 issues. Test results for my tap was ph 7 gh 8 kh 7 and no problems. I attempted to keep tigers in the same water and some TB's with mix results. The adult tigers and TBs survived in the tap water but even with several attempts by the female's the young never survived.

I did have success keeping TT's in tap with moderate survival rate of the young.

Also with my tap water tank I start the tank with TDS of 150 by the end of the month when cycling was done it was TDS 300. I never top off on my very first tank I use to do 15% WC once a week.

[Tyler44]

I keep pintos, Prl, TB's, and neo's on inert substrate with tap water. My tap is 7.0-7.5 ph and has a tds of 9. My tank parameters are a ph of 7.0-7.5 , tds of 170-190, and a temp of 71. All my shrimp breed regularly and a lot of the babies survive too. I think I might be the only one or one of the few who are able to keep pintos and TB's on inert substrate substrate and use tap water with a high ph.

[Loumeer]

I keep pintos, Prl, TB's, and neo's on inert substrate with tap water. My tap is 7.0-7.5 ph and has a tds of 9. My tank parameters are a ph of 7.0-7.5 , tds of 170-190, and a temp of 71. All my shrimp breed regularly and a lot of the babies survive too. I think I might be the only one or one of the few who are able to keep pintos and TB's on inert substrate substrate and use tap water with a high ph.

 

Your tap water comes out at 9 tds?  Don't they have to treat tap water with some chemicals like fluoride, chlorine, and other stuff.  I am honestly surprised that with all that you TDS comes out so low.  That is awesome.

[JamesHe]

It's just hard way or easy way.

 

If you are experienced keeper/breeder, it can be done.

[ShrimpP]

It's just hard way or easy way.

 

If you are experienced keeper/breeder, it can be done.

 

Can you please elaborate?

 

I am very interested in hearing. What necessary precautions must be taken?

 

Would it just be to test the water parameters/chemistry to ensure all is well before doing water changes?

And use Prime to detoxify any metals?

As well as add any necessary nutrients/minerals necessary for exoskeleton health?

Or what do you mean exactly?

 

I just really want to know how to successfully keep shrimp in tap water.

[Pokeshrimp]

My tap water comes out around 7.6-7.8 and my red cherries did great. I didn't know what i was doing at the time and just tossed them in the tank without acclimating them. Then i tried to filter water through peat moss (since i already had it and used it for the garden anyways ) and i was able to get crazy low PH with it. But tons of tannins too. I eventually got an RO until for $60 and its well worth it if you plan on getting more expensive shrimp. Since i switched i noticed no more molting deaths compared to one or two a week with tap.

Just make sure the water is dechlorinated, and the tank is cycled and your neos should be fine. Tons of moss and algae helps as well.

[monty703]

I have kept and bred all kinds of shrimps using only tap water! 

 

Its only recently that I started using RO but in reality I find its not necessary if you have inert substrate that buffers the PH down a bit to around 7.   I am currently setting up a planted tank using pond media called Microbe-lift capm  its basically fullers earth clay. 

 

I added some bee soil on top for decorative purposes to make it look two toned. 

 

My PH in this tank is 6.5   My tap water is 8.4 and this tank had straight tap water used when I started it...2 weeks previously. 

I've cycled it with pre-seeded sponges from my Fluval EBI tank where my pintos are kept    NO substrate at all in this tank, just moss, java fern and cholla wood....shrimps are doing well.

[JamesHe]

Can you please elaborate?

 

I am very interested in hearing. What necessary precautions must be taken?

 

Would it just be to test the water parameters/chemistry to ensure all is well before doing water changes?

And use Prime to detoxify any metals?

As well as add any necessary nutrients/minerals necessary for exoskeleton health?

Or what do you mean exactly?

 

I just really want to know how to successfully keep shrimp in tap water.

 

Each tap water is different.

 

It depends on your location. no simple answer for it.

it works for someone, no guarantee it would work for you.

 

RO + remineralizer is simpler solution, it works for everybody.

Cost wise, no bigger difference, as most serious breeder purchase RO unit to make their own RO water.

[Shrimp lady]

inert substrate? Is "Turface" (T.M.) considered inert?

[ShrimpP]

Inert means it doesn't leech nutrients/minerals into the water and affect the water chemistry/parameters.

 

I just looked up Turface (Montmorillonite clay based substrate) and it is inert, new, right out of the bag, meaning it doesn't have any added nutrients that will leach out, altering your pH.

 

Although it has a high CEC (cation exchange coefficient) which means it can absorb ions/nutrients from the water, which makes it a great plant substrate. However, it absorbs so much KH, that it lowers pH a lot. But according to this thread, the effects exhaust after some time. Read more on it here

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/29-substrate/101809-turface-lower-ph.html

 

So it "comes inert", but it very well alters pH/hardness.

[Shrimp lover]

I use conditioned tap water for my neos. They seem fine but my water has lots of copper and metals so I just use CupriSorb and it solvs the problem. Doesn't last too long though. I am going to switch to RO water soon!

[monty703]

Im using this stuff right now and its great. 

 

https://www.microbelift.com/products/pond-and-water-garden/for-plants/concentrated-aquatic-planting-media/

 

I started off using tap water at 8.4 (3 weeks ago) it is now down to 6.8  I was going to use RO water, but it doesn't need

it as its buffering down the tap water to what I want.

[Soothing Shrimp]

I don't understand.  If it is all inert monty, how can it buffer down?

[monty703]

I added bee soil on top for color co-ordinate.  I guess that's what dropped the PH down.  This particular soil is a bit different from regular turface. 

 

Im not up on all the jargon, I just thought when the PH drops down that means its buffered???  

[Soothing Shrimp]

Sometimes.  I think sometimes it has to do with gassing off the water, too.

[monty703]

so I tested my tank this am here are the results.

 

PH 7.4 (I had to add some tap to adjust the ph to the fluval the shrimp were in for the move, so they wouldn't be uncomfortable)  I will do a small water change and add some RO to bring it down again to 7.

 

Ammonia  0

Nitrite        0

Nitrate       5ppm might be a little more but not more than 10ppm

GH            5

KH            2

temp       77F

 

The shrimp are still alive so that's a good sign.  They have plenty of leaves and cholla/driftwood in this tank to eat off, but seem to like hanging out on the sponge filter....guess that's where the goodies are.

[Mr. F]

I use the tap water at my house for three 10g neo tanks. The tap water at my house is actually from a well, and has been tested for phosphates and chlorine, both 0. Ammonia and nitrate free. Pretty hard water, which comes in at about 9-12 GH and 6-8 dKH, but works fine for the neos.

I had a small issue starting up the tanks when I found the cycled water to be very basic. Tested the pH at 7.8-8.0 (first experience busting out the high range pH kit). With such a high alkalinity, it was clear I would destroy the newly flourishing aquascapes and snails I had added to the tank by dumping a ton of acid in, so I made sure it was a very slow process. Using seachem's acid buffer with CO2 injection, I was able to get it down to a resting pH of 6.0, but the alkalinity had become very low. I resolved this by adding baking soda in small amounts. The pH rebounded to 6.4 and left my alkalinity at 5 dKH, so I was happy. The pH and alkalinity raise and lower and different rates, so if one parameter is where you want it, you can get the other where it needs to be with some care.

 

TL;DR: Well water is hard and basic, but fine for Neos: Use acid and CO2 to lower pH and alkalinity and rebound pH and alkalinity with baking soda.

[Mr. F]

I have kept and bred all kinds of shrimps using only tap water! 

 

What about bees and crystals? How do they do in your tap water? What readings do GH and KH tests give you? Just curious because I had a terrible experience with golden bees and CBS in tap water before I really knew what I was doing... Now I stick to R/O for the Caridinas.