High PH tank with CRS?

[briscoe]

Wondering if I can get some advice from the best collection of shrimp enthusiasts on the interwebz.  So I met someone who successfully keeps low grade crystal red shrimp in these parameters - 7.4 pH, GH 7, KH 2, TDS 170-190.  They're willing to sell me some, so I tore down my 29 gallon and am thinking about buying a few.  I have black diamond blasting grit as substrate, rotala and ludwigia in the background, and some "lilly grass" in the foreground (sold as lilly grass in an LFS but might be something different).  Plenty of light and filtration.  I have two 5 gallon water jugs, so I've filled the tank with RO water from the machine at Acme.  Water from the machine measures at around 0 TDS, but had some residual tap water in the tank, so the TDS of the tank currently reads 60.  I have a full jar of Salty Shrimp GH+.  My plan is to remineralize to get a TDS of 170-190, and then do the same every time I do a water change.  As I understand it, the PH of RO water will rise as it "ages."  So I planned on filling the jugs and letting them sit for a little while before doing water changes. I have plenty of almond leaves and alder cones that I will be adding periodically.  So my questions are:

 

Will I need to do anything else? 

 

Since I'm remineralizing to a TDS of 170-190, will I automatically get close enough to the GH I need, or should I still test GH?  (The reason I ask about the GH testing is that I have the API test kit, and I don't find it very reliable, it can be hard to tell when the water color changes)

 

If I need to do GH testing, is there an available test that is better than the API test kit? 

 

As far as PH, is there anything that I need to worry about as far as PH swings go? 

 

Since I don't have a buffering substrate, is there anything that I can do to try and keep the PH stable? 

 

Any help/advice you guys can provide would be much appreciated.  Thanks in advance.

[DETAquarium]

Here is my opinion:

 

Initially I would test your GH, just so you know without doubt what it is since you have some residual tap water. I currently use the API test kit, as it is readily available and does the job.

 

I wouldn't worry about PH swings so much as your setup is shooting for a more neutral water through the use of inert substrate, and your RODI water should come out neutral as well.

 

You had one more question hidden in your opening statement, you stated "As I understand it, the PH of RO water will rise as it "ages". I honestly have not experienced this, I keep my spare Pure RODI water in a Brute Trash Can(20g), sometimes for days to weeks at a time. No change in TDS. Unless you are referring to RODI water that has already been remineralized. 

 

Hope this helps!

[briscoe]

Here is my opinion:

 

Initially I would test your GH, just so you know without doubt what it is since you have some residual tap water. I currently use the API test kit, as it is readily available and does the job.

 

I wouldn't worry about PH swings so much as your setup is shooting for a more neutral water through the use of inert substrate, and your RODI water should come out neutral as well.

 

You had one more question hidden in your opening statement, you stated "As I understand it, the PH of RO water will rise as it "ages". I honestly have not experienced this, I keep my spare Pure RODI water in a Brute Trash Can(20g), sometimes for days to weeks at a time. No change in TDS. Unless you are referring to RODI water that has already been remineralized. 

 

Hope this helps!

Thanks for the info.  I thought I remembered seeing somewhere that the PH of RO water will rise if you just let it sit.  But I could be wrong.

[Soothing Shrimp]

It really depends on the gases in your water. As it sits longer, it can gas off and another pH can appear.