Shrimp Tank pH Question

Hi Everyone,
Hoping for some input about controlling pH in a new shrimp project. I’m using the fish emergency template to make sure I remember to give all info!

Tank

What is the water volume of the tank? 3.5g TopFin Enchant (mini bow)
How long has the tank been running? About a week
Does it have a filter? TopFin Element (hob)
Does it have a heater? Yes mini heater off amazon
What is the water temperature? 78
What is the entire stocking of this tank? (Please list all fish and inverts.) I have 8 RCS arriving next Tuesday from AquaHuna.

Maintenance
How often do you change the water? Will be weekly with the intent of doing weekly WC
How much of the water do you change? 30%
What do you use to treat your water? Prime, Stability on first fill, and NilocG Thrive. Used Fluval Plant and Shrimp Stratum for substrate.
Do you vacuum the substrate or just the water?

*Parameters - Very Important
Did you cycle your tank before adding fish? Used seeded filter media and Marimo balls from established 36g community tank.
What do you use to test the water? API Master FW Kit and API strips for KH and GH.
What are your parameters? We need to know the exact numbers, not just “fine” or “safe”.

Ammonia: 0.0
Nitrite: 0.0
Nitrate: 30
pH: 6.2 (Liquid test) / 6.5 (strip)
(GH - 15 / KH - 0)

Feeding
How often do you feed your fish? N/A not here yet.
How much do you feed your fish? N/A
What brand of food do you feed your fish? Fluval shrimp granules
Do you feed frozen or freeze-dried foods? Hoping to do blanched veggies once settled in.

My Issue:
We have always had stable pH in our main tank, so maybe I foolishly jumped the gun thinking it would transfer to our new project. Set up the tank earlier in the week, using seeded media with great results - parameters have remained 0/0/30 since day one. The pH however took a dive today, starting out around 7.2, but at 6.0 today. There is very little agitation from the filter and no air stone. Live plants include Anubias, Marimo moss balls, octopus plant trimming and two unknown plants. The only change I have made was adding the plants and removing some rocks to accommodate the plants.
Should I play with the pH/GH/KH levels? If so what would you all recommend to do so? Did the removed rocks cause this? I can add some back but it’s already well planted.
Any help would be super appreciated! Thanks!

 

Actually just noticed NilocG has a liquid GH booster... any recommendations?

 

Actually just noticed NilocG has a liquid GH booster... any recommendations?

NilogG
1 teaspoon in 10gal will raise your gh by +2 this is new in the UK and I've not tried it

 

I'm not familiar with seechem booster but I do know with those latest readings Salty bee gh+would do the job sorry for intruding -Mak-

No intrusion at all! I want all the input I can get! I really want to get this tank up and running! After all the stumbles and mistakes I’ve made lol these 3 remaining shrimp are like my firstborn! Since the tank is in its infancy, I dragged my feet to start adding any “chemical” intervention. But clearly the substrate is doing its job, but adding to the instability between the pH and gH. I think the Fluval is wanting my pH at 6.0, so whatever little GH reading I was seeing, is possibly taking the hit. Am I on the right thought road here? Have I even left the parking lot yet?!

I think the NilocG is new here in the states as well. I’m limited to amazon for supplies, but this was my first time seeing it offered this morning.

 

OK take a read of this I think it will help

Salty Shrimp Mineral Gh / Kh +100g Saltyshrimp for Cherry and other
The description of this item has been automatically translated. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.

This product is used for the preparation of neutral water in neutral aquarium water for keeping and raising shrimp.
Remineralizes water by raising the total hardness (GH) and carbonate hardness (KH) to a GH / KH ratio: 1.0 / 0.5. Ideal for shrimp from habitats with neutral PH.
These salts contain all the minerals that shrimps need for their well-being, an intense coloration, healthy growth and successful breeding.

Dosage
Shrimp Mineral is used to re-mineralize reverse osmosis water, rainwater, etc., to achieve a total hardness of approximately 6 GH and / or a conductance of approximately 300 +/- 50 mS (microsiemens).
2 g / 10 liters of water is sufficient.

 

My (neo) shrimp tank had the same issue, my tap KH is near 0 so the pH would drop from 7.5 to below 6 in 3-4 days and a 10% water change would bring it back up to 7.5. To prevent the swing I keep a small pouch of crushed limestone hanging in the tank which keeps the pH steady at 7.5 and KH at 4.

I am trying to figure out which method would work best with these CRS. Did you happen to notice a trend in your GH readings? Since my tank is small, as are the parameter requirements, I’m a little nervous. I use med math to calculate dosages lol I go a little nuts. Since kH can range 0-4, and it naturally sits at 0 for me in this set up, my main tank sits at 1 - I worry about messing with that. However, the pH and GH needs to stabilize for the health of the shrimp. So it’s time to tweak things.

 

No intrusion at all! I want all the input I can get! I really want to get this tank up and running! After all the stumbles and mistakes I’ve made lol these 3 remaining shrimp are like my firstborn! Since the tank is in its infancy, I dragged my feet to start adding any “chemical” intervention. But clearly the substrate is doing its job, but adding to the instability between the pH and gH. I think the Fluval is wanting my pH at 6.0, so whatever little GH reading I was seeing, is possibly taking the hit. Am I on the right thought road here? Have I even left the parking lot yet?!

I think the NilocG is new here in the states as well. I’m limited to amazon for supplies, but this was my first time seeing it offered this morning.

Good thing about active substrates is they don't affect GH

I use Nilocg's dry GH booster as well as their liquid fertilizers, dry ferts are cheap and will last forever. It's also quite a bit cheaper than Seachem's, but that doesn't include shipping. Salty shrimp is also a good option. Honestly they all do the same thing so whatever is easiest for you to obtain will work

 

I am trying to figure out which method would work best with these CRS. Did you happen to notice a trend in your GH readings? Since my tank is small, as are the parameter requirements, I’m a little nervous. I use med math to calculate dosages lol I go a little nuts. Since kH can range 0-4, and it naturally sits at 0 for me in this set up, my main tank sits at 1 - I worry about messing with that. However, the pH and GH needs to stabilize for the health of the shrimp. So it’s time to tweak things.

Ah sorry I didn't realize you had CRS instead of RCS, in that case you probably don't want to use alkaline buffers like coral/limestone. Perhaps set aside some water to age in a bucket with similar conditions to your tank, and use that for water changes?

 

Good thing about active substrates is they don't affect GH

I use Nilocg's dry GH booster as well as their liquid fertilizers, dry ferts are cheap and will last forever. It's also quite a bit cheaper than Seachem's, but that doesn't include shipping. Salty shrimp is also a good option. Honestly they all do the same thing so whatever is easiest for you to obtain will work

Go with. -Mak- on this you won't go wrong just do your mix outside the tank than add

 

Ok ordered the NilocG GH booster - I wanted to stick with liquid and I really like the Thrive formula that I use for ferts. Should be here next week!
Having some difficulty with my plants, but just switched the lighting out so we will see if that helps. I also need to get the light on a timer to help with algae. But I really like where this tank is going.

 

Ok dosed with NilocG Regen last night, parameters are looking good!
TDS 170,
Temp 70,
pH 6.6 (up from 6.2),
GH 4
kH 0
NH3/NH4 0
NO2 0
NO3 20

I ended up losing one after a molt last WC, I’m sure due to the GH being at 0 before adding the ReGen. Sadly, there is very little info included with the bottle, and even less online. Did this product stop for awhile? I’m seeing a lot of “they don’t sell it anymore” but I received it from NilocG and not amazon distribution... maybe a relaunch?

 

I am not an expert on parameter management, but I think you will need KH more than zero or your pH will be unstable.

Are you using the API test kit for GH and KH? If so, then you must be reading the first drop as zero. Some say you count the first drop some say you do not. The best explanation I have heard is that one drop really means between 0 and 1 dKH. Two drops means between 1 and 2 dKH, etc. The instructions are a little unclear the way they are written.

Some say .5 to 1 dKH is enough to stabilize KH. Others say you need more. I do not know. But you might want to do some research on KH.

Hopefully richiep will chime in.

 

I am not an expert on parameter management, but I think you will need KH more than zero or your pH will be unstable.

Are you using the API test kit for GH and KH? If so, then you must be reading the first drop as zero. Some say you count the first drop some say you do not. The best explanation I have heard is that one drop really means between 0 and 1 dKH. Two drops means between 1 and 2 dKH, etc. The instructions are a little unclear the way they are written.

Some say .5 to 1 dKH is enough to stabilize KH. Others say you need more. I do not know. But you might want to do some research on KH.

Hopefully richiep will chime in.

Thanks for your reply!
I am using API testing drops for all and a TDS meter that also grabs the temp for me. You are right, for kH it changes colors on the first drop. For gH this morning, it was 4 drops (up from its normal 2). Before dosing, I had the same reading for kH but didn’t find my pH budging much, 6.0 - 6.2 regularly. This morning it’s closer to 6.6.
I have to keep a close eye on the parameters for sure and see what happens, with the substrate being a factor in my numbers too.

 

they say a zero kh is closer to one than zero and if your ph hasn't moved then that would be correct,