What is too low of ph for caridina?

[SimpleMan]

I have a pretty new 10gal tank (3mo old) with fluval stratum, Indian almond leaf, alder cones, cholla wood, guppy grass and extreme blue bolts. I use ro water with gh powder added. My ph reading was below 6 as the master test kit only goes down to 6ph. I had another test kit for plants, tried that and looks to be 5.3ph to 5.5ph. Is the ph so low because of all my fresh botanicals in the tank? Should I start to worry?

 

[blackwater]

To my understanding, caridinas are the softies and neos are the hardies. Caridinas do like an acidic ph, and a ph of 5.5 seems to be pretty good. I would just check to make sure that the water doesn’t buffer any further. I’m no shrimp expert however, so maybe ask richiep for a second opinion.

 

[GouramiGirl100]

Do you know your other parameters like tds kH and gh?

 

[SimpleMan]

Do you know your other parameters like tds kH and gh?

Tds 120
Gh 5-6
Kh-0

 

[GouramiGirl100]

Tds 120
Gh 5-6
Kh-0

Sounds fine for Caridina, you’re going to have some pH fluctuations but the substrate should provide a good buffer