Best way to soften and acidify hard alkaline tapwater

[reefdive]

Hello looking for the easiest long term way soften and acidify my tapwater for breeding CRS . I am going to try Akadama red line . Any other suggestion's

[Lexinverts]

Hello looking for the easiest long term way soften and acidify my tapwater for breeding CRS . I am going to try Akadama red line . Any other suggestion's

The best long term solution to your problem is to buy an RO unit.

If you don't have a place that you could install an RO unit, you could try just using Akadama Double Red Line and your tap water.

Use it as your substrate in your tank, and it will lower your Gh to 6, your KH to 0-1, and your pH to 6.4-6.8. Eventually, the mineral binding capacity of the soil will be exhausted from the fresh tap water from your water changes and your GH and KH will creep back up. A way to delay this from happening is to have a separate water change tank, also with Akadama as the substrate. Use the second tank with Akadama as a substrate and some aeration, BUT NO SHRIMP OR ANYTHING ELSE, to condition the water that you use for water changes. This way, the water that you use for water changes will also have a GH of 6 and a KH of 0-1, and it will prolong the life of the soil in the tank with the shrimp. You will have to eventually change the soil in the water change tank when it loses its mineral binding capacity, but this is much easier than changing the soil in a tank with shrimp in it.

[reefdive]

That is a great idea . I really appreciate your taking the time to help . I got another CRS baby today but they have been few and far between . I am also trying some long fibered chilean spahgnum moss ( in another tank ) that is hand harvested and renewable . It is antiseptic and acidifie's have a batch of CRS in it now . It is kind of funky looking but the shrimp love crawling around in it . Maybe I could change the moss every so often and keep the Akadama in . It is kind of like a plant rather than peat moss in long strand's well like a thick moss . It may not help with bacteria and infusoria though I'll just have to see will report back with my progress . Thank's Again

[blacksheep998]

I'm going to second the RO unit. I've got a small one that attaches to a kitchen faucet that I picked up for a little over $100. The only drawback is that it takes hours to produce a couple gallons of RO water.

[magpie]

The best long term solution to your problem is to buy an RO unit.

If you don't have a place that you could install an RO unit, you could try just using Akadama Double Red Line and your tap water.

Use it as your substrate in your tank, and it will lower your Gh to 6, your KH to 0-1, and your pH to 6.4-6.8. Eventually, the mineral binding capacity of the soil will be exhausted from the fresh tap water from your water changes and your GH and KH will creep back up. A way to delay this from happening is to have a separate water change tank, also with Akadama as the substrate. Use the second tank with Akadama as a substrate and some aeration, BUT NO SHRIMP OR ANYTHING ELSE, to condition the water that you use for water changes. This way, the water that you use for water changes will also have a GH of 6 and a KH of 0-1, and it will prolong the life of the soil in the tank with the shrimp. You will have to eventually change the soil in the water change tank when it loses its mineral binding capacity, but this is much easier than changing the soil in a tank with shrimp in it.

Hi Bro,

Any issue on shrimp molting at GH 6?

[Lexinverts]

Hi Bro,

Any issue on shrimp molting at GH 6?

No, but I have not raised any high grade CRS under these conditions yet. I should have a better answer for you in 2 months or so.

[soonhong]

Hi Bro,

Any issue on shrimp molting at GH 6?

Hi bro, try to keep at gh below 6 for Crs. If you have Taiwan bee shrimps like bkk then better to keep at gh4..

[Lexinverts]

Hi bro, try to keep at gh below 6 for Crs. If you have Taiwan bee shrimps like bkk then better to keep at gh4..

Imke, you have had success breeding CRS at GH 6 and higher, correct?

Soonhong, I think that you are correct about Taiwan bees, but I do believe that standard grade CRS can be kept at GH 6. At any rate, this is an experiment that I am trying right now. I want to see if I can keep CRS without using RO water. People ask me all of the time if it is possible, because they do not have a good place to install an RO unit.
The lowest I can get my GH without RO water is 6, so we will see in a few months. I also keep CRS successfully at GH 4 in my office, where I do have RO water. I will report back to you all in a few months.