Need help --- few questions about my current set up

[hedge_fund]

Hi. I just set up a fairly new tank where I am keeping SS grade CRS and some cherries just for the heck of it. I do not really care for plants but want the CRS to be happy which is why I'm trying to ask questions here (money is really not an issue).

1. My PH in my tank is 7.5 and I'm looking to lower it to about 6.5. At the moment I ordered some almond leaves but they will not come in for another two weeks. Just two days ago I've added Oak Leaves hoping that it would lower the PH but nothing seems to be happening. I added about 10 to a 15 gallon tank. I do not want to be messing with the whole RO stuff so I'm looking for other ways to lower PH. Any suggestions?

2. My current substrate is Eco-Complete which might not be that good for CRS. Is it worth me changing it out to something else such as UP Shrimp Sand? I'm sure it's a huge huge pain in the butt to change out substrates so I'd like to avoid this unless it's necessary. I've read that Shrimp Sand can lower PH to about 6.5 but not sure how long this will last before the PH starts to rise again.

3. I called a local fish store which is very knowledgable in shrimp keeping. They told me to hit up Home Depot and pick up a bag of Peat and drop it in a sock which should be placed in the filter. Is this a good idea or will my almond / oak leaves do the same thing?

Thank you for your help. I tried posting pics and video but it's saying that I need at least 15 posts to do so.

[Nubster]

Peat will definitely lower it. Not sure about the leaves. I thought the leaves were mostly for the shrimp to graze off of because the leaf litter supports a lot of biofilm and critters that the shrimp like to eat. You could also use a different substrate like Fluval Shrimp Stratum. I've read it will reduce the pH as much as a whole point and keep the parameter stable.

[hedge_fund]

Peat will definitely lower it. Not sure about the leaves. I thought the leaves were mostly for the shrimp to graze off of because the leaf litter supports a lot of biofilm and critters that the shrimp like to eat. You could also use a different substrate like Fluval Shrimp Stratum. I've read it will reduce the pH as much as a whole point and keep the parameter stable.

If I were to change out the substrate is that tough to do if you only have one tank? Are there any tips on how one would even approach this?

[Nubster]

I know one time I did it in a fish tank. I took all the fish out and stuck them in a bucket. Drained the tank and scooped out all the old substrate, replaced with new, filled it with water and let the filter run with floss for a couple hours to clear the water. Stuck the fish back in and all was good. The was, I went from one inert substrate to another. In your situation, the new substrate will alter the water and probably too quick to be healthy for the shrimp. Only thing I can think is you might do it a little at a time. You can probably remove a lot of the Eco-Complete without hurting anything and then just add small amounts of the Shrimp Stratum every couple days until it's all been switched out. Might take a couple weeks to do but I think that would be the safest.

[GDP]

Switch to ADA Aquasoil Amazonia II. Fill up. Profit. Dont forget to cycle first.

[RiverAquatics]

It’s great that money is not an issue; don’t make the mistake assuming nature can be bribed to work right. Use that money to educate yourself, not just buy things. Most fail at this hobby because of a lack of knowledge and patience, not money.

1. If you are using Almond leaves, peat and Oak leaves in an attempt to lower pH from 7.5 to 6.5 you need to read more. Your way to lower pH is more challenging than RO most of the time and harder on the shrimp, unless you really know what you is doing and understand it.

Most use an active substrate and that whole RO thing because it’s easier than doing so with peat or leaves and a much more stable environment over time.

Since money is not an issue, invest in RO before you get frustrated. RO saves time, provides a more stable water environment, gives you full control and prevents mistakes that rookies fall prey to. Why do you think so many use it… because it’s better for most users and their shrimp.

RO stops problems from the water source and drastic changes you didn’t test for because it removes everything leaving you able to tweak it as you like, and really easy. No leaf is going to remove a huge spike in copper because your water supply had issues you weren’t aware of.

Once the RO water is ready you can leave some as is for top-off evaporation so salts don’t build up and mineralize the rest for water changes that almost exactly match what you are replacing, shrimp appreciate this.

If you are lazy like me, time crunched, etc., Go RO!

You’ll spend more time messing with leaves than an RO/DI.

2. Most people do not use Eco-Complete but why not use that new membership here and search and read because your questions seem to indicate you’re fairly new to this type a tank.

There are many discussions about substrate here and you can’t expect to really do well with shrimp unless you read, read, read. Your answer for this one is all around you with effort.

Yes, changing the substrate is a pain, messy, has to be done right or you’ll mess up your cycle and lose every animal… but there are ways and many will offer advice but most will ask you to spend more time reading because you need to understand the details to keep your shrimp happy.

Is active substrate necessary? No, but it is considered the best option for most because with RO water and an active substrate, your pH will not rise much as you know it will with most other options. RO/DI removes it all so you are in control and the substrate lasts longer, is stable and full of food for your babies. Read, read and read some more.

3. No offense, I’m sure the LFS people are nice but unless you become knowledgeable you won’t be able to tell if they are knowledgeable. Keeping CRS is not common everyday LFS stuff in the US.

Reading a few articles in a trade magazine is not knowledge, just theory. If they breed or sell them in number they might have knowledge but ask them to join this forum and share what they know if they are knowledgeable because we need knowledgeable members.

Remember 97% of what we or any other species fan do is not unique. Active substrates were originally aimed at plants, filter media for city water treatment plants, RO at reef… what makes each species fan group unique is learning that unique 3% each type of animal thrives in whether its guppies or CRS.

A good LFS owner knows the 97% but only knows the last 3% if they’ve kept the specific animal successfully for some time.

A really good LFS owner will admit this and tell you they can’t be an expert on all the animals and that most of their knowledge is general and often influenced whether it’s customers, sales people or their favorite personal brand because it’s fine for guppies and generates a higher profit.

They are the start of your hobby and rarely have time to be experts.

Use their knowledge as a starting point and be glad they care at all and are pretty good. Too many LFS owner are years behind the times because they can be. Remember, they’re a train station that has to keep a lot of things alive with different needs, that’s what they do best.

In the old days most LFS owners admitted this and tried to sell you books and magazines pushing you to learn not through them but literature and clubs… this helped make better hobbyists and kept a little extra cash in the store.

I can tell you how to build a house in theory, the whole thing, but I can’t actually tell you the local laws and standards. And if you want to construct a house out of tires, I can help too, but there are a few things I’ll need to learn even if I’m a contractor.

The idea of using peat is old school, back to the 60’s or earlier for Discus and primarily other SA fish… and any decent LFS owner is aware of this.

The Home Depot stuff varies and all peat is not the same (read to make sure you get the right stuff and it’s pretty clean), using peat was very popular before RO was cheap or even invented. Luckily when I was a kid in the 1980’s, RO units hit the sub-$200 mark making things like peat more a therapy and water conditioner that improves and zeros in on a pH range rather than relying on it…

Before you focus on those 15 posts, focus on reading here and other sites. I’ve kept fish since 1975, I’m only 43 not 73, and forgotten more than I know now. I’ve seen new ideas, old ideas return and bad ideas become popular but I’ve never seen anyone really successful without lots of reading. Even with all those years behind me, since joining here less than a month ago, I’ve spent at least 40 hours here… just reading.

And with those deep pockets, you’ll be the one that’s knowledgeable and a shrimp badass.

[wicca]

peat will lower the ph but will also leach tannins so you will get tea colored water. as for plants i found miracle gro organic potting soil works well under a sand cap and it has a peat base so it would prob lower ph a bit.

[GDP]

I should expand that until I switched to ADA Aquasoil I couldnt get my CRS to breed. Thats why I recomend it. I got into an arguement on here one time with a guy that stated the same thing. I was using fluval shrimp stratum at the time and wanted to prove a point so bought the aquasoil to see if they really would breed or not in different soil. Turns out he was right . And like stated above knowledge is key. Its taken me about a year of researching to get to this point. Shrimp keeping alone is amazingly complex.

[myles]

very intesting,,,there is no cents getting older if you don't get wiser thanks myles

[hedge_fund]

Thanks all. I just went out and purchased a whole new tank and ordered Akadama. I figured it would be much easier to start fresh then to attempt to change the substrate from an existing tank. Doing an RO set up is not ideal for me since my hot girlfriend would literally shoot me. haha.

I should be receiving the Akadama in the next 3 days so I'll begin cycling.