nursery tank? raising fry??

Byron

Shrimp would have to be a good size to eat livebearer fry that tend to remain near the surface. I don't know much about shrimp, which is to say nothing at all, so I can't comment on species.

Crazie Queenie

Well the ones i had were small enough to get themselves munched on by i think my mollies so i guess they would be small enough to live with the fry.

What do you think i should do regarding the softness/hardness issue? Wait for the tests to arrive before doing anything? or....?

CQ

Byron

I would suggest you be certain of the hardness before considering adjusting it. Can you contact your water supply people directly, since their website didn't help?

Crazie Queenie

I'll try phoning them tomorrow.

CQ

Crazie Queenie

So i did phone them but they were about as useful as a chocolate teapot so i just waited for the test kits to show up of which they have so here is the results for the KH and GH test i done on my tank water:

GH = 89.5
KH = 5

Thats what i deciphered from the instructions and what not as they both took 5 drops to change color. Sooo good bad ugly?

I got the other test kit today so I'm gonna do those tests as well and will post the results of them in a bit.


Thanks

CQ

kitten_penang

what shrimps are you keeping?

Crazie Queenie

Done the rest of the tests and uuuh hmmm a couple of them aint so good...

PH = 7.4
Ammonia = 4.0
NitrIte = 0.25
NitrAte = 0

So ok i know the Ammonia is way to high and I'm about to do a water change earlier than planned to try help that a bit and I'm about to start using stress zyme in the tank as well. I'm not sure if it might have something to do with the fact i had to change my filter to a totally new one so i dunno if its got something to do with that or whether i feed them to much or something else... Suggestions??

How do i lower the Nitrite levels??


kitten_penang I actually don't know what kind of shrimp they are... they were just labeled shrimp lol. If i can get one of them to sit still long enough I'll try take a pic of one of them :o)


Thanks

CQ

kitten_penang

is it white with pincers? those might be ghost they are bad for babies.if they are red without pincers they will be fine with the babies

Crazie Queenie

hmmm i dunno if id call it white but its certainly not red but i don't see any pincers they are only wee small things the now they have a kinda white/brown streak down the middle of their back.

CQ

Byron

That GH number indicates soft water (90ppm = 5 dGH) so for livebearers and shrimp I would harden it. Easiest way is with dolomite gravel if you can find it; it is a white gravel that slowly adds calcium and magnesium to the water; I use it in the filter, in a small mesh bag. A couple tablespoons lasts for months if not years. The benefit with dolomite is aq nice pH buffer too.

Second choice is crushed coral gravel, same process (bag in filter). This adds calcium only, but that will suffice for shrimp and livebearers. Doesnèt take much.

Byron.