another shrimp death....

**genocidex** · 08-24-2012, 12:01 AM

After i lost my 3 rcs i decided to check all my parameters. Ammonia less than .25 but higher than 0. Nitrites 0 nitrates 0 ph off the charts gh 7'. The last 2 i cant wrap my head around. My tap tested 2-3'gh. And the tank is 3 times that... My ph is 6.8 out of tap atm... I dont have a good high range ph test cause my other one expired. Soo off the charts is the best i can say. All i habe in the tank is lava rock,driftwood, java fern algae, blk sand (package said fresh water safe and no fiz with vinagar.) Heater and sponge filter. How can my shrimp tak's ph and gh be so out of wack? No i didnt add anything to change the water chemistry. Maybe a drop or 2 of flourish comp. Thats it.... Is the difference in my tap and tank killing my shrimp?

**PhillipOrigami** · 08-24-2012, 02:22 AM

I don't know, but since they are RCS, a that high pH ammonia is probably very toxic, and even low ammonia will kill shrimp.

**genocidex** · 08-24-2012, 02:38 AM

Im still puzzled on how my ph got so high....

**C-Dub** · 08-25-2012, 11:11 PM

how often are you doing WC's? What does your tap test for NitrAtes? 0 ppm nitrates is not normal. weird also bc drift wood generally lowers your PH, no?

**genocidex** · 08-26-2012, 01:50 AM

i do a weekly 1g water change on that tank, doesnt seem like much but shrimp have a very low bio load. will be doing 2g when it gets more crowded. the 0 nitrates is because the filter im using was briefly seeded. also the small bioload thing.... and java moss + loads of algae might be eating away (i think i need to reduce the lights some time in the future. but algae is fine in that tank imo).

drift wood can lower ph but i think if you cure it right and remove all the tanins then the ph lowering ability is near nill

**MuckyFish** · 08-26-2012, 04:08 AM

That's what I found with drift wood the tannins leach a little after its prepared and then gradually drop to negligible.

How much evaporation is going on in your shrimp tank otherwise gh shouldn't climb so much if everything is inert. However, you have lava rock and unless that rock is obsidian I bet that its not. Put some in a bucket and test after a while. That of course may still not be the cause of the shrimp death.