# Red Cherry Shrimp water parameters



## DerekFF (May 24, 2011)

I have them growing in a 50g tub outside with nasty tap water full of rotting water lettuce and hyacinths in 90+ degree weather. They dont care about water parameters

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## Blue Falcon (Nov 9, 2009)

red cherries are pretty easy to breed, and can tolerate a wide range of parameters. KH is the carbonate hardness, or alkalinity or the water. Normally a higher KH will indireclty raise pH. GH is the general hardness. This is kind of like the mineral content of the water in the form of calcium and magnesium (mainly). A GH of at least 4 will ensure proper molting. TDS is total dissolved solids. The KH and GH test kits is a chemical reaction test similar to a pH test kit. They come in the form of liquid tests or the 5 in 1 API test strip (piece of crap.. lol). While the TDS is tested with a TDS meter. It's an electronic probe that measures conductivity in the form of dissolved solids. Measuring new make up water and documenting the TDS will give you a good idea of how much crap has built up in your aquarium and is a good indication of when to do a water change when the TDS gets too high. (assuming nitrates are within the acceptable range). I have bred cherries in 2 different tanks. One tank has a pH of 6.8, KH 0, GH 6, TDS 150. While the other tank is pH 7.8, KH 10, GH 15, TDS 400. Both tanks the shrimp are breeding like rabbits. As long as you keep the water clean of toxins (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate), well oxygenated, with STABLE parameters, most any _Neocaridina sp._ will readily breed.


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Those KH and GH readings are in degrees KH and degrees GH. You can convert that to ppm if you want but most people know degrees better.


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## OpaeGuy (Jul 18, 2012)

What is TDS?


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## OpaeGuy (Jul 18, 2012)

Blue Falcon said:


> red cherries are pretty easy to breed, and can tolerate a wide range of parameters. KH is the carbonate hardness, or alkalinity or the water. Normally a higher KH will indireclty raise pH. GH is the general hardness. This is kind of like the mineral content of the water in the form of calcium and magnesium (mainly). A GH of at least 4 will ensure proper molting. TDS is total dissolved solids. The KH and GH test kits is a chemical reaction test similar to a pH test kit. They come in the form of liquid tests or the 5 in 1 API test strip (piece of crap.. lol). While the TDS is tested with a TDS meter. It's an electronic probe that measures conductivity in the form of dissolved solids. Measuring new make up water and documenting the TDS will give you a good idea of how much crap has built up in your aquarium and is a good indication of when to do a water change when the TDS gets too high. (assuming nitrates are within the acceptable range). I have bred cherries in 2 different tanks. One tank has a pH of 6.8, KH 0, GH 6, TDS 150. While the other tank is pH 7.8, KH 10, GH 15, TDS 400. Both tanks the shrimp are breeding like rabbits. As long as you keep the water clean of toxins (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate), well oxygenated, with STABLE parameters, most any _Neocaridina sp._ will readily breed.
> 
> 
> ***
> Those KH and GH readings are in degrees KH and degrees GH. You can convert that to ppm if you want but most people know degrees better.



and how do you convert them to ppm?


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## acitydweller (Dec 28, 2011)

Gh =general hardness
Ph = acidity or alkalinity 

Ph,gh,& kh have a relationship whereby gh and kh will assist to buffer and maintain ph.
Tds is to total amount of minerals and waste in your tank, you know the good and bad stuff. Generally tells how clean or polluted your water is. Try to keep this below 200 in standard practice though ymmv.


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## Blue Falcon (Nov 9, 2009)

OpaeGuy said:


> and how do you convert them to ppm?



This is straight from the API GH testing kit instructions

0-3 degrees (0-50 ppm)
3-6 degrees (50-100 ppm)
6-11 degrees (100-200 ppm)
8-12 degrees (140-200 ppm) 
11-22 degrees (200-400 ppm)


i realize that some of these overlap, I was just copying down exactly as it said in the instructions


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