# Salty Shrimp GH/KH Raising PH?



## Jegli09 (Jul 25, 2012)

Hello Everyone,

When I test my RO water I read a PH of 7. After I added the 2 scoops of Salty Shrimp GH/ KH+ to my 5 gallon pail it reads 8. Does this make sense? 

I know that the substrate buffers, but has anyone else had this experience? 

Thanks!


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## clownplanted (Mar 3, 2017)

Jegli09 said:


> Hello Everyone,
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Anytime you add KH your Ph will raise. So this makes complete sense. Sorry no calculator here but how much does 2 scoops to a 5 gallon raise your GH and KH? Either way it’s normal anytime you raise KH your ph will raise as well
If you have a buffering substrate you should not be adding any KH. You should instead be using the Salty Sheimp GH+ only(no KH)


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## Jegli09 (Jul 25, 2012)

I'm actually following the method in the attached video. My substrate will deplete faster, but should stabilize once it does.


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## clownplanted (Mar 3, 2017)

Jegli09 said:


> I'm actually following the method in the attached video. My substrate will deplete faster, but should stabilize once it does.
> 
> 
> 
> How to Breed Crystal Red Shrimp - Shrimp Saturday - YouTube




. I do agree as far as the parameters go but not the substrate and how he is going about it. I will explain. What you are doing is adding KH to a substrate that will just remove it 24 hours or less. So let’s say you add 2dKH to the substrate it will remove to 0 24 hours or less. You can test this. So you may think you have 2dKH but you do not. So what you are doing while the buffering is still good is causing KH to keep going from 2 to 0. It will do this as long as it’s buffering is still good
With that said I agree 2 KH is fine for crs and even 7-7.2 PH mine thrive in. I went from 20 to 200 in a few months. This was with no buffering substrate but bdbs with 7.2 ph. 5 GH and 2KH. They breed like crazy. I just feel if you are going to get a buffering substrate just to deplete it and not use it for what it was intended for then why use it? Just use intert substrate and add the correct parameters from the start. 
All you are doing is causing parameter swings and possible stress during this time. Yeah after it’s depleted and you are adding KH then no issues but while it’s still good it just goes back to what it’s suppose to with a PH 6.6 and KH 0.



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## Jegli09 (Jul 25, 2012)

I agree, but I am not sure if I can get my PH low enough without using the substrate from the beginning. If I can use the substrate to lower my PH, I think that will be beneficial for now.

I have malaysian driftwood, but I don't necessarily know what kind of role that will play until I test my PH. 

Can I ask what you have in your CRS tanks to lower your PH? I have breed them in the past, but very slowly.


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## clownplanted (Mar 3, 2017)

Jegli09 said:


> I agree, but I am not sure if I can get my PH low enough without using the substrate from the beginning. If I can use the substrate to lower my PH, I think that will be beneficial for now.
> 
> I have malaysian driftwood, but I don't necessarily know what kind of role that will play until I test my PH.
> 
> Can I ask what you have in your CRS tanks to lower your PH? I have breed them in the past, but very slowly.


What is your tap PH/GH/KH?

My tap water PH is about 7.8 right off the bat and drops to 7.4 if its been sitting out degassing for about 2-3 days. The PH in the tank when co2 is off and is degassed is about 7.2 which is perfectly fine for my CRS. I would do a test and let some tap water sit for a few days and see what the PH is then. 

I really do not do anything to alter the PH much in the tank. I have inert substrate in my 20 gallon that has about 200 crs in it. Really just a few alder cones and a couple Indian Almond leaves seem to bring it down maybe .1 to .2. 

So you may find that your tap degassed may be suitable for them after all. 

With that said with your buffering substrate if you are going to house CRS the buffering substrate you have is perfect if used correctly by using RO water and remineralizing adding just GH. If you do want to deplete it faster then by all means add KH to it just keep an eye on what your PH will be when it can no longer buffer.


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## Zoidburg (Mar 8, 2016)

Haven't watched the video, but it sounds like it's not a very good video to follow if it's recommending putting KH into a tank with buffering substrate. (maybe they have a new video on how to do it right?)


If you just use straight GH only in that RO water, then you don't need to worry about lowering the pH of the water! The substrate will do all the necessary work without having to fight with the water parameters.



As explained, using GH/KH will cause a swing in parameters and make it less suitable for the shrimp. If you want to use GH/KH, then switch to inert substrate.


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