# CO2 and shrimp



## 10gallonplanted (Oct 31, 2010)

What is a safe amount of CO2 so it will not harm the shrimp?
Is it Bubbles per minute or second by the way? 
Sorry ima noob when it comes to CO2


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## Drink_soy_sauce (Sep 15, 2009)

It's bps (bubbles per second). And i've heard differing opinions about shrimp and Co2...hopefully someone who knows much better than me will chime in.


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## 10gallonplanted (Oct 31, 2010)

Okay thanks, Im going to keep it about 1 bubble every 2 seconds until i get a good answer, just to be safe.


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## TLE041 (Jan 16, 2010)

I've been keeping either RCS or CRS/CBS with pressurized CO2 for over two years and I haven't had any problems. Just as long as you don't overdose and they get sufficient O2, there shouldn't be any problems.

It's hard to determine the CO2 level by just looking at the bps rate. Other factors like tank size and diffusion method also have affect. You'll need a drop checker with 4dKH solution to properly monitor the CO2 ppm in your water.


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## 10gallonplanted (Oct 31, 2010)

Okay thank you


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## Cboss (Aug 23, 2010)

If you want to accurately measure CO2 levels then, like mentioned above, you need to get a drop checker.

I've found that shrimp can tolerate higher CO2 levels than some fish, unfortunately I discovered this by losing a few fish. But this is just my personal experience in one specific tank.


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

A drop checker does not give an accurate measure on co2 by any stretch of the imagination but it's about as close as we can get with out spending tons of money. 

For co2 and shrimp, it just depends on what your goals are with them. If you want them to breed prolifically then don't use co2. If you don't care if they breed slowly or at all then use the gas. It's my experience that with CRS any amount of co2 will adversely effect their breeding potential.


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## gordonrichards (Jun 20, 2009)

+1 with bsmith



bsmith said:


> A drop checker does not give an accurate measure on co2 by any stretch of the imagination but it's about as close as we can get with out spending tons of money.
> 
> For co2 and shrimp, it just depends on what your goals are with them. If you want them to breed prolifically then don't use co2. If you don't care if they breed slowly or at all then use the gas. It's my experience that with CRS any amount of co2 will adversely effect their breeding potential.


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## msnikkistar (Mar 23, 2010)

+2 for what bsmith stated.


You will have people that state that co2 doesn't do anything in terms of breeding. However, considering I have 4 tanks, 3 of which have no co2, and then one being completely high tech with a 2.5lb co2 system, I can vouch that there is a huge difference in breeding.

MY BTOE and RCS tend to breed not as prolifically as the shrimp in my other tanks. Not that it is an issue. As long as they breed, I don't see a problem.


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## zxc (Nov 10, 2009)

IM lack of co2, cause green hair algea on all plant. especially fissiden!!!
dosing excel will help to get rid hair algea?? 
please advise sifu.


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## mordalphus (Jun 23, 2010)

less light will help with algae, zxc


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

Less light = less algae
Shorter photoperiod = less algae
More co2 = less algae


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## GDP (Mar 12, 2011)

msnikkistar said:


> +2 for what bsmith stated.
> 
> 
> You will have people that state that co2 doesn't do anything in terms of breeding. However, considering I have 4 tanks, 3 of which have no co2, and then one being completely high tech with a 2.5lb co2 system, I can vouch that there is a huge difference in breeding.
> ...


I dont want to belittle your expirences however that is a highly biased conclusion based on insuffecient data. If it were 2v2 tanks that would be more balanced and could more accurately say that co2 effects breeding. To many variables to say for sure.

Again not trying to say one way or the other, just saying its not a accurate example.


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## msnikkistar (Mar 23, 2010)

GDP said:


> I dont want to belittle your expirences however that is a highly biased conclusion based on insuffecient data. If it were 2v2 tanks that would be more balanced and could more accurately say that co2 effects breeding. To many variables to say for sure.
> 
> Again not trying to say one way or the other, just saying its not a accurate example.



It is a common fact amongst shrimp keepers, that co2 slows down the breeding of shrimp. It has been stated over and over again.

For instance in my 23G Rimless. I run all the same things in my 33, however, I do not use co2 in this. I have 10 times more RCS in the 23G tank, versus the 33 gallon tank. The 23G was set up 4 months after the 33 gallon, with only 5 RCS, whereas the 33 had about 30+ rcs to start.

Same ferts, same photoperiod, same TDS at this point as well. However, the 23G is kept at 81 degrees versus the 33 which is kept at 72. Outside of that, there is really no difference. However, I highly doubt that, as RCS do better at temperatures of about 72, not 81. How would I know? My PFR breed prolifically in my 'control' tank that gets no ferts and no co2 as the other 2 do. It too has the same TDS. Is this coincidence? Possibly, however, I have done the research in regards to my tanks. Now it could all be based off of pH, but that is also linked to co2 as well. So who knows. I can only vouch that it does seem to do something in regards to breeding in my tanks.

This is will be a subject that is contentious, however, I believe that co2 doesn't 'stunt' a colony in anyway, but can cause breeding to be slower then those without co2.


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## msnikkistar (Mar 23, 2010)

I should add that my control tank has a ph of 6.6 and my high tech us the same. However, the 3rd is 8.1. So I doubt ph is the issue as well.

Sent from my SGH-i917 using Board Express


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## Senior Shrimpo (Dec 4, 2010)

10gallonplanted said:


> What is a safe amount of CO2 so it will not harm the shrimp?
> Is it Bubbles per minute or second by the way?
> Sorry ima noob when it comes to CO2


Bubbles per second is a really obsolete system; it only works relative to gallon size and plants/light.

I only realized that when I actually got co2. It's hard to count bubbles per second (easier if you do bubbles/10 seconds and divide by 10). And each person's tanks need an individual amount of co2 depending on the plants and such.

I don't use co2 on shrimp tanks, but that's just me. It's easy to overdose if you're not experienced.


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