# Is reverse osmosis water required for shrimp?



## Tensa (Aug 2, 2014)

Hello,

I've read some articles that suggested starting with reverse osmosis water when keeping shrimp so that you start with a clean slate. Adding the shrimp mineral products to get the tds reading to 200 ppm.

Has anyone had good experience without using RO water?


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## shift (Dec 21, 2012)

Nope. But it's generally lower ph than tap water and can be good for crs/cbs


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

I never used RO/DI for my shrimp and they bred prolifically.

I used ADA soil to lower the PH to around 6.5, kept the KH\GH around 5 if I recall correctly. Didn't measure TDS either.


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## Tensa (Aug 2, 2014)

Thanks you guys.

Hi Deven, I bought some shrimp from you a couple of weeks ago. You were right, I've been itching to get a second tank.

While we're on the topic, I've read about GH and KH but how do you actually adjust for them?


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## jhj0112 (Jul 30, 2013)

there is GH/Kh buffer that you can get from LFS. I never use KH buffer in my CBS tank. I use nutrafim african cichlid conditioner(small bottle) for GH buffer. I don't know about others but Both RCS and CBS in my tank are breeding like rabbit when water parameter is GH 5 KH 2 PH 6.8..

Oh I never used RO unit on any of my tank including saltwater tank.. 
However, it may be different in your area though.. our GVRD water is really soft.


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

First thing you'll want to do is get a KH\GH test kit to see what you're water is like, then you can go from there.

Can't say I was ever sober in Penticton for very long, so I don't remember what the water was like 

You can add a buffer like Equilibrium to raise the GH, and an Alkaline buffer to raise KH (or crushed corals in the filter work too).

The GH will help with their exoskeleton amongst other things, and the KH will prevent PH swings at the very least.


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## shift (Dec 21, 2012)

I do have some African chiclid water conditioner I'll put in every few water changes (if I remember) at the end of the day the shrimp just want stable parameters


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

Yeah, stability is the most important thing, shrimp are sensitive.

I've heard ppl breeding CRS in 7ish neutral PH, mean while I was struggling at 6.5-6.7 (no\low gh). The africian water conditioner was recommended to me as soon as I started my colony as well.


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