My Two Aquariums Have Different Gh And Ph

[bb1991]

So i have two aquariums, one is very tiny, like only 10 litres that i keep for my cherry shrimps. There are only 5 inside with 2 christmas moss patches for them to graze on. I also do feed them one shrimp pellet every other day. Mt other tank is a 30 or 36 litre tank (not really sure) with 6 neons, an amano shrimp, and two otos. Ammonia, Nitrites, and Nitrates are pretty much 0 on both tanks. (I've got my filtration system covered) I also have quite a few plants in my 30 litre tank, so that what makes the three harmful substances 0. I test my GH and pH from time to time, but i keep getting puzzled by the differences between the two tanks. My small shrimp tank read 5.5-iss for pH and very little in GH. My other tank with neons in them read a pH of 7.6-7.7 while the GH was about twice as much as my smaller tank.(in the medium hard range) I do use the same water so don't worry about that.

The only difference between the two tanks is that a have white sand and a rock in my neon tank...could this be the cause?

PS: I added a pebble of mineral salt in the shrimp tank to increase the pH and GH...cuz i heard RCS likes slightly salty water (Is this true?) Also i really want to make my two tanks equal in pH and GH cuz i was hoping my shrimps would have babies and i could move it to the neon tank but i'm scared of the pH shock especially. (I heard thats what easily kills RCS)

PSS: I also added i few stone pebbles in my shrimp tank hoping this would increase my pH and GH...any thoughts on increasing my pH and GH slightly without buying anything?

PSSS: Recently in my neon tank my cherry shrimps died, i originally had 6. I have one left. And everytime my amano would be quick to devour their corpses. i really want to know why they died. Since i have a small tank, i could think of three reasons why they died.. 1.) A molting issue; where there's too little space for them to safely molt, and would eventually die from a smaller shell. 2.) The amano shrimp bullies(?) the shrimps so they can't molt, or maybe just cannibalism. 3.) A small tank = pH spikes?....i heard cherry shrimps would die from spikes, but not neons, or fish in general. Can anyone enlighten me on this as to why they're dieing?

I realize its sort of a specific question, but i really want to know every single thing about my tank. A hobby i love that borders obsession and insanity. lol

 

[Essjay]

The white sand and rock in the neon tank could be affecting that tank, depending on exactly what they are. Sand made from crushed coral or a limestone rock, for instance, would make the water harder and increase the pH slightly. Try putting a few drops of vinegar on a dry pinch of the sand and the rock after it's been dried. If bubbles form then there's your culprit. Don't forget to wash the rock before putting it back!

Have you checked your tapwater, both freshly drawn and also for pH a glass of water that's stood overnight? That will tell you if the small tank has something in it that is somehow lowering GH and pH, or if it's something in the bigger tank that's increasing it.

 

[bb1991]

Yep i did a small experiment to why the neon tank was a bit high. The tap water after left in the sun for a day and another using dechlorinator yielded similar results. I've a solution for the neon tank's high GH and pH problem by topping up with bottled water which has crazy low GH and pH due to reverse osmosis done by the company. But i still use the main source of water change with tap water. As for the small tank i'll just use tap water to top up since it has higher GH and pH.
I don't feel like taking out the rock though, since it will be difficult to rearrange it again. But i will try the vinegar experiment on the sand and the pebbles. If it sizzles i'll make a small sand patch in a corner of the small tank to make the pH and GH between the two tanks slightly more equal.

Thank you for the info and that little experiment essjay, you are certainly worthy of that title 'Leader of the Fishes'.

But does anyone have any input on the 'PSSS'? I just love learning something new in the subject i love so dearly.

 

[SandraNewbie]

Hate to be a grammar nazi but it's PS, PPS, PPPS rather than PS PSS PSSS because it's short for post script, post post script etc.

No idea on the COD though.

 

[bb1991]

ah, didn't know that. Thanks for that gammar nazi...The only kind of nazi i gladly welcome...lol

 

[bb1991]

so i have done the experiment and what i found was that once vinegar hits the sand, it started sizzling like poprocks on steroids (maybe an exaggeration, but lets just say i found the culprit lol) Anyways, took the sand out of the tank and is now left with a dent. Maybe i'll put a small moss patch inside instead.

Thanks again essjay. Never thought a science experiment i did in elementary school would be used in daily life. I'll take a bottle of vinegar the next time i go rock shopping.