Red Cherry Shrimp - TDS help

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

I dont think its just misinformation but that there are constant new discoveries every day and fish keeping equipment and technology is also increasing that things i thought i knew have changed in the last 6 months. Not to mention different people experience different things in their tanks with so many different variables that its difficult to come to a consensus let alone have that consensus accepted and spread by the masses.
I appreciate the people on here that try and find the best course of action using the best available information at the time also keeping in mind that information may change tomorrow.

That's a very good point about new discoveries and more science and field research changing what has always been widely accepted. Thank you And it doesn't make sense for Practical Fishkeeping to go into a spiel about specifics and natural history if it doesn't impact the care at all, and that all most people need to know is that the shrimp will thrive in medium to hard water, but that people with soft water will have to check calcium levels. They're trying to convey a lot of info in a basic care guide format rather than a scientific paper.

I do appreciate learning new facts though that might help shape how I keep tanks in the future, and to do more research myself.

 

[Aussie_Bristle]

Like I said I keep both caradina’s and neos in the same tank and I have no problems but I think it all comes down to getting it on point for both to flourish

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

This is one thing I have read so much about but I’ve never followed it tbh. I just make sure my parameters on point and GH is steady on 6-8ppm and that’s it. Seangee is correct, I would be following what is said. I do however have neos and Cadaina in the same tank with no problems at all so I must be doing something right

That sounds like a very fun tank that I'd love to see photos of sometime! I'm really so attached to my shrimp already.

The good news is they are fine in a GH of 15d. My colony actually started its life in my tanks using tap water which is 16dGH and 18dKH. At the time I was using a nitrate filter because my tap water has 50ppm nitrates. It was only later I started mixing RO and gradually reduced the hardness over a period of several months.

Once I got down to pure RO and remineralising I picked 6dGH because that is (apparently) the optimum hardness - but I never actually noticed any difference with the cherries. My primary reason for using RO is the 50ppm nitrates. Since I also happen to prefer soft water fish RO seemed the logical way as I was filtering my tap water multiple times to remove the nitrates and KH. This did work but was costly and time consuming, and as we no there is no other way to lower GH safely without diluting it out.

Mine do seem to be happy enough in my water to be breeding prolifically And have only lost two in recent months, the oldest big momma original, and one that climbed or jumped out. If you say they're good and they continue as they are, I'm happy.
It sounds as though you had a real hassle with your water at first! That's a lot more work than many would be willing to go to, but you're clearly very capable and skilled. Please tell me that you didn't always have such a good grasp on everything when you started out I'm used to being fairly good at most things I put my mind too, but fish keeping has humbled me. lol.

 

[seangee]

There really is so much misleading info out there. I very much trust Seangee, I can tell he's very knowledgeable, and he's been super helpful! I'm setting up a new tank for my otos so they can have softer water because he helped me figure out a way to keep them, rather than just get rid of them like some others told me to, and I'm so grateful for that. That's why I was so surprised to read the soft water thing, and wanted to ask, because I knew what he was saying must be true.

Nice of you to say so - but you should verify everything on this (or any site) for yourself.