General Hardness (GH) Doesn't Really Matter In Shrimp Tanks

Summary

This video explores the significance of measuring General Hardness (GH) in shrimp keeping, challenging the conventional belief that maintaining GH within a specific range is crucial. The presenter conducts an experiment with two tanks, one with high GH and the other with low GH, both outside the recommended range for neocaridina shrimp. Despite these extremes, the shrimp thrive, suggesting that the ratio of minerals, particularly calcium to magnesium, may be more important than GH levels. The video emphasizes the importance of using a remineralizer to ensure a healthy mineral balance, even in tap water with the right GH, and suggests that RO/DI water with added remineralizers is the best option for shrimp health.

Takeaways

• 🔬 The video aims to explore the importance of measuring General Hardness (GH) in shrimp keeping and challenges the conventional belief that GH is critical for shrimp health.
• 🦐 Despite many hobbyists maintaining GH within recommended ranges, molting issues persist, suggesting that other factors may be at play.
• 🧪 The experiment conducted involved setting up two tanks with significantly different GH levels to test the resilience of shrimp and the impact of GH on their health.
• 🌡️ One tank was set at a very high GH of 30°, and the other at a very low GH of 2-3°, both far outside the normal range for neocaridina shrimp.
• 📈 The experiment suggests that the ratio of minerals, particularly calcium to magnesium, might be more important for shrimp health than the absolute GH level.
• 💧 The use of a remineralizer can help ensure a healthy mineral ratio, even if the GH is high, indicating that GH testing alone might not be sufficient.
• 📊 The video highlights the limitations of the experiment, such as the lack of replicates and the potential influence of other factors like microbiome and water source.
• 📉 The results indicate that shrimp can survive and breed in tanks with extreme GH levels, provided the mineral ratios are correct.
• 📝 The video encourages hobbyists to consider remineralizers and remineralization, especially when using RO/DI water, for better control over mineral balance.
• 🌐 For those looking for more in-depth information, the video recommends checking out Shrimply Explained's resources, including their YouTube channel and website.

Q & A

Why is GH measurement considered important for shrimp keeping?

GH (General Hardness) is considered important for shrimp keeping because it is believed to be critical for ensuring that shrimp molt properly. It has been a staple measurement for a long time, and many guides on the internet emphasize the importance of having GH within a certain range for the health of the shrimp.

Why might shrimp still experience molting issues even when GH is within the recommended range?

Shrimp may still experience molting issues even when GH is within the recommended range because the ratio of minerals, particularly calcium to magnesium, might not be optimal. The video suggests that the right mineral ratio is more important than just having GH within a certain range.

What is the purpose of the experiment described in the video?

The experiment aims to test two hypotheses: 1) whether the recommended GH ranges for neocarinidae shrimp hold true when pushed outside of these ranges, and 2) the importance of matching the parameters of the breeder's water to ensure the health of the shrimp.

How were the two tanks in the experiment set up to test the effects of GH on shrimp?

The two tanks were set up with the same amount of water, substrate, and sponge filter, with 10 shrimp in each. The only difference was the GH level: one tank was at 30° hardness and the other at 2 to 3° hardness, both of which are outside the normal GH ranges for neocarinidae shrimp.

What was the outcome of the shrimp in the tanks with extreme GH levels after three months?

After three months, the shrimp in both tanks were doing well, had bred, and their offspring were surviving, suggesting that extreme GH levels may not be as detrimental as previously thought, provided the mineral ratios are correct.

Why is the calcium to magnesium ratio important for shrimp?

The calcium to magnesium ratio is important for shrimp because it affects the flexibility of their shells, which is necessary for proper molting. An imbalance in this ratio can lead to molting problems.

What is the significance of using a shrimp-specific remineralizer in shrimp tanks?

Using a shrimp-specific remineralizer ensures a healthy calcium to magnesium ratio, which is crucial for shrimp shell formation and molting. It provides the necessary minerals in the correct ratios that may not be present in tap water or well water.

What are some potential issues with the experiment described in the video?

Some potential issues with the experiment include the limited number of replicates, which could affect the reliability of the results. Additionally, the experiment was not perfectly controlled, which could introduce variables that might affect the shrimp's health.

What is the recommendation for hobbyists regarding GH testing and mineral ratios in shrimp tanks?

For hobbyists, it is recommended to test for GH and, if necessary, use remineralizers or adjust the calcium and magnesium levels to achieve a healthy mineral ratio. Using RO/DI water with a remineralizer allows for complete control over the mineral content in the tank.

What resources does the video suggest for those interested in learning more about shrimp keeping?

The video suggests visiting Shrimply Explained on YouTube or the website Shrimply Explained for more guides and scientific-based resources on shrimp keeping, including a shrimp basics course and a PDF guide on setting up a low-maintenance shrimp tank.

Outlines

00:00

🦐 Understanding GH Importance in Shrimp Keeping

The paragraph discusses the significance of measuring General Hardness (GH) in shrimp tanks and questions its effectiveness in preventing molting issues. The speaker shares their experiment with two tanks, one with high GH and the other with low GH, to test the common belief that GH is critical for shrimp health. The goal is to see if shrimp can thrive outside the recommended GH range and to challenge the notion that matching breeder parameters is essential for success.

05:01

🧪 Experiment Results: GH and Mineral Ratios in Shrimp Health

After three months, the shrimp in both tanks with extreme GH levels are thriving and breeding successfully. This suggests that GH may be less critical than previously thought, and the ratio of minerals, particularly calcium to magnesium, might be more important for shrimp molting and health. The speaker recommends using a shrimp-specific remineralizer to ensure the right mineral balance, rather than relying solely on GH measurements.

10:03

📊 Addressing GH Testing and Mineral Ratios in Tap Water

The final paragraph addresses the limitations of GH testing in tap water and the importance of mineral ratios. It suggests that even if GH is within the recommended range, it does not guarantee the correct mineral balance. The speaker advises using remineralizers or RO/DI water to ensure a healthy mineral balance. They also mention plans for future experiments and invite viewers to engage with the content and explore more resources on their website.

Keywords

💡GH

GH, or General Hardness, is a measure of the total concentration of calcium and magnesium ions in water. In the context of the video, GH is crucial for shrimp keeping as it affects the shrimp's ability to molt properly. The video discusses the importance of GH levels in shrimp tanks and challenges the conventional wisdom that having GH within a certain range guarantees healthy molting. The script mentions that despite many hobbyists maintaining GH within recommended ranges, they still face molting issues, indicating that other factors, such as the ratio of minerals, might be more critical.

💡Molting

Molting in the context of the video refers to the process where shrimp shed their exoskeleton to grow. Proper molting is essential for shrimp health, and the video explores how factors like GH and mineral ratios can impact this process. The script highlights that even when GH levels are within the recommended range, shrimp may still experience molting problems, suggesting that other factors need to be considered.

💡Neocaridina

Neocaridina is a genus of freshwater shrimp often kept as pets, particularly in aquariums. The video focuses on the care and health of these shrimp, especially regarding water quality parameters like GH. The script uses the term to discuss the recommended GH ranges for these shrimp and to question the necessity of matching these parameters for successful shrimp keeping.

💡Mineral Ratios

Mineral ratios, specifically the balance of calcium to magnesium, are highlighted in the video as potentially more important than GH levels for shrimp health. The script suggests that having the correct mineral ratios, rather than just the right GH range, is crucial for shrimp to molt successfully. The video emphasizes the importance of using a shrimp-specific remineralizer to achieve these ratios.

💡Salty Shrimp

Salty Shrimp is a brand mentioned in the video that produces a remineralizer designed for shrimp tanks. The script discusses how using such a product can ensure the right balance of minerals, which is more important for shrimp health than just having the right GH levels. The remineralizer from Salty Shrimp is said to maintain a healthy calcium to magnesium ratio, which is beneficial for shrimp molting.

💡White Ring of Death

The White Ring of Death is a condition that affects shrimp, often leading to their demise. It is mentioned in the video as a common problem that shrimp hobbyists face, even when they believe they have the right water parameters, including GH. The script uses this term to illustrate the frustration of hobbyists and to introduce the video's exploration of the true causes of such issues.

💡Reminalizer

A remineralizer is a product added to water to restore or enhance its mineral content. In the context of the video, remineralizers are discussed as a solution to ensure the right mineral ratios in shrimp tanks, which are more critical than just achieving the right GH levels. The script suggests that using a remineralizer can help maintain the necessary calcium and magnesium balance for healthy shrimp molting.

💡RO/DI Water

RO/DI (Reverse Osmosis/Deionization) water is highly purified water that has had most of its mineral content removed. The video suggests using RO/DI water for shrimp tanks and then adding remineralizers to control the exact mineral content. This approach gives hobbyists complete control over the mineral ratios in the tank, which is considered the best option for maintaining optimal conditions for shrimp health.

💡Shrimp Rack

A shrimp rack mentioned in the video is a setup for housing multiple shrimp tanks, which allows for controlled experiments and observations. The script discusses plans to use a shrimp rack for future experiments to test various hypotheses and gather more data on shrimp care, emphasizing the importance of scientific methods in shrimp keeping.

💡Anecdotal Evidence

Anecdotal evidence refers to information or evidence derived from personal accounts or individual instances, which may not be scientifically rigorous. The video script contrasts anecdotal evidence with the scientific approach taken by the video's creator, who aims to test hypotheses and findings through experiments and controlled conditions rather than relying on personal stories or unverified claims.

Highlights

The importance of understanding GH levels in shrimp keeping and its impact on shrimp molting.

The common belief that proper GH range is critical for shrimp health.

The paradox of shrimp molting issues persisting despite ideal GH levels.

The setup of an experiment to test the effects of GH levels on shrimp.

The use of two tanks with extreme GH levels to challenge conventional wisdom.

The experimental conditions mimicking natural environments with varying mineral content.

The surprising finding that shrimp can thrive outside the recommended GH range.

The role of calcium and magnesium ratios in shrimp molting success.

The potential overemphasis on GH levels in favor of mineral ratios in shrimp keeping.

The recommendation to use shrimp-specific remineralizers for optimal mineral balance.

The caution against using crushed coral due to variable calcium to magnesium ratios.

The success of shrimp in high GH environments when mineral ratios are correct.

The limitations of the experiment due to the number of replicates and control over variables.

The practical advice for hobbyists on testing GH levels and adjusting mineral ratios.

The suggestion to use remineralizers or RO/DI water for better control over mineral content.

The future plans for more rigorous experiments and the expansion of shrimp keeping knowledge.

The availability of resources for shrimp enthusiasts to learn more about shrimp care and science.

Transcripts

how useful is measuring GH really that's

what I want to answer in this video and

with the experiment that I've done

behind me before we get into that though

we have to talk about why we are even

testing that I mean GH is a staple

measurement for shrimp keeping it's been

around for a very long time according to

basically every guide on the internet GH

is absolutely critical to shrimp keeping

having your GH in the right range is

incredibly important to ensure that they

Mt properly why is it then that so many

hobbyists still have molting issues even

when their GH is in that range that's

what this video is about today it's all

about understanding more about GH and

why having your GH in the right range

doesn't necessarily mean you aren't

going to have molting problems it's

really frustrating when you are when you

think you have all of your parameters

right everything seems right on the test

and yet you're still having shrimp dying

from the White Ring of Death why the

heck is that that's what this video is

going to explain that's part of what

these tanks behind me are going to do

because one tank is at 30° hardness

right here while the other tank is at 2

to three degrees hardness if you don't

already know these are way outside of

the normal GH ranges for neocaridina

especially what's recommended and so if

our shrimp actually do well in these

conditions what does that mean we're

going to learn more about that by

explaining the simple experiment behind

me if at any point in this video you do

have any questions comments concerns

please leave them in the comment section

below or give us an email we love

interacting with any other hobbyist who

has the same interest as us cuz I mean

why wouldn't we so please don't hesitate

to ask questions start a conversation

that's what this is all about so we can

all learn together I do also really

quickly want to apologize this video

quality and the sound quality is not

quite up to the standard that we'd like

uh but unfortunately this experiment has

to be taken down tomorrow I'm just

recording on my phone and so I really

appreciate your patience here uh we will

be back to regularly scheduled quality

uh in future videos with that let's go

ahead and get into the experiment so I

had two questions that I wanted to try

to test with this experiment one is how

true are the actual like GH ranges that

we see online for neoc Karena yes there

are recommended ranges uh but how do

they do when they are pushed outside of

these ranges the second question I

wanted to answer here was how important

is it to match readers parameters we

often see things online of people saying

like oh I you got to match the

parameters of the breeder that's why

your shrimp aren't doing well in your

tank and I don't know if I believe that

I have had shrimp that I have moved from

quite a few different parameters again

neoc carinaa and they've done well

they've thrived they've been happy and

healthy so again I wanted to test these

two questions about how important GH

range actually is and whether you need

to match breeders parameters I figure I

could do that with a really simple setup

like what we have behind me and so I

decided to test that by using these two

tanks right right here on either side so

one of them is extremely high GH and one

of them is extremely low GH and in order

in order to be like semi-scientific here

at least I filled both of these tanks

with the same amount of water initially

they had the same exact weight of

substrates in this case Eco complete

they also have the exact same Sponge

Filter and then I put exactly 10 shrimp

in each the big difference between these

two tanks is of course the GH level and

so this one is 30 plus GH that's all

from adding salty shrimp GH plus I did

it because that ensures that we have the

right ratios of minerals so we have

healthy calcium to magnesium ratios

along with the potassium and other uh

various micronutrients that are in there

the same thing was done for this tank uh

where I got it to about two to three dgh

the point is that these tanks are well

outside of the GH range that we would

expect to keep neoc caradine in and so I

was really curious to see how they do

obviously here if I saw that all of the

shrimps started dying if I had like two

to three losses uh in a matter of few

days or weeks then I would have just

stopped the experiment would have been a

good indicator that these conditions are

not good for them they're not healthy

the way this tests the second question

of how closely do you need to match the

Breeders parameters is because these

shrimp were originally kept in this

middle tank here and that middle tank

was at about 7 to8 degrees hardness uh

about 2 to 3 KH uh it was just a very

neutral standard tank Eco complete has

some algae in it again doesn't look the

healthiest but it it works the shrimp

are breeding perfectly happy and healthy

so then I moov 10 shrimp from this

middle tank to here so they went from 7°

hardness to 30° hardness and then

another group of 10 went into this tank

and so they went from 7° hardness to two

degrees hardness and you would expect

that if you did need to match breeders

parameters that these would be enormous

jumps that the shrimp Simply couldn't

handle now the shrimp have been in there

for about three months at this point at

that hardness level and they're doing

well they have bread the babies are also

surviving so I wanted to keep them in

long enough to actually verify that the

babies would be able to mol and thrive

in the tanks and they're doing that

so what does this tell us can we infer

from what we're seeing in these tanks

obviously a good scientific experiment

would have like three to 20 replicates

of each of these tanks going and to be

really closely monitoring the shrimp I

mean it's not perfectly controlled so

that's a bit of an issue but these

parameters are so far outside of the

like healthy range of neocaridina that

you would have expected something to

happen if something was going to happen

I mean there's not much that you could

do for an environment if it just doesn't

provide the right minerals so they're

not getting any extra really nutrients

from anywhere they were barely fed at

all frankly because there's so much

algae in this tank that I knew they'd be

just fine what these results seem to

suggest is that GH matters a lot less

than we think it does at least the way

that we measure it matters a lot less

than having the right ratio of minerals

it's we have the right ratio of calcium

magnesium uh which is best achieved by

using a shrimp specific REM mineralizer

like salty shrimp Brands then that is

what's most important the the shrimp

need to have the right ratio of calcium

and magnesium to have the right

flexibility in their shell to mol if I

were instead to have put crushed Coral

in this tank to bring it up to 30 GH

then we might have had different success

levels because Crush Coral varies in how

much calcium to magnesium it has

depending on the time period that it was

formed in some parts of our history our

ocean was much more magnesium heavy and

in other parts it was more calcium heavy

and so the ratios can vary significantly

for Crush Coral that's part of the

reason why we would not recommend Crush

Coral actually for molting problems we

just don't know what's being added to

the tank and whether it may actually

make the problem worse if for example

you already had an excess of calcium in

your tank and now you're adding crushed

Coral that also is only calcium again

that ratio of calcium magnesium is

incredibly important if you saw our

in-depth video on GH what we found was

that salty shrimp at least tends to keep

their calcium magnesium ratio at about 2

to one another common remineralizer

we've seen that isn't shrimp specific

but hobbyist have used and had success

with is CM equilibrium if I remember

correctly is about

3.5 to four parts calcium to one part

magnesium and so that suggests that that

range is reasonably healthy there are

potentially some other micronutrients

that need to be thrown in in the right

ratios as well like potassium manganese

or iron but the calcium and magnesium

ratio is likely the most important for

proper shell formation at least if you

haven't already seen the in-depth GH

video i' highly recommend going to check

that out after this as it explains the

calcium to magnesium ratio more and how

it actually affect shell formation how

we can actually go about measuring the

calcium to magnesium ratio in our tank

and then adjusting it let's discuss a

couple of issues with this experiment

again one of them is just being the

number of replicates that we had the

fact that there's only one replicate of

each experimental group would be an

issue in most experiments and it

certainly would have been an issue if we

had seen shrimp dying because if shrimp

started dying we wouldn't necessarily

know okay is it because the tank isn't

set up properly it just didn't have the

right microbiome is uh like is this

getting more heat like variation than

the other if there had been a bunch of

shrimp that started dying we we

definitely couldn't have proven that it

was conclusively caused by the hardness

in the tank the fact that my last count

of this tank only had nine shrimp means

I could have missed one and I'm going to

pull out the shrimp later to check and

verify that the fact that they all

survived means that these are survivable

condition they completed their life

cycle and there are now quite a few

babies in these tanks we can prove that

they can survive these conditions and so

just one tank of each is enough to prove

that some takeaways for the average

hobbyist then become the fact that

testing for GH in Say tap water is

useful it can provide some information

of how many minerals are in there but

even if the GH is in the right range

it's not necessarily going to guarantee

that you have the right ratio of

minerals and and that's that's part of

where things can frustrate hobbyists

because they just maybe they see molten

problems ah but I have the right GH why

can't I why doesn't this work I I get it

I get it that's very frustrating

this is part of why that's happening the

ratios of minerals in your tap water

they're affected by all of the geology

around where your groundwater is or well

well water wherever your water is coming

from the mineral ratio is being affected

by all of the Rocks the water is coming

in contact with and then that's

providing a different calcium or

magnesium ratio the GH test won't work

for testing this really it'll give you

an idea of if it's in the right range

and you can try shrimp in it and if you

have molting problems then it's time to

go and get a calcium test from there

with a calcium test you can go ahead and

calculate the calcium and magnesium

ratio using the calculator on our

website and then our website also

provides information on how to dose

calcium or magnesium in your tank to get

it into more healthy ranges so we've

tried to do most of the math for you and

make this as easy as possible if you do

want to use tap water the other option

instead of buying the test kit measuring

then buying the C or magnesium

supplements is to add remineralizer so

even if your GH is relatively high you

can add a remineralizer we've seen that

shrimp can do well in a high GH

environment without issues if the

mineral ratio is correct and so adding a

remineralizer is guaranteeing that

you're going to push the balance closer

to that healthy range even if you had

like all calcium this is going to still

add calcium but it'll also add magnesium

it maybe wouldn't be as good as like

taking the time to measure the calcium

find the ratio and then order the right

supplementation but it's a quick and

easy way to definitely improve the

mineral ratios in your tank the best

option though is of course to use a re

mineralizer with Rodi water for those

who aren't familiar Rodi water is just

very purified water so it has all of the

minerals nutrients stripped from it and

then we just simply add them back in so

we add exactly the right ratio of

minerals at exactly the quantity that we

want in our tanks and so it gives us

complete control over that it is a bit

cost prohibitive for some people uh or

time intensive to say buy an Rodi system

or get Rodi water and lug it back from

the fish store or from your grocery

store but that may be the best option if

you want to keep shrimp so hopefully you

found this useful helpful again I know

it's not perfect it's not like

incredibly scientific this was just a

quick setup that I wanted to try and see

if it worked after that all these tanks

are going to be moved and replaced with

a shrimp rack here on the wall it's

going to be holding quite a few more

tanks for experiments in the future

because I have a lot of ideas a lot of

things I want to test here and I just

need to have the time and resources to

do it hopefully you've learned something

new today by watching this video

shrimply explained is all about actually

testing hypothesis or looking for

research to back up statements as

opposed to just providing anecdotal

evidence so that's our goal here we are

with the shrimp rack I am going to be

trying to set up more actual experiments

with replicates and do some

semi-professional testing but that is

going to take time and resources so

we'll see how that goes if you do have

any questions comments feedback please

leave those in the comment section below

I try to respond to every single one of

them uh if you want to send me an email

you're also more than welcome to at

contact shrimply exp.com for more useful

guides scientific based resour you can

check out shrimp explain on YouTube or

visit shrimp explain. comom where we

have a whole like shrimp Basics course

on the website we also have a PDF

available explaining how to set up a

really low maintenance neocaridina tank

and just care for them uh it also just

provides all the basic information you

need to get started with your shrimp

tank and get it set up I think you'll

find that shrimp are just fascinating

and you maybe want to try to learn more

about them whether that's for breeding

purposes or just like you enjoy science

and if so that's where the rest of the

shrimply explained resources just come

in thank you so much for watching and

happy shrimping