Neocaridina tap to RO switch

[Bmoli]

I have a 5.5 gallon tank that started with tap water and I am now switching to RO water. I want to add salty shrimps shrimp mineralizer GH/KH+ to my RO water but don’t know exactly when I should. I have already done two water changes with RO without adding minerals since my tap has stable gh/kh levels. I first replaced 15% then 20% a week apart. My current GH is 11 and KH is 1 and Ph is 6.8. I don’t want the mineralizer to spike my GH up since it’s already high. What should I do? When should I begin adding the mineralized to my RO? Thank you any suggestions.

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

Why switch to RO? Why not keep things consistent by continuing to use tap water?  I use tap water, and my colony is absolutely thriving.

[Rube_Goldfish]

On 11/11/2023 at 5:10 PM, Bmoli said:

I have a 5.5 gallon tank that started with tap water and I am now switching to RO water. I want to add salty shrimps shrimp mineralizer GH/KH+ to my RO water but don’t know exactly when I should. I have already done two water changes with RO without adding minerals since my tap has stable gh/kh levels. I first replaced 15% then 20% a week apart. My current GH is 11 and KH is 1 and Ph is 6.8. I don’t want the mineralizer to spike my GH up since it’s already high. What should I do? When should I begin adding the mineralized to my RO? Thank you any suggestions.

I have the same reaction as @Chick-In-Of-TheSea; if it ain't broke, don't fix it. That said, and I've never kept Neocaridina before, so grain of salt here, but what if you caught them all out, do as close to a 100% change as you can, then re-drip acclimate them as if you were getting them home for the first time? Otherwise, I guess just make small changes slowly, testing every time?

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 11/12/2023 at 10:47 AM, Rube_Goldfish said:

I have the same reaction as @Chick-In-Of-TheSea; if it ain't broke, don't fix it. That said, and I've never kept Neocaridina before, so grain of salt here, but what if you caught them all out, do as close to a 100% change as you can, then re-drip acclimate them as if you were getting them home for the first time? Otherwise, I guess just make small changes slowly, testing every time?

I had to switch to drip water changes because doing bucket water changes, even small 10% ones, I would lose shrimp. Shrimp don’t do well with change. Consistency is best, in my experience.

[Rube_Goldfish]

On 11/12/2023 at 11:21 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

I had to switch to drip water changes because doing bucket water changes, even small 10% ones, I would lose shrimp. Shrimp don’t do well with change. Consistency is best, in my experience.

Thank you. I tried to explicitly highlight my ignorance but still wanted to add what might be a helpful suggestion, but it seems like we're back to: why change what's working?

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 11/12/2023 at 2:41 PM, Rube_Goldfish said:

Thank you. I tried to explicitly highlight my ignorance but still wanted to add what might be a helpful suggestion, but it seems like we're back to: why change what's working?

The OP hasn’t stated the reason for the change to RO yet; let’s see if they indicate whether the change is to troubleshoot some sort of issue, or a different reason.