No water changes ever. Why am I not having any problems?

[TEL]

If you want to raise the ph you can buy ph up witch is just sodium bicarbonate. Ad a little at a time to get it to where you want it.

 

[gingerinaustin]

The PH is very low though, which I am attributing to a combination of depleted buffering agents and my CO2 injector.

Water changes would replete those buffering agents.

1) Why are there no apparent problems?

Because test kits can't possibly test for everything.

2) Is the low PH a problem?

Does your source water have a naturally low pH, or has your pH been dropping ever since you set up the tank? Unstable pH is always a problem.

3) Are there any resources available that discuss this methodology or am I the only one doing this with "successful results".

Walstead et al--do read up on this.

why is my method, which seems to be the opposite of all best practices, working?

Your method has worked for 2 years give or take a black neon tetra. As with mutual funds, past performance is no guarantee of future returns.

 

[barthur33]

Barthur33, could you sell the shrimp? I have a tiny version of the same problem, but with scud and snails in an acrylic container. They're having fun (though some scud seem to fight each other) and the algae covered bits of plants I've dropped in with them are clean, but I don't have enough to somehow suction up and put in with my tetras who I'm only assuming would eat the (i.e., tetras eat scud... though the tetras aren't bothering the ghost shrimp...). But if the scud survive in a regular aquarium... at least I know that hair algae wouldn't.

So I'd say, ask your local fish or pet store if they want some of those shrimp.

My closest fish store is a Petsmart about 30 miles away, and I'm not sure if they usually buy off people(store credit actually) or not. I am making a trip there next week anyway, so I'm gonna HAVE to ask. Lordy, by next week, with all the pregnant ones I've got, I'll have over 400 probably! LOL!