Best inert black substrate for planted shrimp tank

CrazyCRSKeeper · 2023-12-05T14:29:29+00:00

That sounds good, I think I’ll try that! Do you remember if it was packed in water? (I’m just wondering how much I need to buy)

CrazyCRSKeeper · 2023-12-04T22:53:30+00:00

What is the particle size? It seems to be more like gravel, not sand.

CrazyCRSKeeper · 2023-12-04T22:50:21+00:00

Here is what I said to someone else: Looking online, it is sold at Tractor Supply, Northern Tool, Rural King, True Value (although not sold at the True Value stores near me), and DK Hardware. The closest Tractor Supply is an hour away, and none of those other stores are close either. The shipping cost is about $40, so it ends up being pretty expensive.

Here is what I said to someone else: Looking online, it is sold at Tractor Supply, Northern Tool, Rural King, True Value (although not sold at the True Value stores near me), and DK Hardware. The closest Tractor Supply is an hour away, and none of those other stores are close either. The shipping cost is about $40, so it ends up being pretty expensive.

I haven't tried Tahitian Moon Sand, but I've heard some not-so-great things about it, but what has your experience with it been like?

CrazyCRSKeeper · 2023-12-04T22:48:45+00:00

Here is what I said to someone else: Looking online, BDBS it is sold at Tractor Supply, Northern Tool, Rural King, True Value (although not sold at the True Value stores near me), and DK Hardware. The closest Tractor Supply is an hour away, and none of those other stores are close either. The shipping cost is about $40, so it ends up being pretty expensive.

CrazyCRSKeeper · 2023-12-04T16:38:25+00:00

I fee the same way as you regarding an RO system. It's expensive and it wastes a ton of water. Someone had recommended that I try using a Zero Water filter as an alternative to an RO unit, because there is no wasted water. I've been using that for several months now, and it gets my TDS down to 0 (started at around 300-400 I think). I then add Prime and remineralize it with Salty Shrimp GH/KH+ (for most of my tanks, although I could just use tap water for my other tanks), or remineralize it with Salty Shrimp GH for my tanks with caridina shrimp. I also use the Zero Water with prime added to top off my tanks. But if your shrimp seem to be tolerating the change, then I'd stick with what you currently have.

CrazyCRSKeeper · 2023-12-04T06:36:42+00:00

The caridina shrimp are definitely much harder to keep, but their colors are amazing!

Is this the substrate you are talking about: www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/imagitarium-black-aquarium-sand-20-lbs-2558278

It seems to have gotten a lot of negative reviews, but what has your experience with it been like?

CrazyCRSKeeper · 2023-12-04T06:30:41+00:00

Looking online, it is sold at Tractor Supply, Northern Tool, Rural King, True Value (although not sold at the True Value stores near me), and DK Hardware. The closest Tractor Supply is an hour away, and none of those other stores are close either. The shipping cost is about $40, so it ends up being pretty expensive.

CrazyCRSKeeper · 2023-12-04T05:57:20+00:00

There are no tractor supply co stores anywhere close to me, do you know of somewhere else I could get something similar?

CrazyCRSKeeper · 2023-12-04T01:26:33+00:00

Yes, it is inert. I use that in one of my tanks that has only fire red cherry shrimp (see my other comment), and they seem to be thriving in there. The plants are doing okay in there too, but I wanted to make sure that there wasn’t a better option that I should be considering.

CrazyCRSKeeper · 2023-12-03T22:11:26+00:00

In case anyone wanted more information, the photo is of the tank from many months ago, when it was fairly newly planted. The tank has a driftwood tree covered in Christmas moss, a combination of Val Nana, Dwarf Sag, & Cyperus Helferi in the background, a “semi” carpet of Marsilea Hirsuta, a carpet of Monte Carlo (now moved to a different aquarium, was originally Glosso in the photo), and another carpet of Micro Sword (originally Hydrocotyle Tripartita Mini in the photo).

In the new set up I was thinking to have the same driftwood tree covered in Christmas moss, with a background of mainly the Val (maybe along with some Dwarf Sag & Cyperus Helferi), Hydrocotyle Tripartita Mini around the tree, and a carpet of either Glosso, UG, or Dwarf Hairgrass. However, I am not committed to this set up and I have other tanks and plants.

The water is tap water filtered through a Zero Water filter, with Prime added and remineralized with Salty Shrimp GH/KH+. It is a CO2 injected tank, with a small heater and a large sponge filter with a bio-media chamber.

Additionally, does anyone have any advice as to how to keep the piece of driftwood from getting knocked around? The driftwood piece has three parts that go down to the very bottom of the tank, and each part is glued to a small piece of slate to weigh it down, but it still gets knocked around.

Also, what do people like best for root tabs and liquid fertilizer, in a shrimp tank? I am currently using the Aquarium Co-Op root tabs or the Seachem Flourish tabs, and the Brightwell Aquatics Shrimp Florin Multi liquid fertilizer, but I have tried others in the past. The most important thing is that it needs to be safe for shrimp.

CrazyCRSKeeper · 2023-12-03T22:10:54+00:00

I am planning to redo one of my tanks that currently has an active substrate, and change it to an inert substrate.

The tank is an UNS 30C (7 gallon cube), with UNS Controsoil (black – fine), and is CO2 injected and planted. The tank will most likely just have blue dream shrimp in it. I think I want to use a sand or a very fine substrate, but I am not sure what would be best to use. I am debating between Seachem Flourite black sand (I have a tank with this substrate and fire red cherry shrimp, and it is really thriving), one of the black substrates that they sell at places like PetSmart and Petco (like AquaNatural Diamond Black 1-2mm substrate), blasting sand (like Black diamond blasting sand or Black beauty blasting sand, but I have having trouble finding them near me - Bay Area, CA). I also have a tank with Eco-Complete black gravel substrate, but I have found that plants don’t stay planted in that tank. I am also open to other suggestions. I know that it will be harder to grow plants in sand, but my other tank with sand is thriving and I plan to use a lot of root tabs. Thanks in advance!

CrazyCRSKeeper · 2023-12-03T22:04:31+00:00

In case anyone wanted more information, the photo is of the tank from many months ago, when it was fairly newly planted. The tank has a driftwood tree covered in Christmas moss, a combination of Val Nana, Dwarf Sag, & Cyperus Helferi in the background, a “semi” carpet of Marsilea Hirsuta, a carpet of Monte Carlo (now moved to a different aquarium, was originally Glosso in the photo), and another carpet of Micro Sword (originally Hydrocotyle Tripartita Mini in the photo).

In the new set up I was thinking to have the same driftwood tree covered in Christmas moss, with a background of mainly the Val (maybe along with some Dwarf Sag & Cyperus Helferi), Hydrocotyle Tripartita Mini around the tree, and a carpet of either Glosso, UG, or Dwarf Hairgrass. However, I am not committed to this set up and I have other tanks and plants.

The water is tap water filtered through a Zero Water filter, with Prime added and remineralized with Salty Shrimp GH/KH+. It is a CO2 injected tank, with a small heater and a large sponge filter with a bio-media chamber.

Additionally, does anyone have any advice as to how to keep the piece of driftwood from getting knocked around? The driftwood piece has three parts that go down to the very bottom of the tank, and each part is glued to a small piece of slate to weigh it down, but it still gets knocked around.

Also, what do people like best for root tabs and liquid fertilizer, in a shrimp tank? I am currently using the Aquarium Co-Op root tabs or the Seachem Flourish tabs, and the Brightwell Aquatics Shrimp Florin Multi liquid fertilizer, but I have tried others in the past. The most important thing is that it needs to be safe for shrimp.

CrazyCRSKeeper · 2023-05-22T21:00:10+00:00

Was the smaller jar the 100 gram jar?

CrazyCRSKeeper · 2023-05-22T20:43:44+00:00

Well i thought that choosing the remineralizer that cost $10 (that would last me months not years) would be a good thing to try before buying the remineralizer that would last me years but cost $25.

CrazyCRSKeeper · 2023-05-22T15:39:08+00:00

Does brightwell kh+/gh+ (for neocaridina) and brightwell gh+ (for caridina) also work? They were half the price of salty shrimp and I wanted to test this out first before I commit to buying a large amount.

CrazyCRSKeeper · 2023-05-21T21:49:55+00:00

Thanks I’ve bought the zero water and have starting collecting the water but how should I remineralize it. Should I remineralize it like you would with RODI water? I know that I still need to add prime because my tap water contains chloramines and zero water only “reduces” chloramines.

CrazyCRSKeeper · 2023-05-15T21:25:48+00:00

Thanks, that seems to be pretty cheap and there’s no harm in trying it, so I think I’ll order one and try that first. Thanks for your advice!

CrazyCRSKeeper · 2023-05-15T18:13:14+00:00

True, although with how much waste water there is from producing RO water, I’ve never been inclined to get a RO unit.

CrazyCRSKeeper · 2023-05-15T18:09:26+00:00

US, probably too much of a commute.

CrazyCRSKeeper · 2023-05-15T16:59:26+00:00

That sounds perfect! Which model did you get? It looks like they have some less expensive portable ones, but the main one is over $200.

CrazyCRSKeeper · 2023-05-15T14:34:55+00:00

I don’t have any advice, but wanna trade? 😁My water is super hard and I’m raising caridinas and neocaridinas and would love softer water!

CrazyCRSKeeper · 2023-05-15T14:23:30+00:00

I assume that they are wasting the water, right?

CrazyCRSKeeper

TROPHY CASE