Neocaridina Shrimp Tank Substrate

[Alec]

I'm having a hard time finding a good answer online. What is best substrate for a planted shrimp tank? Is fluval stratum good? Or any other suggestions?

 

[Alec]

I was also thinking about eco complete. 

[Andy's Fish Den]

For neos, I prefer pool filter sand or black diamond sand, depending on what colors the neos are. Black for reds, yellow, orange and the white or lighter for for blues, blacks, and reds as well. 

[Hobbit]

Lots of substrates could work! Fluval stratum and (I think?) eco complete will keep your pH artificially lower by binding up carbonate (buffer). Some people find that helpful for shrimp but it’s not a requirement for neos. You can also put some stratum in a pot and have a different substrate on the tank floor if you want something that’s a lighter color, but still want some of the pH lowering effects.

[Guppysnail]

I specifically do NOT like fluval stratum for shrimp.  I tried it and it would lower my ph to far below what my tap was and my shrimp struggled water changes even smaller ones were certain death for some. Now I have them in 5/7 heavy plant tanks that are either bare bottom or cheap gravel and they thrive, a bit too well 😝 I now can do large frequent water changes with no I’ll affect on my shrimp because my ph stays close to my tap. They also did well on eco complete but I detested eco complete for just sooooo many other reasons I removed it from both tanks I had it in. 

Edited December 24, 2021 by Guppysnail

[Alec]

Why did you not like the eco complete? Did is affect the shrimp in anyway? I want to ensure they aren't harmed and will reproduce well. 

On 12/24/2021 at 1:05 PM, Guppysnail said:

 They also did well on eco complete but I detested eco complete for just sooooo many other reasons I removed it from both tanks I had it in. 

 

[Guppysnail]

I’m a vacuum-er and could not it’s too fine particles as half. It has iron so mag floats picked it up and scratched the glass. It is light so did not hold the plants secure and every time it was disturbed the the particles floated and bunked my filter. It just absorbed nitrates until it was full then released continuously so my nitrates were alarming constantly. My lemon BN pleco would not forage on it. Shrimp did fine with it though. Once your shrimp have babies they adapt to your water. The adults seldom thrive long it’s the babies they have that you want. My shrimp are now my “duckweed” tiny terrorists. I give them away in droves and used to sell to an lfs but they lost their fish manager. I also keep them with Pygmy cory panda Cory celestial pearl danios and guppies now as an endless live food source they are so overly prolific. 

[CalmedByFish]

I often watch the YT videos from a professional shrimp breeder, who swears by pool filter sand. 

[FlyingFishKeeper]

Hi, at least in my experience (not sure it'll work for everyone) but I've had luck with organic potting soil capped with Fluval Stratum/aquasoil (I recently redid the tank, and ran out of Stratum, so I used Brightwell soil) in a tank that rarely gets water changes (from what I can remember I've done 2 since I initially set it up in January of this year), so deaths after adding new water don't seem to be too much of an issue (I top off with regular tap water). So far the shrimp have been doing well with some die off when I initially got them, however I don't think I've seen a dead shrimp since. They seem to be breeding well too. 

 

Note: I do also have some crushed coral towards the side of the tank which probably helps, as well as a recently added path made out of sand

Edited December 24, 2021 by FlyingFishKeeper