# Shrimp safe fertilizer



## bogwood

Ive never been happy using any fertilisers in my CRS tanks.
Has anyone found a "off the shelf" fert that has no copper in,and is shrimp safe.

Like most i have mystery deaths, and can never say with total accuracy, what the cause was.
But for me, i will not knowingly add any product with copper in.

Thanks.


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## Alastair

I don't think any off the shelf ferts are total copper free as its in the trace elements anyway I believe. They shouldn't in anyway harm your shrimp as its not in enough quantities I'd have thought. 
Plenty of people I know dose ferts both off the shelf and via the ei method with no effect on them. I occasionally add both macro and trace to my puddle and it seems to have no effect on my crs :-/ 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## viktorlantos

This is always an interesting issue with shrimp keepers and plants guys. Shrimp guys wants no fert and keep Nitrate zero etc as CRS is too sensitive....
Meanwhile as i see plant guys just throw in these beauties to a planted tank with soft water and co2, makes larger water changes, using EI and other ferts and shrimps just feels good. They breed.

I've seen that adding in fertilizer to a super simple shrimp tank with bottom filter or air etc the shrimps become more sensitive there.
I never seen this sensitive reaction in a planted tank where a good filtration is in place. pH is low just in the right range and TDS is optimal. (At summer water temp is lower below 25C)

I do use EI with 20mg/l Nitrate level in some of our tank where these CRS exist. But use ADA one for our Taiwan tanks where Nitrate is much lower because of that.
So keeping the other parameters stable you have more space to use other ferts.


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## plantbrain

Cooler temps help, shrimp need copper, so do we, but dose makes the poison, not 100% elimination.
The % copper in virtually every brand or DIY mix I know about is about 100X less than even a close lethal dose.

This fear is a myth and is false and unfounded speculation. I've bred high grade CRS using CSM+B(standard DIY trace mix) are rather rich dosing without any issues for years.

CO2, Easy carb,Excel are far more lethal to shrimp overall, higher temps, TDS changes etc.


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## Aquadream

plantbrain said:


> Cooler temps help, shrimp need copper, so do we, but dose makes the poison, not 100% elimination.
> The % copper in virtually every brand or DIY mix I know about is about 100X less than even a close lethal dose.
> 
> This fear is a myth and is false and unfounded speculation. I've bred high grade CRS using CSM+B(standard DIY trace mix) are rather rich dosing without any issues for years.
> 
> CO2, Easy carb,Excel are far more lethal to shrimp overall, higher temps, TDS changes etc.


 Even with Easy Carbo in my big planted tank CRS have been breeding like a plague. No problems at all. And to add insult to injury I never gave them any food in that tank. They fed them selves with bio film, algae and what ever left overs they could fine and still in four months time they multiply from 245 to over 600.


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## bogwood

Thanks for your thoughts.
Encouraging to hear the success you have had with shrimps, despite using it.


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## plantbrain

Some folks over dose the Excel for algae control, that leads to deaths and other issues, or a brand new tank, inexperienced aquarist, they buy poor stock or lose 1-2 shrimp etc.
Same is true for CO2.

I cannot think of any case where I was able to kill any shrimp with ferts of any type.

I tried to do this to get rid of the lower grades that got into the filter and in the plant beds without having to do a 100% tank tear down. So something that would kill 100% shrimp, but not kill the plants or harm them.
I've never found anything that does that yet. API's algaefix is the closest thing. I think many use CO2/Excel/Easy carb and they do still breed, but if you do not use those things, they Breed a lot better/more brood production.  I've not seen that issue with ferts.
My non CO2 tank does much better as breeding tank.


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## bogwood

Very true.
When i started taking plants seriously, and was introduced to CO2. Ferts easycarbo etc.. What a learning curve.
Things did go wrong, and yes problems with CRS .
I now have a better understanding, and realise its generally not the Product, but the user dosing incorrectly.

I want to use Ferts for the benefit of my plants, so here goes.
Thanks


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## Nathaniel Whiteside

Dont use Easycarbo with CRS if you can help it. They'll be laid on their backs unless your very careful.


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## bogwood

No need at present. In fact gave it all to my son, who actually seems to get away with using it sensibly.
Im not running CO2 at present, just keeping low tec. So be sticking with weekly dose of tropica premium.


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## viktorlantos

CO2 is a good addition to CRS so i would not add that to the picture. Breed quicker without that? Look at the largest Indonesian CRS breeder they breed 10000 shrimp per week in CO2 mixed 5000L tanks. So its a wrong way.

Carbo yes its work with that but i would not add too.


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## andyh

Hello

I use Tropica ferts, easycarbo (when needed) CO2 on solenoid and ahve nice healthy CRS and other shrimp. 

The main thing with shrimps is stability and good mature tanks!

Andyh


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## Matnez

I use Dennerle plant elixir and it works a treat, highly recommended..


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## jack-rythm

Whitey89 said:


> Dont use Easycarbo with CRS if you can help it. They'll be laid on their backs unless your very careful.


i have experience of this, and lost all 20 shrimp in about 3-4 days


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## Mortis

Ive not had any problems with Excel and shrimp. Even with 2x dose my RCS, Yellow, Tiger, CRS (A grade) and Amanos have been fine


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## Ravenswing

So could it be possible that lack of oxygen when using EC causes the deaths of shrimps, not EC itself? I dose half dosages to my shrimp tanks but as they are pretty new set ups, just thinking to raise the dosing up to instuction dose with time.


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## frothhelmet

I use Tropica +NPK and without NPK and often overdose and have no problems with my shrimp (Caridina Simoni Simoni) or various snails.


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## bogwood

Been using Tropica for six weeks now,and dare i say it, all is great.
The various moss are growing a treat, and the TDS is steady at around 130.
The CRS are very active, and being given a small amount of food every couple of days.
Been today and had my CO2 bottle filled, not sure yet whether or not to introduce it. Shame to disturb the balance at present.


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## george dicker

how important is ph, gh and kh am using 70 percent ro 30 tap, thinking about breeding crs


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