# Crystal black shrimp?



## ShrimpKeeper (28 Dec 2013)

I want to set up a crystal black shrimp S or SS Grade tank was wondering if anyone can suggest some substrates that would be good for the shrimp, tank isn't going to be really planted excepted for some moss I.e java, Xmas, I would also like to know if anyone can suggest any good websites or breeders living around swansea


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## Michael W (28 Dec 2013)

I have used EBI Gold Shrimp substrate for CRS that I have kept in the past. I got them from one of our forum Sponsors Freshwatershrimp, if you go to the forum sponsor section near the bottom of the forum, you will find them and it provides a link in their own section in the to their website. 

The substrate should provide a nice range of parameters for the aquarium, depending on your own tapwater the substrate should last a year or more if its closer to the range in which the substrate creates. After a year or so you may want to replace the substrate. Do keep an eye on the parameters after a year if you don't normally, if the substrate crashes you may find yourself losing some shrimps due to the change in parameters.


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## ShrimpKeeper (28 Dec 2013)

Awh thank you for the advice I'll be looking into getting some of that substrate for my set up what depth did you have yours? How many bags will I need for a 18inch length and a 12 inch wide tank? what grade crs were you keeping?, I'll most probably be using ro water from LFS what minerals will need to be added? Sorry for all the questions just wanna get it right  thanks


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## Michael W (29 Dec 2013)

I had about 2 inch of substrate, I can't give you a rough answer for how many bags you need unfortunately but I got the smallest bag from our sponsor and I only used half the bag for my 30L aquarium. I kept A and S grades from freshwatershrimp also. Here is the minerals, the mixture depends on your water Salty Shrimp - Aquarium shrimps plants aquascaping London Keep the questions coming if you don't understand, we are all happy to help you.


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## basil (29 Dec 2013)

A decent active substrate will certainly buffer your water to the desired ph level of below 7 and ideal of 6-6.5 for cbs. I'd also strongly advise you do go down the route of RO as this will allow you much more control over what you are adding back into your tank. 

Sounds like your tank is around 50l, and if I were you maybe use x2 5l bags of whichever substrate you choose. I'm using Ebi gold at present and it's been very good, but there are other brands available such as shirakuru, HELP etc which will all do a similar job. The deeper substrate depth will help to improve buffering and should hold your water at the desired level. It's expensive stuff though at £20 a bag, but I'd really encourage you not to spoil the ship for tar at setup stage as you should reap the rewards once shrimp are settled. A much cheaper alternative is akadama bonsai soil, which will also buffer to a similar or even lower ph. Trouble is it looks a bit like baby poo! Personally I like the darker active substrates as they show off the shrimp and plants better IMO.

Oh, and the salty shrimp gh+ will enable you to adjust up your RO to the desired level at water change time. A TDS pen is a really useful tool for this....you can pick a reasonable one up for about £12 off eBay.


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## kirk (29 Dec 2013)

Baby poo? 


 

Nothing that came out of our too was that solid


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## basil (29 Dec 2013)

kirk said:


> Baby poo?
> 
> 
> 
> Nothing that came out of our too was that solid



Same colour though!


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## ShrimpKeeper (30 Dec 2013)

Thank you all for the advice! if I was to use akadama could I find it at any plant store? And could someone please put a link to a picture so I know what I'm looking for please?  (Knowing my luck I'd pick up the wrong stuff), has anyone used fluval shrimp stratum? There's mixed views about it online only thing I've really seen at LFS


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## basil (30 Dec 2013)

This article on setting up a shrimp tanks is excellent and if you follow this step by step, you won't go wrong:-

Setting up a Shrimp Tank | Shrimp Keeping

The same site also has a summary of the most popular soils along with a breif review. It's an impartial site, so nobody is trying to sell or push any particular brand either. Well worth a read:-

Substrate | Shrimp Keeping


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## ShrimpKeeper (30 Dec 2013)

Thanks for the links just had a quick look, good information I may follow the tank set up on as well!, you know the benibachi bee max and the montmorillonite powder how much do I need for a 30l and is there any uk sites that sell it?  thanks


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## basil (30 Dec 2013)

You'd probably use half a pack of the bee max at setup stage and a couple of teaspoons of mont. Powder.

Hobbyshrimp certainly stock the beemax and I think they also do the mont. Powder. If you are struggling to find montmoronillite powder it's deffo on eBay.

Well worth paying attention to the setup and making sure that the tank is rich in biofilm prior to adding your shrimp. It pays dividends later


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## Graham01 (5 Jan 2014)

Hobby shrimp are sold out of beemax an alternative product you can use is Borneowild bebi which works in the same way which can be found at Taiwan bee shrimp
They have a special offer on as well at the moment for borneowild shrimp soil a 20% off introductory offer I have 2 tanks set up with it & I am getting really good results with it
I have some tanks set up with akadama as well & find it breaks down easily & have far less breeding activity in those tanks compared to the BW soil
As well as montmoronillite  powder its worth dosing the mid layer of substrate with a bacteria additive as well helps to replenish lost bacteria in water changes which is very important in low ph tanks


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## Dane (18 Jun 2014)

Graham01 said:


> Hobby shrimp are sold out of beemax an alternative product you can use is Borneowild bebi which works in the same way which can be found at Taiwan bee shrimp
> They have a special offer on as well at the moment for borneowild shrimp soil a 20% off introductory offer I have 2 tanks set up with it & I am getting really good results with it
> I have some tanks set up with akadama as well & find it breaks down easily & have far less breeding activity in those tanks compared to the BW soil
> As well as montmoronillite  powder its worth dosing the mid layer of substrate with a bacteria additive as well helps to replenish lost bacteria in water changes which is very important in low ph tanks



Do NOT use Borneowild Bebi under the substrate! It is more of a food than a active bacteria and will cause problems, it would be like pouring a pack of fish food on the base of your aquarium and sealing it with substrate.

If you can't get BeeMax you'd be better off putting no bacterial based product under the substrate and instead adding a couple pinches of Bacter AE directly into the tank water.


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## Piece-of-fish (19 Jun 2014)

Wow, a recommendation to put a food under the substrate. Nicely done Graham.


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