plant fertilizer in a newly set shimp tank

Uljana · Post by **Uljana** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 6:18 am

Dear all,
I am relatively new to shrimp-keeping. I have one 35 L (9.24 gallon) tank with White Pearls that are reproducing. Now the population is approx. 40 shrimps in that tank. I also have Red Cherry Shrimps, Bumblebees, Amanos in other tanks. Only Amanos are kept in community tank, all the rest separately from fish.

I am setting up a new tank, which will be aquascaped mostly by eleocharis and Java moss and may be some other plant.
As the first layer in the aqua JBL AquaBasis plus has been already put in this aquarium. The next layer is black gravel. As it is written on JBL AquaBasis plus pack, it contains the full range of vital nutrients as well as iron and trace elements ( Cu, Zn, …). So my question is about Cu – will it harm the shrimps? Or its consistence is so tiny and it won’t harm? Does anyone have experience with this plant fertilizer?
Thanks in advance!
Uljana

Kenshin · Post by **Kenshin** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 5:37 pm

Couple of advices:
1) Please do a "Search" in this forum in regards to plant fertlizers and you will find a lot of information for you not to post this question.
2) From personal and other people's experiences here, plant fertlizers are lethal for all types of shrimps or any type of invertebrates in general because of Cu+ and other things.

Uljana · Post by **Uljana** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 4:51 am

Thanks, i did a search. But my question was more abt someone's possible experience exactly with JBL fertilizers.
And of cause I have read the forum, I and continue doing that

My experience with this fertilizer is following:
In one 'old' tank I have this fertilizer ( containing Cu and other trace elements), first inhabinats of this tank were fish. There're many plants. In a year i put there White Pearls, removing the fish. Shimps feel happy and reproduce. Probaly copper was 'eaten' by plants.

I wonder, may be some one has experience with this fertiliser in a newly set up tank where shipms were put in shortly after tank has cycled.

badflash · Post by **badflash** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 4:13 pm

My experience is that if you use ferts, at first allif fine. As time goes on the shrimp stop producing eggs, then they start dying.

If you want shrimp, get plants that don't need ferts. There are plenty of them. Think organic gardening. If you have a good bio load you don't need ferts.

Uljana · Post by **Uljana** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 12:51 am

badflash wrote: As time goes on the shrimp stop producing eggs, then they start dying.
If you want shrimp, get plants that don't need ferts.

Thanks, very useful information.

I will take out the first substatrate level containing fertilizer and review the list of plants I want to see in that tank...

Ecir · Post by **Ecir** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 6:14 am

And there is always fake plants. The LFS around here have a terrible selection and I haven't gone the extra mile to do an online order just for plants so about half the plants in my tank are fake but if you get some of the nicer ones it's hard to tell when its mixed together anyways.