Hi everyone,
I'm laying out a low-tech, 210 gallon planted shrimp tank and don't want to have to swap out substrate every 18 months for fear of killing all the residents in the process. Florite seems like a good bet, but I'm curious what media types you can suggest. I'm considering natural sand, too.
Thanks.
Longterm substrate for 210gal planted shrimp tank
Moderator: Mustafa
Re: Longterm substrate for 210gal planted shrimp tank
I would go with the sand. I personally use coarse silica sand in almost all of my tanks. Whatever plant I throw at the substrate grows just fine..no problems at all. The trick to a low tech, no fertilization tank is to have lots of livestock and feed quite a bit. That way you get both water column nutrients and the feces (plus other organic material such as decaying plant parts, other detritus) accumulate in the substrate over time to feed plant roots. If you have lots of cover, I would recommend adding some non-predatory minifish to your aquarium for additional nutrient accumulation. Snails (both burrowing snails and ramshorn snails) are very important, too. They eat decaying stuff and food leftovers and produce nutrients for the plants themselves. Even if you can't grow *everything* right away, over time your sand substrate will be very fertile...and increase in fertility. You will never have to get rid of it.
And, almost more important than any of the above, make sure that the water you use to initially fill up the tank and with which you perform water changes has a kH of 2-3. Any higher and most plants won't grow (too alkaline --> pH too high), any lower and you risk loosing all alkalinity due to biological processes using it up. Plants need alkalinity for growth. In the worst case scenario your tank may crash due to pH levels that are too low. That will first kill your nitrifying bacteria, and then your shrimp/fish. Once your tank is established for a 2-3 months I would start doing water changes of 20-25% every 2-3 weeks to replenish alkalinity. This kind of set up should make both your shrimp and plants happy...pretty much forever.
It would be great if you could post some pictures of your tank when you're ready.
And, almost more important than any of the above, make sure that the water you use to initially fill up the tank and with which you perform water changes has a kH of 2-3. Any higher and most plants won't grow (too alkaline --> pH too high), any lower and you risk loosing all alkalinity due to biological processes using it up. Plants need alkalinity for growth. In the worst case scenario your tank may crash due to pH levels that are too low. That will first kill your nitrifying bacteria, and then your shrimp/fish. Once your tank is established for a 2-3 months I would start doing water changes of 20-25% every 2-3 weeks to replenish alkalinity. This kind of set up should make both your shrimp and plants happy...pretty much forever.
It would be great if you could post some pictures of your tank when you're ready.
Re: Longterm substrate for 210gal planted shrimp tank
It's great to hear that you are happy using sand. I really like that it is a substrate that will actually get better with time (for plant), rather than burning out like ADA type soils. I'm a total beginner at keeping shrimp, so getting answers from someone who has been doing this a long time is worth a lot. At the moment I am learning on a 40gal low-tech planted tank with RCS, CRS, OEBT, Amano, and a Bamboo shrimp. It also has several Mystery snails, Nerites and Yellow Tylos to round things out.
On the subject of water, my kH is a little higher ideal at ~4.5. Will this be ok? So far, the plants seems to be doing fine with just moderate light and tank generated nitrates, but I've only had the tank planted for three months.
The source water (from well) is:
-pH 7.7 (aerated)
-Total Alkalinity 80
-Total Hardness 35
-No measurable Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, or Phosphate
Admittedly, I am still in the design phase for the 210, as I really want to do it right the first time
I will do my best not to pester you or other forum members with questions that have already been answered...
Lastly, I assume it's the 210gal that I am building, and not my 40gal, training wheels tank that you'd like to see pictures of?
I will definitely post some as it progresses.
On the subject of water, my kH is a little higher ideal at ~4.5. Will this be ok? So far, the plants seems to be doing fine with just moderate light and tank generated nitrates, but I've only had the tank planted for three months.
The source water (from well) is:
-pH 7.7 (aerated)
-Total Alkalinity 80
-Total Hardness 35
-No measurable Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, or Phosphate
Admittedly, I am still in the design phase for the 210, as I really want to do it right the first time
I will do my best not to pester you or other forum members with questions that have already been answered...Lastly, I assume it's the 210gal that I am building, and not my 40gal, training wheels tank that you'd like to see pictures of?
I will definitely post some as it progresses.Re: Longterm substrate for 210gal planted shrimp tank
If the plants and animals are doing fine, then I would not mess with the water at all. 2-3 kH is a guideline that I give to people, but if 4.5 works for you, just leave it at that. Where I live many plants simply don't grow at 4.5 kH as our water chemistry is very different from yours (very high TDS, very high gH etc.). My water comes out of the tap at around 7 kH and NO plant I have encountered grows at that level because the pH is way above 8. Shrimp have a very hard time surviving as most ammonium turns into highly toxic ammonia at such pH levels, so even light feedings cause enough ammonia to kill a few shrimp here and there. I have to treat my water to make it shrimp and plant safe.
In any case, of course you can post pictures of your 40 gallon tank, too. That way we'll see how your learning experiments/learning with this tank translates to your 210 gallon tank in the future.
In any case, of course you can post pictures of your 40 gallon tank, too. That way we'll see how your learning experiments/learning with this tank translates to your 210 gallon tank in the future.