Now that our plants our flourishing in our 40L (got rid of the non-submergable plants, got CO2 going and 2 HOT5s), I'm going to be making a high tech 10 gallon planted tank. I'm planning on stocking it with Tiger Shrimps, and have a pretty simple list of plants that I'm sure they will love (variety of mosses and grass like plants, plus anubias nana). It will be a small forest inspired tank, in which I'm hoping to create depth with trees with Fissidens Fontanus attached to driftwood, willow moss force growed on stones, a small creek made from sand/gravel, and a grassy area on the left side of the tank. I have most of my plants planned out, but substrate is where I'm stuck.
I know a lot of people recommend the ADA Amazonia, especially for shrimp due to it's ability to buffer PH without raising kh, but won't injecting CO2 lower the PH already? Part of me thinks I can probably get away with not dosing CO2 though it would be nice if I could do so with the shrimp. I know that Eco Complete won't lower the PH, but is the ADA Amazonia stuff really worth the price to keep the PH steady? Or will I be fine with the Eco Complete and keeping a watch on my water parameters? It's a huge price difference $70 dollars vs $18 dollars for about 15 pounds of substrate.
I know a lot of people recommend the ADA Amazonia, especially for shrimp due to it's ability to buffer PH without raising kh, but won't injecting CO2 lower the PH already? Part of me thinks I can probably get away with not dosing CO2 though it would be nice if I could do so with the shrimp. I know that Eco Complete won't lower the PH, but is the ADA Amazonia stuff really worth the price to keep the PH steady? Or will I be fine with the Eco Complete and keeping a watch on my water parameters? It's a huge price difference $70 dollars vs $18 dollars for about 15 pounds of substrate.