Hello all, I'm posting this in hopes that people with experience will share with me. I work for parks canada in the national parks. Mostly teaching people about ecology. I have a cherry shrimp tank running right now with Anubius and moss. It seems to be doing very well but it doesn't look pretty. So my plan was to remove the shrimp plant the tank with a new substrate and reintroduce them. Over time of course. The issue I have is this. Because of my ecological background I can't find faith in an inert substrate. Iv watched reviews online thar support this. If there is any one on here with a fully planted, successful cherry shrimp tank. I'd love to know how you did it!
Eco complete, seachem, dirt
- Thread starter code
- Start date
What part of inert substrates can’t you put your faith in? Do you think you need them for the shrimp or the plants?
Also, rather than making several different threads about your new shrimp tank, it would be easier if you continued the discussion in a single thread.
Also, rather than making several different threads about your new shrimp tank, it would be easier if you continued the discussion in a single thread.
Last edited:
During my time with alberta aquatica if you didn't post your questions in the appropriate place they would get bumped
Not sure about Alberta Aquatics but all your questions are about your planted shrimp tank so one thread should be okay with the mods. What issue do you have with inert substrate? Do you believe you need soil for the shrimp or plants or both?
Waldstad is something you’ll probably be interested in due to your background in ecology.
However, for the types of plants you have, anubius and moss, they don’t need a lot of nutrition from the roots. Amazon Swords are an example of a heavy root feeder that would enjoy a nutrient rich soil and root tabs. But if you’re going to tie your Anubius and moss to driftwood, then they would primarily be getting their nutrients from the water column. Also, these slow growing plants can’t uptake extra nutrients from the soil or water column fast enough. Instead, faster growing algae will outcompete and take over.
Eco Complete is inert but that’s a good thing if you don’t need to change your water chemistry. However, it is still a high CEC material that has lots of minerals and elements necessary for plants. It just has far less organics and because it’s inert, you have the flexibility to dose fertilizers as needed, which in your case, is not very much.
But this is all moot, since the type of substrate, whether you dose the water column with fertilizers, use root tabs, run CO2, or talk about different types of lighting all depends on the types of plants you’re trying to grow.
If you were wanting to raise Taiwan Bees that need softer water and will have a lush carpet of utricularia gramnifolia and a bunch of fast growing stems plants, then this would be a totally different conversation.
In your current setup with just simple cherry shrimp, moss, and anubias, if you use soil or Aquasoil and dose ferts/root tabs, you will be overrun with algae because the system will be out of balance
However, for the types of plants you have, anubius and moss, they don’t need a lot of nutrition from the roots. Amazon Swords are an example of a heavy root feeder that would enjoy a nutrient rich soil and root tabs. But if you’re going to tie your Anubius and moss to driftwood, then they would primarily be getting their nutrients from the water column. Also, these slow growing plants can’t uptake extra nutrients from the soil or water column fast enough. Instead, faster growing algae will outcompete and take over.
Eco Complete is inert but that’s a good thing if you don’t need to change your water chemistry. However, it is still a high CEC material that has lots of minerals and elements necessary for plants. It just has far less organics and because it’s inert, you have the flexibility to dose fertilizers as needed, which in your case, is not very much.
But this is all moot, since the type of substrate, whether you dose the water column with fertilizers, use root tabs, run CO2, or talk about different types of lighting all depends on the types of plants you’re trying to grow.
If you were wanting to raise Taiwan Bees that need softer water and will have a lush carpet of utricularia gramnifolia and a bunch of fast growing stems plants, then this would be a totally different conversation.
In your current setup with just simple cherry shrimp, moss, and anubias, if you use soil or Aquasoil and dose ferts/root tabs, you will be overrun with algae because the system will be out of balance
Last edited:
This is my planted/shrimp tank/sump.
It is a 125 gal tank, the only substrate is inert sand, the only nutrients are provided by the 180 cichlid tank it filters.
Plants are Vallisneria, Hygrilla, water lilies, water lettuce, salvinia and mangrove trees (the trees are planted in hollow sand filled bamboo stems).
It has a population of Macrobrchium shrimp.
Gets about 6 hours of direct morning sun, no artificial light.
Although I do a lot of water changes, I do not vacuum, so quite a bit of mulm tends to build up. There is also a small Pleco, and some local snails to help hold back the algae sun encourages.
Below, with the tank it filters
It is a 125 gal tank, the only substrate is inert sand, the only nutrients are provided by the 180 cichlid tank it filters.
Plants are Vallisneria, Hygrilla, water lilies, water lettuce, salvinia and mangrove trees (the trees are planted in hollow sand filled bamboo stems).
It has a population of Macrobrchium shrimp.
Gets about 6 hours of direct morning sun, no artificial light.
Although I do a lot of water changes, I do not vacuum, so quite a bit of mulm tends to build up. There is also a small Pleco, and some local snails to help hold back the algae sun encourages.
Below, with the tank it filters
Thank you so much for your pictures and advice. When I posted wasted tank. I was trying to say walstad. Lol. Your tank looks beautiful. I suppose I should have made my ambitions more clear. I want to move on from just moss and anubius. I'm definitely going to keep some moss because my shrimp love it. My first priority is the health of my live stock in any tank. Secondary is plant health. I'm definitely leaning towards the walstad method because it makes sense to me.
I understand that eco complete and flourite absorb nutrients and feed them back. Do they take time to " charge up"? Where do plants get there nutrients from?
I understand that eco complete and flourite absorb nutrients and feed them back. Do they take time to " charge up"? Where do plants get there nutrients from?
I suppose with the work of moving my shrimp into another tank and rebuilding the current one. The financial investment of expensive plants and substrate, I want to be successful and Iv watched a lot of videos on you tube of people that that are not successful.
I watched a video of Dianna Walsted making a planted shrimp bowl. Maybe I'll do a couple of different bowls first and see how they do before I do my whole tank. I really appreciate the feedback everyone. Thank you for your time and interest in me building my hobby