[Discusdude7]

Can I have a dirted tank with shrimp? Thinking about crystal reds and neos in a 5 gallon tank I want to dirt.
So dirt and shrimp? Yay or Nay?
Thanks

 

[metageologist]

I have a dirted tank with shrimp. No berried shrimp yet but no deaths either

Have a gniess day. -Scott

 

[wicca27]

not a good idea. as the soil breaks down it creates toxic gas that will bubble out from time to time. those bubbles can kill shrimp pretty easy. not so much a prob with fish because they are not as sensitive. beside with crs you need some kind of buffer substrate. not only the ph but for the minerals in it that help with survival. i had great luck with fluval shrimp stratum and crs. would be on the cheaper side of substrates for them.

 

[Puddles]

Ada amazonia is very good for Crs and I believe has excellent plant nutrition as well.


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[sbarbee54]

Let me tell you first hand dirtied tank will release gasses and gass out shrimp. It will do it every once in a while them it will end up collapsing and release a ton of gasses and bomb the tank.

I know this because I tried it

 

[twkoch]

I do dirt in all of my shrimp tanks. Have never had a problem and my Tigers are breeding like crazy. If you dirt your tank correctly there will be very minimal to no gas release. Your shrimp will be fine.

 

[picotank]

I have had a dirt tank for my cherries for over two years............ Works but if I had it to do over I would not go this route for shrimp.
The water specs, TDS always over 450.. GH 12, KH 10, PH 7.8.. Great for the plants I have but I do have trouble keeping babies alive.
Dirt for planted tank with fish and something else for shrimp........................

 

[ctaylor3737]

Dirt is hard to moved around if you want to. Even just,pulling plants can lead to gas being released. Happens to a buddy of mine all the time

-Chris

 

[AquaAurora]

SO not to hijack or go on a tangent.. but if dirted tanks are bad.. would using O+ tabs in inert (sand) substrate pose any negative risk as they break down?

 

[sbarbee54]

Nope do the sand an do the o+ in a bunch of tanks

 

[Kehy]

Dirt is my favorite cheap nutritional substrate choice. Go with mineralized soil (washing it and baking it dry several times) to minimize the risk of gas bubbles. Plan out your scape carefully so you won't want to immediately begin moving plants, and make sure there's a good gravel or sand cap. I've never had issues doing it that way. As for moving plants in general, have a gravel vac going right next to where you're messing with the substrate to suck up dirt and cloudiness that comes from it.
I've honestly never had an issue with gas bubbles, but I also make sure there's at least some surface disturbance so gas doesn't become trapped in the water.

 

[bostoneric]

cheap and shrimp dont mix so well.
there are better ways to save $ doing a shrimp tank than on one of the most important parts the substrate. pay $ now or pay later in deaths.

 

[Qwe]

I, too, have had a dirted tank with Neos in it for years now, breeding and all. As the replies point out, it is certainly possible, but there are risks with dirt.

 

[Kehy]

cheap and shrimp dont mix so well.
there are better ways to save $ doing a shrimp tank than on one of the most important parts the substrate. pay $ now or pay later in deaths.

Some of us are on college student budgets and have to find ways to enjoy the hobby without spending $70 on a single bag of substrate. I only keep neos in mine, and I'm aware of the limitations that come with using soil. Personally, I've never had issues with it, as far as shrimp health goes.

 

[wicca27]

if you want neos pool filter sand is great and cheap. fluval shrimp stratum is great with crs and cheap. would i use it with high end (SSS+) prob not and didnt use it with my tb. but my S+ did awesome with it.

 

[bostoneric]

+1 what wicca says. if you want cheap substrate for neos pool filter sand, etc.. is a much better choice.