I'm thinking that once my substrate "expires" as in doesn't lower pH to the levels I need it to be at as efficiently+effectively. How do I do to replace it with new substrate?
(I use Netlea soil which is going to expire in ~1 year according to http://www.shrimpkeeping.com/substrate.html)
Because I'm thinking... I'll have shrimp in the tank and if I just scoop up the old substrate that gunky stuff will blow everywhere and maybe cause an ammonia spike. And putting in the new substrate is going to cause a mess in the water (making it murky), and I might accidentally bury shrimplets.
What do you guys do when your substrate doesn't work its magic anymore and you need to change it? What is your most safe and most efficient+effective method?
here is my possible solution in which I've been thinking of:
I'm was thinking about getting a breeder box in the future JUST to selectively breed but then I thought...
if I fill the breeder box with new pH lowering substrate would it suffice in making my tank maintain a low pH?
Although my tank is 30gals I'm thinking that if I make the water I use for my WCs at a low pH... my ideal low pH of the tank will remain the same and that the small size of the breeder box will be able to lower the pH just fine (I'll be using RO water too so I don't think I would need an insane amount of substrate to do the job)
Anyways, thanks for reading and feedback is appreciated
(I use Netlea soil which is going to expire in ~1 year according to http://www.shrimpkeeping.com/substrate.html)
Because I'm thinking... I'll have shrimp in the tank and if I just scoop up the old substrate that gunky stuff will blow everywhere and maybe cause an ammonia spike. And putting in the new substrate is going to cause a mess in the water (making it murky), and I might accidentally bury shrimplets.
What do you guys do when your substrate doesn't work its magic anymore and you need to change it? What is your most safe and most efficient+effective method?
here is my possible solution in which I've been thinking of:
I'm was thinking about getting a breeder box in the future JUST to selectively breed but then I thought...
if I fill the breeder box with new pH lowering substrate would it suffice in making my tank maintain a low pH?
Although my tank is 30gals I'm thinking that if I make the water I use for my WCs at a low pH... my ideal low pH of the tank will remain the same and that the small size of the breeder box will be able to lower the pH just fine (I'll be using RO water too so I don't think I would need an insane amount of substrate to do the job)
Anyways, thanks for reading and feedback is appreciated
