[fplata]

Guys,

i am am subdividing 2 40B into 3 partitions each to selectively breed some rili shrimp. i do have a full RO/DI setup that i use with my CRS and tigers, however i plan to use my well water for my rilis, the water has a ph of 8.1, kh 10, GH 11 and a TDS of around 300. i have like 8 bags of ADA Amazonia, but i rather mix my well water with RO water to get the desired parameters rather than buffer it down with the substrata, these tanks will only have moss attached to wood and screens. So my question is what is the best dark colored inert substrate to use with this shrimp in your opinion, also are the parameter mentioned above perfect for breeding rilis? or do i have so modify them some. Your help is highly appreciated. i was thinking about using eco complete with some up aqua shrimp sand (not much, i know it buffers down)

 

[MABJ]

I like Fluval shrimp stratum most, as it basically is just clay. It only buffers a little. Fluorite is pretty neat too.

I'd say the ph is a little high for optimal breeding.

Try 7.5 ish.

The TDS is right on.

 

[fplata]

Thank you MABJ, is the GH - 11 and kh -10 good, or should i look at doping that a bit along with the PH?

 

[rodcuda]

I reccomend black beauty which is a sand blasting material. It is inexpensive and works really well. Basically inert black sand.

 

[laqu]

i have the up aqua shrimp sand it's nice, it does buffer the water from what i read but my well water is 7.4 as are all my tanks (except one i but that is another story) so i can't tell if it's really buffering anything. but it looks nice and the shrimp like it and it's nice and dark (more so then the fluval IMO)...

THAT SAID .. a TRUE black sand would be WAY COOL ...

 

[MABJ]

Ummm the KH probably should drop.

At minimum 1 point, but I'd cut it in half tbh.

Your GH is high but it isn't past the level they'll breed in. It could drop, if you needed to drop it for some reason.

Definitely get the Kh down though.

 

[MABJ]

Also -- if it is small, a lot of people are in love with Tahitian Moon Sand. It is nice looking.

 

[fplata]

Thanks again everyone.

this is what i am aiming for Ph 7.5, KH 5 and GH 5-7 TDS 250 -300. In other words ill mix my well water with RO/DI say 50/50 and that should get me close to the above, the TDS might drop a bit, if it does ill add some GH+ to get me to at lest 200. as far as the sediment, i think i am going to use a mixture of Fluorite capped with FSS, ultimately depending on the buffering ability of FSS i might mix my water 70% well 30% RO/DI.
Ill start a journal soon on these two tanks as well as my two TiBee tanks

 

[wicca27]

my advice with fluval shrimp stratum is test it. alot of what i have read says it wont buffer much. my water comes out of the tap ph7.7, gh7, kh2 and it will drop my ph down to 6 and i have even got reading of ph 5 when i didnt do water changes for a long time. the gh and kh stay the same and i have used the same soil since feb of this year (2012) and it still pulls the ph way down for me. i know most dont get readings like that though.

 

[fplata]

Thank you. interesting it lowers the ph down to 5, but it does not affect the KH at all, i will certainly test it, maybe i just go bare bottom with some sand in a square dish and a bunch of moss