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#1 *Michael*

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Posted 29 May 2012 - 09:48 AM

Just wondering if crushed limestone is ok to use for a planted tank and for shrimp
P.s. Useful info only lol

#2 Anka

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Posted 29 May 2012 - 09:49 AM

Limestone will raise your pH - I think both plants and shrimp prefer more neutral to acidic conditions?

Wait for someone to confirm.

#3 *Michael*

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Posted 29 May 2012 - 09:57 AM

Ah k I was thinking that I may have to do a substrate change lucky it's not full planted yet thought I might get away with it but probably not now .
Anka what do you think I should use that's not gonna hurt the wallet

#4 Anka

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Posted 29 May 2012 - 09:58 AM

Dont' just act on my advice - make sure you get help from others as well.

Just call your LFS and ask them what they have that they can recommend.

#5 oscar m

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Posted 29 May 2012 - 10:17 AM

Moast fresh water shrimp like a PH between 6-8 and moderet water hardness and Limestone will increase Ph and water hardness if u can keep it at a stable ph between 6-8 you should be fine just make sure u pick plans that suit the same ph to keep them healthy and decay of the plant down shrimp do better in good water when I had mine I used white sand it's a little better to see the little guys and when it came to catching them for sale to with gravel I found they would hide in it and would get a scoop of gravel as well

#6 *Michael*

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Posted 29 May 2012 - 10:39 AM

Yeh I have white sand in my Oscar tank with electric yellows and it makes there colours stand out really well ,
But I really didn't put any thought into my new planted tank lol first one I have done I think I'm gonna change the substrate now lol

#7 oscar m

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Posted 29 May 2012 - 10:51 AM

I have done the same thing over the years with my tanks I've used it all I think at one point or another. Lol and spend like $50 -$60 dollers on cool gravel and allways end up getting bad with all the yuck that gets traped in it and though it out in frustration LoL and go back to my white sand I have it in all my tanks now even my live feeder breeding tanks and grow out tanks it just seams to be a lot easer to keep the bottom of the tank clean for me

#8 *Michael*

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Posted 29 May 2012 - 10:55 AM

My Oscar loves it he digs a hole and my little yellows wait till he isn't looking and quickly start filling it back up
Looks like I'm gettin more white sand then lol

#9 oscar m

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Posted 29 May 2012 - 11:10 AM

Yea my fish go mad in it diging and siffiting it every three days they have made big piles of sand where they have been digging my Oscar thinks he can dig but usely just ends up hitting his head on something and gives up he's just to unco I think LoL

#10 *Michael*

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Posted 29 May 2012 - 11:20 AM

Hahaha my Oscar thinks he is a community fish he has made friends with the little electric yellows and swims with them

#11 oscar m

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Posted 29 May 2012 - 11:37 AM

Yea so is my guy his best friend is a angel fish and it cleans him when he gets hurt he will pick the dead skin and scales off and when I had a out brake of ick a while ago angle fish would spend aroun 10 minnets a day cleaning him off it's quite strange to watch I have never come a cross this and I haven't come across anny one alse who has ether he has even gone as far as laying flat on his side on the sand to be cleand by him

#12 *Michael*

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Posted 29 May 2012 - 12:13 PM

Wow that's amazing , I have a royal whiptail and they both are inseparable I put my royal in my other tank and he got the shits on bad was hell grumpy wouldn't eat so I had to put the royal back in , but what you have is just amazing you have to film it next time

#13 oscar m

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Posted 29 May 2012 - 12:24 PM

Yea I have a couple of photos but I will try to get a video of it I only have my fone so my photos arnt that clear but it could be a good thread to start when I lost my big Oscar a few weeks a go my little guy was pritty upset he didn't eat for around 3 days and sat in there corner is amazing just how smart these fish of ours are when it comes to there friends and environment and how just even the moast smallest thing can get them in a Saulk

#14 *Michael*

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Posted 29 May 2012 - 12:35 PM

They have personality enough said lol
Any now trying to choose between white sand or more natural look hmmm

#15 oscar m

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Posted 29 May 2012 - 12:40 PM

Give it a google image and see what others have done it might give u some good ideas when I'm stuck for a new tank set up I quite often google it it's amazing just what u find

#16 Westie

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Posted 29 May 2012 - 01:01 PM

Hi Michael,
I'm guessing that being a shrimp tank, it won't be very big. I wouldn't use anything that will buffer the pH and hardness up. What size will the tank be? If it's only a small tank, you could spend the dosh on shrimp substrate? For shrimp substrate, the UpAqua brand is cheaper than the Benibachi, but the Benibachi is supposed to be better. Plenty of people have used the ADA soils for planted shrimp tanks. Or a cheap option is a layer of laterite, topped with natural gravel. If you're only using plants that attach to wood, stones etc. (e.g.: java fern, moss etc.) then you could go any substrate you like. White play sand would be a winner for example.

Edited by Jason82, 29 May 2012 - 01:02 PM.


#17 *Michael*

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Posted 29 May 2012 - 03:28 PM

It's a four footer and the missus jus tells me she wants to plant into the substrate along with moss etc etc

#18 Westie

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Posted 29 May 2012 - 03:53 PM

ok so a 4 footer, planted substrate wouldn't be cheap. Layer of laterite and natural gravel on top would probably be the cheapest option. use dino dung fert tablets near the roots of whatever you plant and you should get ok plant growth. good lighting will help plant growth too

#19 *Michael*

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Posted 29 May 2012 - 06:40 PM

ah k well i gotta spend the money if i want good results so thanks for the info




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