potting soil help

[jwh0818]

I'm wondering if anyone knows what type of potting soil I can use in an aquarium with only shrimp. Brand would be great if someone knows any

 

[NoMoreGoldFish]

ADA (Aquasoil) Amazonia seems to be the brand enthusiasts swear by, but they're pretty expensive. If I were to have a shrimp only tank and I'm not breeding expensive crystal shrimp, I'd probably just go for the fluval shrimp stratum, it's much cheaper.

 

[jwh0818]

ADA shrimp substrate seems to be the brand people swear by, but they're pretty expensive. If I were to have a shrimp only tank (with no expensive crystal shrimp) , I'd probably go for the fluval shrimp stratum, it's much cheaper.

Honestly I have never heard of either I was thinking something I could pick up at lowes, any suggestions for that one

 

[jetajockey]

Look up mineralized topsoil. If you go with potting soil, id let it run for a month or two so the organics are long gone.

I have ecocomplete in one of my shrimp tanks as well.

 

[mfdrookie516]

Miracle Gro Organic Choice will work... it'll leech ammonia for a week or so, so you'll need to watch for that. It also floats, so you'll have to cap it with sand or gravel. The first month or two, the tank will look like crap. You'll have algae blooms like crazy, the water won't stay clear, and if you don't pre-soak it, you'll get 'stank tank syndrome' (as in, it'll stink). But... after that, IME, it's well worth it. I've got it in 3 of my 5 planted tanks and love it. It's basically MTS after it goes through that stage. You can mineralize it first, but I'm impatient.

EDIT: jetajockey posts that as I'm typing.. basically he's patient, I'm not haha

 

[jwh0818]

Miracle Gro Organic Choice will work... it'll leech ammonia for a week or so, so you'll need to watch for that. It also floats, so you'll have to cap it with sand or gravel. The first month or two, the tank will look like crap. You'll have algae blooms like crazy, the water won't stay clear, and if you don't pre-soak it, you'll get 'stank tank syndrome' (as in, it'll stink). But... after that, IME, it's well worth it. I've got it in 3 of my 5 planted tanks and love it. It's basically MTS after it goes through that stage. You can mineralize it first, but I'm impatient.

EDIT: jetajockey posts that as I'm typing.. basically he's patient, I'm not haha

Hmmmmm. Well I wont have shrimp in for awhile or anything for that matter but why does it float and what do you mean by presoaking it