The new shrimp tank

[Qs Evolution]

Hello, I'm planning on starting my 3rd shrimp tank.

I will hopefully be doing a 20L and if not a 10G.
Will be a low tech with some moss and crypts.

Would ADA Amazonia soil be good for shrimp?

or anything else I can use, I want it to be dark gravel so the shrimp can pop out,

LMK your thoughts please, and what light fixture I could use for these plants.

only doing this because I'm a petsmart associate and we will be getting 30% off entire purchase next week.
So it'll be a good deal,

[mistahoo]

ADA Amazonia works for most shrimp. Bee shrimps like the low pH that Amazonia creates. Neos seem to do well in it also, but most people have better luck with them breeding in 7.0+ pH. Sulawesi shrimp wouldn't work at all with Amazonia. Btw ADA Amazonia is not a gravel, but a dirt substrate and eventually breaks down after a while. If you're doing Neos or Sulawesi, I'd recommend a substrate that doesn't lower the pH. If you're fixated on dirt substrate, I'd give Eco Complete a try or Fluorite. If you're just looking for a dark substrate, you could try some black sand. Any black sand will do. Sand Blasting media is the cheapest, but isn't sold at the big box pet stores. Regular black aquarium gravel will work too.

For low tech with mosses and crypts, you don't really need much lighting depending on the types of crypts. A basic T8 fixture should be plenty enough. You can also use T5, T5HO, VHO, T6, CFL, CFL spirals, lamps, etc. Anything you can find for cheap would work in your favor as long as it's not anything weaker than a T8. I say this because if you do decide to up the lighting, a T12 or equivalent light source wouldn't do you any good. Also resale value on a T12 is just horrendous. Nobody wants to buy that prehistoric junk.

[Qs Evolution]

i was just planning on doing cherry shrimp, for which they are cheapest. there just so many options for substrate.
and for lighting i was planning on using a marineland led fixture, for which they are on sale at work and itll be even cheaper with the 30% off, plus a 5$ off coupon i have for the fixture.

[mistahoo]

Well since it's cherries, pick out a substrate you like. It won't matter much. I don't know if you want to be spending $40 a bag for Amazonia when you don't really need it for cherries.

I wouldn't do crypts with that fixture. Moss, java fern, anubias will do fine with that fixture. Imo that thing is weaker than a T8.

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[Qs Evolution]

yes it sure is week, i just love the effect it gives in the water, lol..

i would love to use black sand but i doubt plants will do good in this, and black gravel is expensive.

[Qs Evolution]

ive used fluval plant stratum also. but the bags are pricey,

[mistahoo]

Black sand works fine for growing plants. It's just like pfs but black. If you want the shimmer effect go for some other led fixture. Finnex has some ones. Buildmyled too. There's another one that I can't think of at the moment.

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[Qs Evolution]

cheapest place to find black sand?

[mistahoo]

Clemtex or Tractor Supply Co. should be $8-10 for a 50# bag.

[Qs Evolution]

whaaaat. so crypts and ferns will do good in sand.? :o

[mistahoo]

Crypts will be fine. Ferns usually don't do good in any substrate. Usually I'll just set the fern on top of the substrate or tie it down to driftwood or rocks.

[Qs Evolution]

This right here?

http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/black-diamond-20-40-blasting-media-50-lb?cm_vc=-10005

it won't mess with the water parameters for cherries?

[mistahoo]

That's the one. Tractor supply sells Black Diamond. Clemtex sells Black Beauty. There's two sizes a 20-40 and 30-60. 20-40 being more coarse. It won't affect the water. I've used it before and so have several planted tank members.

[Qs Evolution]

So get the 20-40 correct?

which foreground plant would you recommend?

[mistahoo]

Grit size is up to what you want. 30-60 grit size is comparable to pfs.

There's too many foreground plants to really recommend. It's all on your preference. Just stay away from HC, DHG, UG, etc (basically carpet plants) if you plan to stick to a low tech setup.

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