# Which Substrate for CRS?



## forddna (Sep 12, 2007)

I need to purschase substrate for a new CRS tank. The goal is to keep them healthy, happy, and....frisky. 

Please post your choice, as well as your experiences with different substrates, how ph was affected, etc.

Thank you!


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## DANIELSON (Jul 15, 2010)

I use aquasoil 2 and my CRS/CBS breed very well.


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## Edman30 (Nov 15, 2010)

I think any substrate that keeps the ph down will work fine. I have aquasoil 2 (20g long) and africana (2g rimless cube)


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## janftica (Jan 11, 2010)

I vote for the new Fluval Stratum substrate for shrimps...I have already had several molts and berried shrimps since using this soil, and my PH is steady now at 6.6...nothing and I mean NOTHING could drop it down from 7.6 here...I tried it all! This is just phenomenal for me...I am changing out all of my shrimp tanks to this soil now.


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## Moe (Jan 22, 2004)

I use aquasoil amazonia at first I used tap water, my tap water is liquid rock. aquasoil lowered the hardness and ph perfect. but after a year I had to use RO water to keep the same water specs. I use the same type of soil in three of my tanks.


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## Jaggedfury (Sep 11, 2010)

Aquasoil Amazonia II would be best in my opinion. It's like a protection type ordeal. It also great for the shrimps to munch on. If you're using it on a larger tank that's not a Nano tank, it serves as years to come feeding ground. So you don't have to feed them that much. I feed my shrimps every 3 days.


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## forddna (Sep 12, 2007)

janftica said:


> I vote for the new Fluval Stratum substrate for shrimps...I have already had several molts and berried shrimps since using this soil, and my PH is steady now at 6.6...nothing and I mean NOTHING could drop it down from 7.6 here...I tried it all! This is just phenomenal for me...I am changing out all of my shrimp tanks to this soil now.


 


$26 for 8.8lbs? Ouch!


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## jreich (Feb 11, 2009)

i like flourite black sand for the color contrast.


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## oblongshrimp (Jul 26, 2006)

I like aquasoil 1. I don't think Aquasoil 2 buffers the water as well and in my experience is much more fragile and breaks apart much easier.


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

A good question is why soil or ADA might be better vs say plain sand?
Tannins mostly, which protect against some trace metals etc.
I suppose some wood and peat could be added in lieu, I do this and note a difference in the eating and general health, MET rates of them shrimp.

I use flourite but have used ADA AS as well.

If you do the Dry start method for 8 weeks, there's zero NH4 with new ADA AS.
And the plants are all grown in.


Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## snausage (Mar 8, 2010)

oblongshrimp said:


> I like aquasoil 1. I don't think Aquasoil 2 buffers the water as well and in my experience is much more fragile and breaks apart much easier.


I agree. But aquasoil 2 is better if you have really hard or alkaline water.

A lot of people actually claim that Akadama bonsai soil is the best. It's volcanic rock, so it doesn't break apart and it doesn't lose it's buffering capacity. It's also significantly cheaper than any of the above.


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## snausage (Mar 8, 2010)

plantbrain said:


> A good question is why soil or ADA might be better vs say plain sand?
> Tannins mostly, which protect against some trace metals etc.
> I suppose some wood and peat could be added in lieu, I do this and note a difference in the eating and general health, MET rates of them shrimp.
> 
> ...


As you mentioned, I think it's just because of the ph/hardness buffering. Very few people seem to have soft, acidic tap water. 

A lot of people claim the nutrients in the soil keep the shrimp healthier, but I don't buy that. Most people who keep crs wind up dosing healthy nutrients anyway.


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## ShortFin (Dec 27, 2005)

snausage said:


> A lot of people actually claim that Akadama bonsai soil is the best. It's volcanic rock, so it doesn't break apart and it doesn't lose it's buffering capacity. It's also significantly cheaper than any of the above.


Akadama is not rock, it is clay. And it does break down also. :icon_mrgr


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## Moe (Jan 22, 2004)

In the end it doesn't matter what substrate you go with, its really your water parameters that matter most for happy shrimp.


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## gordonrichards (Jun 20, 2009)

Azoo is cheap. 27.00 for 11 pounds.

I bought 5 bags, got free shipping to my house. 

Booyaaaaa


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## Green024 (Sep 19, 2009)

Moe said:


> In the end it doesn't matter what substrate you go with, its really your water parameters that matter most for happy shrimp.


Is Eco-Complete in a shrimp tank not a good choice? Anyone been successful in breeding CRS while using this substrate?


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## zxc (Nov 10, 2009)

i have use ECO complete with CRS. No problem. Still berried and saw baby shrimp swim around.


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## Moe (Jan 22, 2004)

I don't see why eco complete wouldn't work. The main reason people use the ADA soil
is because of what it does to the water, lowers PH and harness. Two key thing crs need,
to breed. If you have an RO system or your tap water is soft, ada soil is not really necessary IMO.


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

If you have hard tap water and plan to use it to change water in the tank then no soil will make the shrimp happy. If you have hard water and want them to live and breed readily you will need a RO unit. 

If you have soft tap water then you can use whatever soil you prefer.

I have hard water and use a RO filtration system and also have ADA AS I in all my tanks. Works well for me.


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## forddna (Sep 12, 2007)

So RO water with a completely inert substrate should be fine?


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## forddna (Sep 12, 2007)

Moe said:


> In the end it doesn't matter what substrate you go with, its really your water parameters that matter most for happy shrimp.



And substrate can affect water parameters. Just like some have posted about not being able to get PH into the area CRS need with using the Azoo or the Aquasoil. Which was why I made the thread. I don't really care which substrate makes the shrimp look pretty. I want to know which substrates people have been successfully keeping CRS happy and breeding with, because of what that substrate did or didn't do to their water parameters. roud:


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## mordalphus (Jun 23, 2010)

Here's the thing, Amanda... If you don't correct the water you put into the tank, the buffering capability of the soil will fail... And the further from ideal your water is at water changes, the more you'll stress your shrimp at water changes, and the faster your soil will lose its magical buffering properties.

So I think what Moe was trying to say was... It's more important to put the right kind of water into your tank than it is to get a soil which alters your water parameters to make them right.

I agree, reconstituted RO water is probably the best method for controlling parameters... Other than that, the reason I use the soil-based substrates is because the shrimp seem to like it. They eat the microorganisms on the soil, and they don't act the same with quartz pebbles or clown puke (epoxy coated kitty litter).

In the end, I think any of the soil-based substrates you listed in the poll will function for your purposes... If you're trying to alter your parameters with soil, the soil will lose those powers fairly soon.

-- liam


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## Moe (Jan 22, 2004)

Exactly! that was my experience 100% that caused by shrimp to stop breeding until I figured it out.


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## mordalphus (Jun 23, 2010)

I should be a little more clear... The buffering capabilities of ADA aquasoil and azoo and mr. aqua substrates is meant to correct small discrepencies, not correct your pH by 1.5 and totally eliminate your hard water. When you use it in that manner, the buffering effect totally goes away after just a few months.


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

Ime the AS help to buffer the water. I use straight RO water I do not reconstitute it or mix it with tap water. So IMO the best overall result will be accomplished with AS or the other soil based substrates and using RO water.


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## forddna (Sep 12, 2007)

Got it. Thank you!! That makes it much clearer. I have to make ro/di water all the time anyway (my 220g reef needs 1 gallon a day top off!), so I'll just make separate batches of RO (will be 2-4ppm TDS) only, no DI. And then still get Aquasoil or Azoo.


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## forddna (Sep 12, 2007)

Bump for more poll results!


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## chad320 (Mar 7, 2010)

Flourite, Eco complete, Flora max, clay, wormstrate, peat.


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## Madfish (Sep 9, 2007)

Im setting up my new shrimp tank with AS II. So I hope it works out for me. There is a breeder that I have been talking to and this is what he told me to use. And his seem to be doing great.


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