# Starting planted shrimp tank with Fluval Stratum - Questions.



## sfsamm (Apr 3, 2017)

I ran a 5 gallon with 8.2 pH, 10 kH, 15 gH at the tap. Similar setup, full stratum substrate, a bronze frilled sword plan, beautiful red crypt wendtii and some micranthemum and a nice piece of spiderwood (no tannins). After a month or so my pH hardly wavered from 7.8-8.0 lowest reading I ever saw was 7.6, and it was while I cycled. 

Do you know your kH & gH? What are you stocking with? Are you going to use co2? 

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## Pluke (Jun 17, 2017)

sfsamm said:


> I ran a 5 gallon with 8.2 pH, 10 kH, 15 gH at the tap. Similar setup, full stratum substrate, a bronze frilled sword plan, beautiful red crypt wendtii and some micranthemum and a nice piece of spiderwood (no tannins). After a month or so my pH hardly wavered from 7.8-8.0 lowest reading I ever saw was 7.6, and it was while I cycled.
> 
> Do you know your kH & gH? What are you stocking with? Are you going to use co2?
> 
> Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


I'll be putting shrimp in it eventually, but not before it's more than ready for them. PH is 7.8, KH is 125 and I can't test GH until tomorrow. I will probably only be using flourish excel, I chose plants that need very little CO2.


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## sfsamm (Apr 3, 2017)

I've just started a shrimp tank after a ton of research about 7 weeks ago. Only neocardinia in my water! Too hard for Crystal shrimp, I think yours might be too so read up a bit before you buy  
But my RCS are started breeding right after I got them and I already have shrimplets!
I also dose excel, it doesn't affect any parameters that I've noticed but I have since removed the stratum and they are on sand. I started them on sand. Stratum was too difficult to clean up when I had it solo because it's so lightweight. 

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## Pluke (Jun 17, 2017)

(bump) Still wondering if I should place the flourish tablets when I setup the tank.


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## Roshan8768 (Mar 18, 2009)

Pluke said:


> I'll be putting shrimp in it eventually, but not before it's more than ready for them. PH is 7.8, KH is 125 and I can't test GH until tomorrow. I will probably only be using flourish excel, I chose plants that need very little CO2.


KH 125? You mean 12.5?

That's seriously hard water. Are you planning on keeping neos? The stratum buffers water so its typically used for the softwater cardinia shrimp. Regarding your original question, you can do root tabs under the stratum, never hurts... especially near the heavy root feeders such as crypts and swords


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## sfsamm (Apr 3, 2017)

Roshan8768 said:


> KH 125? You mean 12.5?
> 
> That's seriously hard water. Are you planning on keeping neos? The stratum buffers water so its typically used for the softwater cardinia shrimp. Regarding your original question, you can do root tabs under the stratum, never hurts... especially near the heavy root feeders such as crypts and swords


I assumed he meant 125ppm lol 
And my water is 170ish ppm kH, 10-11 degrees with API kit. So definitely not that hard  

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## Roshan8768 (Mar 18, 2009)

sfsamm said:


> I assumed he meant 125ppm lol
> And my water is 170ish ppm kH, 10-11 degrees with API kit. So definitely not that hard
> 
> Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


Ah right ppm lol. 10-11 is still hard water by all measures... you really don't want more than 6-8 for neos even though most of the less developed strains will adapt if bought as juveniles. It begs the question why bother with the fancy buffering substrate though... it is designed for some cardinia sp.


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## sfsamm (Apr 3, 2017)

Roshan8768 said:


> Ah right ppm lol. 10-11 is still hard water by all measures... you really don't want more than 6-8 for neos even though most of the less developed strains will adapt if bought as juveniles. It begs the question why bother with the fancy buffering substrate though... it is designed for some cardinia sp.


I truly looks nice, and even in my water there was a bit of snow down swing on the pH it just didn't last (I wouldn't expect it to in my water). I've experimented with half a dozen substrates since moving to my current water parameters. I did like the looks of fluval stratum, the maintenance just wasn't my cup of tea so I moved on. I still utilize it mixed with sand though, red plants love it.  

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## Pluke (Jun 17, 2017)

Roshan8768 said:


> Ah right ppm lol. 10-11 is still hard water by all measures... you really don't want more than 6-8 for neos even though most of the less developed strains will adapt if bought as juveniles. It begs the question why bother with the fancy buffering substrate though... it is designed for some cardinia sp.


Ok, so I had a change of plans. I tested the water I originally planned using which was actually a KH of 7 (drops, I'm now realizing that's what everyone here goes by, instead of PPMs) and the GH was about 11. I went with RO water instead since I have access to it and it's only a 5 gallon tank, won't be hard lugging around 5 gallon buckets if I don't need a lot. Here's the tank: 

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/12-tank-journals/1174633-plukes-5-gallon-planted-tank-shrimp.html

I plan on doing Caridina shrimp of some sort now since it'll be a lot easier with RO and I tend to like some of them more. So far I like the stratum except that one of my dwarf sag got uprooted from my filter flow being a little strong and water low. Going to have to place the plant better. Other than that, I'm happy with the way the substrate looks and excited to see how it does long term.


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