# Anyone have success with potting soil for shrimp tank?



## ianiwane (Sep 7, 2004)

Why use potting soil? For what purpose? Use nothing or gravel if you can't afford anything else.


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## Finch_man (Mar 21, 2006)

Or better yet you can go plain and just get some java moss or plants.


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## Mulberry (Jun 21, 2006)

I've four RCS in a soil based nano at the moment. 

They share this with 6 pygmy cories so there's no baby shrimp yet, but I'm setting up a 80litre planted shrimp tank for them with 1/2" soil and 3/4" eco complete. Still early days with this though - it's only been set up a week.

I'm using garden soil, which round here is a heavy clay without too much organics.

Would you be able to source a clay soil?

Potting soil is likely to have more organics in it, although it depends on the make.
You can run a bottle test first to determine a soils behaviour but decomposition levels may take a while to show up. I set up a soil based fish tank previously so knew what to expect with mine.

Plenty of people use different mosses, ferns, anubias in their shrimp tanks - so plain gravel would be fine.


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## Rod Hay (Feb 11, 2006)

I have shrimp in all four of my tanks which I run w/ soil...'el Natural'. I'm using one inch of cheap Topsoil covered by an inch of gravel substrate. One has Florite, two - Eco, and the other Soilmaster Select; my differing choices for the top layer were influenced by product availability, as well as color.

I like having the soil as a back-up for feeding the plants. I dose lightly every three days. However I do dose Excel daily and I believe this helps to keep algae woes at bay. 

In all tanks I have shrimp. Two of the tanks have community fish and I have large (adult size) Amano shrimp. The ten gallon soil tank had a community of RCS that grew from 10 to over 100. The last tank is a 5g which houses tiger shrimp, they are living but I've yet to see babies. I think I've had the tigers for two months now.


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## vibes_jedi99 (Jun 20, 2007)

ianiwane said:


> Why use potting soil? For what purpose? Use nothing or gravel if you can't afford anything else.


I plan to do a planted tank. I got one 5-gal with potting soil and plants and they grow very well (2 years now). I have 2 ottos and 1 dwarf puffer in that tank and they doing fine. I guess for the shrimps they are more sensitive. So, just wonder that anyone have any success with it?


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## vibes_jedi99 (Jun 20, 2007)

Thanks 'all.
El natural set up is what I try to do with the 10-gal tank. I really don't have money to spend on that expensive substrate. And my 5-gal "el natural" tank proved that this method can grow plants very well. I have this tank for 2 years and never add any fertilizer. However, the succeed with plants and fish doesn't prove that it will with shrimps. Any sugesstion will help.


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## vibes_jedi99 (Jun 20, 2007)

In all tanks I have shrimp. Two of the tanks have community fish and I have large (adult size) Amano shrimp. The ten gallon soil tank had a community of RCS that grew from 10 to over 100. The last tank is a 5g which houses tiger shrimp, they are living but I've yet to see babies. I think I've had the tigers for two months now.[/QUOTE]

So,ROD
Did you add shrimps right after you set up your tank or you wait until the tank more stable and how long?


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## yhloh2000 (Mar 3, 2007)

I have top soil covered with play sand in my 20 gal. My ~ 30 amano shrimps are happy and I have not lost any. Touch wood  I also have about 20 RCS in there. The key is to introduce the shrimps slowly. Nothing fancy in my tank. Dwarf sword, Java Moss, Vals and piece of drift wood. DIY CO2 and Coral Life 65 W light. Good luck


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## Rod Hay (Feb 11, 2006)

vibes_jedi99 said:


> So,ROD
> Did you add shrimps right after you set up your tank or you wait until the tank more stable and how long?


The two community tank were well established (approx. 6+ months) before I introduced the amano shrimp. I now put amano shrimp into tanks with smaller fish for a few months to grow them up in size. When the amanos are large specimens I put them into the tanks with the bigger fish. I have some adult amanos in tanks with: one Angel fish & Apistogramma aggies, seven Checkerboard cichlids, and a group of Lake Tebera Rainbowfish. 

For the smaller tanks (10g & 5g), I set them up and introduced the RCS the very same day. However, they were heavily planted and I used mulm from other established tanks to seed the substrate. I also have some confidence from maintaining several other healthy planted tanks for some time, as well as I knew that RCS are one of the hardiest shrimp to begin with. There is also a local fish store which sells RCS so if I failed it would only take an hour or two of my time and a 'ten-spot' to get me a second try. (Not too big a risk in my book.)


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## vibes_jedi99 (Jun 20, 2007)

yhloh2000 if you can post an update of your tank will be great.


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## vibes_jedi99 (Jun 20, 2007)

Hey, Roy
I have my 5-gal (plants+potting soil) for 2 years now. When I rearrange and uproot the plants, I still smell some kind of gas from decomposing. Will it be any promblem with shrimp?


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