# Shrimp and regular gravel



## Blackheart (Jul 5, 2011)

Is it okay for shrimp to be in a tank with regular plain gravel?


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## inthepacific (Oct 21, 2012)

it should be fine but i think depending on the shrimp, you'd need specific ph so if you have something to alter the ph of your water then yea go for it. but i have heard that thye like sand better because they'll sift through it with their hands and kind of polish it from any built up stuff.


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## hedge_fund (Jan 1, 2006)

Plain gravel is okay for neocaridina shrimp such as Cherries, Snowballs etc.

If it's your first shrimp then you should look no further and just start out with something from the neo family.


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## GeToChKn (Apr 15, 2011)

For sand, black sand only. Shrimp poop a lot because they eat all the time. It's not a lot of poop but you can see it on regular sand.

Regular gravel is fine for Neo's, if you want to plant go with something with a high CEC like Fluorite.

Can go bare bottom too and make the bottom cleaning easy.


As said above though, that's fine for cherries, and all the other Neo's. For any crystals, or other shrimp in the caridina family, you will need lower ph/gh/ etc than your tap probably provides, although some people get lucky and get crystal friendly water but that's usually west coast people.


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## Blackheart (Jul 5, 2011)

I considered just going with cherries.


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## wicca27 (May 3, 2009)

i see the poo on black sand bad but then again my shrimp eat green food lol. the one thing with gravel is you need to find small gravel. i lucked out and walmart has small natrual brown gravel when i needed it. the pea gravel i got from lowes was a tad big for shrimp. they didnt mind but the babies were always hiding in the gravel. if your using ro water i dont see why gravel would be bad as long as it inert. if you want dark color i would go to places that sell granet and see if they have any chips or something you can use cause the colored gravel is just coated and that coating comes off pretty quick


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## Alpha Pro Breeders (Jan 26, 2010)

I've used black gravel or black sand in many of my tanks for years and they are some of my best tanks.


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## acitydweller (Dec 28, 2011)

regular gravel will have a tendency to collect lots of waste and detris where smaller grains from sand would keep debris on the surface. Just wanted to point out something not previously mentioned.


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## Aquasapien69 (May 7, 2011)

acitydweller said:


> regular gravel will have a tendency to collect lots of waste and detris where smaller grains from sand would keep debris on the surface. Just wanted to point out something not previously mentioned.


But don't the small grained substrates compact more and become more prone to anoxic conditions and promote higher ammonia and it's metabolites? I thought a bit of water flow or MTSnails helped in this. Seriously......this is a question and not a statement. If I can use sand and be OK, I'd like to in a couple of tanks.

Thanks all!!


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## morgan (Apr 4, 2012)

im using "Black / Grey 500-600 microns" sand. Great stuff ,but as said all the waste is kept on the top of the sand and can get messy. Im pretty sure it took longer to cycle compared to gravel substrate. But i think no deeper than 4 inch and a few trumpet snails and you will be fine for any gas pockets dangers.


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## Soothing Shrimp (Nov 9, 2011)

I use black blast in my neo shrimp tanks. About as fine as sand, and thus far have had no problems- with the mentioned exception of waste on top.


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## wicca27 (May 3, 2009)

i really need to try that stuff (black blasting grit) i do like sand over gravel. but some times you use what you got lol. so to sum it up gravel is fine just have to do a bit more cleaning and be careful doing so since its easier to suck shrimp out of grave but yes sand is find and alot of shrimp keepers use it


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## Kehy (Feb 5, 2012)

I keep neos in a planted tank with regular fine gravel capping dirt. The only real issues I find are that that you do need a feeding dish since the gravel traps food particles really well, and that it doesn't look as good as a higher quality substrate. Just make sure you do regular and through gravel cleanings, and it shouldn't be too much of an issue


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