What's the best substrate

[daimen]

Hi guys I'm setting up that aquaone betta trio for shrimp. I just wondering what would be the best shrimp substrate. I'm thinking of keeping crs as well as my blue velvet and yellow cherries. Thinking either ista or fluval. Is there any others?

[BlueBolts]

I use benibachi, and works perfectly for me :-)

[daimen]

Can you grow plants in benibachi?

[daimen]

Wow benibachi is expensive.

[BristledOne]

Benibachi's Black Fulvic or Cal Aqua Lab's Black Earth Premium

Substrate is one of those things you want to do right the first time

[ineke]

Wow benibachi is expensive.

It might seem expensive initially but it lasts a long time and doesn't breakdown like some of the cheaper alternatives. I have both benibachi and Fluval which I started with at the same time. I have had them for approx 12 months in that time I have had to top up my Fluval tanks as the bottom layer is turning to mush. Also benibachi comes in 5 kg and most of the others in 4 kg so you need to take that into account as well.

In the end it comes down to what direction you want to go. If you want to end up with TB etc then it's important to start out with what is best for the shrimp. Having said that people are having success with all sorts of substrate but the best breeders tend to use the best substrate :)

[daimen]

Which one should I use the normal or the powder. Because boss is out of the normal. Will the powder be ok? Or should I search the normal somewhere else

[Squiggle]

Definitely agree with everyone so far, makes a big difference starting with the best you can get as changing the substrate on an established tank is not an easy job. Benibachi is the best for a shrimp tank with some plants & Black Earth Premiun is the best for a planted tank with some shrimp. The Benibachi comes in 5kg bags & the Black Earth comes in 9kg bags. :encouragement:

[Squiggle]

Which one should I use the normal or the powder. Because boss is out of the normal. Will the powder be ok? Or should I search the normal somewhere else

I will have the normal back in on Monday or Tuesday but the powder will work just as well!

[daimen]

Ok this is only a small tank I think 5kg is too much. I see that there is a benibachi fulvic super powder 3kg is there a difference between the powder and the normal

[daimen]

Ok I will wait for Tuesday before I order the Normal. Can you store any excess? Or do you have to use it all?

[Squiggle]

You can store it for as long as you like, just make sure it stays dry! :encouragement:

[daimen]

My tank dimensions are 25h x 55w x 25d I think 3kg is enough.

[daimen]

So after calculations. I figure that I need at least 8kg to get 5cm depth in that tank. So I will wait until Tuesday and get the big bag

[Squiggle]

No probs dude, I'll let you know when the stock arrives. :encouragement:

[BristledOne]

Definitely agree with everyone so far' date=' makes a big difference starting with the best you can get as changing the substrate on an established tank is not an easy job. Benibachi is the best for a shrimp tank with some plants & Black Earth Premiun is the best for a planted tank with some shrimp. The Benibachi comes in 5kg bags & the Black Earth comes in 9kg bags. :encouragement:[/quote']

I believe Black Earth is sold as a 9L bag, not 9kg :)

it does make it a bit confusing when comparing the two, would be interesting though to find out how much the 9Lt bag weighs though

[ineke]

Usually 1 litre = 1 kg

[BristledOne]

That's usually for water I thought, ball bearings for example would weigh more. But with that said I just hopped on the digital scales, weighed myself and then myself+ a bag of unopened black earth substrate and it is indeed 1Lt - 1KG!

GO SCIENCE

[Squiggle]

Yep, have had the bags on the scales myself for courier by weight purposes & they actually weigh 9.1kg but was rounding to make the comparison easier. :encouragement: