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some aditives for New aquarium


rodribike

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Hey guys! Im mounting a New shrimp aquarium and i want to know What aditives do you use to ensure good moults and healthy shrimps

Im mounting for Crystal Red shrimp

Thanks all!

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Could you give us some more info? Like what soil or substrate are you using? Are you planning on using RO and a remineralising powder?

Basically let us know everything you plan to do, then we'll have a better idea of what additives may be useful.

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Soil is ADA Amazónia

Im thinking use or TAP water or bottled water

Maybe some aditives like gh/kh+ from salty shrimp

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Hi rodribike.

 

If you are using tap water, you won't need Salty Shrimp.

What is your tap water parameters? pH, GH, KH, and TDS?

 

What sort of bottled water are you thinking of? 

The bottled water we drink? That is going to be too alkaline.

 

ADA Amazonia gives off a ton of ammonia when it is set up. Amazonia is more suited for plants. Personally, I'd pick ADA Africana or Malaya over Amazonia for a shrimp tank. The colour is better to view all shrimps with the exception of maybe yellow cherry shrimp.

Cal Labs Black Earth Premium substrate is probably my favourite substrate for plants and shrimp at the moment.

 

The crucial thing for your new setup is to ensure you cycle it properly, until you get zero ammonia and nitrite readings.

 

I recently setup a new tank using Benibachi substrate, and cycled it with Prodibio Digest to kick start the bacteria.

I also added Benibachi Mineral powder, Benibachi Super Bee Max and a little Benibachi Fulvic grain on the bottom of the tank before adding the substrate. I also added Indian Almond Leaves into the tank.

Yes, this tank was a Benibachi advertisement. :biggrin:  I just wanted to test this brand out to form an opinion of the products.

 

All those things added under the substrate is not critical. You can always add them later after adding substrate and after cycling.

Your critical action point is to get a good level of beneficial bacteria into your tank and filter to cycle the tank with ADA amazonia.

Reducing the ammonia and nitrites is  THE most important step for now.

 

AFTER you add shrimp, then look at getting Benibachi Mineral Powder, or it's equivalent, like Mosura Old Sea Mud, Borneo Wild Minerax,or Tantora Montmorillonite Powder.

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hi! ny current tank have TMC nutra soil and my Ph is 6.6, Kh 2 and Gh 4 (i used salty shrimp to elevate from Kh 0 and Gh1)

 

bottled water here in portugal (for drink) is very variable, there are some that have ph 5.5 to waters that have ph of 7 
im thinking of use one that have 5.6 or so or maybe one that have ph 6

 

in store they adviced me to buy amazonia because the more dark color will enhance my Crystal red and my red cherry (not sure if i will add red cherry or pumpkin cherry or rilis of that colors)

 

i know i have to wait a lot to make the cycle but i have time :)

i just want to ensure good moults and suficient levels of bacteria to prevent some flutuations or any problem, but i want to ensure also no deseases in aquarium

 

in my current one shrimps die for no reason ,some that died had white marks near head so i think is bacterial infection what you think?, or maybe its moult problem but how i know its moult?

 

 

can you help me to identify the problems i have in my tank so that mistaked wouldnt happen again? :)

 

and one more thing can you say what is the propose for any "powder" that you added to the tank?

 

thanks to all!

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Most powders are mineral supplements & boost up the minerals that are used by shrimp during normal life, moulting, breeding, etc.

Other powders are bacterial boosters, they help with increasing the bacterial & biological biofilm. This helps with removal of waste & also it will provide a food source for all shrimp, including the babies.

Another type is powdered foods, specifically designed to feed small newborn shrimp, usually made from powdered veggies & other additives.

Hope this helps. :thumbsu:

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helps a lot thanks :)

 

anyway i will wait for jayc answer about his products :)

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rodribike,

you seem to get very suitable water in Portugal for fish/shrimp.

 

Amazonia substrate is fine if you understand that there will be longer cycle times.

 

Now lets see if I can give you a brief explanation of what I used to start my last tank. 

This is by no means the only way. It's just how I did my last tank.

 

I chose Benibachi black soil for the substrate.

But before adding the substrate I sprinkled the following on the bottom of the tank.

 

Benibachi Mineral powder - The product description says "ancient sea mud that improves water quality, replenishes minerals and maintain health of water plant and shrimps." This is used as a mineral supplement and water conditioner during the cycling phase of the tank and thus can benefit the development of the important microorganisms in the filter and the ground from the beginning. Is it dissolves, the mineral powder gives off minerals constantly and thus provides the inhabitants in your tank with the minerals they so desperately require. Mineral powder is supposed to contain many types of minerals. 

In addition to all these positive characteristics, it stabilizes the pH value and thus prevents dangerous pH plunges. It sustains total hardness (GH), improves the water quality as well as the ion exchange capacity and provides for better plant growth and root formation, enhancing photosynthesis and the formation of oxygen. It absorbs noxious substances as well.

 

Main constituents: silicium dioxide 55%, aluminum oxide 13%, iron oxide 4.1%, calcium oxide 3.6%, magnesium oxide 1.6%, sulphur 1.1%, potassium 0.47%, titanium oxide 0.16%, phosphorus oxide 0.07%, cobalt oxide 0.06%, sodium oxide 0.05%, manganese oxide 0.04%.

 

I'm very convinced that Mineral Powder and any other products that are called Old Sea Mud, Micronekton or Montmorillonite, are just different product names for, this porous clay.

 

Enough of the mumbo jumbo. why do I add it? As it dissolves it releases the minerals slowly. So the tank has a constant supply of these minerals, especially calcium, magnesium and potassium.

 

Would I use Mineral powder again? Yes, definitely one brand or another. It doesn't have to be from Benibachi. It depends on what is cheaper. 

 

 

The next mineral I added was BENIBACHI Super Bacterium BEE MAX.

the product description says "is a mixture of enzyme and chitosan (double of Bee3) which helps to maintain water quality, promotes growth, coloration and molting of juvenile and adult shrimps."

 

Despite the name of the product, I am not convinced that this product actually contains any bacteria to kick start your aquarium. It's supposed to contain enzymes, but that's a product secret. I don't know what enzymes it has that's special.

But it does contain chitosan, which is a product of processing shrimp and other crustacean shells, funnily enough. It's uses are antifungal and antibacterial. 

What it probably does is assist in the development of beneficial bacteria, by providing some nutrients the bacteria can utilise to grow. I don't think it actually introduces that bacteria though. 

 

Why did I use it? Like I said, earlier, I wanted to personally test out these product to form my own opinion of it. I was told this works well with Mineral powder when setting up a tank. 

 

Would I use Super Bee Max again personally? No, not after I finish my current pack. 

 

Since you are in Portugal, see if you can find Glasgarten bacter AE. This product actually seems to claim it contains Lactobacillus and Bacillus subtilis. Which is good bacteria to have in your tank. It's not bacteria to cycle the tank. But bacteria for healthy shrimp.

 

For bacteria to cycle the tank, I use Prodibio Bio Digest for the bacteria + Bio Trace to feed the bacteria.

 

The third product I used at the bottom of the tank is Benibachi Fulvic Grain.

Product description is "adjusts water to a soothing parameter of 6~6.5 Ph and GH 4 for crystal bee shrimp."

I only used a bit, as in 1/4 the recommended dosage for a 60L tank. To boost the substrate, as I was specifically trying to get below 6ph for this tank.

This product definitely works. It will extend the life of old substrate for a little longer.

Would I use Fulvic Grain again ? Definitely. Especially to extend the life of the substrate. Replacing substrate is a pain in the you know what. But do you need it to start a new tank? Not necessarily.

Edited by jayc
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No prob dude, glad to help. The four powdered products he mentioned are all mineral supplement powders & therefore boost the mineral content in your water that get used by shrimp during day to day life for moulting & breeding, etc.

 

Super Bee Max is a bacterial food for shrimp & help to both feed your shrimp & boost the bacterial content of your tank & filter.

 

Benibachi Fulvic grains are a pH buffer, they lower the pH to the desired level for shrimp that like a lower pH i.e TB, CRS, CBS etc. It contains fulvic & humic acid to lower the pH :thumbsu:

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All good dude.  :thumbsu:

Always good to have two or more opinions that reflect the same message.

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Wow!! Thank you all im very enlightened now :)

Thanks again to all and continue shrimping hehe

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