# Planted/shrimp tank?



## Duckweed Hunter (Jun 3, 2010)

Hello everyone. I've kept fish for years and a few planted tanks along the way. I haven't had a tank in a few years now but am starting up a new tank with a new plan. It's a 40 breeder that I want to do planted with a bunch of nano fish and inverts. It's been quite a while sins I have had a planted tank and with some quick research, I see a lot has changed. Now with the plan of adding shrimp and some other inverts I'm thinking about fertilizers. I have seen some shrimp safe ferts out there but they have no copper in them which is good for the shrimp but not the plants. So if you are using shrimp safe ferts how do you get copper to your plants if not how big and often do you all do water changes so the copper doesn't kill the inverts? I've also seen people using osmocote under the substrate instead of root tabs. In doing so is the tank still shrimp safe? I plan on adding Co2 at some point but not right off the bat. I'll use something like Excel for the start till I can afford a pressurized setup. Also, I was reading that it is better to use RO water which is fine I use it for my carnivorous plants anyway but what do you use to balance out the water again? Well thank you for reading and any tips are welcome.


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## Duckweed Hunter (Jun 3, 2010)

No one has any impute at all?


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## mistergreen (Mar 3, 2007)

If I would do a shrimp tank, I wouldn't use excel. It's a noxious chemical that plants can use for Carbon food.
I wouldn't worry about copper unless you're adding copper medicine or algaecide.


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## jrIL (Apr 23, 2005)

I've used excel in shrimp tanks at twice the recommended dose with no ill effects. I've also done CO2 tanks and fertilizer with shrimp. No problems. Minor traces of copper is fine. Shrimp need tiny bit of copper to molt properly.


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## Duckweed Hunter (Jun 3, 2010)

Thank you for the reply everyone. A few more questions. I've also seen people put Osmocote plus under the substrate in lew of root tabs. Is that still safe for shrimp? I have never used RO for fish. What do I put in it to make it safe again? How big/often should I be doing water changes?


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## jrIL (Apr 23, 2005)

If I remember correctly Equilibrium is the product to condition ro water. I use the osmocote + tabs all the time in my shrimp tank.


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## mistergreen (Mar 3, 2007)

Some shrimps are picky with water parameter, some not like cherry shrimps. Figure out what kind of shrimps you want to keep and do research on their water params.


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## jrIL (Apr 23, 2005)

Mistergreen is correct. I raise crystal reds and they are fine with Excel and the tabs.


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## Duckweed Hunter (Jun 3, 2010)

Thank you both. The plan is the blue Neocaridina, Amano, and maybe a Bamboo. Altho I have never had very good luck with Bamboo. I did see there is a filter food for them somewhere. I'm going to let the tank run for about a month with just plants or maybe a small group of pigmy corries. I should be able to get Co2 a couple of month after being planted.


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

FWIW, I use pressurized CO2, and use dry ferts for macros, flourish for micros. Never had any issues with the health of the shrimp. The Amanos eventually died of old age, the cherries are still around many years later.


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## Duckweed Hunter (Jun 3, 2010)

What is everyone doing for water changes? 30-40% a week?


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## jrIL (Apr 23, 2005)

That's exactly what I do. 30 to 40% a week.


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## Duckweed Hunter (Jun 3, 2010)

Ok. I think I'm ready for the new adventure. Any recommendations on a fertilizer brand. I like Seachem but would like something in two botels micro/macro. Thanks for the help everyone.


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## mistergreen (Mar 3, 2007)

You can do dirted tank and not wory about ferts & CO2 for 6 months.


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