# Fert dosing with shrimp only tank?



## chiahead (Dec 18, 2004)

I was curious about something. I have read in a few places that you shouldnt dose ferts in a shrimp tank. Is this true? How does one grow plants then? Or do u just keep the dosing really light? I also read about keeping No3 really low like 5ppm or lower. What is it about the ferts that are bad for them. I dont understand why it would be bad for the shrimp if I dose. I have had my cherries in my community tank where I dose alot and they seem to have plenty of color-cant tell if they are dying though cause they hide alot. Does anyone know why the ferts would kill them and what I am supposed to do in a planted shrimp tank to keep the plants and shrimp both healthy?


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## Piscesgirl (Feb 25, 2004)

The only thing particularly 'bad' about ferts is the copper. I do not add any ferts with copper to my shrimp tank, although many have done so and report no problems. I prefer simply to go on the side of caution in favor of the shrimp.


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## chiahead (Dec 18, 2004)

what about using the normal ferts like kno3 k2so4 and mono phosphate? Are they ok? I use flourish for my trace fert it only has .0001 of copper in it. I know it has it but it seems so little. What would u use for a trace if thats too much?


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## Praxx42 (Mar 4, 2005)

Flourish is fine for shrimp, as long as you don't go completely overboard on your doseage amounts. Normal dry ferts are okay as well as long as they are dissolved in water beforehand.

I have 150+ 2+year-old shrimp who agree with this particular opinion. They also like to have Kent Reef Iodine dosed weekly, at about 1/4-1/8 strength. I give them 1 mL for every 30 gallons of actual water, once a week.


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## turtlehead (Nov 27, 2004)

Flourish has copper in it, I dose more than what is recommended, and my shrimps are fine, the amount in it is not sufficient enough to do damage to shrimp.


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## shalu (Oct 1, 2004)

I dose KNO3, KH2PO4, and CSM.


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

I use the same ferts in my shrimp tank as I do in my fish tanks, with no problems.


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## chiahead (Dec 18, 2004)

cool thx for the replies. I didnt want to harm any of my shrimp and on other websites I kept reading to not put in ferts too much.


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