Shrimp Substrate

Ok looking at getting into shrimp/crays think they look awesome just wanted to get everyones opinion on substrates.

I have seen the new fluval substrates....Do they make a difference?
How does sand (pool Filter variety) work?
Or am I better off with my lowes small pebble gravel?

Hopefully will be doing CRS/RCS shrimp...and have 5 mexican dwarf red crays already so any info would be greatly appreciated

You can keep shrimp with any substrate. There are some substrates though that adverstise they are designed especially for inverts as they buffer the pH down to a lower level. Some of these being Amazonia Aquasoil, Azoo and Fluval stratum.

The only "designer" substrate I use is the Aquasoil. Everything else is pretty standard from SMS, Flourite, Eco and even PFS.

I dont have any with mine. Just bare bottom. Floating plants. No reason in particular thats just the way I did it.

Good deal thanks

my top choices are: ada aqua soil, akadama substrate, and up soil, not very happy with fluval stratum.

Don't buffer your PH. My PH is 7.4- 7.6 and works great. In fact some varieties of shrimp prefer slightly acidic water.

I use regular tank gravel on top of eco-complete so the plants get some nutrients.

Do NOT use any copper or medications with copper or fertilizer with copper in a shrimp tank as you will kill your shrimp.

Make sure the tank you put them in has a good deal of algae/bio-fillm as that is what shrimp eat and some shrimp will not eat offered food until threre is an abundance of tank mates.

I have cherry shrimp which are breeding well, Amano shrimp, and Asian Filter shrimp in a planted tank with No fish. I also have Cardinal shrimp in another tank with no fish.

Dave