# Plant growth and shrimp



## flanneryc (Jul 25, 2009)

Hello all you experts 

Just wondering if anyone can recommend anything that I can add to my tank that will support plant growth while not harming my shrimp at all? It's a 20 gallon long at work and I'd prefer not to mess with CO2 at all. 

Any ideas would be appreciated. 




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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

What kind of shrimp do you have ? If they are Neos, you can use ferts and Excel and get good results that way. Excel is not as good as CO2, but it's helpful. You can buy pre mixed frets, like Flourish, or buy the basic chemicals and mix your own. A small syringe is useful for measuring the doses. Actually, API's carbon boost, I think is what they call it, is a better deal than Excel, as it's stronger, so you use less per dose.

Lighting is also a big part of plant growth. If you don't have enough for the plants you want to grow, adding ferts won't help.

If you have Crystal or Bee shrimp, ask on the Invertebrate forum, you'll get more answers there about shrimp.


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## TorontoPlantMan (Aug 16, 2013)

You have a few options. 

1. Re-do the tank (4-6 hour process depending on time) and you can add mineralized top soil to the tank so you never need to add other ferts for at least 6-8 years+ and it won't bother the shrimp.

2. Add root tabs but it gets expensive after awhile, unless you can get osmocote from the U.S

3. Macro + Micro ferts - KNO3, KH2PO4, and trace elements - Don't waste money on Seachem's ferts unless it's Flourish Excel, everything else can easily be done by yourself for cheaper.


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## brycon (Aug 5, 2014)

Check out The Plant Guy from Winnipeg. He sells his own root tabs for 100 for $20 with free shipping. I've been using them and I don't really notice a difference in growth between his and Seachem's.


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## jimmyjam (Nov 6, 2007)

All depends on type of shrimps. Neos have lived in all my aquascapes (look below) no issues with co2, excel or my EI dosing. CRS, I wouldnt touch ferts at all if you want to breed and have a massive colony. If you care more for the scape, then expect some deaths with any kind of dosing. I would prefer substrate over water column for sure, but still a risk I wouldn't take for my high end CRS/kingkongs etc.


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## flanneryc (Jul 25, 2009)

Thanks for all the input guys. I'm actually think for my new CRS tank and I'm very afraid that it will impact their ability to breed properly. I think I'm going to hold off for now and see how some low light plants grow without help. 

Don't want to hurt my babies 


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## jimmyjam (Nov 6, 2007)

good call! Have some moss, any of the ferns except maybe bolbitis, dhg will be fine as well . And if your using any decent shrimp soils like Aquasoil, they will have ferts inside anyways.


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