# Substrate for neos



## ScarletFire (Nov 4, 2012)

I'm looking for some black sand for neos, and I'm wondering if these are okay, or if I should stick with CaribSea Tahitian Moon sand. Is there any other brand/type of substrate that you guys recommend?

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11028354&f=PAD/psNotAvailInCA/No

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11100220&lmdn=Color&f=PAD/psNotAvailInCA/No


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## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

Wouldn't calcium sand make your tank water too hard?


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## Dman (May 1, 2012)

I have a 5g used netlea soil would work great for neos


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## ScarletFire (Nov 4, 2012)

I thought Netlea makes the pH too low for neos to breed.


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## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

Anything inert should work, pick your favourite. I have a tank with eco-complete which makes the PH from 7.8(tap) to 8.0-8.2. However, the shrimps (Neos) in the tank are doing very well. 

If I'm to do another tank of Neo I'd probably find something inert and black so shrimps look better. Eco-complete is black but it contains grain size as small as sand, it makes siphoning the substrate harder (so I don't do that for this tank). You can also try that cheap blue substrate, it makes some shrimps looks very nice as I had a tank with that.


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## getochkn (Jul 10, 2011)

I've used black fluorite.


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

I'd vote for the Moonsand. It's really pretty, and despite the small grain size, not hard to clean.


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## getochkn (Jul 10, 2011)

I had black moon sand and hated it. Shrimp poop stands out like crazy on it.


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## ScarletFire (Nov 4, 2012)

Moon sand as in the CaribSea moon sand?


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

That's what I was talking about. I can't say I noticed a ton of shrimp poop on it.. but I also did not have very high stock levels on it. And I had both a fair size scud population and MTS snails, which I would think probably kept it a bit cleaner looking.

To each his own, right ? 

I like the way the Carib Sea Moonsand looks, and the deep, glittering black surface sure does show off most colours of shrimp, with the exception of those that are very dark. All black, like King Kongs, or Chocolate neos would probably disappear on it.

Reds, oranges, yellows, greens and whites all show up beautifully on it and it's a lovely contrast for any plant at all.


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