Substrate for Neo

[Moonwasaloon]

Good Morning Everyone,

 

I'm setting up my fluval 6 gallon edge as a shrimp online tank. I hope to get Orange Neo's in there, and was thinking of black sand for them.

 

I just want to confirm that normal sand from petco/petsmart would get the job done for them?

 

Thanks,

Jason

[Wygglz]

That's what I use in some of my tanks and it works great.

[jem_xxiii]

Yep you can use normal sand or just normal gravel like I do.

[Pokeshrimp]

I'd use the carib sea sand over the the nat geo sand. Cost a little more but looks so much better.

[Vpier]

Like everyone is saying, any inert substrate works. I prefer finer substrate like sand over bigger aquarium gravel. The bigger gravel tends to trap waste deep inside and build up with sludge. The sludge will lower ph and cause old tank syndrome faster.

[Moonwasaloon]

Thanks for the reply everyone. This will be the first time I ever used sand for a tank.

[CraigOberholtzer]

I hear a lot of numbers thrown around for TDS on CRS all varying,How important is this?and what exactly are the parameters?

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[josu2]

Planting can be easier with sand as well.

[Vpier]

I hear a lot of numbers thrown around for TDS on CRS all varying,How important is this?and what exactly are the parameters?

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Are you referring to red cherry shrimps(RCS) or crystal red?(CRS) which is not a neo? RCS are very adaptable so you will see different preferences for TDS . Most will have it above 200 , mine is around 240-250 and my RCS and TT are breeding like rabbits . Consistency is the key.

[californiashrimp]

For neos, any inert substrate is fine. The sand you want to use will work great. For crystals and their variants, I would use a buffering substrate. But it sounds like you're just doing neos for now so the sand will work great.

[jem_xxiii]

Planting can be easier with sand as well.

 

It is indeed easier, but from experience I feel like gravel holds the roots better.