queries mainly substrate

[ishaan]

i got my 9l ada substrate and will also be getting aqua clay in few days .



my queries are

Q1:What is the main use of aqua clay?

Q2:mixing it up with ada substrate will be helpful or not?

Q3:How to use aqua clay?

Q4:how much thick layer of ada substrate is required? also tell thickness of clay?

Q5:Is there any need to cover the substrate with gravels as i need to?

Q6:Can i keep male/female betta with shrimps,i don't want them to eat the shrimplets if there will be some?

[sushant]

some of the answers to your query:

Q1:What is the main use of aqua clay?
&
Q2:mixing it up with ada substrate will be helpful or not?
answer: why do you want to use aqua clay? ADA don't recommend any thing else to be used with the substrate. if you really want to spend on something go for power sand special to be used below the aquasoil.

Q4:how much thick layer of ada substrate is required?
Ans: depends on the thickness of the substrate you want to maintain and can be calculated by multiplying the length of the tank x breath of the tank x hight of substrate

Q5:Is there any need to cover the substrate with gravels as i need to?
Ans: you don't need to cover the substrate.

Q6:Can i keep male/female betta with shrimps,i don't want them to eat the shrimplets if there will be some?
Ans: apart from Otto no other fish is considered shrimp safe. try maintaining a shrimp only tank if you want to breed them.

[Abhishek]

my queries are

Q1:What is the main use of aqua clay?

Q2:mixing it up with ada substrate will be helpful or not?

Q3:How to use aqua clay?

Q4:how much thick layer of ada substrate is required? also tell thickness of clay?

Q5:Is there any need to cover the substrate with gravels as i need to?

Q6:Can i keep male/female betta with shrimps,i don't want them to eat the shrimplets if there will be some?

Will Answer whatever I know about-
Ans. 4- The thickness needed to be planned depending upon the types of plants you are going to keep. For plants like crypts, you need a good layer.

Ans.5 - No.

Ans.6- As Sushant already said about it- still with betta the shrimps will end up as a evening snack So try to keep shrimps and bettas aside!!!

[marsaiko]

Q2:mixing it up with ada substrate will be helpful or not?

Not sure of ADA mix, but I have seen quite many Show-tanks use both Contro soil+german clay/aquaclay.
And I was surprised to hear their good reasoning skill for LFS.

They say Contro- is a good buffer, reduces pH, gives nutrient
&
Aquaclay/german clay- for growing good benefecial bacteria and fill up that gaps.


Normally people use rocks/thermocols/glass to give elevation, it seems to have changed, people are using things like aquaclay to fill up that part now.

[ishaan]

i will not keep any other fish with shrimps.
now queries left:

Q:I want to keep the shrimps ,is uncover substrate safe for shrimps too?

Q;for plants like crypt how much height of substrate is need?

Q:what temp is recommended for shrimps & plants?

Q:what plants can i keep with jewels?

[Abhishek]

i will not keep any other fish with shrimps.
now queries left:

Q:I want to keep the shrimps ,is uncover substrate safe for shrimps too?

Q;for plants like crypt how much height of substrate is need?

Q:what temp is recommended for shrimps & plants?

Q:what plants can i keep with jewels?

Could you please what is uncover substrate? Really having hard time understanding that!!!

Ans. 2-A base of 3-4 inches will be good.

Ans. 3- 25c, red cherry can go upto around 27c. The lesser the merrier!!!

[marsaiko]

i will not keep any other fish with shrimps.
now queries left:

Q:I want to keep the shrimps ,is uncover substrate safe for shrimps too?

May be he wants to know if sand was compulsory for shrimp, and if they ll be affected if they are living directly on the ADA.

Unlike - we dont allow laterite to leak and fish/shrimp getting sick, so on similar lines is the question(? hopefully)

[ishaan]

i will not keep any other fish with shrimps.
now queries left:

Q:I want to keep the shrimps ,is uncover substrate safe for shrimps too?

Q;for plants like crypt how much height of substrate is need?

Q:what temp is recommended for shrimps & plants?

Q:what plants can i keep with jewels?

Could you please what is uncover substrate? Really having hard time understanding that!!!

Ans. 2-A base of 3-4 inches will be good.

Ans. 3- 25c, red cherry can go upto around 27c. The lesser the merrier!!!

sorry abhishek, i mean will shrimp be alright if i don't cover my substrate (ada) with gravels

[aamir]

ada aquasoil don't need any kind of gravel to cover it up.
aquasoil is used by itself no need to top it up with any kind of gravel.

[Abhishek]

sorry abhishek, i mean will shrimp be alright if i don't cover my substrate (ada) with gravels

Ishaan, dear sorry for what? No need to say that

No need to cover ada with gravels
But you are dealing with ada I havent used the latest version but would like to point out some things from ada amazonia 2 that it releases good amount of ammonia when dumped first so,
At least for 15 days if you can then do a 80% water change in every 2 days. I follow this thing for my shrimp tanks.

But on a personal side , I dont like this soil anymore coz the tannin water it makes and also the marks it puts on the glass!!!