Good day! If you haven’t checked out the article on the Singapore Shrimp Competition, you can find out more here. Today, I would like to discuss about the needs to replace old soil or expired soil.

Live soil is the foundation of your aquarium when it comes to shrimp keeping. It buffers parameters and also keep the parameters stable in your tank. These are two important factor in shrimp keeping. Stable parameters are important, when parameters fluctuate, your shrimps get stressed easily and die. Berried shrimps will kick eggs and shrimplets will not survive.

Therefore, the importance of a good shrimp soil is very important. Shrimp soil are able to buffer parameters for a long time depending on the quality of the soil. However, even the best soil will have their nutrients depleted in your tank.

These nutrients are beneficial, but not a must. Nutrients like tannins, trace elements and even montmorillonite are baked into your aquarium soil and are released slowly when comes in contact with water. After several months in your aquarium, these nutrients deplete, which some hobbyist would call it the old tank syndrome. Your parameters are fine, but your shrimps are fading or probably dying.

Hobbyist usually starts to get worried here and they try adding stuff to salvage the tank. Little did they know, what is missing are these nutrients that are usually there have gone missing and your shrimps are adapting to the environment.

By adding dark extract, your tank nutrients get replenished and your tank goes back to normal. Sometimes, a little solution is what you need to save your entire tank and colony. Dark extract is all natural and is extremely safe for shrimp. I would recommend to dose it only after 5-6 months. I notice that Neocaridina survive better in water that have dark extract added in a concentrated dose.

Since then, we have been using Aqualex Dark Extract frequently to ensure the shrimps get what they need. Dark Extract can be use on a daily basis as well. Add 1-2 drops daily to a 55L tank. Try it and you won’t regret it!

You can get dark extract from our online web here or head down to our office or our distributors:
Aquarist Chamber
8 Lim Tua Tow Road S547725

Aquatic Avenue
78 Redhill Lane #01-03 S150078