For this setup style I’m going to be using Akadama Double Hardline 3-6mm grain sizes. This setup style is my own version, you can mimic or test out your own shrimp setup styles. This soil also isn’t the only usable Akadama soil and what you will find with Akadama is the lack of ammonia leech. Hence, the Aka meta is known for its quick setup capabilities, although cycling is still recommended just to create a strong thriving aqua biome for the shrimps.
When it comes to Akadama I prefer a deeper soil bed layer and a ratio of soil to water volume I aim for is 1L : 10L. Now the main ingredients we need for this setup include the following:
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- Akadama Double Hardline soil (3-6mm)
- Sponge/s – preferably large dual sided ones that are somewhat coarse
- OR Mobile Undergravel Filter (UGF) – preferably the one with access to the dust compartment for easier cleaning
- Lighting – the lights I use are UP-Aqua (U&Z series) & Chihiros A ii Series
- Air pump – I have a Hailea HAP-80 for all my tanks whether it connects to sponges or UGFs
- Indian Almond Leaf (IAL)
- Bacteria Powder (optional) – DSP or Bacter AE
- Cholla Wood & Mini Taiwan moss for aesthetics (optional)
Once you have all the main ingredients ready to create this lasagne shrimp setup, you can start by weighing out the soil to the tank volume. Make sure the air pump and lighting are operational as well.
If you opt for sponge you’d have a slightly thicker layer of soil. If you utilise a UGF the soil bed would be thinner because the amount of soil required in a UGF can be substantial. The UGF I have contains roughly 3L of Aka soil. So, if you have a 50L tank, you’d probably only use 2L for the soil bed. Now the steps are as follows:
- Place the sponge/s or UGF into the tank with airlines attached & on standby
- Evenly distribute about 2 spoons of bacteria powder of choice to the bottom
- Pour soil into the tank, slightly sloping upwards towards the back for aesthetics
- Layer another 2 spoons to the top of the soil
- Fill the tank up halfway (remineralised RO water is recommended, although I do use Sydney tap) and if you have a canister use it to remove the dust particles, a sponge also works well. You can also do a 80% water-change straight away. Just to get as much of that dust out as possible, so the soil bed is a nice clean slate.
- You can technically put shrimps in after a week, but I recommend cycling the tank for 1-2 months
- After cycling, do one more 50-80% water-change before adding shrimps into the tank
- Add cholla wood, moss such as Mini Taiwan or other preferences, and IAL for backup food source
- Acclimate the gorgeous shrimps into the new shrimp setup
Now you probably won’t need to do water-changes that often for Akadama, maybe once a month depending on parameters and shrimp population sizes. Akadama for me makes that blue contrast so much more, giving a unique look when captured on camera.