Pro Shrimp's comment: Mineral Rocks are a great addition to every shrimp tank, slowly releasing a constant supply of essential minerals into the water..

MIRONEKUTON® Natural Deep Sea Mineral ミロネクトン The original Mironekuton® from Japan, only found in a single region there, is exceptionally rich in natural minerals and trace elements. Highly popular in Japanese with shrimp breeders and plant tank keepers, especially in combination with soil substrates, as it significantly enhances the all-important microbiology (bacteria, accompanying fauna). Millions of years ago, the remains of fish, plankton, algae, seaweed and other marine organisms sunk to the bottom of the sea, where they were metabolised by microorganisms, and under the special environmental conditions in this region working hand in hand with the high pressure exerted by tectonic faults on the Pacific Plate this singular material consisting of more than 66 different minerals was formed.

What purpose do minerals and trace elements serve? Minerals and trace elements are essential for all organisms as they play an important part in many metabolic processes and are crucial for the production of enzymes (e.g. in the moulting process of dwarf shrimp). A lack of the essential minerals will result in deficiencies, problems and even diseases. Mironekuton® serves as an important mineral depot and creates the most favourable conditions for bacteria (in the ground). These bacteria do not only make the largest part of the minerals available for plant roots but are also important food, e.g. for baby shrimplets and other small organisms. Another part of the minerals is directly taken up by your tank inhabitants or dissolves in the water and is then distributed in the water column where it is available for them. By the way, the body is unable to produce minerals, they must be ingested actively (e.g. in the food) or passively (e.g. through the skin or exoskeleton). Mironekuton® is used as mineral supplement and water conditioner during the cycling phase of the tank and thus can benefit the development of the important microorganisms in the filter and the ground from the beginning. When the tank runs, Mironekuton® gives off minerals constantly and thus provides the inhabitants and the useful helpers in your tank with the minerals they so desperately require. In addition to all these positive characteristics, Mironekuton® stabilizes the pH value and thus prevents dangerous pH plunges. It sustains total hardness (GH), improves the water quality as well as the ion exchange capacity and provides for better plant growth and root formation, enhancing photosynthesis and the formation of oxygen. It absorbs noxious substances, makes the water crystal clear and removes odours.

Please note: Mironekuton® has a pH of 7.4. A high dosage added to soft water will raise the pH value and total hardness and will also have a small impact on carbonate hardness (KH). These characteristics are important for stable water parameters and a well-balanced bacterial flora in your tank. Verifiable by common water tests, minerals are given off slowly and continuously, thus offering a great advantage against artificial and /or quickly soluble mineral additives.

Shrimp keeping and dwarf shrimp breeding: Mironekuton® - Microorganism The all-important small accompanying fauna organisms that provide for a good and stable water quality and serve shrimp as food are very sensitive to mineral deficiencies, so are young shrimplets. When undersupplied, the small organisms die off or don't even develop in the first place, shrimplets don't survive, and adult shrimp suffer from moulting problems and periodically die. Often, the role quality and quantity of microorganisms play in successful shrimp keeping and breeding is grossly underestimated. In the tanks of successful breeders you can see a multitude of different living of microorganism’s things on the ground. If this is given in a tank and if the mineral supply is good, the shrimp show a much better colour intensity, are more agile and reproduce in higher numbers. These small critters like e.g. copepods (Cyclops) and ostracods are brought into almost every tank with new plants, animals, food, etc. Ideally, large numbers of them should be found on the ground (please use a magnifying glass if necessary). They are a sign for high-quality water, sufficient minerals and food, which are more important that excruciatingly adapted water parameters. If there are no or only very few of these little critters there, often the conditions on and in the ground are less than optimal, so that baby shrimp have little chances to survive. Typically, they die around 7 to 14 days after hatching. Mironekuton® prevents this and provides them with a favourable soil milieu where small organisms and thus also shrimp offspring develop nicely.

Main constituents: silicium dioxide 55%, aluminium oxide 13%, iron oxide 4.1%, calcium oxide 3.6%, magnesium oxide 1.6%, sulphur 1.1% potassium 0.47%, titanium oxide 0.16%, phosphorus oxide 0.07%, cobalt oxide 0.06%, sodium oxide 0.05%, manganese oxide 0.04%