A good substrate for a planted tank

[Pescado Guy]

Hi,

I am looking for a good substrate for my (soon to be) planted aquarium. I have looked at Seachem's flourite and it seems to be good. Are there any advantages to using sand as the substrate? Does sand allow enough circulation down to the roots of the plants? Thanks.

Kevin

 

[carrcn]

Sand is a very good substrate. If you're worried about it not allowing circulation to the roots, you can add a substrate heater in your sand. This will prevent areas from becoming "stagnant" (???forget the actual term???). But heating it will promote circulation below the surface. Don't know where you can buy one or how expensive they are, though.

What I've done is added a 1-1.5" layer of nutrient enriched sand, then put another 1-2" of gravel on top of that, so if you don't like the look of sand and would prefer gravel, there's that road also. I didn't put a heater in the substrate, but haven't seen any ill effects. I just dread replacing the sand after it's 3 year lifespan. Going to be a pain separating it from the gravel.

There's one member that promotes some kind of swimming pool sand, as he/she states that it won't compact. That person will probably post on here sometime soon if he sees the subject.

As for flourite, I don't know enough about it, but I'd wait for someone to reply that knows more about that than I do. I think it might have effects that you won't like, so I would definitely find out.

Hope that helps.

 

[Pescado Guy]

Yeah, I know the heating cables would work with the sand but they are a hit in the wallet! For an aquarium with a 48"/18" base, which is what I have, it would cost $250!! Is it worth it? I think not. There has to be some other way. I could try the gravel and the sand and that might work. Right now I have a reverse flow undergravel filter so the heat moves down to the roots of the plants. Maybe if I put only sand on the UG filter that would work. Any more advice would be much appreciated. Thanks

Kevin

 

[jams.alaskan]

On a few of the planted tank sites that I've recently visited, the UGF was NOT recomended - reverse flow or not. I think that some of the links can be found in the pinned topic for How does your garden grow.

ALASKA

 

[modernhamlet]

I use flourite and for what it's worth, my tank full of low light (as in aquarium kit / less than 1 watt per gallon lighting) plants has surpassed all of my expectations. I have to assume the florite is doing something. I don't add fertilizer. I haven't seen any form of algae. Nitrates are increasing at a very slow rate. The plants look healthy, even the light loving, gourami hating Wisteria are staging a comeback.

Now if only I had the fish part down this well.

 

[Silly me]

The undergravel filter in you tank might be a big no no, but it would heat the roots?? maybe, look at getting small gravel ( 1.1mm is a standerd size at the Crushers) and work the best for me.

I dont ever add a UGF to a planted tank, but I have seen tanks with a UGF and filled with mostly fast growing plant doing just fine..

 

[Lateral Line]

>>> one member that promotes some kind of swimming pool sand

It is me that advocates swimming pool filter sand. It packs down, but nothing like to the same extent as say silver sand or building sand. All of these can be used, but the latter requires more "gardening" to keep it open and prevent anaerobic bacterial growth. The filter sand is designed to stay open within limits, it's grain size and shape is more uniform. To keep it open requires an occasional prod around with a chopstick.

I've used both under tank heater mats and Dennerle in substrate heater cables. I've read the theory, I know how they should work, I've never found them make the slightest difference.

A UGF is not a good idea with a sand substrate, the sand will slowly fall between the plates and the bottom clogging the thing up, even with a reverse flow kit. What happens is you get a small area around the delivery tube which "blows about", whilst the rest of the filter is a deadzone.

>>> Does sand allow enough circulation down to the roots of the plants?

In the wild, plants generally have NO circulation around the roots, rather they grow in a very fine silty, sludgy, often very smelly goo. Having collected on three continents, I can assure you that S.E. Asian goo smells the worst.

 

[Pescado Guy]

Hi lateral line,

Does the swimming pool filter sand have enough nutrients in it for the plants? Also, would you be able to tell me a good place to purchase the swimming pool sand? Thanks

Kevin

 

[Lateral Line]

Clean sand, like gravel, is basically silica, SiO2, and contains no nutrients at all! I tend to put a thin layer of laterite on the bottom of the tank and the sand over it. I use root tabs for rosette plants to provide substrate nutrients, people use all kinds of things, rabbit droppings are a cheap alternative that I've had good reports about, can't say I've tried, don't have access to a rabbit!

A well balanced aquarium provides sufficient nitrate and phosphates, indeed, maybe too much. Other macro and micro nutrients come from a high quality liquid feed, (nitrate and phosphate free), as required, certainly nothing like the dosing levels the manufacturers recommend.

I don't know where you are, (even which continent you are on), so can only suggest you look in the local "yellow pages" or whatever business telephone books you have to find pool supplies. Even in cold miserable Northern Europe, there are suprisingly many. I had one within walking distance of my old house in England.