Aquarium Substrate

[gowing238]

Hello.
Im soon setting up a 250 litre corner tank and am planning on planting in it. Im looking for quite a dark coloured gravel. Just wondering the best plant substrate to put underneath or mix with the gravel. Also any ideas of the best place to purchase any reccomendations.

Cheers all!

 

[Esfa]

eco complete is one of the best you can use.

if you want a cheaper one though, TetraPlant Complete is good, too.

 

[gowing238]

Cheers. Do you reccomend putting it under the gravel or mixing it?

 

[Esfa]

Cheers. Do you reccomend putting it under the gravel or mixing it?

tetra plant goes underneath the gravel, dunno about eco complete.

 

[vinylman]

If you get Tetra Complete, make sure you don't dig down too far when vacuuming the gravel; it's fabulous stuff, but if you disturb it, or move your plants around a lot, you'll have a tankfull of tea. Try API laterite; just mix a large box into a one-inch layer of gravel, then top it with another layer of gravel on its own.

 

[Rhea]

Eco-complete is designed to be used on its own, but I think you can mix it if you want. It already has a dark colour so wouldn't need to be covered

 

[saintly]

aqua soil, power sand. AWSOME stuff, pricey, but the best imo!

i'm turning into an ada freak

 

[donkey]

This is what you want

http/www.aquaessentials.co.uk/index.php?...roducts_id=1120

 

[Nicolas]

You should check into Flourite Black or Flourite Black Sand. Its a nice dark black substrate for root feeders and my Amazon Swords love it!

 

[jollysue]

How much do you rinse your Flourite. I feel like I am tossing all the good stuff.

 

[ICEEGRL]

I have eco-complete in my big tank. It is black and designed to be used alone. I like that because not matter how much you stir it or move things it does not hurt anything. It is good stuff.

I just got the flourite black and the flourite black sand... don't get the sand!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By the time you get through washing the muddy looking water out... only about half of the sand is left. It is so fine that it is mostly powder! It isn't very pretty either. The regular flourite black is much better. It is very small grain and cleans fairly easy. It looks nice too. I would suggest it. I am just setting the tanks up so I can't say how plants grow in it yet, but I have heard very good things. That is why I am trying it. The flourite is also meant to be used alone.

Hope this helps some.

 

[SexyFishKeeper]

I've used Tropica Planted Substrate under a layer of UniPac Zambezi (spel!) gravel.

I have found that I've also needed to dose ferts too as the substrate doesn't provide all the nutrition requirements. So you might want to factor that into your thinking. I think it's the same with any plant substrate.