Best Way To Plant, Plants In Sand

[Sub-tropic-discus]

hi wanting to know depth and planting method? ie: substrate heater? how deep the sand should be, potted or leaded plants? info would be appreciated.

 

[ellena]

I'm no expert on planted tanks from 1st hand experience, but I have done a lot of reading about them, so take this advice as you will
I think the undersubstrate heaters are generally regarded as unnecessary.
Lead or pot shouldn't be needed once the plant is planted. I've used a bit ocassionally for a few weeks for a particularly stubborn bit that wouldn't stay down.
Sand doesn't have any nutritional value to plants, so here are a few options.
You can dose ferts into the water. Plants vary in how well they can access these.
You can put fert. tablets next to the roots of the plants.
You can have sand over a layer of cat litter. You still dose ferts, but they 'stick' to the clay so plants can access them through their roots as well as leaves. This is the method I've used and can't personally recommend. The plants didn't look especially better than with just sand.
You have a thin layer of pond compost under your sand. This provides nutrients and is enough for less demanding plants. User Honeythorn is an advocate of this method. I suppose the same would go for aquarium specific 'soils' like oliver knotts etc.
I found for the actual planting you want the sand just damp. Dry is no good and too wet isn't either. Think making sandcastles-that's what you need. It will be firm enough to hold the plants in place then. Using tweezers is better than fingers as less sand gets disturbed. You need to avoid disturbing the sand as you fill the tank. A fine tube siphon is recommended, but I couldn't rig one up so went with another suggestion of a strong plastic bag full of holes
I'd say at least 1 inch of sand and for either method where you put sand over another substrate, a bit more to make sure nothing comes through.

 

[Sub-tropic-discus]

I'm no expert on planted tanks from 1st hand experience, but I have done a lot of reading about them, so take this advice as you will
I think the undersubstrate heaters are generally regarded as unnecessary.
Lead or pot shouldn't be needed once the plant is planted. I've used a bit ocassionally for a few weeks for a particularly stubborn bit that wouldn't stay down.
Sand doesn't have any nutritional value to plants, so here are a few options.
You can dose ferts into the water. Plants vary in how well they can access these.
You can put fert. tablets next to the roots of the plants.
You can have sand over a layer of cat litter. You still dose ferts, but they 'stick' to the clay so plants can access them through their roots as well as leaves. This is the method I've used and can't personally recommend. The plants didn't look especially better than with just sand.
You have a thin layer of pond compost under your sand. This provides nutrients and is enough for less demanding plants. User Honeythorn is an advocate of this method. I suppose the same would go for aquarium specific 'soils' like oliver knotts etc.
I found for the actual planting you want the sand just damp. Dry is no good and too wet isn't either. Think making sandcastles-that's what you need. It will be firm enough to hold the plants in place then. Using tweezers is better than fingers as less sand gets disturbed. You need to avoid disturbing the sand as you fill the tank. A fine tube siphon is recommended, but I couldn't rig one up so went with another suggestion of a strong plastic bag full of holes
I'd say at least 1 inch of sand and for either method where you put sand over another substrate, a bit more to make sure nothing comes through.

Thank you