Do I Need To Use Gravel

[shrimply]

Basically all in the title after posting another thread I decided to use either TetraPlant Complete Substrate or Tropica Plant Substrate. Anyone have opinions on which is best? And then top it up with a pond compost, either this Compost 1 or this Compost 2. Again I would like suggestions on which I should use.

My question is do I need a layer of gravel on the top I would rather not use any as I am looking for a mor enatural look. So is there a good reason for using it and do I have to?

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[Themuleous]

Ive heard good things about both of those, but if it was me Id get the tropica one, purely because its tropica and they are the planted guru's, their plant nutrition range is the best you can get.

I have to ask what the point of the pond compost is though? If you're getting the other substrate then the compost seems unnecessary. Either way I would add a layer of fine gravel over the top as well, but its probably not necessary, more to help secure the plants (would be easier as the gravel would add a further 2" to the substrate) than for any other reason.

Sam

 

[shrimply]

I had hoped to use the pond compost as a replacement to the gravel laye purely because I don't fancy the idea of gravel. And I know I need to add up the thickness But hoped that I could use the compost instead of gravel so as to achieve the appearence I want.

Thanks for the help. I wil proably go for the tropica substrate if it has such a good reputation.

 

[shrimply]

Ok just bumping this back up one less time but unless I can get an answer about why the gravel is used i will just do without i have been reading a lot of old threads and can't find any info on it. I will let you all know how i get on.

 

[Themuleous]

It says for the tetra one that the compost should have a layer of gravel anyway, so best probably best don't to use it without a gravel cap. Guess that's cos it'll make the water murky everything a fish swims over it. Why dont you want to use gravel?

Sam

 

[wandgrudd]

for the BLAGDON POND PLANT COMPOST you will need a top coat of sand / gravel what ever you prefer as as soon as you add water lots and i mean lots of bits will float to the top. i was intending to use BLAGDON in my nano but had to get some sand as it was rubbish on its own. every little movement made the water go brown and would take days to settle.

Andrew