Nutritious substrate for under gravel filter?

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Chen jing kai

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I am currently using coral gravel for my under gravel filter but I want to use a nutritious substrate instead so plants can grow better. Also, if I switch the filter, do I have to restart the entire process of cycling my fish tank again? Sorry for asking so many questions and thank you.
 
Not so good with an under gravel filter. What fish are you keeping in this tank, what is the pH and hardness of the water. Do you have any other filter apart from the under gravel on this tank, if not I would buy a second filter set it up and let it run for say a month, then you could swap the substrate out and you have a working filter that is cycled for your tank.
 
Not so good with an under gravel filter. What fish are you keeping in this tank, what is the pH and hardness of the water. Do you have any other filter apart from the under gravel on this tank, if not I would buy a second filter set it up and let it run for say a month, then you could swap the substrate out and you have a working filter that is cycled for your tank.
Nitrate is about 10mg/l
Ammonia between 0-5mg/l
Nitrite 0mg/l
4 zevra danios, two dwarf gouramis, 1 yo-yo loach, one l008 pleco, 6 ember tetras, 6 rummy noses, 6 cardinal tetras, 2 pristella tetras, 1 harlequin rasbora, 2 sterba’s corydoras, 2 Siamese algae eaters, 3 serpae tetras. Thanks for the advice.
 
Nitrate is about 10mg/l
Ammonia between 0-5mg/l
Nitrite 0mg/l
4 zevra danios, two dwarf gouramis, 1 yo-yo loach, one l008 pleco, 6 ember tetras, 6 rummy noses, 6 cardinal tetras, 2 pristella tetras, 1 harlequin rasbora, 2 sterba’s corydoras, 2 Siamese algae eaters, 3 serpae tetras. Thanks for the advice.
do you know your pH and hardness values
 
You can't use a plant substrate with an undergravel filter. It would be the same as filling a power filter with clay or soil. It wouldn't work.

If you want a plant substrate, you will need to cycle a power filter on the tank, and after it has cycled (about 6-8 weeks), then remove the undergravel filter and set up the new substrate.

*NB* Lots of plant substrates will cause ammonia spikes and you have to wait for these to stop before adding fish. Most plant substrates run out of nutrients after a year or so and stop doing anything for the plants.
 
You can't use a plant substrate with an undergravel filter. It would be the same as filling a power filter with clay or soil. It wouldn't work.

If you want a plant substrate, you will need to cycle a power filter on the tank, and after it has cycled (about 6-8 weeks), then remove the undergravel filter and set up the new substrate.

*NB* Lots of plant substrates will cause ammonia spikes and you have to wait for these to stop before adding fish. Most plant substrates run out of nutrients after a year or so and stop doing anything for the plants.
Oh ok thanks. So I what types of filters are good?
 
Eheim, Fluval and AquaClear are good external power filters. There are plenty of other brands too but I prefer Fluval or AquaClear.

As to the size of filter you require, that will depend on the tank size and number of fish in the tank.
 
Eheim, Fluval and AquaClear are good external power filters. There are plenty of other brands too but I prefer Fluval or AquaClear.

As to the size of filter you require, that will depend on the tank size and number of fish in the tank.
Oh ok thanks will search for those of my dad wants to change the filter
 

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