Plant Substrate

[coldcazzie]

We are moving house next weekend and obviously I'll have to completely empty the tank to move it, so I'd like to change to plant substrate and sand while I'm at it. Any recommendations for a good substrate that's not insanely expensive?! Going to be using play sand to top it off, would love black sand but I think that is probably beyond my budget

 

[stevereade]

How big is your tank? This is pretty cheap http/thegreenmachineonline.com/products/aquatics/substrate-system/tropica-plant-substrate-5-litre

 

[ian]

a great cheap under substrate is JBL aquabasis. I have used this for a while now, and if i set up another tank, I won't hesitate to use it. I think 10ltr (enough for 200ltr tank) cost me about £12 from MA.

 

[coldcazzie]

It's a Rio 240 so footprint is 48 x 16.

 

[raptorrex]

It's a Rio 240 so footprint is 48 x 16.

you could always use Fellers earth. more commonly known as "cat litter". its cheap and effective.

 

[coldcazzie]

Ok, so having rung around local fish stores that I can actually get to, none of them stock any kind of plant substrate, and bearing in mind we move house on Saturday and the current weather (and therefore likelihood of post arriving in time/at all) I think ordering online is out of the question. So my next question (which I'm sure I'll get shot down in flames for! ) is: do I really need it or can I get away with just sand, and possibly some root tabs?

 

[coldcazzie]

anyone?

 

[james_fish]

You don't need specific plant substrate, but I would recommend it for optimum plant growth.

James.

 

[Dan-CR4]

a great cheap under substrate is JBL aquabasis. I have used this for a while now, and if i set up another tank, I won't hesitate to use it. I think 10ltr (enough for 200ltr tank) cost me about £12 from MA.

what do you use to top this off, do you use gravel or sand?

 

[SuperColey1]

If a plant substrate needs capping then small gravel (1-3mm nominal) or sand is fine.

AC

 

[raptorrex]

a great cheap under substrate is JBL aquabasis. I have used this for a while now, and if i set up another tank, I won't hesitate to use it. I think 10ltr (enough for 200ltr tank) cost me about £12 from MA.

what do you use to top this off, do you use gravel or sand?

you could use either

 

[coldcazzie]

Local store that wasnt open on Tuesday will do me a 10L bag of plant substrate for £41.99. Or 2 bags for £70. Ouch

 

[ian]

you're gonna need 2 bags for a 240ltr, and that's very expensive, it wants to be ADA substrate for that amount!

There's always the cheaper option mentioned by Raptorrex earlier in the thread, cat litter, i have never used it so i can't comment, but i do know people who have had success with it.

 

[coldcazzie]

I'm just in the process of ordering some JBL aquabasis online. 20L for just over £40. Going to put the fish in my 15G QT to move them, and then slowly do the Rio 240 over the next week. Hopefully my plants wont hate me too much being sat in a bucket for a few days.