Planted Tank With Ugf?

[nry]

Even though the tank was in the kitchen it was still rattling enough to be annoying

 

[Biulu]

I have a planted tank with an UGF, and am successfully keeping amazon swords, vallisneria, and cryptocoryne wendtii. I also have anubia, but since that is mounted on a piece of wood, it is not a real substrate plant. I have only used liquid fertiliser until recently, and in the beginning the root feeders (amazon swords) were not doing too well, but after the fish waste started to accumulate, they really started growing! Now, I also use some root tablets now and then.

 

[Musho3210]

there probably good because it will deliver nutrients to the roots

 

[nry]

The problem with undergravel filters is that they rely on sufficient water flow through the gravel. Start sticking in loads of plants with roots, root tabs, stop cleaning the substrate as much to allow some mulm build-up and you end up with a reduced waterflow through the filter and therefore a less efficient filter.

 

[hakisuma_chan]

Thanks, guys!!! I'm really new to planted stuff so this is great help. I'm thinking of getting this:

http/www.exoticpetevolution.com/proddetail.php?prod=a600

Because it's a retail store and shipping is a lot less expensive. I wanted a hang on external one because it gives more room and is less visible

Now, I have another question. Since I'll have no UGF now, because of external hanging filter, what else will I need? I have a heater, air pump; I'm getting a hood light. What substrate? Do I use Flourite? By it self? Or gravel on bottom, Flourite on top? Or Flourite on bottom, sand on top? ^^; Is there anything that's needed? Besides appearance sake, I mean. (Like sand is not necessary, but it looks nice and you can't have just sand so you need something like flourite under it for the roots and stuff) I'm thinking the only thing I really need is flourite or laterite or something like that...I hope I'm not confusing anybody.

 

[Musho3210]

sand is fine but wont really grow heavy root feeders that well. I use sand and the only thing i have problems growing is amazon sword. I can grow crypts fine in the sand as well.