sand and plants?

[WhispTech]

Can plants do ok in sand or should i stick to my gravel and add a flourite substrate.

lady at teh one store said i could not use sand since i wanted to get the carib sea marine white sand but was told that my plants wont get the nutrittion they need.

So should i get the flourite substrate?



And will cories be ok on gravel?



thanks

 

[guppy_man]

dont know about the plants but yes the cories do fine on ravel i got 3 albino cories and 1 pleco and they are doing fine

 

[WhispTech]

dont know about the plants but yes the cories do fine on ravel i got 3 albino cories and 1 pleco and they are doing fine

thanks

 

[longhorn13]

in all of my tanks the plants in the one with sand substrate are doing the best...

 

[WhispTech]

I switeched my order and got some of this url=http/www.bigalsonline.ca/catalog/product.xml?product_id=28673;category_id=3145]stuff[/url].

I wanted a sand tank but teh lady said that it would be best not too especially with my system type. Sort of wanted teh sand too since sounds easier to clean. But teh sand I was looking at was very fine and i saw it at the fish store and for a freshwater tank the guy there said he was having problems with it so was liking for a more course sand but none in my price range. The flourite looks nice though and I really like the look of the gravel i have now so thinking of doing half and half with it.

Thast ok because i am intrigued by the nano reef tanks and think i will do one of those later on in my fish journey lol and will use sand on that.

 

[WhispTech]

Ok i siwtched to a seachem onyx sand because i am going to get cories and want their bellies to be ok. Plus I heard its better for them.

When i do my water tests my ph is usually low so this should bring me up into the ideal range i hope.

 

[Lateral Line]

Both plants and Corys will be better on a sand substrate.

 

[WhispTech]

Think I should pput some peat moss underneath?

saw that somewhere

or will a sand substarte be fine?

 

[guppygirl]

Na, forget the peat moss. I don't see why you need it.
Keep me updated on how the onyx sand is like, I've ordered some for my 20H. Do you have a pic of it in your tank??
Robin

 

[Lateral Line]

For best reulsts, some laterite or similar reducing iron rich material can be laid under sand. Peat is not a really good choice. Failing that, plain sand with root tabs placed under specimen plants works just as well.

 

[WhispTech]

Na, forget the peat moss. I don't see why you need it.
Keep me updated on how the onyx sand is like, I've ordered some for my 20H. Do you have a pic of it in your tank??
Robin

I don't have it yet

Should have it sometime tuesday or wednesday probably. My fault in my wording though. I am upgrading to a 6 gallon tank, and originally ordered white sand, then canceled that order then i ordered flourite for my live plants and the i cancelled that order lol. finally I settled on some onyx sand since it suppose to be good for plants and i want to put some pygmy cories in with my betta.

All I can say is big als online store was very patient with me and went all out on customer service and didnt give me a hard time on my changing orders. Glad i did it while the weekend.

Anywys once i get it i will have pictures. i am also thinking of getting some more plants. Will see how the cambomba or whatever its called does in teh new substrate since it doesnt seem to be doing well but probably because of the gravel i have.

I have researhced on the web of the onyx stuff and people said it makes the fish more vibrant and the plants go greener.

 

[WhispTech]

K so got most of it setup now. madea little guard for teh water flow so it doesn't bug the betta.

Still need to get more plants and some other fish.

Proabably some cories.

But I also need something that will eat algae?

Is there anything I can get ?


Here si a pic so far. Seems a bit bare since took everything from 3 gallon to put in here.

 

[nuckfluckchuckbuck]

Our 100 gallon tank complete with sand and 9 Axolotls is doing amazing. They seem to be able to to just suck all the water that the sand holds

 

[utahfish]

the most efficient algea eaters i've found are otto's. they do better in a small group but i only have one. i also have a rubber lipped pleco. he's a mini pleco and is only about 2 inches if that. he does a good job too. if you dont want either of those you could always get some amono shrimp or some snails. alsoo make sure you have enough light for your plants or all the co2 and great substrate wont mean jack.

 

[WhispTech]

Don't have any co2 since only a 6 gallon. think I need it for such a small case?

Also i wouldnt mind a freshwater pleco instead of a shrimp.

Have like one of them, the betta and 4 pygmy cories would be nice.

As for the lightbulb I think it will be ok and seen other systems with teh sme bulb and the plants look healthy

never saw if they had a co2 system though.



WEith 6 fish figured It would be enough as long as i dont over plants.

I only want like 2-3 more plants anyways to fill up teh one corner and the back a bit