Sand & Laterite

[Andy_B]

So I'm looking to add quite a few plants to my tank and I've seen people mentioning that they use laterite to feed the plants.

My 2 questions are:

1) Do I need laterite?

2) If I do use laterite, does the sand go directly on top of it or do I need to split that laterite & sand somehow?

Thanks in advance

 

[SamUK]

it helps but you dont NEED it.

i was moving some stuff about in a sand tank ive had setup about a month now and some of the plants were really well rooted in considering its playsand from argos and i dont think that has anything good in it at all.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Use 1 to 1.5 ounces of laterite per gal. of tank capacity. Mix the laterite into the bottom 1- 1.5 inches of the substrate and then top it up with plain substrate to get 3 inch depth or so. Works great- been using it for years.

 

[Andy_B]

Any other thoughts or advice people?

Thanks

 

[dgwebster]

ive got an all sand tank, no laterite, with various plants in it and they are very well rooted and growing at incredible rates.

imo only needed for very picky and difficult plants or for extremely lush growth.

 

[Andy_B]

ive got an all sand tank, no laterite, with various plants in it and they are very well rooted and growing at incredible rates.

imo only needed for very picky and difficult plants or for extremely lush growth.

Cool.

Can I ask what plants you are growing then?

Thanks

 

[dgwebster]

sure, I have:

Vallis Corkscrew
Green Myrophyllum
Rotala Indica (actually I think this is in the gravel part of the gravel/sand aquarium.)
some stuff that is really tall grass like.
there is more, but no idea what they are called or how on earth I would describe them other than "bush-like with dense broad leaves" for one.

The Green Myrophyllum grows and an incredible rate in the sand, one has doubled its length and created 4 new shoots that are now what i'd call "adults" in just 3 weeks.

I will admit, i mix in some plant food every second week after water changes.