Soil in a tank

[Retired Viking]

I also use flourish comp at 1/2 dosage and mix it in a glass of tank water before adding it to my tank.

 

[Wizard Lizard]

I pinched off the dead leaf, is there anything else I can do to help the anubias get on its feet?

 

[Wizard Lizard]

The leaf sorta just slogged off so i got rid of it.

 

[Retired Viking]

That happens, It is a slow growing plant so there may not be any changes in it for awhile. It also does not grow tall compared to other plants but does spread out . Try and keep it in warm water 72 degrees to around 80 helps grow it. I have some but mostly have Java ferns and fast growing plants.

 

[Wizard Lizard]

Ok

 

[Retired Viking]

The other plant looks like a "betta" plant, I have a large one growing out of the back of one of my tanks. good luck.

 

[Wizard Lizard]

The plant sticking out the back is a peace lily and the floating ones are duckweed, the duck weed was dying but its coming back now fortunately.

 

[Retired Viking]

Duckweed never dies it just retreats and then launches a new invasion of your tank

 

[Wizard Lizard]

Yep lol, I love the stuff, i actually found a wild relative were I live who has some pretty pronounced roots but much smaller leaves that I hope to add to my tank at some point after I make sure its all cleaned out and stuff. Identification would be nive on this too.

 

[Wizard Lizard]

Last post probably, should I chang anything in the tank for either the plants or fish, I feel I did pretty good with what I had!

 

[Wizard Lizard]

 

[Retired Viking]

I live right above a river on some bluff. Right now the river valley below me is flooded in some places including the path I like to walk but there is plenty of duckweed. I am going to go down there and pick some up and try it out in my RES turtle tank after I do a good check and clean on it for critters.

 

[Wizard Lizard]

Cool, thats pretty much what im doing now with those duck weed things I got, I might make a dedicated post just to figure out what exactly they are as they are very different from any other duckweed ive seen, I think its a related species

 

[mbsqw1d]

Most aquatic plants draw their nutrients from the water column as opposed to from the substrate - amazon sword being one exception, and this can be remedied by adding root tabs around the base of the plant.
You could add some soil if you really believe in the benefit - so, only place soil (under the the layer of sand) where your plants will be. If for example in the middle and front of your tank there will be no plants, then no soil is needed there.
IMO though, you're better off using liquid ferts and a good light (depending on the lighting requirements of the plants you choose)
Also, like fish, plants have different requirements when it comes to GH, PH and temperature, so its worth checking your parameters against the data thats available for the plants

 

[Wizard Lizard]

Thanks!