Some Advice About Subsrates Please.

[brads]

Hi, I am thinking about changing my gravel to sand in the new year. If I can get enough cash together over christmas!!!
I have plants growing in my gravel and they do well. Allthough visitors always comment on how nice my tank looks I know it would be better if changed it to sand.
At the moment I use a basic set up 1 watt per gallon, and use API root tabs (monthly) and nutrafin liqiud ferts (weekly)

Fisrt question really is---- Do I have to use a substrate under the sand for plants or can I go without and carry on using root tabs?
Would the subsrate and sand get mixed up over a peroid of time and look a mess?
Sand should be 1 to 1 and half inches deep does that include the substrate?
How long would my fish be ok for in a bucket?
Any advice on takeing care of my GN pleco during the change over?

Cheers Brads

 

[brads]

Where have all the helpful people gone?

Brads

 

[brads]

Come on guys some help needed here, I don't want to do the wrong thing

Brads

 

[Azaezl]

Hi,

I'm new to plants myself so I'll just advise you as best I can

I have sand & live plants in all of my tanks(apart from one), I use api root tabs & jbl ferropol, although this is just temporary until I get some cash to buy dry ferts.

You could get a specially designed substrate for your plants and put sand over the top but it will most likely mix over time, which depending on the colours won't look too bad.

My sand is about 1.5 inches deep, the sand is the substrate, so not sure what you mean with that question.

I had my fish in several different containers, next to the radiator to keep the water warm, but it only took me about 3 hours to drain the water off, get the gravel out and put the sand in(as well as giving the tank a good clean whilst I was at it) that was on a 66G. How about you get a water butt, put most of your tank water in that, add your filter to it & the fish and they should be fine in that for quite some time, it will take quiet a while for the temperateure to drop significantly(unless your house is freezing).

As for the plec, just put something in the container it can hide in / under so it feels more secure, the fish may seem a little stressed during / after but they'll be fine.

HTH

 

[chrisdoesntmiss]

It cant hurt to put a small amount of extra substrate under the sand to increase the nutrient content but using the tabs is going to helping. sand on its own is inert and will not retain the nutrients as well as something like laterite. Saying that i use sand and a peat mix with no problems. the only problems you might encounter is the sand compacting down and forming pockets of sulphur dioxide (correct me if i am wrong).

There are some people that swear by ADA substrates/Eco-Complete etc but i am having no problems with the growth and proliferation with my current setup.

The fish would be fine so long as the heater and filter are continually going, however i would go out and get a much larger container than a bucket.

Chris

 

[brads]

Cheers for the advice

Has anyone got pictures of their tanks with gravel then changed to sand?

Brads

 

[Azaezl]

Ok here is what my tank looked like with white gravel & plastic plants;

then sand & plastic plants;

then live plants;

Here is another tank that I changed from gravel to sand;

Here is that same tank with live plants instead of plastic(and minus the pagodas);

As you can see I change my tanks around alot

 

[chrisdoesntmiss]

I will place a better photo later, i cant find the camera.

Chris

BTW, azaezl, love the pandas

 

[brads]

YEP the sand looks alot better. Azael I love that last shot with all the lush plants looks great!!
And those discus look wicked
Any more pics chaps?

Cheers Brads

 

[black molly3]

here is my tank with sand

and here it is with gravel

can you guess the size now lol