Substrate Capping

[flix_cw]

When i set up my low-tech 2ft planted tank, i'm thinking an 'Argos play-sand' substrate, but with a layer of plant-friendly substrate beneath that.

I have a number of questions:

1. Can you recommend a decent plant-friendly substrate? I've looked into cat litter, laterite, flourite and eco-complete and just can't make up my mind.

2. Is there any advantage to adding a layer of mesh between the two substrate layers? Sort of like a gravel tidy. I found this on ebay where they'll cut a piece to your specified dimensions (link). Not sure if the hole diameters are large enough for all root-types. (plus i can't decide if it's a rip-off...)

3. What thickness should the respective layers be? 2" or so each? Or 2" deep in total?

4. My current tank is running an undergravel filter, so there will be a lot of mulm from the last 12 months of its existence. Do i mix in the mulm with the bottom layer of substrate?

5. Are there any particular plant species to AVOID if using sand substrate? I currently have crypts and hygrophilia polysperma in my current gravel set up. I'm wanting to add some carpeting plants (eg. glosso or a grass) and maybe Vallis for the background? I've heard vallis sometimes doesn't agree with sand. Maybe a sword too if it works with the scape. I also want to add java fern and/or anubias to attach to rock or bogwood so the substrate's neither here nor there.

Lighting is fluorescent, and i have seachem flourish excel and TPN+ at my disposal (correct me if i won't be needing these in a low-tech setup).

Cheers!
Felix

 

[lljdma06]

When i set up my low-tech 2ft planted tank, i'm thinking an 'Argos play-sand' substrate, but with a layer of plant-friendly substrate beneath that.

I have a number of questions:

1. Can you recommend a decent plant-friendly substrate? I've looked into cat litter, laterite, flourite and eco-complete and just can't make up my mind.

2. Is there any advantage to adding a layer of mesh between the two substrate layers? Sort of like a gravel tidy. I found this on ebay where they'll cut a piece to your specified dimensions (link). Not sure if the hole diameters are large enough for all root-types. (plus i can't decide if it's a rip-off...)

3. What thickness should the respective layers be? 2" or so each? Or 2" deep in total?

4. My current tank is running an undergravel filter, so there will be a lot of mulm from the last 12 months of its existence. Do i mix in the mulm with the bottom layer of substrate?

5. Are there any particular plant species to AVOID if using sand substrate? I currently have crypts and hygrophilia polysperma in my current gravel set up. I'm wanting to add some carpeting plants (eg. glosso or a grass) and maybe Vallis for the background? I've heard vallis sometimes doesn't agree with sand. Maybe a sword too if it works with the scape. I also want to add java fern and/or anubias to attach to rock or bogwood so the substrate's neither here nor there.

Lighting is fluorescent, and i have seachem flourish excel and TPN+ at my disposal (correct me if i won't be needing these in a low-tech setup).

Cheers!
Felix

1. All of the above have their advantages and disadvantages. Hated the messiness of Flourite personally. I've used laterite with great success. But all of the above have been used with success.

2. It looks a little fine too me and you can probably find something equivalent for much cheaper at a hardware store or probably a good craft store for much cheaper. Plants with larger roots are going to struggle to send them down.

3. Up to you. I tend to have smaller tanks, so I can't have 4" of substrate. Usually I'll do like an inch of the nutrient rich and like 1.5"-2" of the cap. Others will have their own mix.

4. Mulm is wonderful. You can even create a cheapie nutrient substrate by mixing the mulm with the gravel you already have and then capping with sand or whatever substrate you end up using. I did this with Endor, my 36g low-light tank. That was a mulmy fine gravel capped with fine sand. Also mixed mulm from the 36g to the substrate mixture for my last 8g. That was laterite mixed with mulm with a sand cap.

5. I've personally had no trouble using a fine sand as a substrate. Crypts grow great in it. See my Endor scape.

Hope this helps a bit. Honestly, I've abandoned substrate layers in favor of just dosing through the water column. I always disliked the inevitable mixing. Also, IMO, the substrate is something you can definitely save money on. For me, the most important things to spend money on is the filtration and circulation. This can make or break the planted tank. I'll never say no to dosing Carbon and ferts, even in a lower light tank. It's optional, but the plants will not mind in the least. What's the wattage of the bulb?

llj

 

[flix_cw]

Hope this helps a bit. Honestly, I've abandoned substrate layers in favor of just dosing through the water column. I always disliked the inevitable mixing. Also, IMO, the substrate is something you can definitely save money on. For me, the most important things to spend money on is the filtration and circulation. This can make or break the planted tank. I'll never say no to dosing Carbon and ferts, even in a lower light tank. It's optional, but the plants will not mind in the least. What's the wattage of the bulb?

llj

Thanks for the advice llj! I love your tanks, i've spent hours looking through them all!

I haven't got hold of the tank yet (a friend picked it up for me) but the ad said T5 Arcadia, that was it. We shall see!
It's a 15USg and so i've just purchased an Eheim 2213+, which will provide 7.6x turnover (before media is added, granted).

Once i've got all that sorted, i've then got to work out how i'm going to scape the thing! It'll be viewed from both sides so it's quite an exciting project. I might even start a journal on it.

Felix