I took this from another form because I believe it could be put to great use here.
For Reference:
CEC=Cation-exchange capacity in layman terms that is the amount of nutrients a soil is capable of storing.
Inert=In terms of soil simply means the soil contains nothing of any value to plants by itself.
Regular Aquarium Gravel:
Pros: Cost, Easy To Gravel Vac, No Real Risk of anaerobic pockets
Cons: Hard to plant in, Inert, Foreground plants do not grow or spread well in it, appearance
Eco Complete-
Pros-Appearance, High CEC, Rough Surface Easy For Mosses And Smaller Plants To Attach To
Cons-Lacking Key Plant Nutrients, Cost, Inconsistent size makes it hard to make hills and slopes that stay
Turface/Schultz Aquatic Plant Soil/Pondcare Aquatic Plant Soil/AquariumPlants.com Substrate/Kitty Litter/Oil Dri-
Pros-Appearance, Uniform Size, High CEC, Cost
Cons-It is very light and easily disturbed, Lacking Key Plant Nutrients
Aquasoil-
Pros-Includes Key Plant Nutrients, Uniform Size, Holds Slopes Well Compared To Other Substrates, Durability as it looks great for years, Lowers PH And Water hardness
Cons-Cost, Leaches ammonia into the water for a couple of weeks or so, and needs big water changes, often, to get rid of the ammonia initially., Can be messy while rescaping
Mineralized Top Soil-
Pros-Cost, Includes Key Plant Nutrients, Availability, Little Need For Additional Ferts
Cons-Time consuming to make, Must Be Topped, Ingredients Hard To Come By, Can Be Messy When Rescaping
Miracle Grow Organic-
Pros-Cost, Includes Key Plant Nutrients, Availability
Cons-Can Be Messy When Rescaping, Must be Topped, Temporary Gas Pockets
Flourite Regular/Sand-
Pros-High CEC For Regular, Appearance, Uniform Size
Cons-Cost, Lacks Key Plant Nutrients, Lots of Rinsing, Possible magnetic pieces (could scratch glass when using magnetic cleaner)
Blasting Sand-
Pros- Cost, Appearance, Uniform Size, Availability
Cons- Inert, No CEC, May Require Root Tabs
Pool Filter Sand-
Pros- Cost, Appearance, Uniform Size, Availability
Cons- Inert, No CEC, May Require Root Tabs, Discolors over time
Play Sand-
Pros-Cost, Appearance, Uniform Size, Availability
Cons- Inert, Very Light, Compacts Which Creates Anaerobic Pockets, May Require Root Tabs
Fluval Stratum-
Pros: contains some nutrients, doesn't leach ammonia, good particle sizes
Cons: Cost, Must Be Rinsed (This is debatable as some suggest not rinsing to keep water clear.)
Estes Black Sand-
Pros: Uniform Size, Appearance, Cost, Not Silica Based Sand
Cons: Inert, No CEC, May Require Root Tabs
Pea Gravel:
Pros: Cost, easy to aquascape and clean, to some appearance may be a pro, eliminates risk of anaerobic pockets
Cons: inert, eliminates a lot of options for foreground plants, root tabs don't work as well.
Hagen GEO System Pacific Gravel #2 (actually sand)
Pros: doesn't compact, easy to plant in, holds slopes well, not stark white like silica sand, looks very natural
Either way: acts as a pH buffer
Cons: light colored so hard to clean, cost, some random black/red granules, needs rinsing
Side Notes:
Substrate fertilizing isn't essential with the inert substrates. Plants will grow well with or without substrate ferts, but then you have to be very consistent in following the dosing method you use, so you don't run out of any of them. With substrate fertilizing you can be more relaxed about dosing the water without worrying about the effect on the plants.
For Reference:
CEC=Cation-exchange capacity in layman terms that is the amount of nutrients a soil is capable of storing.
Inert=In terms of soil simply means the soil contains nothing of any value to plants by itself.
Regular Aquarium Gravel:
Pros: Cost, Easy To Gravel Vac, No Real Risk of anaerobic pockets
Cons: Hard to plant in, Inert, Foreground plants do not grow or spread well in it, appearance
Eco Complete-
Pros-Appearance, High CEC, Rough Surface Easy For Mosses And Smaller Plants To Attach To
Cons-Lacking Key Plant Nutrients, Cost, Inconsistent size makes it hard to make hills and slopes that stay
Turface/Schultz Aquatic Plant Soil/Pondcare Aquatic Plant Soil/AquariumPlants.com Substrate/Kitty Litter/Oil Dri-
Pros-Appearance, Uniform Size, High CEC, Cost
Cons-It is very light and easily disturbed, Lacking Key Plant Nutrients
Aquasoil-
Pros-Includes Key Plant Nutrients, Uniform Size, Holds Slopes Well Compared To Other Substrates, Durability as it looks great for years, Lowers PH And Water hardness
Cons-Cost, Leaches ammonia into the water for a couple of weeks or so, and needs big water changes, often, to get rid of the ammonia initially., Can be messy while rescaping
Mineralized Top Soil-
Pros-Cost, Includes Key Plant Nutrients, Availability, Little Need For Additional Ferts
Cons-Time consuming to make, Must Be Topped, Ingredients Hard To Come By, Can Be Messy When Rescaping
Miracle Grow Organic-
Pros-Cost, Includes Key Plant Nutrients, Availability
Cons-Can Be Messy When Rescaping, Must be Topped, Temporary Gas Pockets
Flourite Regular/Sand-
Pros-High CEC For Regular, Appearance, Uniform Size
Cons-Cost, Lacks Key Plant Nutrients, Lots of Rinsing, Possible magnetic pieces (could scratch glass when using magnetic cleaner)
Blasting Sand-
Pros- Cost, Appearance, Uniform Size, Availability
Cons- Inert, No CEC, May Require Root Tabs
Pool Filter Sand-
Pros- Cost, Appearance, Uniform Size, Availability
Cons- Inert, No CEC, May Require Root Tabs, Discolors over time
Play Sand-
Pros-Cost, Appearance, Uniform Size, Availability
Cons- Inert, Very Light, Compacts Which Creates Anaerobic Pockets, May Require Root Tabs
Fluval Stratum-
Pros: contains some nutrients, doesn't leach ammonia, good particle sizes
Cons: Cost, Must Be Rinsed (This is debatable as some suggest not rinsing to keep water clear.)
Estes Black Sand-
Pros: Uniform Size, Appearance, Cost, Not Silica Based Sand
Cons: Inert, No CEC, May Require Root Tabs
Pea Gravel:
Pros: Cost, easy to aquascape and clean, to some appearance may be a pro, eliminates risk of anaerobic pockets
Cons: inert, eliminates a lot of options for foreground plants, root tabs don't work as well.
Hagen GEO System Pacific Gravel #2 (actually sand)
Pros: doesn't compact, easy to plant in, holds slopes well, not stark white like silica sand, looks very natural
Either way: acts as a pH buffer
Cons: light colored so hard to clean, cost, some random black/red granules, needs rinsing
Side Notes:
Substrate fertilizing isn't essential with the inert substrates. Plants will grow well with or without substrate ferts, but then you have to be very consistent in following the dosing method you use, so you don't run out of any of them. With substrate fertilizing you can be more relaxed about dosing the water without worrying about the effect on the plants.
