Substrate Question

[FishGO]

http/www.amazon.co.uk/Tetra-Plant-Complete-Substrate-5-8/dp/B000XACCY4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1369145591&sr=8-1&keywords=substrate
 
About to order this product for my 4ft 155L tank. Is it entirely necessary to have a planted aquarium? The reason I ask is I have a small 10Gal just now and a few of the plants have survived and grown well within it without any kind of plant substrate, and others have failed badly. Is that down to the lack (none) of nutrients I have supplied my plants?
 
Thank you all

 

[eaglesaquarium]

It depends on the plant, the lighting, and if you are planning on using ferts.
 
 
Some plants are heavy root feeders - like Echinodorus spp.  (Amazon swords, etc.) Many stem plants can also grow as floating plants, so the substrate is really inconsequential, except for being able to hold the plant in place.  Other plants, like java fern and anubias cannot be planted in the substrate (or more exactly their rhizome can't be) and so once again the substrate is completely irrelevant.
 
 
You can use sand, "dirt", planting substrate, etc. and have success.  If using an inert substrate like sand or regular gravel with heavy root feeders, you can just buy some 'root tab' fertilizer instead of the liquid variety and they will grow just fine.

 

[FishGO]

It depends on the plant, the lighting, and if you are planning on using ferts.
 
 
Some plants are heavy root feeders - like Echinodorus spp.  (Amazon swords, etc.) Many stem plants can also grow as floating plants, so the substrate is really inconsequential, except for being able to hold the plant in place.  Other plants, like java fern and anubias cannot be planted in the substrate (or more exactly their rhizome can't be) and so once again the substrate is completely irrelevant.
 
 
You can use sand, "dirt", planting substrate, etc. and have success.  If using an inert substrate like sand or regular gravel with heavy root feeders, you can just buy some 'root tab' fertilizer instead of the liquid variety and they will grow just fine.

 
Cool great thanks!, Think im just going to go with some pretty deep gravel and see how it goes after some research online as to what wont require substrate and go with the liquid fert. ive seen online
 
Any cool plant suggestions and sites in the UK? Pets at home aint up to much.
 
Thanks!

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I'm from the US, so I can't help you with that.  Sorry.