Substrate

[slakey]

Hey all, I've got a Juwel Rekord 96 which I am itching to get started on once the financial situation is a bit more stable, and well first things first, what substrate would be ideal?

I would like to stick to the low-tech side of things.

At the pet shop I work at they've get Seachem Black sand half price, Seachem Flourite red half price, and Seachem Flourite half price.

I'm interested in the Seachem Flourite, but was told it's hard to clean etc and also seeing as I would like corys I've read that actual gravel isn't good for their barbels...

I've got sand in my Aqua El 70, but it's nothing special for plants, just ordinary sand.

I would go for the Seachem Onyx black sand but then I may struggle to find light ornaments... any ideas to what I could consider and look over?

 

[hixy]

Hey all, I've got a Juwel Rekord 96 which I am itching to get started on once the financial situation is a bit more stable, and well first things first, what substrate would be ideal?

I would like to stick to the low-tech side of things.

At the pet shop I work at they've get Seachem Black sand half price, Seachem Flourite red half price, and Seachem Flourite half price.

I'm interested in the Seachem Flourite, but was told it's hard to clean etc and also seeing as I would like corys I've read that actual gravel isn't good for their barbels...

I've got sand in my Aqua El 70, but it's nothing special for plants, just ordinary sand.

I would go for the Seachem Onyx black sand but then I may struggle to find light ornaments... any ideas to what I could consider and look over?

Hello.Just get a bag of john innes number 3 from a garden centre and cover it with some sand.This is as good as any expensive substrate you can buy from LFS and will save you money.

 

[pauld]

Hey all, I've got a Juwel Rekord 96 which I am itching to get started on once the financial situation is a bit more stable, and well first things first, what substrate would be ideal?

I would like to stick to the low-tech side of things.

At the pet shop I work at they've get Seachem Black sand half price, Seachem Flourite red half price, and Seachem Flourite half price.

I'm interested in the Seachem Flourite, but was told it's hard to clean etc and also seeing as I would like corys I've read that actual gravel isn't good for their barbels...

I've got sand in my Aqua El 70, but it's nothing special for plants, just ordinary sand.

I would go for the Seachem Onyx black sand but then I may struggle to find light ornaments... any ideas to what I could consider and look over?

i would avoid black sand its a nightmare to keep clean , i think the place to start is decide the plants you want to keep once you have decided that , you can decide weather there root feeders or feed through there leafs this will help with your choice of substrate if leaf feeders you could even get away with play pit sand .

 

[mbsqw1d]

^what hixt says^

look into whats known as the Walstad method if yr going low tech.

also iv heard that leonardite helps

 

[slakey]

Thanks, shall do that

 

[Alasse]

I have black sand in a planted tank and love it....find it no different to clean than any other sand (in fact i find it easier than the white play sand). My cories enjoy digging and exploring it!