Substrate

[Fluval-1200]

Ok so I have had play sand for around 8months and its just shocking. My root systems on all my plants are dying off badly, ive taken them out of the sand and within a week ive got massive roots systems and way better growth.
Play sand is a no no for me and I refuse to stir it up everyday to keep it loose for my plants to grow.
 
Ive came across pool filter sand which is bargain cheap compared to the price of gravel, the pool filter sand is 0.5mm - 1.0mm, has anyone had any compacting issues from using this stuff.
 
I want root systems longer than my arm and I want sand!
 
Considering 2-3mm gravel but willing to try pool filter sand if its any good.
 
So anyone using pool filter sand? and with good results, I cant use any nutrient rich substrate capped with sand due to a aquascaping pleco.
 
 

 

[frapadoodle]

Have read your posts elsewhere about playsand.
I have had playsand for a couple of years and booming plants with healthy root systems.
Around my swords it's three inches deep.
And with an "aquascaping pleco" how can you have compaction?

 

[Fluval-1200]

Have read your posts elsewhere about playsand.
I have had playsand for a couple of years and booming plants with healthy root systems.
Around my swords it's three inches deep.
And with an "aquascaping pleco" how can you have compaction?

Well done, and he doesn't dig the whole tank.

 

[fm1978]

 

Have read your posts elsewhere about playsand.
I have had playsand for a couple of years and booming plants with healthy root systems.
Around my swords it's three inches deep.
And with an "aquascaping pleco" how can you have compaction?

Well done, and he doesn't dig the whole tank.
 

 
That sounds incredibly sarcastic on the 'well done'!
 
I too have play-sand (from Argos) and all of my live plants are doing very well - some recently added plants have healthy root systems at several cms long. I don't even dose ferts or CO2...could there be another reason why your plants are finding it difficult to root properly aside from the substrate??

 

[Fluval-1200]

 

 


Have read your posts elsewhere about playsand.
I have had playsand for a couple of years and booming plants with healthy root systems.
Around my swords it's three inches deep.
And with an "aquascaping pleco" how can you have compaction?

Well done, and he doesn't dig the whole tank.
 

 
That sounds incredibly sarcastic on the 'well done'!
 
I too have play-sand (from Argos) and all of my live plants are doing very well - some recently added plants have healthy root systems at several cms long. I don't even dose ferts or CO2...could there be another reason why your plants are finding it difficult to root properly aside from the substrate??
 


It is a very sarcastic 'well done', because everytime I say I dislike play sand I get the....my plants are doing awesome in the stuff, its rather annoying. I don't want to use it as its choking my plants, its compacting way to hard and way to fast. People can tell me to adjust my c02 ferts and lights as much as they want....bottom line is play sand is still choking my plants and I refuse to loosen it by hand every day as its just pointless, if it needs to be messed with it shouldn't be in a tank.
 
There's my explanation on the play sand. I want to know who is using filter sand and what results there having.

 

[fm1978]

 

 


 


Have read your posts elsewhere about playsand.
I have had playsand for a couple of years and booming plants with healthy root systems.
Around my swords it's three inches deep.
And with an "aquascaping pleco" how can you have compaction?

Well done, and he doesn't dig the whole tank.
 

 
That sounds incredibly sarcastic on the 'well done'!
 
I too have play-sand (from Argos) and all of my live plants are doing very well - some recently added plants have healthy root systems at several cms long. I don't even dose ferts or CO2...could there be another reason why your plants are finding it difficult to root properly aside from the substrate??
 


It is a very sarcastic 'well done', because everytime I say I dislike play sand I get the....my plants are doing awesome in the stuff, its rather annoying. I don't want to use it as its choking my plants, its compacting way to hard and way to fast. People can tell me to adjust my c02 ferts and lights as much as they want....bottom line is play sand is still choking my plants and I refuse to loosen it by hand every day as its just pointless, if it needs to be messed with it shouldn't be in a tank.
 
There's my explanation on the play sand. I want to know who is using filter sand and what results there having.
 


 
Sorry you're not having any luck with it...it must be very irritating when it seems to work for everyone else and just not you. It must feel a bit like being a Christian Scientist, I imagine, eh?
 
Out of interest, what type of play sand have you been using or from whom did you purchase it?

 

[Fluval-1200]

Its argos play sand lol, I hate it.
 
Im very irritated as I don't want to know if people have good results from play sand, ive asked about it before elsewere and had mixed results.
 
It doesn't work for me...hence the thread.

 

[fm1978]

I understand...
 
I'm having a look at different types of sand just now. Apparently the Argos stuff comes from a company called William Sinclair who say they don't treat it with anything and only wash it with water. It's made from quartz/silica as well as containing various minerals and ferrous compounds, so perhaps you could try a non-quart/silica based cheap sand this time round?
 
Is a plant specific aquarium sand totally out of your budget?

 

[Fluval-1200]

I understand...
 
I'm having a look at different types of sand just now. Apparently the Argos stuff comes from a company called William Sinclair who say they don't treat it with anything and only wash it with water. It's made from quartz/silica as well as containing various minerals and ferrous compounds, so perhaps you could try a non-quart/silica based cheap sand this time round?
 
Is a plant specific aquarium sand totally out of your budget?

Could possibly try that, the compacting is the main issue with this sand atm.
Im on a tight budget atm and the filter sand is very good price for money.

 

[frapadoodle]

A quick question, as pool filter sand is a finer grain would you not get quicker and tighter compaction?

 

[Fluval-1200]

The filter sand is larger grain than playsand.

 

[frapadoodle]

Ahh, y'all must use a different sand.
Have you looked into paver sand?
Used it in my Betta tank. It has a larger grain and bits of aggregate.