Which Substrate

[Caroline63]

I am starting a new tank (River reef aquarium 48L) and plan to cycle as recommended in your forum (fishless cycle with ammonia addition and help from a filter media donor found on the forum).
I am sure I will have a lot of questions in the future, but the first one is about the substrate.
I am planning to get some plants in (once the cycle is finished), but want to add the substrate and gravel before starting the cycle.
As I am new to this hobby, I will probably choose fairly easy plants to keep to start with.
Considering that I have some gravel, which substrate do you recommend?
Thanks in advance

 

[Bobtastic]

Substrate is a personal choice and depends on the look you're wanting to going for. If you are keeping it simple and only having low tech setup and easy plants you wont need any of the high fert substrates that are on the market.

So it's a choice between gravel and sand. Then which colour u want of what you decide. If you choose a plant that feeds from the roots u may need to add root tabs into the substrate underneath them, but most of the starters will draw nutrients from the water column.

 

[Caroline63]

SOrry,
I misled you
I have already chosen gravel. But I would like some recommendations regarding the plant substrate to put underneath.

 

[fishyfeet]

Ive toyed with the idea of adding some planting compost for my plants and have been told by more experienced fish keepers that once the compost has used up all its nutriments you are in just the same postion as with no compost so its a waste of time unless you plan to re-set your tank up again every time. Surely its better just to add nutriment plugs or something into the substrate. di

 

[Bobtastic]

There are lots of aquatic soil type products around, but they're not really worth it unless you're heading for heavy and technical planting.

Suggestions are : -

Aqua Soil
Tropica Soil
Oliver Knott Nature Soil

I've even heard of ppl using clay cat little capped with sand.

 

[Caroline63]

Thanks. I will look this up.