Would It Be Worth While Adding Substrate

[dave_m13]

Hi All

I am just wondering whether adding some sort of substrate will help my plants alot or could I just get away with adding root tabs.

I suppose the reason I ask is, is it worth the hassle to strip the tank down completely to add the substrate, would the effect of adding substrate fertilizer out way the hassle of stripping down a 400 litre tank? Or would it be better just to add several root tabs where the plants are growing?

Cheers
Dave

 

[Themuleous]

Yes it is definitely worth the hassle, but that said root tabs can work well too. It really depends on how many plants you have, if you cram them into the tank then you'll probably find you have to add lots of root tabs and that can be expensive compared to a decent substrate. That said if you only have a few plants, like swords and ech species then you can prob get away with having a root tab under each.

Sam

 

[dave_m13]

Sam

I do not have that many root plants, due to them either lacking some sort of nutrient or one of my Ansistrus eating them.
The reason I say I think it might be the fish, is that I got a nice echinodorus rose plant, after an hour of it being in the tank, one of the leaves looked as if it had been shreaded, on a lower leaf I saw my Blue Seam Ansistrus grazing on it. The next morning about 10 of the leaves had gone the same way, now I do think a lack of nutrients would cause the plants to deteriorate over night.

So I think I may just go for root tabs, I know that the JBL balls are alright and they are pretty cheap or if there are any others you may wish to recommend.

Thanks
Dave

 

[Themuleous]

Well in that case, I take it you're going to take the fish out or not have live plants if thats going to happen each time? And yes a lack of nutrients isn't going to cause the plants to do this over night!

I have used the seachem root tabs which IMO are superb, but are a bit expensive. Not used anything else but reckon most would be ok. Make sure the ones you get have lots of iron in them and if possible other trace elements like boron and magnesium.

 

[dave_m13]

Thanks for that, I really do not want to take out the Ansistrus or the plants, so its a bit of a hit and miss what I put in there. So far I know that I cannot have Normal Amazon Swords, Narrow Leaf Amazon swords and now this Echinodorus Rose. I have however got the Echinodorus ozelot green that so far has not been touched, this is a nicer plant than all the others so hopefully it will survive. At £2.50 a pot do not really want to be buying lots to replace others.

I think I will try the Seachem root tabs, I have all the liquids.

Thanks again

 

[Themuleous]

Could try java fern, that is supposed to be fish safe. But it really needs attaching to a piece of wood or something and not buried in the substrate as it will rot.

Hope the root tabs work for you

Sam

 

[dave_m13]

I have plenty of Java fern in the tank at the moment, some attached to bits of wood others just floating in the tank, trying to decide were to tie them to. These definetely do not get eaten, they have been in the tank for a while.

Thanks
Dave