delphinus Posted January 30, 2007 Report Share Posted January 30, 2007 What are some options for a planted tank substrate? I'm going to use 2 bags of "Eco Complete" gravel in my 65g (been sitting on these since Big Als shutdown) but I'm not sure if it's going to be enough to get 3". Should I look at a layer of laterite underneath? Or would I even need laterite because there's supposed to be enough Iron in the Eco-Complete? I want to use the Eco-Complete on top because of the black gravel, I think it will look really sharp. I'm reading about potentially putting down a layer of peat under the gravel? Think that would be OK idea? Only thing is I'm going to be using a cable substrate heater on this tank so I'm not sure if it's a good idea to put that in peat (maybe it's OK, not sure)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvision Posted January 30, 2007 Report Share Posted January 30, 2007 I'd either mix in some regular gravel (SIL 9 or similars size) - or put it as your 1st layer. You're right about not needing laterite. You can use peat, but Eco Complete should have a high CEC, anyway (the only thing peat is really good for in a planted tank), so it's not really necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delphinus Posted January 30, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2007 Thanks! Dumb question - what's "Sil 9" ? If I run into a store for gravel will it be marked on the bags? Colby @ Elite has his planted tanks with .. I think it's some kind volcanic gravel? It's fairly coarse, I'm guessing 3-4mm sized granules, but I was thinking maybe a bag of that under the Eco-Complete? What would you think of that idea? Sorry - I'm a complete n00b when it comes to a good planted FW tank. (Been doing it for years, just not particularly well.) Since I'm right now in the process of upgrading my tank anyhow, now's a good time to "get the foundation right." Only thing is this is a tank for clown loaches so snails don't last longer than a day or two. I do have a bit of hesitation about going full-planted on this tank because snails for algae cleanup can never be a realistic option. I don't know if there are reasonable alternatives such as algae eaters, otocats, algae-eating shrimp etc. This is a bit of an educational journey to see if I can acheive both goals. If not, I guess just having a few basic plants is OK. I don't want to get rid of the loaches, I've had them a very long time. I'd either mix in some regular gravel (SIL 9 or similars size) - or put it as your 1st layer.You're right about not needing laterite. You can use peat, but Eco Complete should have a high CEC, anyway (the only thing peat is really good for in a planted tank), so it's not really necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finaddict Posted January 30, 2007 Report Share Posted January 30, 2007 Tony, I have a bag of the volcanic rocks from elite in my 60g 1/2 planted under sand sand. good for the roots. aND i RINSED ONCE AND THEN ADDED THEN put sand a few inches thick on top. As i have coryies who love sand! Go with a bristle nose pleco for algae control. Do not go plastic , go with swords, cprtys, anubias bartereii, apotegetons(sorry my spelling is not so good!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvision Posted January 30, 2007 Report Share Posted January 30, 2007 SIL 9 is sand blasting sand that is about 2mm in diameter... Sounds like the volcanic stuff is good, too. If you're going for swords, Crypts, Apons, etc. get yourself some Jobe's Fertilizer Spikes for palms & ferns, and put about 1/4 spike under each plant. The algae crew you mentioned (and the BN Connie mentioned) work great together - they all like a different kind of algae best. Thanks!Dumb question - what's "Sil 9" ? If I run into a store for gravel will it be marked on the bags? Colby @ Elite has his planted tanks with .. I think it's some kind volcanic gravel? It's fairly coarse, I'm guessing 3-4mm sized granules, but I was thinking maybe a bag of that under the Eco-Complete? What would you think of that idea? Sorry - I'm a complete n00b when it comes to a good planted FW tank. (Been doing it for years, just not particularly well.) Since I'm right now in the process of upgrading my tank anyhow, now's a good time to "get the foundation right." Only thing is this is a tank for clown loaches so snails don't last longer than a day or two. I do have a bit of hesitation about going full-planted on this tank because snails for algae cleanup can never be a realistic option. I don't know if there are reasonable alternatives such as algae eaters, otocats, algae-eating shrimp etc. This is a bit of an educational journey to see if I can acheive both goals. If not, I guess just having a few basic plants is OK. I don't want to get rid of the loaches, I've had them a very long time. I'd either mix in some regular gravel (SIL 9 or similars size) - or put it as your 1st layer. You're right about not needing laterite. You can use peat, but Eco Complete should have a high CEC, anyway (the only thing peat is really good for in a planted tank), so it's not really necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delphinus Posted January 30, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2007 Cool thanks Jason and Connie! I do already have a bristlenose plec. Had a pair actually at one point for a few years but lost the female a few months ago. I'm not sure what happened, she never really grew right, quite short and wide, almost like a tadpole in shape. Where's a good place to find Sil 9? Can you get it at Home Depot? Would this make a better bottom layer, or top layer, or mixed in? I'd like to try Cory cats as well although I was hoping for some of the less-itty-bitty ones (I tried some really small ones a few years back but I think I had a bad gravel size for them). You need a really fine substrate to do right by them, is that correct? Ie. the Eco-Complete is going to be too large? SIL 9 is sand blasting sand that is about 2mm in diameter... Sounds like the volcanic stuff is good, too. If you're going for swords, Crypts, Apons, etc. get yourself some Jobe's Fertilizer Spikes for palms & ferns, and put about 1/4 spike under each plant.The algae crew you mentioned (and the BN Connie mentioned) work great together - they all like a different kind of algae best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murminator Posted January 31, 2007 Report Share Posted January 31, 2007 Tony isn't gonna seem weird doing water changes without adding salt, and the refractometer tests and all that good stuff ......just water as for substrate no idea couldn't grow a plant if my life depended on it......now corals thats easy, less work ** just felt like I needed to hijack a thread somewhere** :banned: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvision Posted January 31, 2007 Report Share Posted January 31, 2007 I got SIL 9 at a Sandblasting supplier called SIL - basically, you're looking for #2 or #3 (2mm or 3mm) diameter sand. I've used Target Play Sand (available at HD) in just about every tank I own, and it works great, too. Really fine, and your new Cory's will love it! You may want to get some burrowing critters (MTS or fish that burrow, not dig) to keep it from getting too compacted around the roots. Cool thanks Jason and Connie! I do already have a bristlenose plec. Had a pair actually at one point for a few years but lost the female a few months ago. I'm not sure what happened, she never really grew right, quite short and wide, almost like a tadpole in shape. Where's a good place to find Sil 9? Can you get it at Home Depot? Would this make a better bottom layer, or top layer, or mixed in? I'd like to try Cory cats as well although I was hoping for some of the less-itty-bitty ones (I tried some really small ones a few years back but I think I had a bad gravel size for them). You need a really fine substrate to do right by them, is that correct? Ie. the Eco-Complete is going to be too large? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Chicklets Posted January 31, 2007 Report Share Posted January 31, 2007 (edited) You can get Blasting sand at Acklands. Edited January 31, 2007 by Sam Chicklets Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
werner Posted January 31, 2007 Report Share Posted January 31, 2007 You can go to Target Products Ltd. #9 7635-44st SE (Foothills industrial Park) 279-8189. They have play sand as well as all sorts of nice sandblasting grits. Anything that's inert and in the 1-3mm range will do. Since you may not be planting heavily and are an admitted plant newb, I'd suggest staying away from the Jobe's spikes. They're made for terrestrial plants and can cause algae issues if they get into the water column. There are lots of fertilizers and gravel tabs now that are made specifically for aquarium plants which have more appropriate NPK levels. Depending on your fish load vs. plant load, whether or not you're adding CO2, your lighting, etc., you may be able to stick with just dosing iron and traces, or even or nothing at all. What kind of cable heater do you have? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delphinus Posted January 31, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2007 I picked up a 100W Hydor cable from Pisces. Only thing is I'm a little concerned that it's just a heater so I sprung for a heater controller (Won Bros, $40!). "MTS" = Malaysian Trumpet Snails? How adept are they at evading clown loaches? Is that basically a no-no or could it be made to work? Where can you even find them, I've never seen them at a LFS? Murray - yeah I know, no salt? What gives eh!! I just have the 1 FW tank but the loaches have outgrown their 30g so hopefully the 65g will suit them for a few years. One more question guys - how deep should the fine sand be for the benefit of the Cory cats? Werner, when you say 1-3mm is that for the benefit of the cories or should I be using a finer grit for those? Sorry for all the questions... You can go to Target Products Ltd. #9 7635-44st SE (Foothills industrial Park) 279-8189. They have play sand as well as all sorts of nice sandblasting grits. Anything that's inert and in the 1-3mm range will do.Since you may not be planting heavily and are an admitted plant newb, I'd suggest staying away from the Jobe's spikes. They're made for terrestrial plants and can cause algae issues if they get into the water column. There are lots of fertilizers and gravel tabs now that are made specifically for aquarium plants which have more appropriate NPK levels. Depending on your fish load vs. plant load, whether or not you're adding CO2, your lighting, etc., you may be able to stick with just dosing iron and traces, or even or nothing at all. What kind of cable heater do you have? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
werner Posted January 31, 2007 Report Share Posted January 31, 2007 (edited) MTS are usually inherited with plants, so you shouldn't have to buy them. I can give you some if you need when you get the tank set up. Not sure how they'll fare with loaches; maybe depends on how hungry they are. The 1-3 mm size gravel is mostly for the benefit of the plants- not too small that it gets compacted, not too big that the plants can't get rooted. Mine's about 3mm and the corys seem to do fine. They might get more digging action in the finer stuff, but keep in mind that any gravel layer will probably settle down through the eco complete over time anyway. Nothing too sharp for their little barbels, either (although barbel erosion can also be caused by high nitrates.) Edited January 31, 2007 by werner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osprey Posted January 31, 2007 Report Share Posted January 31, 2007 My MTS survived and multiplied in a tank with three clown loaches. They're indestructible. They aren't huge algae eaters, though, unfortunately. Mostly they eat leftover food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldfish Girl Posted February 1, 2007 Report Share Posted February 1, 2007 seachem flourite is a great substrate for planted tanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dakota15 Posted February 1, 2007 Report Share Posted February 1, 2007 seachem flourite is a great substrate for planted tanks I have to agree with Goldfish Girl. While it may be a little more pricey than sandblasting sand, your plants will thank you for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.