Changing Subs..

[SilverWolf]

I'm thinking of changing my substrate. I'm not in love with it. I currently have soil topped with play sand and I want to switch to straight pool sand.

How would this affect my plants? My understanding is the soil becomes a living soil, will the sand only do the same?

Pro's/Con's?

[ckmullin]

Too bad...I would suggest to leave the soil

Why do you want to switch?

[jvision]

Pulling the soil out would be a start from scratch. Right now, it's a source of nutrients for your plants. Eventually, those nutrients will be totally used up and you will likely notice a decline in plant growth - but, that's likely a year or more down the road. The soil will still be a place of high Cation Exchange Capacity - basically, if you start adding ferts, the soil will hold onto them for the plants.

If you go to just sand, you won't have any CEC, so in order to get optimal plant growth, you'll want to keep the water column fertilized (EI or MCI dosing). In order to get some CEC with just sand, a lot of people will add clay, fish mulm, or soil in a 1/4" under it. I'm a fan of plain sand, myself - it's pretty simple to set up, and I dose EI method, anyway. Another thing that can help with heavy root feeders like swords and Crypts is to add root tabs (Flourish are good. I use tiny pieces of Jobe's for Palms and Ferns).

[flyfisher]

+1 for the root tabs on heavy root feeders( never tried Jobe's thanks jvision)I add them every three months Amazon & Melon swords love them.Try to get in on a group purchase and pick up the forty packs buying them ten at a time gets expensive.