Best substrate for plants?

[blurrae]

I've looked around a bit and found multiple different substrates that are "the best for growing plants" but I haven't seen like a definitive one that every person uses. What, in your guys opinion, is the best substrate to grow plants in? I'm looking to switch my tank to a planted tank so advice would be much appreciated

 

[mbsqw1d]

Sand with added root tabs

 

[kwi]

Sand, otherwise you're buying expensive sand with added stuff that gets used up anyways.

 

[Irksome]

I have got two tanks side by side with similar plants and light. The tank with dark sand and root tabs looks good and is easier to clean, the plants take root easily. The tank with fluval stratum plant substrate looks good, is a nightmare to clean and It is so light the plants get uprooted all the time, despite this they grow well. Sand is more cost effective in a large tank and in my experience easier to maintain.

 

[blurrae]

Ah okay good. I was already thinking of getting sand I just wanted to make sure that everyone else had good experiences with it first.

I have got two tanks side by side with similar plants and light. The tank with dark sand and root tabs looks good and is easier to clean, the plants take root easily. The tank with fluval stratum plant substrate looks good, is a nightmare to clean and It is so light the plants get uprooted all the time, despite this they grow well. Sand is more cost effective in a large tank and in my experience easier to maintain.

Just on the topic of looks, do you think light sand or dark sand make the tank appear more natural?

 

[mbsqw1d]

Ah okay good. I was already thinking of getting sand I just wanted to make sure that everyone else had good experiences with it first.


Just on the topic of looks, do you think light sand or dark sand make the tank appear more natural?

Darker the sand the better, not only as a personal preference, but fish prefer this too. Unless you're keeping salt water fish where the substrate tends to be lighter. Freshwater fish tend to come from environments where the substrate is darker and a bright substrate can stress them

 

[Byron]

I concur with others here. To answer your initial question on what is "the best substrate for plants," inert sand. There are two issues to consider, the plants and the fish, which involves the intention behind the tank.

If fish are included (some do have plant-only tanks, aquatic gardens) then they must be given first consideration as they have requirements that need to be met. Plants are secondary. Some fish have a need for fine soft sand. The colour tone of the substrate is important; avoid white at all cost, and go with a natural buff/grey tone aquarium river sand or a quality play sand (not all play sands are safe).

Plants will grow in any substrate provided the grains are not too large to aid bacterial actions. So sand is ideal, or fine gravel up to pea gravel, depending what the fish need.

 

[blurrae]

I concur with others here. To answer your initial question on what is "the best substrate for plants," inert sand. There are two issues to consider, the plants and the fish, which involves the intention behind the tank.

If fish are included (some do have plant-only tanks, aquatic gardens) then they must be given first consideration as they have requirements that need to be met. Plants are secondary. Some fish have a need for fine soft sand. The colour tone of the substrate is important; avoid white at all cost, and go with a natural buff/grey tone aquarium river sand or a quality play sand (not all play sands are safe).

Plants will grow in any substrate provided the grains are not too large to aid bacterial actions. So sand is ideal, or fine gravel up to pea gravel, depending what the fish need.

Would this sand work?

Quikrete 50 lb. Quikrete Premium Play Sand 111351 - The Home Depot

Quikrete 50 lb. Play Sand is specially graded washed sand that has been dried and screened. It is ideal for children's sand boxes, molding and building. Quikrete 50 lb. Play Sand can also be used in landscaping

www.homedepot.com

I would obviously clean it before putting it in my tank, but is that good enough?
A lot of aquarium sand is just insanely expensive since I have a 75 gal tank, so paying $15 for 20 lbs of sand racks up super quickly.

 

[kwi]

Depends what it was washed in, if you want a scare read the MSDS, though it looks like there's nothing to worry about.

 

[blurrae]

Depends what it was washed in, if you want a scare read the MSDS, though it looks like there's nothing to worry about.

Is there anything specific I should wash it in? I was thinking of just water, but if theres some chemical or something that I should put in there too then let me know

 

[Essjay]

A lot of members have used Quikrete play sand with no problems. Just wash it in plain cold water - put some in a bucket and fill with water; empty the water; repeat until the worst of the dust has washed out then do the next batch.

 

[blurrae]

A lot of members have used Quikrete play sand with no problems. Just wash it in plain cold water - put some in a bucket and fill with water; empty the water; repeat until the worst of the dust has washed out then do the next batch.

Ah okay, so just plain water. Thank you.

I actually did some research on my fish
(4x angels, 3x gouramis, 8x danios, 4x guppies) and turns out that the angels and danios prefer fine sand. Obviously this sand isn't very fine, but will that cause any problems with my fish?

 

[kwi]

Is there anything specific I should wash it in? I was thinking of just water, but if theres some chemical or something that I should put in there too then let me know

I was actually refering to it having been washed before packing, your washing is to remove dust so just water.

 

[Essjay]

Substrate is not important for angels and danios. It's only important for fish which live on the bottom of the tank - loaches, cories, some types of cichlid.


But your proposed stocking has problems.
Angels and gouramis should not be kept together.
Angels should be kept as a bonded pair or a group of at least 6.
Guppies are hard water fish while the rest are soft water fish.


What size tank are we talking about?

 

[blurrae]

Substrate is not important for angels and danios. It's only important for fish which live on the bottom of the tank - loaches, cories, some types of cichlid.


But your proposed stocking has problems.
Angels and gouramis should not be kept together.
Angels should be kept as a bonded pair or a group of at least 6.
Guppies are hard water fish while the rest are soft water fish.


What size tank are we talking about?

I only have a pleco, so I'm pretty sure it's okay for him from what I have read.

Oh. I was told that angels and gouramis were fine together. I even talked to a couple people on this forum and they told me it was fine. My bad, I should've done my own research. I used to have 6 angels, but then I decided to experiment with a cichlid just for the fun of it and that didn't end very well.
I'm actually taking the guppies back to the store tomorrow, so they won't be a problem.
I have a 75 gal bowfront.