Gravel Or Sand?

[Discuslove]

So i have fine sand in my aquarium but was told that it isn't good to use because the roots can't move through the sand and ultimately die because they can't move, i suggested that i make little plant pots for them each and have gravel and a little bit of sand in with the gravel inside the pots (sand hold a lot of good bacteria). Do you think this is a good idea or just keep the plants in the fine gravel? What are your opinions?

 

[DerpPH]

I also have fine sand. The problem is compacting. I would get some malaysian trumpet snails. they move around the substrate so they prevent compacting

 

[Discuslove]

unfortunately my kribensis like to kill snails. thats why i came up with this plant pot idea but wasn't sure whether it was a good idea or not.

 

[DerpPH]

I wouldnt. It is not aesthetically pleasing. Malaysian trumpeteers are good at digging and come out only at night

 

[fluttermoth]

I've never had a problem with plants rooting in sand anyway; I don't know where this 'tale' comes from!

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

Your sand will not stop your plants' roots from spreading. Are you having a problem with your plants? 
 
Sand is perfectly fine for them and putting them in a little pot will do just the opposite of what you want as the roots won't be able to spread in a pot. If you are concerned about sand compacting just use the end of your net or a long spoon handle to gently move it around every now and agiain. The roots of your plants will stop it from compacting in those areas because they will grow and move around naturally. 

 

[snazy]

Plants root better in sand. Where have you read they don't? Compacting is not an issue in a planted tank because the roots act as a network of oxygen transport preventing the substrate from going anaerobic. Any substrate including gravel can eventually become anaerobic without good plant mass and roots. Hence why in a non-planted tank we've got to siphon regularly to prevent organics filling up the substrate and causing issues like hydrogen sulfide and other harmful gasses.  In a planted tank plants take care of that as they consume the organic nutritients fallen in between and provide oxygen in the substrate via the roots.

 

[Discuslove]

I only have very low lighting and my plants normally only survive a few weeks if they havent been given fertiliser. I use the liquid flourish excel. I have looked into changing my lighting but can only have the type that came with the tank because it is specifically built to fit that one sort. I used to have gravel but about 6 months ago i had changed my gravel to fine sand because of the kribensis fry getting lost in the gravel. I wasnt prepared to change my gravel to soil as i had only just changed it and don't fully trust it. (can't buy aquarium soil here only organic plant soil which is meant to be fine to use). so i had come up with this idea, the pots wouldn't show as i would hide it under the gravel. I think i will stick to the fine sand by the sounds of it and just move around the sand every now and again.

Plants root better in sand. Where have you read they don't? Compacting is not an issue in a planted tank because the roots act as a network of oxygen transport preventing the substrate from going anaerobic. Any substrate including gravel can eventually become anaerobic without good plant mass and roots. Hence why in a non-planted tank we've got to siphon regularly to prevent organics filling up the substrate and causing issues like hydrogen sulfide and other harmful gasses.  In a planted tank plants take care of that as they consume the organic nutritients fallen in between and provide oxygen in the substrate via the roots.

 
i was on a previous forum, but i am not able to access it for some reason anymore. (maybe its just maintance work or something but it says permission denied because of something with my I.P address.) and was told by someone on another forum this.
 
 
EDIT: i do have to say i am very pleased with this forum although i only just joined. Everybody replies so quickly to posts! i was used to only having a couple of responses over a time of a few days. You guys have wowed me with your quick replies!

 

[snazy]

Plants in nature grow in way finer substrate than sand, which is soil. Have you seen how fine soil is? It just makes no sense to oppose sand because of it's size.
There are other reasons not to use very fine sand in some scenarios and that's when used as a cap to soil substrate because you wan't the soil itself to have access to the waste/organic nutritients that fall form from fish waste in order to "re-charge" itself with nutritients. With fine sand the waste gathers on top and one needs to siphon it. But some waste will find it's way down regardless so it's not entirely a no, no as long as the cap isn't super deep.

 

[Discuslove]

so i'm going to go with just having my fine sand and keep up with the fertiliser and moving the sand around a bit, do this anyway during the weekly clean. Thanks for all your help guys! 

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

Just thought it may be worth mentioning that it's normal for most plants to die back a bit when first planted in a new tank. Just trim off any dying leaves and they will regrow eventually. If it is a stem plant, once the plant is settled and growing new leaves, just pinch off the healthy part of the plant and plant it in the substrate. It will grow new roots and you'll have another plant. 

 

[Discuslove]

Just thought it may be worth mentioning that it's normal for most plants to die back a bit when first planted in a new tank. Just trim off any dying leaves and they will regrow eventually. If it is a stem plant, once the plant is settled and growing new leaves, just pinch off the healthy part of the plant and plant it in the substrate. It will grow new roots and you'll have another plant. 

 
Wow thanks for the tips, i really need all the tips i can get.

 

[snazy]

Yes, plants can die back as they have an adaptation period to your own conditions. There's no need to turn the sand around. Sand will "compact" back in minutes afterwards and you would just be letting the debris fall in between the grains instead.Sand is inert unlike other substrates like soil and clay based substrates, so it won't store nutritients, and it's better off being "clean"

 

[Discuslove]

Yes, plants can die back as they have an adaptation period to your own conditions. There's no need to turn the sand around. Sand will "compact" back in minutes afterwards and you would just be letting the debris fall in between the grains instead.Sand is inert unlike other substrates like soil and clay based substrates, so it won't store nutritients, and it's better off being "clean"

 
Interesting, much different to other things i have heard. This sounds much more believable! thanks

 

[coolie]

I was thinking of introducing some sand patches to my gravel (like a sand pit) before introducing some loaches that like digging around.
 
But I bet it get's mixed up with the gravel and shuffled around. I can see this may be problematic before I even begin.