Is sand a good substrate for plants?

[zain611]

Questions in the title. I'm thinking I might get sand to set up my new tank. Yesterday went to my local fish shop and liked this tree branch ornament. They also had this plant / moss which from what I remember it started with 'tax' in its name. Looked like java moss. Might get that and glue that to the branch. They also have java fern attached to driftwood which I might get later.

If I plan on getting other easy plants which I have to bury in the substrate is sand a good substrate? I'm mainly looking at sand as it looks natural plus friendly to corys if I ever get them.

 

[AbbeysDad]

ABSOLUTELY - Sand is a great substrate, but not a very fine sand that packs. I've had great success with pool filter sand. Byron swears by big box (Sacrete) play sand. I think you have to rinse/wash play sand a lot more than PFS.
Now of course, unlike the claims of the 'designer substrates', sand is inert so for some heavy root feeding plants you might need some root tabs. Although I haven't used any root tabs in a long time and just using Seachem Flourish Comprehensive and the plants seem fine.

 

[Byron]

Agree. Sand is an excellent substrate, it checks off all the positive boxes. I use play sand because it is very inexpensive (two $6 bags more than filled my 90 gallon tank), extremely safe (the safest substrate for fish), and it looks natural. Most tropical streams are sand, or those that are not are mud, so it is authentic. I rinse it but no more than I have to rinse new gravel; the dirt is just dirt, and may actually benefit, but it certainly does no harm to fish or invertebrates or plants.

 

[zain611]

That's good to hear I saw a pack of different coloured sand in my local fish shop. There was a pack of that natural yellow / tan colour sand. A 3kg pack is £4 each and 10kg pack is £15. Sounds best to get a pack of 4 of the 3kg. For £16 your getting an extra 2kg worth. I'll transfer some of the current sand in my current tank as it has gunk which I think is beneficial for plants when they root down.

The filter has a pipe which comes down near the ground so hopefully the filter isn't powerful enough to pick the sand up.

The best technique I've found for sand is filling the sand up in a water bottle, place it upright in the tank with water, let the water fill up in the bottle of sand then tip it. As the sand escapes water takes its space and pushes the dirt up the bottle. Did this technique on my current tank and there was still a bit of cloudiness but the water went crystal clear during the night.

 

[Byron]

I saw a pack of different coloured sand in my local fish shop. There was a pack of that natural yellow / tan colour sand. A 3kg pack is £4 each and 10kg pack is £15. Sounds best to get a pack of 4 of the 3kg. For £16 your getting an extra 2kg worth. I'll transfer some of the current sand in my current tank as it has gunk which I think is beneficial for plants when they root down.

I don't know if you can get play sand in the UK (I would assume so), but it will be far less expensive. A 25 kg bag should be around 3 to 4 pounds.

Don't put dirty sand in a new tank. Rinse it. You will have more than enough organics in no time. And this adds to the initial ammonia which you do not need.

The filter has a pipe which comes down near the ground so hopefully the filter isn't powerful enough to pick the sand up.

You want the filter intake about 10 cm (4 inches) minimum above the sand. Fish like cories will dig into the sand and this space should prevent any being pulled into the filter.

 

[seangee]

Most people I know in the UK get Argos play sand (buff coloured)