Planting In Sand?

[pauloh]

hi, any ideas what plants are best planted in sand? i have coral sand at the base of my 40g tank and love live plants, what ones are best, whats the best way to plant them and what care would they need?

 

[catfishblues]

hi, any ideas what plants are best planted in sand? i have coral sand at the base of my 40g tank and love live plants, what ones are best, whats the best way to plant them and what care would they need?

Most plants will do great in sand other than any kind of java fern and sometimes anubias. Some good beginner plants would be any kinds of crypts, jungle val, hornwort, or egeria densa. These all require low-medium lighting. The jungle vals may need root tabs and possibly the crypts but hornwort and egeria densa can live both floating or in the substrate so they do fine without root tabs or added fertilizers. If you have any rocks or driftwood you can tie java fern and any kind of anubias to it and they can grow under nearly any condition and amount of light! there are other plants that would do fine but these are all of the ones that I have used with success. Good luck!

 

[mishmash]

Will plants grow OK in coral sand ? Does hardness affect them ? Just thinking coral sand might not be compatible, but its only conjecture on my part, I'm posing a question not making a statement

 

[catfishblues]

coral sand should be okay and some of the calcium is beneficial. However some plants will do better with softer water over harder water (and vice versus) but in all of my experiences they usually can adapt. It's more of fish that need specific hardnesses.