Substrate??? Help, I need advice!

[dmpfishlover]

I will be setting up a 55 gallon planted aquarium and I am having a hard time deciding what to use as a substrate. I have done A LOT of research and looked into all of the pros and cons of the many different substrates available, and I am still just not sure that to use. One thing that I do know is that I want sand in my tank and some natural colored gravel (sand in the foreground with gravel towards the back, sloped towards the back), with lots of driftwood and some rocks. That is the look I am going for..... Now, from there, I believe that I have three options: 1) Just stick with the sand and gravel and go with a lot of plants like anubias that attach to wood and rocks, and add liquid fertilizer for those plants, and root tabs for any substrate planted plants..... OR... 2) Use a nutrient rich substrate like ADA Aqua Soil, or even actual soil (not sure I want that mess though) and "Cap" that layer with a layer of sand/gravel (I realize that I may still need to add fertilizers)..... OR....3) Use an inert planted substrate such as CaribSea Eco-Complete or Seachem Flourite (which has the ability to "capture" nutrients for plants roots) and "Cap" that layer with a layer of sand/gravel (Again, I realize that I may still need to add fertilizers)..... So, I guess my first question is.... Is the benefit of using a planted substrate, either nutrient rich or inert, worth the extra cost and/or efforts of "Capping" this layer with the sand and gravel (which is the ultimate look I am going for)? If not, then the answer is easy......I will go with just the sand and gravel.... If the benefit of using a planted substrate is truly worth it, then the next question is,.... Which planted substrate is best; nutrient rich substrate such as ADA Aqua Soil, or inert such as Eco-Complete?

 

[seangee]

No they are not worth it. They may leach ammonia into the tank and are exhausted within a year or so. I just use sand and root tabs in all my tanks.

A word of caution on mixing sand and gravel. they mix and you end up with a mess - this will happen even quicker with your plan. sloping sand eventually ends up as level sand. garvity will take it to the back of the tank and as it is lighter than gravel it will fall through. I would use one or the other. (I happen to prefer sand). In one of my tanks I have scattered a few pebbles on the sand but when I tried to have these in separate sections it did not work. and all the muck gravitated to the gravel section.

 

[dmpfishlover]

No they are not worth it. They may leach ammonia into the tank and are exhausted within a year or so. I just use sand and root tabs in all my tanks.

A word of caution on mixing sand and gravel. they mix and you end up with a mess - this will happen even quicker with your plan. sloping sand eventually ends up as level sand. garvity will take it to the back of the tank and as it is lighter than gravel it will fall through. I would use one or the other. (I happen to prefer sand). In one of my tanks I have scattered a few pebbles on the sand but when I tried to have these in separate sections it did not work. and all the muck gravitated to the gravel section.

Thanks for your advice!! I was thinking that the planted substrates were not worth it when I can just fertilize the water and use root tabs... For clarification, I wasn't planning on sloping the sand. I was planning on sloping the gravel towards the back with just level sand in the foreground.... But I can see how even that would possibly end up mixed together.... So maybe I will go with just sand? But I am not totally against the two mixing some... Still something to think about!! .. But at least I am closer to a decision then I was before!! Thanks!!

 

[vanalisa]

Thanks for your advice!! I was thinking that the planted substrates were not worth it when I can just fertilize the water and use root tabs... For clarification, I wasn't planning on sloping the sand. I was planning on sloping the gravel towards the back with just level sand in the foreground.... But I can see how even that would possibly end up mixed together.... So maybe I will go with just sand? But I am not totally against the two mixing some... Still something to think about!! .. But at least I am closer to a decision then I was before!! Thanks!!

I am neither for nor against sand. You might want to ask those with sand about the air-pocket thing. I do think sand is pretty in a tank, but have never used it.

 

[Byron]

I concur with seangee's post. Aquarium plants will grow well in almost any substrate, so any sort of "plant enriched" substance is unnecessary and often dangerous for fish. Sand is the best substrate for plants, and for all fish for that matter. I used Flourite for two years before I tossed it out; plants were the same as with play sand, and I had to remove the cories due to the sharpness and composition of the Flourite. Waste of money.

Mixing substrates is not a good idea; water movement in the aquarium and throughout the substrate is natural and normal, so the substances will mix, aside from fish moving them too. And I find that different substrates look unnatural, and make the space seem smaller visually. A dark sand, be it grey mix or buff/beige, is best.

Substrate tabs will benefit larger substrate-rooted plants like swords, aponogeton, lilies. A comprehensive liquid will benefit all plants.

 

[Retired Viking]

I also agree, I use gravel and flourish planted tabs for my rooted plants. Soil is a real pain when you have to replace it after it wears out.

 

[dmpfishlover]

I concur with seangee's post. Aquarium plants will grow well in almost any substrate, so any sort of "plant enriched" substance is unnecessary and often dangerous for fish. Sand is the best substrate for plants, and for all fish for that matter. I used Flourite for two years before I tossed it out; plants were the same as with play sand, and I had to remove the cories due to the sharpness and composition of the Flourite. Waste of money.

Mixing substrates is not a good idea; water movement in the aquarium and throughout the substrate is natural and normal, so the substances will mix, aside from fish moving them too. And I find that different substrates look unnatural, and make the space seem smaller visually. A dark sand, be it grey mix or buff/beige, is best.

Substrate tabs will benefit larger substrate-rooted plants like swords, aponogeton, lilies. A comprehensive liquid will benefit all plants.

Thank you so much!! I actually set up my tank today!!! I used a buff/beige pool filter sand (which I am assuming is similar to play sand?) and rinsed it quite a bit before putting it in the tank. As soon as I started putting the sand into the tank, I realized that I didn't think I would like the mix of sand with gravel and that it would look odd, so I stuck with just sand..... My 50 lb bag of sand was PLENTY to fill the entire bottom of the tank and it looks awesome!! I am so glad I asked this question and got some really good advice! Thanks!

 

[dmpfishlover]

No they are not worth it. They may leach ammonia into the tank and are exhausted within a year or so. I just use sand and root tabs in all my tanks.

A word of caution on mixing sand and gravel. they mix and you end up with a mess - this will happen even quicker with your plan. sloping sand eventually ends up as level sand. garvity will take it to the back of the tank and as it is lighter than gravel it will fall through. I would use one or the other. (I happen to prefer sand). In one of my tanks I have scattered a few pebbles on the sand but when I tried to have these in separate sections it did not work. and all the muck gravitated to the gravel section.

I set up my tank today!! I took your advice and went with just sand and it looks amazing!! I have a lot of driftwood and a few rocks in there and it looks so natural. I LOVE it! I wont be adding plants or fish for a while because I will be going on vacation in a little while, so I am going to start a fish-less (and plant-less) cycle now and then when I get back and the cycle has finished I am going to add plants.. then fish.. very excited! Thanks for your advice!!

 

[dmpfishlover]

I also agree, I use gravel and flourish planted tabs for my rooted plants. Soil is a real pain when you have to replace it after it wears out.

I decided to go with sand and I will use flourish liquid and root tabs. Thanks!

 

[dmpfishlover]

I am neither for nor against sand. You might want to ask those with sand about the air-pocket thing. I do think sand is pretty in a tank, but have never used it.

I haven't spoken with anyone directly about the "air-pocket thing", but based on the research I did, all indications are that if you "rake" the sand gently with your hands (or with an aquarium rake?) when you clean the tank and/or do a water change, that this releases most pockets of trapped gasses due to decomposition, and that doing this will prevent the pockets from continuing to collect and getting too big. At least this is what I have read anyway.

 

[Retired Viking]

Some like to have MTS (snails) in their tanks to help with air pockets. I heard that if you keep the sand down to 2 inches or less that also help eliminate those pockets. I have not tried sand yet but I am thinking of changing over my 30 gallon shrimp tank to sand. I have a 50 pound bag of play sand waiting for me to use if I do.

 

[dmpfishlover]

Some like to have MTS (snails) in their tanks to help with air pockets. I heard that if you keep the sand down to 2 inches or less that also help eliminate those pockets. I have not tried sand yet but I am thinking of changing over my 30 gallon shrimp tank to sand. I have a 50 pound bag of play sand waiting for me to use if I do.

I think I have heard that about snails too... I think that the MTS is a type of snail that spends a lot of time burrowing, which is why it probably helps to dislodge pockets of gas. But I had MTS in a tank before, and I don't want to go there again!!! I do plan on stocking the tank with snails, but I am planning on a different type of snail... Nerite snails, because they can only reproduce if their eggs are in brackish water. I don't want snails reproducing and taking over the tank. That happened to me years ago with my 29 gallon tank and MTS. I didn't even stock the tank with MTS!!! I suspect they "hitch hiked" in a fish bag when I brought some fish home from my LFS. Within a couple months the tank was full of snails!! It was ridiculous! I don't want that to happen again!!! I am sure you probably already know, but just in case, definitely rinse your play sand before you use it (quite a few times) in a bucket with a garden hose. I rinsed my sand over a dozen times until the water came out clear and it really helped.

 

[Retired Viking]

I think I have heard that about snails too... I think that the MTS is a type of snail that spends a lot of time burrowing, which is why it probably helps to dislodge pockets of gas. But I had MTS in a tank before, and I don't want to go there again!!! I do plan on stocking the tank with snails, but I am planning on a different type of snail... Nerite snails, because they can only reproduce if their eggs are in brackish water. I don't want snails reproducing and taking over the tank. That happened to me years ago with my 29 gallon tank and MTS. I didn't even stock the tank with MTS!!! I suspect they "hitch hiked" in a fish bag when I brought some fish home from my LFS. Within a couple months the tank was full of snails!! It was ridiculous! I don't want that to happen again!!! I am sure you probably already know, but just in case, definitely rinse your play sand before you use it (quite a few times) in a bucket with a garden hose. I rinsed my sand over a dozen times until the water came out clear and it really helped.

I had the same thing happen with my tanks and pond snails. For awhile they were over running my 55 gallon tetra tank. Now there are just a few here and there. I have nerite snails in all of my tanks and a ramshorn snail that is large and was a hitch hiker too in my shrimp tank. My RES turtles like pond snails so I catch and release them into their tank.

 

[utahfish]

Thank you so much!! I actually set up my tank today!!! I used a buff/beige pool filter sand (which I am assuming is similar to play sand?) and rinsed it quite a bit before putting it in the tank. As soon as I started putting the sand into the tank, I realized that I didn't think I would like the mix of sand with gravel and that it would look odd, so I stuck with just sand..... My 50 lb bag of sand was PLENTY to fill the entire bottom of the tank and it looks awesome!! I am so glad I asked this question and got some really good advice! Thanks!

Pool filter sand is a silica sand and isnt as fine as play sand but its shape and composition keeps it from compacting like play sand. Ive used eco complete, soil, play sand, flourite, gravel, and pool filter sand. Currently im using black diamond blasting sand which is a bit smaller grain than pool filter sand and black and also doesnt compact is inert and unlike pool filtervsand doesnt contain silica which can contribute to algae. Good luck with the pool filter sand though it holds plants well and as a filter sand does a good job aerating and carrying nutrients through out the substrate.

 

[dmpfishlover]

Pool filter sand is a silica sand and isnt as fine as play sand but its shape and composition keeps it from compacting like play sand. Ive used eco complete, soil, play sand, flourite, gravel, and pool filter sand. Currently im using black diamond blasting sand which is a bit smaller grain than pool filter sand and black and also doesnt compact is inert and unlike pool filtervsand doesnt contain silica which can contribute to algae. Good luck with the pool filter sand though it holds plants well and as a filter sand does a good job aerating and carrying nutrients through out the substrate.

Thank you!