Substrate What Type To Go For....befor I Make A Mess!

[aibo210]

Hi

I am looking into ordering some substrate along with a jewel rio 125 I will be adding plants I have come up with some combos wich one is the best and will give me a nice easy tank.

1/ 2 bags of eco-compleate

2/ 2 bags of seachem florite

3/ Tetra plant substrate 5.8kg with a layer of sand


I do like the sand and tetra option as I have some large chunks of rose quartz wich will look nice but will the tetra substrate mix with the sand? or could a layer of say gravel stop this? I dont want muddy sand!

I was also thinking black sand would be a good contrast against the rose quartz and the green plants.


Any ideas as I dont wana order an expensive mess!!!


Please bear in mind budjet is tight lol!

Carl

 

[aaronnorth]

1 bag of EC will do for your tank.

 

[aibo210]

1 bag of EC will do for your tank.

what depth will that give me if its on its own? I have just looked at seachem onyx sand how many bags would I need for the rio 125? say for like a 2 inch bed

 

[Evad]

Just curious - but what is the idea depth of substrate for a planted tank? 2"? 3"?

 

[fozziebear]

2 to 3" is ideal, but 3" is better with deeper at the back basically the deeper it is the easier it is to plant.

 

[Million]

2 to 3" is ideal, but 3" is better with deeper at the back basically the deeper it is the easier it is to plant.

Tetra Plant substrate says a 2cm layer, then a 2cm layer of gravel on top. The problem is, the deeper your substrate, the more likely you are to get anaerobic bacterial colonies messing stuff up for the fish

 

[aaronnorth]

2 to 3" is ideal, but 3" is better with deeper at the back basically the deeper it is the easier it is to plant.

Tetra Plant substrate says a 2cm layer, then a 2cm layer of gravel on top. The problem is, the deeper your substrate, the more likely you are to get anaerobic bacterial colonies messing stuff up for the fish

The roots of plants will help disturb the substrate and i think it was bignose who said when aneorobic pockets, as soon as they hit the water it reacts with the oxygen and becomes harmless?

 

[fozziebear]

anaerobic pockets are so overdone, its stupid, in the mammoth tank that tom barr helped to set up, there is a 1 foot(!!!) layer of substrate at the back, which was ada aquasoil at first then changed to eco complete, plants do a lot to disturb substrate, but if your THAT worried then get some malaysian trumpet snails, people really overdo the anaerobic thing, i think its pretty much a big myth, i think the only way it would harm your tank is if a HUGE bubble hit a fish directly, which is very unlikely as i dont ever get anaerobic bubbles in my planted tank.

 

[Million]

anaerobic pockets are so overdone, its stupid, in the mammoth tank that tom barr helped to set up, there is a 1 foot(!!!) layer of substrate at the back, which was ada aquasoil at first then changed to eco complete, plants do a lot to disturb substrate, but if your THAT worried then get some malaysian trumpet snails, people really overdo the anaerobic thing, i think its pretty much a big myth, i think the only way it would harm your tank is if a HUGE bubble hit a fish directly, which is very unlikely as i dont ever get anaerobic bubbles in my planted tank.

Huh, ok, that's good to know

 

[Themuleous]

I would want at least two bags of EC if not three.

Sam

 

[aibo210]

I would want at least two bags of EC if not three.

Sam

Thanks sam least you answerd my question lol! the others just stole my thred!

 

[Themuleous]

 

[Ark]

tetra complete is a quality subtrate but if any mixes with your water its gonna go all tea oloured i suggest going for 2 or 3 bags of thhe seachem flourite either black or onyx