Substrate

[Luketendo]

Ok well I'm aiming for a nice planted tank of 17 US Gallons and I want to know which substrate(s) to use.

My lighting is 1 WPG and I use no CO2
I'm going to use Tropica Plant Nutrition and SeaChem Flourish Excel.
I was looking at eco complete but when I meantioned I will be having Corys people said their barbels can get damaged, but lots of people say that their corys love them.

I'm not sure now really I'm a bit confused, i'd like a dark substrate preferable black and I need one good for the plants since I don't want to use CO2.

 

[DevUK]

Ideally, cories like sand. But your previous post seems to suggest people have had plenty of success with cories and eco I think if you read in the cories forum, its mostly large gravel that they have problems with. Instinctivley they route about in the substrate, and if its too chunky they might do some damage.

You might consider a substrate that you can top with black sand. Tetraplant Complete is one that you layer underneath another substrate, but it usually suggests pea gravel. I believe people do top it with sand, but I think it can get mixed in fairly easily, so you might end up with a mess, but don't quote me on that!

Hope that helps

 

[Luketendo]

Well I had some Corys in Gravel that looks about the size of Eco Complete and they were ok.

 

[DevUK]

Well I had some Corys in Gravel that looks about the size of Eco Complete and they were ok.

I believe Eco is softer than gravel, asin, you can break it up in your fingers I think.

 

[Luketendo]

Well I had some Corys in Gravel that looks about the size of Eco Complete and they were ok.

I believe Eco is softer than gravel, asin, you can break it up in your fingers I think.

Then surely it wouldn't harm corys.

 

[arif_93]

get tropica plant substrate or tetraplant substrate abd cover it wit sand

 

[DevUK]

Don't see a problem with using Eco but yes, as Arif says, you can top with sand easily enough. Make sure you make it a nice thick layer of sand (maybe a good 4cm) to try and stop it mixing with the plant substrate below.

 

[Luketendo]

I'm just going to go with Eco Complete i'm sure they'll be happy, if not I could perhaps buy a small bit of sand and make a sand pit at one end or something.

 

[Themuleous]

Ive got corys and loaches with EC and they are fine no damage on their barbels. Although the substrate is not very fine like say sand, it isn't sharp like gravel so its not a problem as far as I can see

Sam

 

[Biulu]

I'm just going to go with Eco Complete i'm sure they'll be happy, if not I could perhaps buy a small bit of sand and make a sand pit at one end or something.

I think a sand pit is a good idea. Mr. Waxhead suggested something similar to me in this thread. Of course if you want to rearrange your scape, it will be a bit more difficult.....

 

[Luketendo]

It will be a new tank.