Substrate

[Tempestuousfury]

I read a book by Baron's about plants. It says that a special substance is needed below the gravel or sand for the plants. Is this necessary? Because I don't have it and probably won't be able to get it.

 

[crimsontsavo]

"special substance", .

A plant is a living thing- it needs food to live. Provide food, water and a way for it to "digest" the food (light) and it will grow.

My plants grow like wildfire. I didnt buy any special substance either. I collected all my "gear" in my own yard.

I have a peat/soil/sand substrate.

A layer of sand over peat/soil then a layer of sand again is a good ratio.
End with SAND on top, and at least two inches of it. Your plants will thrive on this provided they have the right light.
If you have fish that like to root- then they might root up some soil.

There's many ways to grow your plants. Search around and you'll find the right way for you.

Good luck!

 

[Adrinal]

Hi, my name is Mr LAZY. I like to put plants in big fat pots so when I need to clean the poo out I can just move them to another spot.

If you hate dirt in the water, you can take old nylons (but washed!!!) and stuff them with magical substance (I can't afford magic so I use dirt). get the roots in there tie it off, and then put in pot. Add some pebbles and if you have cichlids rocks or even plastic mesh may be neccesary.
Done.

Alternatives are little houses, shells, ...
stuff with wide tops is nice because you want some water flow down to the roots.

 

[De Plano]

I had just plain gravel in a 15 hex for months and the plants did fine. In fact they did great. In my limited experience I would say lighting plays a larger role than substrate. Once I replaced the bulb on that tank the plants took off.

 

[Tempestuousfury]

I think I have to get a new bulbs for my 55.

I've got small gravel in my tank. I've read that sand compacts and it's hard for plants to take root in them, but that all depends on grain size. I don't think I will ever have the funds to do this, so this is the way it's going to stay.

You keep saying soil. What type of soil? From the water or from (or rather for use on) a lawn?

Potted plants... I got some from Petsmart, but the nylon mess kept falling apart and the plants I had in the pots died. Fortunately I don't have any fish that'll uproot the plants, so that won't be a problem.

 

[cutechic]

If you hate dirt in the water, you can take old nylons (but washed!!!) and stuff them with magical substance (I can't afford magic so I use dirt). get the roots in there tie it off, and then put in pot. Add some pebbles and if you have cichlids rocks or even plastic mesh may be neccesary.
Done..

What do the nylons in the pots do?

 

[babyfish]

I have garden soil/ sand in my communty tank, BUT, my garden has not seen any sort of chemical for at least 25 years and is fairly safe , a lot of gardens these days are sprayed with lots of different chemical agents for disease and pests.
If you just use plain sand then buy some root tabs for aquariums, you just push these into the sand around your plants. Within about 6 months or so the fish will have started to provide the fertilizer as the fish poo sinks into the sand around the plant bases.
Good lighting is very important and sometimes a change of bulb can produce amazing results.
Playpit sand is much cheaper than aquarium sand, wash it very well though because it's not as clean as it claims

 

[rsz]

I shove my plants in the gravel and they grow just fine... no mud or nuffink

 

[Inchworm]

The only plants I have are pretty common ones and they grow just fine in the gravel. Maybe more exotic ones need soil.

 

[Tempestuousfury]

Mine are expensive by my standards, but they're all common plants.

I think that the silver dollars and the pleco were the major factors in messing up my plant, and since the dollars are gone it shouldn't be too bad now. It still didn't explain why my acorus and mondo grass are dissolving into white stringy messes. I asked about this in the plant section, but I got absolutely no response. is it really that rare of an occurance?