Gravel/sand I just don't know

Smithmode

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
May 11, 2014
231
0
0
Washington
Ok I have a 125 gallon tank and am looking to start planting it. I also have fish, some of which are considered diggers. They don't digger much very rarely do they move my fake plants.
I currently have medium size gravel which I'm assuming is very common. I'm wondering what I need to do to make my tank plant friendly. Also i would like to know, how do I clean it once I get it planted. I don't want to kill the plants by using the gravel vac I currently use. Do I need to dig to the bottom like I do now with the vac? Also is there any type of freshwater fish I can get or anything to help with that...FYI I do have a predators/carnivores so nothing to small.
 

HybridHerp

Fire Eel
MFK Member
May 18, 2012
1,192
86
66
New York
Ok I have a 125 gallon tank and am looking to start planting it. I also have fish, some of which are considered diggers. They don't digger much very rarely do they move my fake plants.
I currently have medium size gravel which I'm assuming is very common. I'm wondering what I need to do to make my tank plant friendly. Also i would like to know, how do I clean it once I get it planted. I don't want to kill the plants by using the gravel vac I currently use. Do I need to dig to the bottom like I do now with the vac? Also is there any type of freshwater fish I can get or anything to help with that...FYI I do have a predators/carnivores so nothing to small.
Well, first tell me what fish you keep. I'd maybe change to a smaller gravel tbh or go for pool filter or blasting sand.

Then I'd ask what your lighting specifically is.


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 

Smithmode

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
May 11, 2014
231
0
0
Washington
I have just 3 regular fluorescent lights.(3ft)

stock is

EB JD
S Bichir
4 discus
2 angels
Rainbow sharks
2 red jewels
blood parrot
 

skjl47

Goliath Tigerfish
MFK Member
May 16, 2011
4,397
3,777
179
Tennessee
Hello; I have tried both gravel and sand over the years and gave up on fine sand some time ago. Most of my tanks have had rooted live plants and gravel has seemed to work better.

I use a siphon type gravel vac and just do not work it too close to the plant roots. Where the plants grow in thick I leave that portion alone.

I have mixed the various sized gravels together with success, so you may not have to discard the gravel you have. I like gravel around bb size and have a decent supply from back in the 1970's. The stuff I see in shops now seems about pea sized.

If you like the look of sand there is a way to avoid some of the problems of fine sand. I have built screen frames to sift the dry sand. I buy construction sand in large amounts. I sift the dry sand thru the screen and discard the fine stuff. The size of the final particles will depend on what screening material used and that can take some experimenting. I believe bags of pool filter sand has already been graded and is already uniform in size. The dry sifting also aids in rinsing the sand later as much of the dust and dirt is already gone.

Good luck
 

Smithmode

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
May 11, 2014
231
0
0
Washington
Hello; I have tried both gravel and sand over the years and gave up on fine sand some time ago. Most of my tanks have had rooted live plants and gravel has seemed to work better.

I use a siphon type gravel vac and just do not work it too close to the plant roots. Where the plants grow in thick I leave that portion alone.

I have mixed the various sized gravels together with success, so you may not have to discard the gravel you have. I like gravel around bb size and have a decent supply from back in the 1970's. The stuff I see in shops now seems about pea sized.

If you like the look of sand there is a way to avoid some of the problems of fine sand. I have built screen frames to sift the dry sand. I buy construction sand in large amounts. I sift the dry sand thru the screen and discard the fine stuff. The size of the final particles will depend on what screening material used and that can take some experimenting. I believe bags of pool filter sand has already been graded and is already uniform in size. The dry sifting also aids in rinsing the sand later as much of the dust and dirt is already gone.

Good luck

Yeah ah my gravel is about pea sized some pieces bigger some smaller. You're saying it's worked best for you?
 

HybridHerp

Fire Eel
MFK Member
May 18, 2012
1,192
86
66
New York
I have just 3 regular fluorescent lights.(3ft)

stock is

EB JD
S Bichir
4 discus
2 angels
Rainbow sharks
2 red jewels
blood parrot
Gotta be honest with you, not sure I'd keep jewels and an EBJD with discus, but if it works it works eh?

I keep cichlids and bichirs in my planted tank...just go with small gravel. Pea sized should be small enough and fine for a substrate....except for one thing. It doesn't have nutrients...which is kind of going to be a massive pain for you in this size tank.

It means that you would have to add nutrients to the tank, and root tabs. Regular gravel doesn't have a high CEC content (I think I said that right) so it doesn't really hold nutrients well.

As for your lighting, you have 3 fluorescent lights over a 6 foot tank? To be totally honest, a 125 is kinda tall, and if you are planting the whole tank you'd want a slightly better light if you were serious about making this tank planted nicely.
 

Smithmode

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
May 11, 2014
231
0
0
Washington
Sorry I meant 2, 3 ft lights.

So should I mix something in with my gravel maybe? I don't want this to go bad once I do it so haha.
im also looking for plants that aren't going to required amazing light(more hardy types)
 

skjl47

Goliath Tigerfish
MFK Member
May 16, 2011
4,397
3,777
179
Tennessee
Yeah ah my gravel is about pea sized some pieces bigger some smaller. You're saying it's worked best for you?
Hello; I ues the bb sized for the most part. I have inherited the larger pea sized gravel at times and don not prefer it for rooted plants. The pea sized can be mixed with smaller gravel and does well that way.

Back in the 70's a bb sized gravel was available. It was in pure black or a black/white. I bought a few hundred pounds and am still using it. I have not seen it around in decades. It may have gotten too costly.

If cost is an issue the sifted construction sand is a way to go. I bought some four years ago at $20 a ton. I use to sift out many different sized parts from that sand. I like the darker substrates as it seems to encourage the fish to show in more vivid coloration. On the pale sand they tend to have more faded coloration.

Fine sand also packs andplants just did not seem the do as well. There is also the potential for toxins to build up in sand if it is a very deep layer (over an inch). Some report having to stir the fine sand each week to prevent this. I like four to six inches of substrate for planted tanks so either use gravel or grade out the larger sand bit by dry sifting.

good luck
 

skjl47

Goliath Tigerfish
MFK Member
May 16, 2011
4,397
3,777
179
Tennessee
Sorry I meant 2, 3 ft lights.

So should I mix something in with my gravel maybe? I don't want this to go bad once I do it so haha.
im also looking for plants that aren't going to required amazing light(more hardy types)
Hello; For plants like the amazon sword, which is a root feeder, some sort of nutrition needs to be placed in the gravel near the roots from time to time. Many other plants take the nutrition fro mthe water.

Some have posted about using soil in a planted tank. That may be something for later on but likely could be a bit much in a first planted tank. The water quality for the discus would give me pause. I have made a damp mix of potting soil and frozen it in 35 mm film containers. (No I do not throw much away and try to justify this by finding use for ther stuff) I can usually get the frozen plug of potting soil into the gravel for my amazons before too much is released into the water column.

CO2- You can grow nice plants without it. I have for decades. This is another down the road eventually thing to try after you get some experience.
 

HybridHerp

Fire Eel
MFK Member
May 18, 2012
1,192
86
66
New York
Lets considering the two 3 foot fixtures as one 6 foot fixture....you're kind of at really low light...swords might work and other low light things, but personally I like having a little more light than you are offering.

Your fixture is a t8 I presume yah?
 
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store