Live plants and sand

[rmkblades]

I use PFS in all my tanks, here are a couple

Resemble Coptodon snyderae...are they pretty mean?

 

[HybridHerp]

i use Malaysian trumpet snails in all of my sand tanks. they really help keep anaerobic pockets from forming. most people don't like them cuz they do multiply like crazy, but i like them for their cleaning and sifting abilities as well as being a nice snack for my clown loaches. win/win as far as i'm concerned.
i never went soil bottom on my planted tanks, thought for the next one i definitely will. that's why i would put a mesh barrier down, to help keep the plants rooted and to keep a cap on the soil as my tank has clown loaches, blue zaire fronts and geophagus altifrons who all love to sift and dig. would be a mess if they got to the soil and muddied up the tank.

Honestly, if I was you I wouldn't do dirt with that combination. The mesh is only going to do so much for keeping the sand in place...I feel like you'd be better off just using eco-complete (or ADA amazonia if you wanted to spend an arm and a leg). Also, the mesh might restrict root growth or runners spreading.

 

[hereticlosmorte]

Honestly, if I was you I wouldn't do dirt with that combination. The mesh is only going to do so much for keeping the sand in place...I feel like you'd be better off just using eco-complete (or ADA amazonia if you wanted to spend an arm and a leg). Also, the mesh might restrict root growth or runners spreading.

yeah, i'd need a fair bit for a 90 gallon tank though. looking at 200$+ for the eco-complete, or more for the ada amazonia as it comes in 3 liters (why i don't know).