90g soon to be planted.

twentyleagues

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So basically ppsting this to ask a question. I may use it as a journal type thread in the future not sure yet. Im not new to planted tanks but have a kinda newbie question.
I'm planning on using blue ridge super naturals gravel in this tank. Usually I use pfs and black blasting sand, but this tank is for the wife and she disliked the pfs combo. Ive used flourite in the past in true planted tanks and seemed to constantly battle algae even in the high tech tank I once had so I dont like using that any more.
The questions.....
Would you use a soil or planted medium under the blueridge?
Or will liquid ferts and root tabs be good enough?
I plan on using mostly easy plants crypts, wife had to have Madagascar lace x2 ( it's doing well in the holding tank), was on buceplant and found some cool smaller Amazon swords with roundish leaves that will probably be going in, some buce. I know some of these plants dont need substrate. Not sure what else yet.
Other considerations, this will be tied into an existing system, its a "cube" tank, it will have angels as the main focus possibly some cories (I know sand is better weve kept them on simular before to good effect). Probably no co2. If I do it's going in all the tanks.
 
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Deadliestviper7

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In planted non co2 tanks one should have snails (pond snails or nerites work well).

I find using a underlayer of soil helpful but not mandatory
 

twentyleagues

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In planted non co2 tanks one should have snails (pond snails or nerites work well).

I find using a underlayer of soil helpful but not mandatory
I do and will. I will need more snails then i currently have breeding in the "sump" as there is a puffer in the near future also.

I was mostly worried about the supernaturals gravels. I've heard people with plants "dising" it even with liquid ferts. So that was my main concern this morning while drinking my coffee. If I was to do soil under it how deep and what kind? Also will it effect my current set up once tied in? Or be effected?
Ty
 

Deadliestviper7

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I do and will. I will need more snails then i currently have breeding in the "sump" as there is a puffer in the near future also.

I was mostly worried about the supernaturals gravels. I've heard people with plants "dising" it even with liquid ferts. So that was my main concern this morning while drinking my coffee. If I was to do soil under it how deep and what kind? Also will it effect my current set up once tied in? Or be effected?
Ty
There is a type of soil sold for planted tanks which is what you should get, I would do anywhere from 1 to 3 inches deep
 
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Hendre

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Aquasoils help a load for plants, especially root feeders. Personally I don't like gravel for tanks, a good aquasoil base looks grand :p
 
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twentyleagues

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Aquasoils help a load for plants, especially root feeders. Personally I don't like gravel for tanks, a good aquasoil base looks grand :p
Yeah I know but I have to do what she wants. So I've never used a combo like this and just wondered if someone had any pointers. I already have the blueridge 100lbs of it so its going in this tank. But she wants plants we already have the lace plants, I know these really dont need soil. But the swords will and crypts will benefit also. I may do a carpeting plant not sure.

The plants I have now do ok. I think its more an issue with the fish in the tank then anything else. Angels and cories shouldnt squash plants.
 

monkeybike

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Just Flourish and a decent light will grow crypts

received_10212779996755032.jpeg
 

twentyleagues

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Just Flourish and a decent light will grow crypts

View attachment 1329643
Yeah I have them in my 180 in mostly pfs. I really dont do much except dose flourish twice a week. They are under kessils. But large fish smash them. I know I'll be able to grow most of the plants but I am wondering about the bad things ive heard about this particular gravel choice, and if the addition of a plant soil will help, and if so how best accomplish this add.
 

Hendre

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Are you talking about Madagascan lace?

Carpets+gravel aren't friends, Monte Carlo may work but it won't carpet nicely like you see in aquascapes if you don't have co2.
 
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twentyleagues

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Are you talking about Madagascan lace?

Carpets+gravel aren't friends, Monte Carlo may work but it won't carpet nicely like you see in aquascapes if you don't have co2.
Yeah. Madagascar lace.
I still have a co2 setup just not sure I want to use it. Not sure if I will try a carpet plant or not. I may just get a shorter plant like chain sword or blyxa to hopefully grow in clumps toward the front lace in back. Some other odds and ends in there. I dont remember the name of the sword I found that had leaves similar to anubias nana but were new growth red and darkened to green as the grew. But that was a good mid ground size. Remember this is my wifes tank she is giving me a list or saying I like/ want that. She knows fish and what will work together and wont. Plants as much as me so not a ton but weve had a successful planted tank with monte and lots of red stem plants before. That was on flourite. She doesnt like the look of flourite and I didnt like the fact that everytime ive used it it was a huge algea fest. And the cost is so high. Plants grow great in it!
Someone recommended pfs and blasting sand in my 75g when I was setting it up for my polys it was planted and that stuff works great plants root well and grow well I had to dose and use root tabs but its a good substrate its in my 180 samething problem is the fish not the substrate. She doesnt like the look. Which is the reason for me posting here, her choice of substrate she saw it and asked what it was at the lfs and they said we have 50lbs bags of it right over here. So here we are. I asked there if plants would work with it and got different answers from different employees, the ones I trust said plants would do so so. I got home unloaded the 100lbs of gravel and looked online to see if I could find people using it in planted tanks or in tanks at all. The couple things I found indicted plants didnt do so well. Was that the person or the substrate..? Which brings me to my real questions. Has anyone used it or something like it with plants? Would you use a aquasoil under a cap of it for deep rooting plants? And if yes how to best acheive that without causing issuse as I have never done this? Will a capped soil effect the rest of the system ie my 180g? Or am I worring for nothing just use it and add tabs and liquid ferts?
I have a feeling that crypts will grow in anything for the most part. I've had them in a ton of my tanks and they seem pretty resiliant overall. I have so so luck with swords mostly because my current fish crush them. I had them in my high tech tank and they were huge and awesome. (Minus the algae) Again carpet plants did great in my high tech. With polys hahaha no way. Maybe if I cap some soil I will leave a couple pockets open to do monte or something like that. So for plant choices I'll decide with help from you guys later anyone have answers to the first issuses?
 
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