noobie needs help
- Thread starter those1
- Start date
Low-tech means no added CO2.
I have never used sand as a planted substrate, but when I was inquiring about using it, I was told that it compacts and will kill stemmed plants, by compressing the stems.
I just use top soil with pea gravel on top of it. Cheaper, easy to find. Walmart Lowes, whatever.
I have never used sand as a planted substrate, but when I was inquiring about using it, I was told that it compacts and will kill stemmed plants, by compressing the stems.
I just use top soil with pea gravel on top of it. Cheaper, easy to find. Walmart Lowes, whatever.
talked to my lfs and the sand is no more. I made the switch over to natural gravel. Fish should be here tomorrow.
the white pool filter sand altho looking awesome in the bottom of the tank wasn't allowing the roots of the plants to go through it. Natural gravel still looks good and with the plants and drift wood i have in the tank and plan on getting it will really look like a slice out of a lake bed. Hopefully I can save up enough money to buy the t5 ho bulb and fixture next week. I didn't realize that my normal fixture wouldn't fire a t5 ho bulb
those1;4876098; said:
ummm never experianced this issue with playsand or PFS. What plants were you trying to plant?
X3 for top soil - put it under that "natural gravel"
http://www.youtube.com/user/Dustinsfishtanks#p/c/E9C2BCA5ED459962
That link should go directly to his "dirt" substrate video play list... it took me a while to find it so I'm sharing. ~ thanks dwacudo
http://www.youtube.com/user/Dustinsfishtanks#p/c/E9C2BCA5ED459962
That link should go directly to his "dirt" substrate video play list... it took me a while to find it so I'm sharing. ~ thanks dwacudo
Plants actually do better in a finer substrate grain size. Sands are great for this. This can easily be seen by looking at the majority of plant substrates that have come about in the last 15 years. They are all fine grain.
I wont argue with you i was just going off of what my lfs was telling me. The owner also wanted me to purchase some Fluval Stratum but that stuff was another $30 so i have to wait till the next pay check for that and the light. Then eventually move to a full c02 system.
On a plus side the fish finally came in. only half my order showed but its still nice to have more then just 2 guppies in the tank.
the stock list:
10 tiger barbs
2 clown loaches
2 flying foxes
2 guppies
2 snails
and a common pleco
missing was the 10 neons and the 2 ghost knives.
and yes i know that was soon to become 2 fat ghost knives and no neons.
Not the most complex list of fish but I really wanna put more work into getting plants going and just have the fish to watch. will be nice when they all grow and will the tank some more.
On a plus side the fish finally came in. only half my order showed but its still nice to have more then just 2 guppies in the tank.
the stock list:
10 tiger barbs
2 clown loaches
2 flying foxes
2 guppies
2 snails
and a common pleco
missing was the 10 neons and the 2 ghost knives.
and yes i know that was soon to become 2 fat ghost knives and no neons.
Not the most complex list of fish but I really wanna put more work into getting plants going and just have the fish to watch. will be nice when they all grow and will the tank some more.
