Vermiculite

[ngav3]

Can i use vermiculite as a bottom layer and a small layer of sand on top for aquariuk substrate? I want to root my plantes in the vermiculite

 

[Drstrangelove]

Can i use vermiculite as a bottom layer and a small layer of sand on top for aquariuk substrate? I want to root my plantes in the vermiculite

http://aqualandpetsplus.com/Plant, Vermiculite.htm

You could, but I see too many negatives.

-Water changes color
-substrate is hard to clean
-hard to keep it in place

Still although I've used it lots with my plants, I've never used it in an aquarium. It probably works better in tanks with few fish (no sand diggers or substrate movers) and lots of plants, but it might be a nifty choice.

 

[ngav3]

What would be a good alternative to get nutrients to the plants? I really want a sand layer on top, and just to have this substrate for practical use. I dont want to dirt the tank either.

 

[Al Czervik]

Vermiculite will be very messy.

Caribsea Ecocomplete is a great substrate for plants. Its basically very finely crushed lava rock. You can cap it with sand.

 

[jwh]

I find capping with sand doesn't work in the long term. As you vacuum your supstrate it just becomes a mix of sand and whatever you have below it, I now use pfs with fertilizer tabs, takes a while for growth to kick in, and not everything grows as lush as with the plant substrates only, but at least you have a consistent sand look if that's what you're after.

 

[luvinbluegills]

I've had fantastic results with Fluorite.