Plants in sand substrate

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Tianna8999

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Oct 6, 2018
Messages
66
Location
Illinois
After a long 2-3 weeks of loosing all 5 guppies and 2 shrimp. Buying the angel fish sponge.. I believe I am cycled ... the past 3 days this have been my readings
ammonia 0-.25
Nitrite 0 - low .25 (maybe)
Nitrate 10-20 ppm !!!!
I would like to add some plants now I’m a student so I don’t have a bunch of money just laying around I have sand substrate already and I heard is posible to grow plants in sand but you need good lighting. My question is what’s a good CHEAP light for plant growth and how does high PH affect it.
I tried google and YouTube but is way to much info and everything contradicts each other thank you !
 
We need way more information.

Tank size and height?
Is low - medium light your goal?
What plants do you want to grow?
Are you planning on using root tabs and / or fertilizing the water column?
CO2 or no CO2?
Glutaraldehyde or Seachem Excel?

pH will effect nutrient availability. pH's above 7.0 will generally need an Iron Gluconate (Seachem Flourish brand) or a DTPA Iron source. Below 7.0 an EDTA Iron source is fine.

Lights can be cheap, but I need to know what size tank you are dealing with. Sand is 100% fine, and is my preferred substrate for my tanks.
 
Thank you for the reply!
I have a 55 gallon is a long tank
Medium light
I already planted api root tabs but I think they’re making my sand yellow and I don’t see growth
I’m using a $7 fertilizer from animart
No CO2
IMG_4335.jpg
 
This is a 20 long with cheap Vivagrow lights and roots tabs only. No Co2 or liquid ferts. The trick is finding the right plants/light/bioload combo. IMG_4330.jpg
 
Thanks! The Planted Plants are crypts and dwarf sag. Then mounted are Java fern, 2 different kinds. Then some moss and floating riccia. All fairly easy non demanding plants.
 
Cheap lights could be as simple as cfl or led lights at the grocery store as long as they are around 6500 spectrum. Just need a reflector of some kind.

It is hard to go wrong with current LED’s for spectrum and function in my opinion
 
Facetune.jpg hey guys I have question. I left to go to work and came back and I find my tank like this I don’t see where the tank itself is spilling from though
 
Guys I’m on my way to my fish store for plants and driftwood as my ph seems to stay high no matter what I do. I want to add some neon tetras,
I have two dwarf gourami. Would this change be ok?
 
They'll adapt to high pH. I wouldn't worry about it. Water quality through your frequent water changes is more important.
 
My favorite is anubias nana, I've literally gone over a month with no lights without killing them, no ferts, no CO2. You can tie them to wood/rocks or put them in the sand (don't cover the rhizome!) so they're pretty versatile.
 
Back
Top Bottom