substrate fun

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simonastro

Aquarium Advice Newbie
Joined
Mar 9, 2004
Messages
2
Location
brighton, UK
I'm about to start building a 375 litre tank using a fluval 404 for filtration.
I want to use sand with gravel underneath and quite a few plants.
As the lfs was in a garden centre I also picked up some
vermiculite and expanded clay - hydroleca - which both claim to be sterile
I thought it might aid the root systems

anybody used this stuff?

cheers

simonastro
 
[center:0f2447e2f8] :smilecolros: Welcome to AA, simonastro!! :n00b: [/center:0f2447e2f8]
I dont' keep a planted tank, so I am of no help. However, if you don't get much of a response, post in the Planted Tank Forum :D
 
Why would you put gravel under the sand? Why not go all-sand? I'm not sure about the stuff you picked up at the garden store, but in my planted tanks I have a layer of laterite, and a layer of peat moss. Another option you have is to use special aquatic plant substrates. Flourite, eco-complete, and onyx sand are all good choices.
 
Vermiculite might have a hight CEC but it floats. Usually not a quality one looks for in something for the bottom of their aquarium. I bought some hoping it would absorb water and sink. Nope. Putting something over it will keep it down. But then it becomes difficult to keep it that way.

My story: I tried making a DIY substrate for some small clay pots. I used kitty litter, peat moss and vermiculite. I decided to rinse everything before putting it it the pots. The vermiculite floated; the peat turned to mush; and the kitty litter turned to mud. Everything worked out in the end - sort of. But I decided to simply buy my next plant substrate.
 
The sand will eventually work its way through the gravel, and you will have gravel with sand underneath before you know it.
 
I don't know if this helps, but I am currently reading Peter Hiscock's book "Encyclopedia of Aquarium Plants" (and also his book "Aquarium Designs Inspired By Nature"). I am a beginner regarding planted tanks, and it seems to explain a lot of things that confused me. I have read parts of Walstad's book and a lot of material on fins.actwin.com, and I find the technical information overwhelming. It is sort of a lot to take in at once. Perhaps I will go over this material again once I've fully digested the above books.

Pushak, the author of the post, has a lot of info on substates on his site:
http://home.infinet.net/teban/ (see http://home.infinet.net/teban/substrat.htm)

Hiscock seems to prefer substrate heating cables and a layered substrate. He recommends a layer of silver sand to just cover the heating cables to aid heat distribution. On top of this he recommends a thin nutrient rich layer. Above the thin nutrient layer, he recommends a layer of plain gravel. The reason for the plain gravel on top is that it provides a good rooting medium, and the top area of the roots is primarily used for storage - nutrient exchange occurs lower down (hence the nutrient rich layer).

I've seen aquarists in various groups and forums highly recommend eco-complete. It doesn't need rinising, provides a good rooting medium (though some say it is a little light), and contains a lot of nutrients. It seems people get great results and it's very simple.

Others have recommended using a small amount of peat under a gravel like flourite, though I have also seen people discuss plain gravel (1-3mm grain size, I believe) or sand.

HTH, and if anyone finds any of the info above is inaccurate, please correct me!
 
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