Changing to Sand - keep some substrate?

[pratishk]

Hi all,

Just spent a while reading various posts on gravel v sand v substrate v soil discussions on here. Very informative, but still have a question.

I currently am using aquagro neutrasoil (pic attached)

I am a bit bored of the setup in the tank and want to change it up a bit. I want to go down the sand route - and my question is:

Can I still use this substrate as a base layer, for example using a 1 cm depth followed by 1.5 cm of sand? Or is it not recommended to do this?

Why am I going for sand - I wanted a lighter look to the aquarium, you can see the full aquarium in here:

 

[bigsea]

None of your pictures work.

Im not familiar with your substrate but if its some form of enriched substrate it wouldnt hurt to have a base layer of it capped with sand. Id do some research on your current substrate and try to find out how long it takes for the substrate to be depleted of its nutrients.


- St Charles Almendras Geraldizo

 

[pratishk]

Thanks bigsea,

Yes unfortunately my pictures never seem to show up!

I tried google-ing my substrate did not find many exact matches - but just wanted to ask on here if people have added sand on top of substrate before (and not gravel).

Would it sort of be like dirting?

 

[bigsea]

Yea same concept


- St Charles Almendras Geraldizo

 

[gilpi]

Im assuming you have plants to be using aquagro neutrasoil?
I think the white sand would look messy once it starts mixing with the neutrasoil.

 

[ScotJudd]

Im assuming you have plants to be using aquagro neutrasoil?
I think the white sand would look messy once it starts mixing with the neutrasoil.

I totally agree. Newly set up tanks with layered media looks good but you can't easily keep them separate. The smaller sand particles will naturally migrate down through the soil. And don't even think of getting burrowing snails such as MTS, they'll mix up the media really quickly. IMO, if you want sand then just have sand with root tabs for your plants.


Sent from my iPad using Aquarium Advice

 

[pratishk]

Thanks Gilpi and ScotJudd,

Yes - it is so I can keep and/or plant more live plants.

I still have a bit of the aquagro not used - so thought of literally putting whatever is left on the bottom and then covering with a couple of cm's of sand.

Hoping this means that not much will some through - but will look into the tabs too. Any particular brands, or types of tabs people would recommend? or are they all pretty much the same?

Also - have been looking at the Aragonite sand - I know it's pricey but is it worth it?