Ideas for planted tank substrate

[Viper]

I'm looking at substrates to use in my upcoming low-tech planted tank. I'm think about getting two 20lb. bags of black Eco-Complete and then topping it with either black gravel or the small river pebbles.

This would work in the sense that the Eco-Complete would remain underneath the stones since it has a smaller granular size correct?

Also, would the plants be able to benefit from the nutrients contained within the Eco-Complete if there is a cap on top of it?

 

[mohican]

Thats exactly what I did! As the roots grow longer, they will penetrate deeper into rich material, feeding them. You can never go wrong with a good substrate; plants grow from the bottom up. Little hard to grow plants in a desert, despite good lighting and other parameters. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Viper]

Thats exactly what I did! As the roots grow longer, they will penetrate deeper into rich material, feeding them. You can never go wrong with a good substrate; plants grow from the bottom up. Little hard to grow plants in a desert, despite good lighting and other parameters. Just my 2 cents.

Thanks for the feedback!

I guess I should have mentioned though that I have a 50 gallon tank. So the Eco-Complete would give me just over an inch and then I would be adding just over an inch of river pebbles. So this would give me just shy of 2.5 inches total.

Do you think that would be enough Eco-Complete to help the plants?

 

[Rivercats]

Any amount of commercial plant substrate will help plants as those substates have a high CEC (cation exchange capacity) which means it can absorb nutrients from detris and the water and hold them for use by the plants. Gravel and sand on the other hand are inert and can't hold any nutrients. You will also want to invest in a good root tab especially if you have any swords or crypts in your tank.

 

[Viper]

Any amount of commercial plant substrate will help plants as those substates have a high CEC (cation exchange capacity) which means it can absorb nutrients from detris and the water and hold them for use by the plants. Gravel and sand on the other hand are inert and can't hold any nutrients. You will also want to invest in a good root tab especially if you have any swords or crypts in your tank.

Hmm didn't know that about the commercial plant substrates. Thanks!

 

[mohican]

Root tabs in my opinion are up for debate because I don't use them and my swords do just fine. I've had lots of daughter plants stem from them. If you feel later you need them, you can always add them later. I feel your substrate as is, will do just fine. The nutrient count in tabs is very low compared to a good substrate like eco.

 

[Viper]

Root tabs in my opinion are up for debate because I don't use them and my swords do just fine. I've had lots of daughter plants stem from them. If you feel later you need them, you can always add them later. I feel your substrate as is, will do just fine. The nutrient count in tabs is very low compared to a good substrate like eco.

Yeah I would do a wait and see approach to root tabs. If I felt that my plants weren't doing well enough, then I'd give them a shot.

Thanks for all the of the great info.

 

[Rivercats]

I have a rich dirt substrate capped with Eco and my 2 very large swords show signs of nutrient deficiency when I get lax with adding my root tabs. Each tank is different in it's needs.

 

[mohican]

Indeed they are! Agree to disagree.Ur tank is awesome Rivercats.

 

[Rivercats]

Indeed they are! Agree to disagree.Ur tank is awesome Rivercats.

Thanks! I have found my different tanks often have different needs and I have to customize each tank.

 

[aqua_chem]

The nutrient count in tabs is very low compared to a good substrate like eco.

Wait, what? No, not in the slightest. Tabs contain bioavailable nutrients for plants. EcoComplete doesn't really have much in the way of bioavailable nutrients, but rather acts as a way for water-born nutrients (or nutrients from tabs) to be presented to plants. Having a high CEC clay based substrate like EcoComplete or Flourite help offset not having a nutrient rich substrate like Aquasoil or MTS, but root tabs are actual nutrients delivered right to the root complexes.

 

[Viper]

I have a rich dirt substrate capped with Eco and my 2 very large swords show signs of nutrient deficiency when I get lax with adding my root tabs. Each tank is different in it's needs.

Speaking of dirt substrates, is it true that the dirt will eventually lead to a crash of sorts in your tank?

I've researched the Walstad method and seemed to be a lot of people talking about crashes.

 

[Rivercats]

My longest dirted tank is well over 2 years and going strong. Remember alot of people using Walstad don't use ferts, CO2-liquid carbon, or do anything special. They feed heavily and stock heavily as a way to add nutrients. Many also don't do WC's, just top offs.

As for dirted tanks not Walstad have they said what exactly happened in the tanks? I can't speak about their dirt tanks and practices but I feel if you run your dirt tank properly with ferts/root tabs, CO2/liquid carbon, do your weekly WC's, don't overfeed or over stock, keep plants trimmed of decaying leaves, and practice good general maintainence the tank is able to run many years.