Trainer_Ruby_
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Is sand better than dirt for plants in an aquarium
Keep calm and drum on
Keep calm and drum on
Is sand better than dirt for plants in an aquarium
Keep calm and drum on
Grown with inert sand and root tabs.
For a decent thickness you would need at least 75 lbs of sand for a 55g.
Just a heads up on some of the issues I faced when I switched to dirt in case you decide to go that route. You will want to have your scape planned in advance. Moving most plants in a dirted tank creates a terrible mess, which also clogs your filters, so you'll need to be prepared to clean them daily during the initial stage and whenever you decide a plant looks good somewhere else. Also, I'd advise you to sift out any larger chunks of wood chips in the soil mix before you add it because they leach tannins, which some folks like, but it will give your water a brownish tint. You also need to have somewhere to keep your fish until the ammonia levels from all the rotting organics in the dirt subsides. My ammonia levels spiked for at least a week. Also, be prepare for lots of debris and cloudy water for a while. I know I risk some serious backlash for this, but I just wanted to let you know some of the problems. As mentioned earlier, even the initial benefits from dirted tanks expire, and you will eventually need to use ferts anyway. Root tabs are so much nicer to add when you don't have to turn your tank into a mud hole every time you add them. Of course, just my humble opinion, but it was formed from experience.
This is my 55G using regular pebble sized black gravel
Grown with inert sand and root tabs.
This is my 55G using regular pebble sized black gravel