Plants in Playsand

[bud29]

Hi, I found out yesterday that my tap water has high nitrates. Someone told me to heavily plant my aquarium because plants "gobble up" nitrates. I like the look of live plants and am considering it. However, I have only planted plants in gravel. The substrate in this tank is play sand. I'm wondering if there is anything much different about planting in sand than in gravel that I need to know. Once I heard someone talking about "having plenty of trumpet snails" when planting in sand. Do I need them?

in advance

 

[TankMan]

Plants do great in play sand ! (at least mine do lol) and all that person was saying was that trumpet snails are known to get oxygen and such in the soil, and help move it around, that's all.

 

[Fdsh5]

+1. my plants are doing great in my sand tank. It's always a great idea to have some mts to stir up the sand for you. I dont mind them. It let's me know I'm not overfeeding if the population stays under control

 

[leek86]

Does it have to be mts? would ramshorn snails or nerites stir up the sand?

 

[TankMan]

Does it have to be mts? would ramshorn snails or nerites stir up the sand?

To be honest, I only know of trumpets that "stir" the sand. I have nerites in mine and they seem to do nothing

 

[Fdsh5]

My assassin snails will also burrow into the sand. I don't think nerites or ramshorns would do that for you. Not sure though because I've never had them.

 

[boadams87]

Ramshorns wont burrow. Get MTS.

 

[leek86]

Dang I like the look or the ornate ones, ahwell maybe i could have a few mts and an ornate

 

[HN1]

Rooted plants won't remove nitrate from the water column as well in sand. Floaters do a better job of being "nitrate sponges". Rooted plants (even in a tank with high NO3) may need root tabs when planted in sand. Snails aren't actually needed to stir sand. A small dowel and an occasional stir do enough to mitigate the rare risk of "poisonous gas bubbles" forming.

 

[leek86]

If asassins burrow would they be ok, if there arent any "prey" snails present, they eat detrius and algae and such dont they? Are they a danger to any fish or plants?

EDIT

Just been reading about Tylomelania snails and read they root about in the sand, does anyone have any experience with these, is their "rooting" adequete? Id much prefere one of these than the assassins as I like thier appearance alot more.

 

[HN1]

Assassins will need protein rich foods (pellets, etc) if no prey is available. They do not eat algae at all and detritus won't sustain them. Plus, not much should be available in a well maintained tank. Tylos (aka Rabbit snails) do not bury themselves.

 

[leek86]

So if your tank is heavily planted and maybe even carpetted, how does one stir up the sand without disturbing plants?

 

[jetajockey]

So if your plant is heavily planted and maybe even carpetted, how does one stir up the sand without disturbing plants?

You don't have to. The toxic gas pocket thing is way overblown to begin with but even still, rooting plants themselves also move the sand around.

 

[bud29]

You don't have to. The toxic gas pocket thing is way overblown to begin with but even still, rooting plants themselves also move the sand around.

Great to know, jetajockey. I was dreading stirring up my sand.