Sand as substrate for plants?

[jmay33]

In the next few weeks I want to start my first planted tank. It will be 10 gallons. Lights will be 3 watts per gallon. I know that limits me on what kinds of plants I can keep. Can I use sand as a substrate? What kind of fertilizers as o2 should I use? Suggestions on appropriate plants for this set up would also be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance!

 

[CorallineAlgae]

What kind of light will it be? The watts per gallon rule isn't reliable.

For substrate I like Eco Cimplete though Aqua Soil is probably the best (but expensive). You can always use sand, just not ocean or aragonite sand. Petco has black sand and most people use pool filter sand if they want white.

For co2 you can go two and a half ways. You can get a paintball CO2 system (best), do DIY co2 or just use a liquid carbon like Excell. Depends on your lights and budget.

 

[jmay33]

What kind of light will it be? The watts per gallon rule isn't reliable.

For substrate I like Eco Cimplete though Aqua Soil is probably the best (but expensive). You can always use sand, just not ocean or aragonite sand. Petco has black sand and most people use pool filter sand if they want white.

For co2 you can go two and a half ways. You can get a paintball CO2 system (best), do DIY co2 or just use a liquid carbon like Excell. Depends on your lights and budget.

I have a small-ish budget, but I want everything to be healthy, so probably in the low end of the middle. If that makes sense. Lol. Right now it is incandescent bulbs, but I was planning on going fluorescent before I get plants. I would probably like to do the liquid carbon.

 

[CorallineAlgae]

I have a small-ish budget, but I want everything to be healthy, so probably in the low end of the middle. If that makes sense. Lol. Right now it is incandescent bulbs, but I was planning on going fluorescent before I get plants. I would probably like to do the liquid carbon.

You can replace the incandescent bulbs with small 10w CFL daylights. You don't even need a new light strip. They sell them in the pet department at walmart and grow plants beautifully. I wouldn't add any plants until you replace the incandescent bulbs.

Pool filter sand (PFS) is easy to find at a Lowes or Home Depot and is dirt cheap, though the black sand at Petsmart or Petco is also inexpensive.

If you find a little three-pack of Seachem Fundamentals at a pet shop it would be ideal. You can google it to see what it is. That would cover the basics for most easy plants and not cost much at all. Good luck!

 

[jmay33]

You can replace the incandescent bulbs with small 10w CFL daylights. You don't even need a new light strip. They sell them in the pet department at walmart and grow plants beautifully. I wouldn't add any plants until you replace the incandescent bulbs.

Pool filter sand (PFS) is easy to find at a Lowes or Home Depot and is dirt cheap, though the black sand at Petsmart or Petco is also inexpensive.

If you find a little three-pack of Seachem Fundamentals at a pet shop it would be ideal. You can google it to see what it is. That would cover the basics for most easy plants and not cost much at all. Good luck!

Thank you for your advice! I'll post a picture when it's up and running! What does CFL stand for? Do I need to cycle the tank before adding plants? How do I treat the water?

 

[CorallineAlgae]

Thank you for your advice! I'll post a picture when it's up and running! What does CFL stand for? Do I need to cycle the tank before adding plants? How do I treat the water?

Anytime! CFL just stands for compact fluorescent light. The energy efficient lights that screw into normal lamps around the house but use spiraling or curved fluorescent tubes are CFLs. The daylight ones are great for plants. The ones sold in the aquarium area are longer instead of rounder so they fit into aquarium fixtures and cast better light (less restrike).

No need to cycle the tank at all before adding plants. They can use ammonia as food! Just make sure to get true aquatic plants and not semi aquatic ones. Anubias, java ferns, water wisteria, crypts, moss, four leaf clover, etc...

Just get a chlorine/chlorimene remover to treat your water. There are lots of brands. I use Seachem Prime but any brand should be fine.

 

[jmay33]

Anytime! CFL just stands for compact fluorescent light. The energy efficient lights that screw into normal lamps around the house but use spiraling or curved fluorescent tubes are CFLs. The daylight ones are great for plants. The ones sold in the aquarium area are longer instead of rounder so they fit into aquarium fixtures and cast better light (less restrike).

No need to cycle the tank at all before adding plants. They can use ammonia as food! Just make sure to get true aquatic plants and not semi aquatic ones. Anubias, java ferns, water wisteria, crypts, moss, four leaf clover, etc...

Just get a chlorine/chlorimene remover to treat your water. There are lots of brands. I use Seachem Prime but any brand should be fine.

Thank you so much! Can I use the same chlorine remover that I use for my fish? What kind of plants would you suggest for a beginner planted tank keeper. sorry for so many questions. I just don't know much about it!

 

[CorallineAlgae]

Thank you so much! Can I use the same chlorine remover that I use for my fish? What kind of plants would you suggest for a beginner planted tank keeper. sorry for so many questions. I just don't know much about it!

You can definitely use the same chlorine remover you've been using for fish.

All the plants I mentioned above should be fine. If you get crypts (one of the best choices IMO) I'd pick up a small pack of root tabs and put one under wherever you decide to plant it. Most plants that you put into the gravel will be healthier with a root tab around where the plant is. Anubias, ferns and moss do best if you loosly tie them to some decorations like rocks or wood. They don't like to be planted into the sand.

 

[Scottyhorse]

I'm going to hitch hike this thread and follow along I am going to be starting a 20 gal here soon, and it's going to be planted. The tank I have right now is a 2 gal 'planted' shrimp tank. How does a DIY co2 work? Can you order co2 online?

 

[jmay33]

You can definitely use the same chlorine remover you've been using for fish.

All the plants I mentioned above should be fine. If you get crypts (one of the best choices IMO) I'd pick up a small pack of root tabs and put one under wherever you decide to plant it. Most plants that you put into the gravel will be healthier with a root tab around where the plant is. Anubias, ferns and moss do best if you loosly tie them to some decorations like rocks or wood. They don't like to be planted into the sand.

Would they live better if I used something other than sand? I want to give them what they like! Lol. Is a root tab similar to the spikes we put in the ground for terrestrial plants?

 

[CorallineAlgae]

Would they live better if I used something other than sand? I want to give them what they like! Lol. Is a root tab similar to the spikes we put in the ground for terrestrial plants?

Sand is perfectly suited for growing plants. I use Eco Complete in my tanks though. Honestly, any non calcium based sand is great. Get what you like the look of. A few root tabs will be all you need to make rooted plants happy with the substrate. If you want the best substrate then get aqua soil. Nothing beats it but at the price they sell it at it better be the best. lol

Yes they're very similar. In fact the first "root tabs" I ever used were Jobes Plant Sticks (forget which one, maybe the fern type). Many people, myself included, have used Osmocote Plus to make our own DIY root tabs. It releases some ammonia so it's best to only add a little. The safest way and possibly the best choice is Seachem root tabs. They always give good results and have no side effects that I've been aware of in my 10 years of using them. Again, not the cheapest option, but proven to be high quality.

 

[jmay33]

Sand is perfectly suited for growing plants. I use Eco Complete in my tanks though. Honestly, any non calcium based sand is great. Get what you like the look of. A few root tabs will be all you need to make rooted plants happy with the substrate. If you want the best substrate then get aqua soil. Nothing beats it but at the price they sell it at it better be the best. lol

Yes they're very similar. In fact the first "root tabs" I ever used were Jobes Plant Sticks (forget which one, maybe the fern type). Many people, myself included, have used Osmocote Plus to make our own DIY root tabs. It releases some ammonia so it's best to only add a little. The safest way and possibly the best choice is Seachem root tabs. They always give good results and have no side effects that I've been aware of in my 10 years of using them. Again, not the cheapest option, but proven to be high quality.

Awesome. Thank you so much!! I will post pictures as soon as it is up and running!

 

[jmay33]

Sand is perfectly suited for growing plants. I use Eco Complete in my tanks though. Honestly, any non calcium based sand is great. Get what you like the look of. A few root tabs will be all you need to make rooted plants happy with the substrate. If you want the best substrate then get aqua soil. Nothing beats it but at the price they sell it at it better be the best. lol

Yes they're very similar. In fact the first "root tabs" I ever used were Jobes Plant Sticks (forget which one, maybe the fern type). Many people, myself included, have used Osmocote Plus to make our own DIY root tabs. It releases some ammonia so it's best to only add a little. The safest way and possibly the best choice is Seachem root tabs. They always give good results and have no side effects that I've been aware of in my 10 years of using them. Again, not the cheapest option, but proven to be high quality.

Picked up my Seachem root tabs today! Also some API plant food. At least i think it's API. I'm starting with the plants earlier than expected since I like to rescue things and all. Lol. The first two pics are the day I got them. The last picture is of them today. I'm hoping I can make them healthy again! In the next few days I will be able to buy co2. It is just sudden, so I can't buy it all at one time. Lol. Any advice for me?

 

[CorallineAlgae]

Sure thing. Well, remember to only keep your lights on for 10 hours a day max, 8-9 are what most of us use. What lights are you running?

I'm on my iPod so it's a little hard to make out the new plants. Do you have the names for them?

 

[jmay33]

Sure thing. Well, remember to only keep your lights on for 10 hours a day max, 8-9 are what most of us use. What lights are you running?

I'm on my iPod so it's a little hard to make out the new plants. Do you have the names for them?

Nope. I have no idea what they are at all. That is part what is making this do difficult! Lol. I was going to turn them off at 8 hours. I am worried about algae growth for sure. I just have a standard 10 gallon light hood with 2 fluorescent lights. I believe they are 15 watts a piece.

 

[jmay33]

Hoping this picture will maybe help ID these plants? I also took someone's advice and planted some bulbs last night just in case these don't make it. I won't be so disappointed.

 

[jetajockey]

Looks like anacharis and maybe some kind of crypt. Not sure.

 

[jmay33]

Looks like anacharis and maybe some kind of crypt. Not sure.

Thank you! Your guess is better than mine! I know nothing about plants.

 

[marsh]

I bought Eco complete and black sand to top it. Seachem root tabs, flourish excel and low lights. Just stock hood lamps. My plants are in my profile- the only failures so far were the dwarf hair grass, it needed more light probably, and some of the bulbs rotted before really sprouting.

Edit and my snails were underfed and munched on the water hydrangea pretty good.

 

[jmay33]

I bought Eco complete and black sand to top it. Seachem root tabs, flourish excel and low lights. Just stock hood lamps. My plants are in my profile- the only failures so far were the dwarf hair grass, it needed more light probably, and some of the bulbs rotted before really sprouting.

Oh my goodness. Really? I've been trying to choose between Eco complete and black sand. I like the look of the sand but I've heard eco-complete is the best for plants and that was my main concern. Do you have pictures of yours? I hadn't thought of layering them! I am using seachem root tabs as of yesterday. I attached a pic of the plant food I got. I don't have any CO2 yet, but in the next couple of days I will.

Edit: My snails are pretty well fed, I think. Thank you, wouldn't have thought about it.