fearlessfisch
Aquarium Advice FINatic
I redid my largest tank a few months ago to include more plants and was shocked and thrilled that most of them actually lived! Some of them (pennywort, rotala, wisteria) are actually thriving and spreading! My sword, anubias, and java fern are pretty stable. I did lose a lot of hygro, although a couple of them are still hanging on.
These plants lived even though they are planted in inert sand, with low light (80 watts over a 55-gallon, and probably more like 60 since one bulb is half actinic) and no CO2. I am wondering if I can get them to thrive even more.
With these low-light and bare sand conditions, would it be a good idea to switch to a substrate especially made for planted tanks, or do I set myself up for problems that way? I am currently dosing a liquid fertilizer, and would like to see what my plants do in a more fertile substrate. However, I don't know if switching to a nutrient-rich substrate is ill-advised in the absence of CO2. I don't see myself upgrading the lighting or adding CO2 anytime soon.
Also.....I have loaches, and they love the very fine, soft sand that is currently in my tank. I looked at Eco-complete, and it seems brittle and hard-edged. I am wondering if there are any very soft substrates for planted tanks. I tend to anthropomorphize my fish, and I don't want to upset them by moving them to a tank where the substrate is less comfortable. Is there anything so soft that it feels like dirt or sand, but won't be perpetually cloudy with loaches burrowing in it?
Silly question....Could someone compare the different planted substrates in terms of how they would feel to a burrowing loach? What colors are available? I also welcome any other comments or advice you can give.
Thanks for your help.
These plants lived even though they are planted in inert sand, with low light (80 watts over a 55-gallon, and probably more like 60 since one bulb is half actinic) and no CO2. I am wondering if I can get them to thrive even more.
With these low-light and bare sand conditions, would it be a good idea to switch to a substrate especially made for planted tanks, or do I set myself up for problems that way? I am currently dosing a liquid fertilizer, and would like to see what my plants do in a more fertile substrate. However, I don't know if switching to a nutrient-rich substrate is ill-advised in the absence of CO2. I don't see myself upgrading the lighting or adding CO2 anytime soon.
Also.....I have loaches, and they love the very fine, soft sand that is currently in my tank. I looked at Eco-complete, and it seems brittle and hard-edged. I am wondering if there are any very soft substrates for planted tanks. I tend to anthropomorphize my fish, and I don't want to upset them by moving them to a tank where the substrate is less comfortable. Is there anything so soft that it feels like dirt or sand, but won't be perpetually cloudy with loaches burrowing in it?
Silly question....Could someone compare the different planted substrates in terms of how they would feel to a burrowing loach? What colors are available? I also welcome any other comments or advice you can give.
Thanks for your help.