Adding substrate???

[kmny34]

I currently have just a plain aquarium sand in my 30 gallon that is planted. I want to put some plant substrate in my tank. Would it be ok to mix the sand with the plant substrate like eco complete or floramax???

What I want to do is get a bag of plant substrate and take hanndfuls at a time a place it in my aquarium directly over the sand without taking any fish or plants out. Will this work???

 

[kmny34]

Any thoughts????

 

[Carnifex]

Sure. That's what i did. Although, i didn't have fish in the tank yet. It was still cycling and i decided i wanted to plant it and didn't like the look of the plain sand. Heres a pic

Edit:also some black gravel mixed withe the plant substrate.

 

[kmny34]

Sure. That's what i did. Although, i didn't have fish in the tank yet. It was still cycling and i decided i wanted to plant it and didn't like the look of the plain sand. Heres a pic
View attachment 217839
Edit:also some black gravel mixed withe the plant substrate.

Did it cause your water to be cloudy???

 

[trickshot3102]

When I added my gravel it clouded for a day or two. It isn't harmful, its just dust particles. It will just get filtered out.

 

[kmny34]

When I added my gravel it clouded for a day or two. It isn't harmful, its just dust particles. It will just get filtered out.

So it's ok to add the gravel while the fish and plants are in the tank??

 

[trickshot3102]

So it's ok to add the gravel while the fish and plants are in the tank??

Yes! I added my gravel with fish in the tank. Just make sure that the fish stay out of the way and don't get buried. As for the plants, you might want to take them out and re plant the once the new substrate is in.

 

[Carnifex]

I agree with trickshot. Shouldn't be anymore cloudy then a normal water change or rescaping your plants. I used floramax and rinsed it for about 15 minutes until the water ran clear, so remember to rinse well.

 

[kmny34]

Thank you both!! Is flora max or Eco complete a suitable substrate for Cory cats???

 

[fishboy87]

Just curious how do you clean the substrate in a tank like that.... I've always had gravel but never sand, let alone sand and soil... Do you use a pythons ??

 

[kmny34]

Just curious how do you clean the substrate in a tank like that.... I've always had gravel but never sand, let alone sand and soil... Do you use a pythons ??

With sand I just use a siphon and Hoover a centimeter over the sand and it picks up everything except the sand. As for a planted substrate I would still only go over the top bc the substrate is supposed to turn the poop and leftover food into food for the plants!!

 

[Carnifex]

Thank you both!! Is flora max or Eco complete a suitable substrate for Cory cats???

Should be ok. The floramax is kinda sharp but other people have had corys with it no problems. I would try and just keep an eye on them.