Aquarium substrate questions

[NatureGirl]

I am looking for some good enriched black substrate for some of my aquarium plants. I'm not sure if I have enough money to cover the whole tank bottom, so I was thinking I could fill terracotta pots with said substrate and plant the plants inside. As I've never used any substrate other than inert pea gravel from Lowes and play sand (also from Lowes), I'm not quite sure what to look for in specialty substrates or how to gauge effective to non-effective.

Side note: I've had REALLY bad experiences with pea gravel (that's why I switched to sand), so I'm reluctant to buy anything remotely the same size as it. But the problem is that apparently sand can't hold any special plant nutrients so that's a no-go as well.

So I guess what I'm looking for is some kind of gravel as close to sand consistency as possible that still has nutrients for my aquatic plants, and allows a decent amount of water flow/doesn't compact too much.

And BTW, I have messy fish so a heavier substrate will definitely be needed, I think.

If anyone has any information, I'd very much appreciate it

 

[brendenscott]

Why do you need to have nutrient rich substrate? Can just use sand to your liking and dose the water column with macros and micros. I use bdbs which is completely inert and use some root tabs for my swords that are root feeders and the rest of the plants are completely happy with the bdbs with dosing ferts. Is all you need. Simply dose macros and micros on alternating days. http://nilocg.com/diy-ei-liquid-fertilizer/

Nutrient rich substrate will eventually lose its nutrients anyway so you would have to dose eventually anyway or change out the substrate.

Also my bdbs does not get stirred up at all and I have a bunch of bottom feeders including clown loaches

Also just a FYI all aquatic plants are accustomed to feeding from the water column which is why you do not need to have nutrient rich substrate.

 

[NatureGirl]

My aquarium budget is very slim, and I was under the impression that a good substrate would be a convenient, pay-once, consistent source of nutrients for my plants. I'm also trying to do things as low-tech as possible, but some of my plants aren't very happy about it. (picky plants, tsk, tsk, tsk) I was thinking an enriched substrate would give them a boost.

And as for plants taking nutrients out of the water column, I know this to be true for stem plants, floating plants (although they get some out of the air too), and several other kinds of aquarium flora. But I am also pretty sure there are more root-dependent aquarium plants that, when packed down in inert substrate, find it difficult to thrive because of nutrient restrictions. I'm definitely not an expert aquarist (far from it!) but this is what I've read online from multiple sources.

 

[brendenscott]

I have yet to find a plant that cannot take the nutrients out of the water. Even my swords seem to not mind at all not even having root tabs as they have long been used up. If there is one that would not thrive unless it has nutrients in the substrate I have yet to see it.

 

[Bert2oo1]

My aquarium budget is very slim, and I was under the impression that a good substrate would be a convenient, pay-once, consistent source of nutrients for my plants. I'm also trying to do things as low-tech as possible, but some of my plants aren't very happy about it. (picky plants, tsk, tsk, tsk) I was thinking an enriched substrate would give them a boost.

And as for plants taking nutrients out of the water column, I know this to be true for stem plants, floating plants (although they get some out of the air too), and several other kinds of aquarium flora. But I am also pretty sure there are more root-dependent aquarium plants that, when packed down in inert substrate, find it difficult to thrive because of nutrient restrictions. I'm definitely not an expert aquarist (far from it!) but this is what I've read online from multiple sources.

If your looking for a nutrient rich substrate u can go with something like ADA aquasoil, Tropica soil, flourite etc.

You can also buy a substrate like Eco complete that's is gravel with a high CEC value (absorbs nutrients)

If you go with ADA make sure you get the "light" version as the regular leeches massive amount of ammonia and is harmful to your fish.

 

[Catfish Lover]

You can buy some 3 dollar play sand or if you don't like that you could go with a 10 dollar bag of pool filter sand. No need to break the bank for substrate. Plants will grow in anything as long as you feed the substrate. I wasted a lot of money on eco complete. Doesn't help with plants anymore than play sand

 

[toolman]

I use no root tabs, just daily pps-pro ferts in pool filter sand.

 

[NatureGirl]

Catfish, I'm sorry to hear about the wasted money. It's never fun to realize you bought something that doesn't end up paying out.
I have used play sand before, and it's definitely an economical choice. However, I think I'd like to try something different in one of my tanks and see how it work

Toolman, that is an amazing tank! That's what I want my plants to grow up to be, lol.

 

[NatureGirl]

Bert, I looked up some of the substrates you recommended and ADA Aquasoil might be just what I'm looking for, minus the black color and sand consistency. (Oh well, as long as my plants like it [emoji57]) Do you have any personal experience with this substrate? Does it easily crumble, cloud water, or turn into mud? How long would you say the nutrients and fertilization properties last?

 

[Funken_A]

Use pool sand and root tabs, then cover with light lvl of regular black aquarium gravel.

However not all plants are heavy root feeders. Some plants, mostly stem plants like to use their leafs

You will need to research plants that will thrive in your low tech setup.

 

[Caliban07]

I would use eco complete. It is light and has different grain sizes so the larger grains stay at the top which allows good flow through the important top layer. If you have 'messy fish' in time their waste will break down in to the substrate and provide nutrients to the plants. Provided you light is not too strong and you choose the 'right' plants this may be enough to grow some nice less demanding plants. Unlike sand and regular gravel, Eco complete has the ability to sequester nutrients for root uptake.

From what I have ADA is a very widely regarded and and self evident substrate but it can be costly and as already mentioned will leech ammonia in to the water column for a period after set up. This could promote algae more so in a new tank. The ADA will also eventually deplete and turn to mush which will cause tank clouding when uprooting.

Some Eco complete cons are:

It can be more difficult to plant in

Isn't exactly cheap either

Difficult scape with

 

[Bert2oo1]

I would use eco complete. It is light and has different grain sizes so the larger grains stay at the top which allows good flow through the important top layer. If you have 'messy fish' in time their waste will break down in to the substrate and provide nutrients to the plants. Provided you light is not too strong and you choose the 'right' plants this may be enough to grow some nice less demanding plants. Unlike sand and regular gravel, Eco complete has the ability to sequester nutrients for root uptake.

From what I have ADA is a very widely regarded and and self evident substrate but it can be costly and as already mentioned will leech ammonia in to the water column for a period after set up. This could promote algae more so in a new tank. The ADA will also eventually deplete and turn to mush which will cause tank clouding when uprooting.

Some Eco complete cons are:

It can be more difficult to plant in

Isn't exactly cheap either

Difficult scape with

I do agree with cal Ada is more of a advanced user substrate due to the initial ammonia and algae can set it if your lazy with it. However I believe nutrients last up to 9 months and it takes 3 years or so for it to finally turn to mud.

Apparently the "light" version doesn't leech much ammonia at all and can be handled by your filter (if the tank is cycled) it does come in
Black but I'm not sure what the name for it is? I use Amazonia regular (brown) in my Ada tank and it took a month before I could add fish with daily 50% water changes to keep the levels stable.

Eco is a good substrate with no ammonia leech but after seeing the results of Ada I'm pretty happy with it [emoji106] I've also read of people using it with low tech setup's (guessing that's what you'll be using it for) and they didn't need to add anything other than trace fertiliser for 6 month or more.

It really comes down to personal preference to be honest [emoji106]

 

[murph3400]

Anyone use eco complete?

 

[Fresh2o]

Anyone use eco complete?

I use EC. Had it in a crypt filled low light tank and the plants flourished. Have been using it for almost 5 years in my high tech setup. Every 4-6 months I try to add root pellets. Pretty much can grow anything though it was not the best for a dwarf baby tears carpet (carpet lifted after several months). Have not tried it with dwarf hair grass yet.
Sure I'd love to try any of the ADA soils or Brightwell Aquatics Florin Volcanit but the EC has been doing fine (and I'm very lazy).
Oh, one more thing. At the time the EC was $9 per bag so the t was a good deal.

 

[fishenthusiast]

Anyone use eco complete?

I like mine. It does the job and contrasts the plants well.

 

[nirbhao]

I love Eco Complete. I have it in one tank and pool filter sand in another. It's more difficult to plant in initially, but, even with root tabs in the sand, the Eco Complete grows better.