Starting a 90 gallon planted

[ddot82]

Im starting a 90 gallon planted. I have plants growing successfully in my 55 but am new to this. With those I put root tabs in the sand and planted. Im going with sand again and want to know if theres a better way. They have that plant substrate, does it go under the sand? Will it come up thru the sand? How deep should the sand be?

 

[bud29]

Im starting a 90 gallon planted. I have plants growing successfully in my 55 but am new to this. With those I put root tabs in the sand and planted. Im going with sand again and want to know if theres a better way. They have that plant substrate, does it go under the sand? Will it come up thru the sand? How deep should the sand be?

By plant substrate do you mean ones like floramax, eco complete, or flourite? If so, there is no need to mix or bury the plant substrate in sand. The only substrate I know of that requires a sand or gravel "cap" is dirt, due to its clouding of the water without one. Otherwise, though, there should be no need to mix or bury. As for substrate depth, you generally want it to be at least 2", most of my substrates are 3-4" thick.

 

[ddot82]

By plant substrate do you mean ones like floramax, eco complete, or flourite? If so, there is no need to mix or bury the plant substrate in sand. The only substrate I know of that requires a sand or gravel "cap" is dirt, due to its clouding of the water without one. Otherwise, though, there should be no need to mix or bury. As for substrate depth, you generally want it to be at least 2", most of my substrates are 3-4" thick.

Im not sure to be honest. I read something somewhere that said you put a layer of this stuff down for plants(like a fertilizer) then put sand over it. I cant remember what that stuff was tho. Are the ones you mentioned a substrate, fertilizer, or both?

 

[bud29]

Im not sure to be honest. I read something somewhere that said you put a layer of this stuff down for plants(like a fertilizer) then put sand over it. I cant remember what that stuff was tho. Are the ones you mentioned a substrate, fertilizer, or both?

The ones I listed are substrates, I believe they have some fertilization properties - if I remember correctly, they also have a high CEC (cation exchange capacity) so my understanding is that they are able to absorb water column nutrients and allow the plant roots to use them.

Was the fertilizer osmocote plus? I have heard of people putting a layer of that down at the bottom of the substrate. This is the same way you would use dirt as a substrate, you put down a dirt layer and then a cap of another substrate.

 

[ddot82]

The ones I listed are substrates, I believe they have some fertilization properties - if I remember correctly, they also have a high CEC (cation exchange capacity) so my understanding is that they are able to absorb nutrients and allow the plant roots to use them.

Was the fertilizer osmocote plus? I have heard of people putting a layer of that down at the bottom of the substrate. This is the same way you would use dirt as a substrate, you put down a dirt layer and then a cap of another substrate.

I think it was one of the ones you originally listed. I don't want to replace the sand but I'll look up osmocote plus and see if that'll do the trick. If anything I know the root tabs will work.