Substrate Help

[ellemn]

Hi there!

I'm in the planning stages of setting up a planted freshwater tank (29g). I eventually want some corydoras in it, so the substrate will be sand. Since what I've read says that aquatic plants don't do very well in just sand, I was wondering what different ways there are to supplement them. I know that root tabs are an option. Could another substrate underneath the sand be effective? I have a bag of Fluval Stratum that I had for a beta tank years ago. Could I spread that out underneath the sand layer for the roots to draw nutrients from rather than using root tabs?
Or would you recommend foregoing the FS in favor of just sand and root tabs?

 

[Caliban07]

The smaller grained particles will eventually migrate to the bottom so sand won’t work on a larger grain substrate.

Plant’s grow fine in sand but that also depends on other factors like nutrient availability. Supplemented, the plants may do just fine.

Sand with root tabs or an all in one liquid fertiliser should suffice.