Substrate Switchover

[Aquastrategist]

Hi, I have a planted tank with a mix of white sand and gravel. I have cories neons angels and rainbows in my tank (50 gallon) and today I plan to get some plant bulbs and a planted substrate to partially cover the tank. Should I take out the fish when putting in new substrate and what planted substrate would you recommend? Please soon I will be at l petsmart in an hour.

 

[Rivercats]

Any plant substrate is eventually going to mix into what is already in your tank. I use Eco-complete but it's black and I don't think it would look very good with what's in your tank. You could just get some good root tabs and use them around all the plants you have planted in the substrate.

 

[Aquastrategist]

Petsmart didn't have root tabs, ill pick some up tomorrow at my lfs. I did get 1 water lily bulb, 1 water onion bulb, 6 aponogetom bulbs and looks like 6 stems of Telanthera Cardinalis! Sweet deal altogether for 12 bucks!

 

[Rivercats]

That is a good deal!

 

[Aquastrategist]

Im loving it, check out my tank journal

 

[Rivercats]

Im loving it, check out my tank journal

Is your tank journal on a thread, if so which one.

 

[Aquastrategist]

Freshwater and brackish getting started or look at my profile

 

[Rivercats]

Can't tell from the picture for sure but the stem plants in the back right of the tank look to be planted in a bundle. If that is the case you need to take them out, cut about an inch off the bottom of the stems, then plant each stem individually with the leaves almost but not quite touching the leaves of the stems around it. This allows light and water circulation to the lower stem and leaves.