Sand?

[conniemarie67]

I am about to set up a new tank and would like to put in live plants. I really want sand, but I've heard that live plants have to have gravel.
Is this true?

 

[toolman]

NO... sand or plant specific substrate are very good for plants.

You can grow plants with gravel, but most planted tanks don't get vacumed therefore gravel allows excess waste (detritus, unbeaten food, etc.) to accumulate.

 

[conniemarie67]

NO... sand or plant specific substrate are very good for plants.

You can grow plants with gravel, but most planted tanks don't get vacumed therefore gravel allows excess waste (detritus, unbeaten food, etc.) to accumulate.

Great! Sowhat kind of sand do you recommend?

 

[toolman]

I use pool filter sand because it's cheap, easy, and I already had some. Many also use black diamond blasting media, which is a coal byproduct used in sandblasting, you can get it at farm stores.

Either one of these products is inert (no plant nutrients) so they say you need root tabs (fertilizer). I have a 75, 55, &10 gallon tanks and don't use any to grow low light plants.

The pool filter sand is light, where the black diamond is...well...black.

I would not use gravel ever again after using sand, if you want to spend for $ you can get substrate specifically for plants ( nutrients in it).

Here are pics of mine with sand.

 

[conniemarie67]

I use pool filter sand because it's cheap, easy, and I already had some. Many also use black diamond blasting media, which is a coal byproduct used in sandblasting, you can get it at farm stores.

Either one of these products is inert (no plant nutrients) so they say you need root tabs (fertilizer). I have a 75, 55, &10 gallon tanks and don't use any to grow low light plants.

The pool filter sand is light, where the black diamond is...well...black.

I would not use gravel ever again after using sand, if you want to spend for $ you can get substrate specifically for plants ( nutrients in it).

Here are pics of mine with sand.View attachment 297347View attachment 297348

Your tanks are beautiful. Thank you so much for the advice [emoji4]

 

[toolman]

Thanks, hope that helps
I'm just a poser, many real planted tank people on here way better.

 

[dcutl002]

I bought play sand from Lowes.

Application: I put the sand in a plastic bottle and tip it upside down into the water. The clean sand falls down and the silt rises into the bottle. When all of the sand has fallen I quickly put a thumb across the bottle mouth and pull the bottle out. Clean sand on the bottom of the tank and dirty water in the bottle. This method really saves a lot of work washing sand.

 

[poneygirl1973]

Play sand or black sand blasting med grit