Flora max-sand debate

[Goldfish loach boy]

I have a debate right now, I have a 29 gallon and I want to plant it, I am going to add root tabs and liquid ferts, I have three amazon swords, one java fern, an Anubias nana, a water wisteria, a lot of anacharis, and a banana plant.
My stock is( I don't know if this will really make a difference)
5x red eye tetras
2x neon tetras
1x balloon belly Molly
3x peppered Cory's
4x black kuhli loaches
1x dwarf gourami
1x bn pleco
1x rubber lip pleco
2x male guppies
I want either black sand or flora max, I want whatever is best for my stock and plants
Also, if you can tell me how to add such substrate I would really appreciate it
Thank you
Oh and this is the sand I want

 

[Coryluv]

Assuming your bottom dimensions are 30 in x 12 in 40 lbs sand will give you about 3 inches deep. I used a little less than 40 lbs in my 29 gal. It is deeper in back and shallower in front, but if even it would be about 3 in deep. Why 40 lbs? My sand came in 20 lb bags so I bought 2. I don't know how much flora max weighs compared to sand. The bag you have pictured says it is gravel.

Sand with root tabs works very well, but I don't really know if it is best. It certainly is easy.

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

Assuming your bottom dimensions are 30 in x 12 in 40 lbs sand will give you about 3 inches deep. I used a little less than 40 lbs in my 29 gal. It is deeper in back and shallower in front, but if even it would be about 3 in deep. Why 40 lbs? My sand came in 20 lb bags so I bought 2. I don't know how much flora max weighs compared to sand. The bag you have pictured says it is gravel.

Sand with root tabs works very well, but I don't really know if it is best. It certainly is easy.

Yea the bag only comes in 20 pound bags, I was going to buy 2, does it look nice?
Yea, I don't know why it says gravel, but it's sand
How did you add it, my tank currently has fish in it so I don't know how to add it
Is it easy to clean?

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

Anybody else have any thoughts?

 

[bud29]

I would put in root tabs regardless in this case - I have not found any substrate that will allow to to not need to 'dose' root tabs permanently. Dirted substrate and aquasoil will both allow you to not put in root tabs for a while, but both eventually wear off and the need for root tabs is back.

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

Ok root tabs, will liquid ferts help also?

I really want sand, is that good?

 

[azmodan]

Sand is fine as long as you use the root tabs for any root feeder. It's not quite as good as a plant specific substrate but it does the job fine with the right care too. Ferts for the water column are always beneficial as well.

 

[Kimlafeiet]

Those plants will work just fine in sand only, and your fish (especially the khulis) will love it. Just make sure to use root tabs, as the sand has no nutrient value at all for the plants. I would also dose liquid ferts, such as flourish comprehensive, and leaf zone, and flourish Excel liquid carbon.
I have swords in just tahitian moon sand and dose the above items as directed. My swords are doing great, just trimmed one down last week in my 55 gallon.

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

Yay ok so sand!

I am adding root tabs and liquid ferts, where do I add the root tabs?
I am adding liquid ferts as well
I was going to add liquid carbon, but it'll melt my anacharis

 

[Coryluv]

It will say on the package. If you are fully planted put the root tabs evenly spaced. If you have areas without plants you can use the tabs just by the plants.

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

Ok thanks!

 

[Coryluv]

Yea the bag only comes in 20 pound bags, I was going to buy 2, does it look nice?
Yea, I don't know why it says gravel, but it's sand
How did you add it, my tank currently has fish in it so I don't know how to add it
Is it easy to clean?

First, I placed the tank on the stand, made sure it was level, filled it 1/4 full of water, checked the level and position again. Having the water in keeps the tank from shifting while you add the sand, but you can also add the damp sand to an empty tank and add water later. No real right or wrong on it IMHO. I also did mine water in to help prevent scratching the acrylic tank.

I washed my sand about 5 lbs at a time in a five gal bucket. When the sand is in you can scape the sand and place the rest of your hardscape. I waited for any sand to settle and then turned on my filter. I ran my tank like that for 24 hours before adding plants.

To add plants I lowered my water again so I didn't have to worry about sloshing so much. Be sure your filter and heater is off when you plant and that your sand has settled before turning it back down after planting. I just used my fingers to plant. You can use planting tongs but it is not necessary.

To clean your sand just hover your vac/siphon above it it pick up waste without picking up sand. In a moderately to well planted tank you really have little to vac as long as you don't overstock and over feed. Your plants will use the waste as fertilizer. You still need tabs and ferts, in most cases, to get good growth.

I basically siphon water out only and don't vac at this point. I do a 20% pwc once a week now that I'm cycled and things have settled in. I'm low light and low tech. Some do almost no water changes and those doing EI fertilization do 50% pwc's. There are posts and articles here about it. Search if you have more questions.

Some people use malaysian trumpet snails (MTS) or stir or poke their sand to prevent gas pockets. You don't need to worry about gas pockets in areas where there are live plant roots or the sand isn't very deep. The deeper sand in my tank is all planted.

Hope that gives you some help.

PS I just saw you have fish. Put the fish in an aerated, heated bucket or other temporary container filled with tank water for a few hours while you change out your substrate. Generally it is no prob to plant with fish in the tank.

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

Ok thanks! That answered all my questions!

I'll leave my fish in a bucket with the heater and an air stone, I'll leave in 1/4 of the tank full and clean the sand then add it, it will probably take like 2 hours right?

 

[Coryluv]

Yes, about 2 hours is right. I forgot to mention, but it doesn't hurt to add a few drops of Prime to the the temporary fish container.

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

Ok thanks for the advise, I'll add the prime

 

[bthomas]

+1 on washing the sand in small sections. It will seem easier to try to dump as much as you can fit in the bucket,but it makes it harder to get it stirred up and clean.

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

Ok smaller pieces it is then, thanks