So I've gone through a good few substrates for all my planted tanks. I've done;
Fluorite
PFS
"River gravel"
Fluorite sand
All of my tanks are 2-2.4wpg, and they all get the same ferts. But the PFS has won hands down. The Wendtii and Rotala have done extremely well in it. The Melon sword is bright and healthy but doesn't grow much. Anything I plant in that stuff does very well. The problem is, I really don't like the look of it because a day after cleaning, it looks dirty again.
The Fluorite on the other hand... not so much. And it's sharp enough to damage the whiskers on my Hoplo cats, which is why I don't use it any more.
The river gravel was neither here nor there, but the natural look was very nice. Had trouble finding it in the very small variety though.
The fluorite sand - good lord. Never again. Incredibly fine, messy, takes forever to rinse and is ALWAYS in your filter, even after a year. I have a noticeably smaller amount of it in my tank after 12 months because so much of it ends up in the bottom of my canisters each week. And to top it off, while the growth beats the fluorite gravel and river stuff, its' not as good as the PFS. At least it never looks dirty.
When I fertilize I use Flourish and Excel, with Iron and Potassium if some plants look like they need it.
If anyone can recommend something due to a personal experience, please do! I'm hoping to keep the substrate dark to black and smooth and/or small due to my cats, but that's about it. I've heard many mixed things about eco-complete. A lot of people tell me just to go get very fine natural colored gravel, which I'm not opposed to, but I can't seem to find any.
Thanks!
Fluorite
PFS
"River gravel"
Fluorite sand
All of my tanks are 2-2.4wpg, and they all get the same ferts. But the PFS has won hands down. The Wendtii and Rotala have done extremely well in it. The Melon sword is bright and healthy but doesn't grow much. Anything I plant in that stuff does very well. The problem is, I really don't like the look of it because a day after cleaning, it looks dirty again.
The Fluorite on the other hand... not so much. And it's sharp enough to damage the whiskers on my Hoplo cats, which is why I don't use it any more.
The river gravel was neither here nor there, but the natural look was very nice. Had trouble finding it in the very small variety though.
The fluorite sand - good lord. Never again. Incredibly fine, messy, takes forever to rinse and is ALWAYS in your filter, even after a year. I have a noticeably smaller amount of it in my tank after 12 months because so much of it ends up in the bottom of my canisters each week. And to top it off, while the growth beats the fluorite gravel and river stuff, its' not as good as the PFS. At least it never looks dirty.
When I fertilize I use Flourish and Excel, with Iron and Potassium if some plants look like they need it.
If anyone can recommend something due to a personal experience, please do! I'm hoping to keep the substrate dark to black and smooth and/or small due to my cats, but that's about it. I've heard many mixed things about eco-complete. A lot of people tell me just to go get very fine natural colored gravel, which I'm not opposed to, but I can't seem to find any.
Thanks!
