substrate mix

[lumpo]

hey gang.
recently decided to go for my first planted tank... I originally had seachem fluorite with a layer of pool filter sand on top... now one thing lead to another and its all mixed up now. super, have more kids they said.



so... from what I have searched out on the internet, its not really that big of a problem? can anyone confirm this?



I dont mind having to remove it all and restart, but I also thought maybe if I also mixed in some fluval bio stratum it would probably work just fine?


any advice would be appreciated, I have no problem restarting that tank from the ground up. it is currently only the substrate, some lava rocks, and a piece of drift wood. its got a filter and heater going, but no plants, no fish.



thanks!

 

[Aiken Drum]

Shouldn't be a problem as long as you dont dislike the appearance.

Why do you want to mix in bio stratum?

 

[lumpo]

the appearance is secondary to me at this stage, im just trying to grow some plants!



i figured since the mix right now is 50/50 sand and flourite, maybe a bit more sand if anything. i figured i could dump something else with a bit more nutrients to make up for the mix. my first batch of plants will be root feeders opposed to column.



thank you!

 

[Aiken Drum]

Most aquatic plants do just fine in ordinary gravel or sand. Unless you are doing a high tech set up with high demand plants, that require lots of nutrients, high powered lighting and injected CO2, a planted substrate isnt needed.

 

[lumpo]

okay cool. yeah, low tech for now. only low light root feeders.
thanks a lot, i posted this elsewhere too and i am much more confident now.