Which substrate would be best?

[muddyfox]

Hi,

I'm trying to choose a substrate for a 2 ft square planted tank. I'm
going to be using 55Watts of T5 compact lighting (21 " Daylight lamps)
and a RedSea Turbo CO2 Biosystem, along with an internal filter and
run-of-the-mill adjustable tank heater. The choices I've look at so
far are ADA 'Amazonia' Aqua Soil, Flourite and EcoComplete. The
trouble is I have no experience of planted aquaria and I'm finding it
difficult to make a choice. I would really value your thoughts and
opinions.

Thanks in advance,

muddy

[Steve]

muddyfox wrote:

The choices I've look at so
> far are ADA 'Amazonia' Aqua Soil, Flourite and EcoComplete.
>

I've been using EcoComplete for almost 2 years and have no complaints.
It's better than the gravel, sand and soil mixes I used previously.
Steve

[Gail Futoran]

"muddyfox" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Hi,
>
> I'm trying to choose a substrate for a 2 ft square planted tank. I'm
> going to be using 55Watts of T5 compact lighting (21 " Daylight lamps)
> and a RedSea Turbo CO2 Biosystem, along with an internal filter and
> run-of-the-mill adjustable tank heater. The choices I've look at so
> far are ADA 'Amazonia' Aqua Soil, Flourite and EcoComplete. The
> trouble is I have no experience of planted aquaria and I'm finding it
> difficult to make a choice. I would really value your thoughts and
> opinions.
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> muddy

Expert advice:
http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_substrate.htm

I have small tanks (10 - 30 gallon long), most have
profile with gravel over, the 30 G has profile and
flourite mixed with gravel over. Plants do fine
but I have easy care plants like crypts, Java Fern,
elodea/anacharis, micro sword, something else
that grows above the water and sometimes gets
a small lavender flower. :)

Gail

[[email protected]]

Having used all 3, ADA soil is the best.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[[email protected]]

No no, just get the ADA aqua soil amazonia
You do not need the rest of the stuff.

Add some mulm and a little ground peat and then dose the KNO3 etc to
the water column.
Powersand is for the folks that cannot add KNO3 for some reason(of
which I'm not sure).

Regards,
Tom Barr

www.BarrReport.com

[muddyfox]

Thanks for the info!

:)

PS: Interesting website BTW.

[Richard Sexton]

In article . com>,
> wrote:
>No no, just get the ADA aqua soil amazonia
>You do not need the rest of the stuff.
>
>Add some mulm and a little ground peat and then dose the KNO3 etc to
>the water column.
>Powersand is for the folks that cannot add KNO3 for some reason(of
>which I'm not sure).

There are nervous types everywhere. Like, here. it probbaly took
me ten years of reading about people adding potassium nitrate to
their fishtanks before I gave in and tried it. Anyway.

Woulnd't substrate sorta depend on what you're trying to grow? I'm tending
more towards stuff I can find locally to help trying to grow crypts
that grow in limestone beds. Peat doen't seem to help them very much
to put it mildly. So much for the "crypts like acid water" lie.

I found a nice vein of chocolate libestone gravel, sort of flaked
and a bit bigger than #2 bt smaller than pea gravel. In my
copious free time (hah) I'm going to set up a C. pontiderifolia
tank with this stuff. It seems to eat carbonates like candy.

--
My only working email address is on my home page
Richard Sexton | Mercedes stuff: http://mbz.org
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Home page: http://rs79.vrx.net
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[Marco Schwarz]

Hi..


> I'm trying to choose a substrate for a 2 ft square planted
> tank.

[x] Sand!

> Thanks in advance,

It's my pleasure.

--
cu
Marco

[mackbrez]

I'm tending more appear being I can acquisition locally to advice aggravating to abound crypts that abound in limestone beds. Peat doen't assume to advice them actual much to put it mildly. So abundant for the "crypts like acerbic water" lie.