"Angrie.Woman" wrote in message
. com...

Right now I have natural colored stones, out of a bag from the pet store.
Not sure of they're coated or not though. But from what I read, plants
don't root very well in gravel.

Not quite true It's not that they won't root in gravel - it's the size of
the gravel particles. Large gravel is a problem (over 4mm).

I use two gravels in my tanks - a lower one which is 1-3 mm in particle size
and a thinner upper layer which is 3-5mm. All of my plants that are in the
substrate have great bundles of healthy white roots whithin a very short
time of getting them. So much so I can't now uproot some of them

I must add that a substrate fertilizer is essential - best in the form of
JBL (or similar) clay slow release balls. This fert. is so good I hardly
need to put any liquid daily's or weekly's in.

I have another (experimental) substrate in the other tank which is river
sand and gravel mixed together and with no fertilizer other than the
occasional liquid dosage. There is a Hygrophila polysperma in there and it's
growing, albeit quite slowly. It's mainly there so the BATs have something
to nibble on, as it grows out of control in the other tank - so do the
Ambula, Stricta and the moneywort type thinggy (I can never remember it's
name).


I am not planning on changing it all though. I'm probably going to keep
the plants in the little pots, and just put some clay in the pots.

I have some of my plants in clay kitty litter pots and they are doing okay
but I find they are prone to stem and root rot in comparison to the
substrate planted species.

I think the clay might be breaking down into mush, harbouring bacteria and
algae, and causing stem and root rot on some of the less robust plants due
to anaerobic conditions. I must take them all out soon and get them into the
substrate where I know they will form healthy white root balls.

Oz

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My Aquatic web Blog is at http://members.optusnet.com.au/ivan.smith