Seeking opinions about substrate options

Flourite!!!


"Doug and Lois" wrote in message
...
One of my planted tanks has become a nightmare. The alage growth is
overwhelming. I am quite sure that I made a mistake with the substrate
when
I set the thing up. (Trust me on this. Water parameters are great and the
light is sufficient and of the proper wavelength. I have other planted
tanks
doing just fine that, toherwise, are identical to the nasty one. OK, I'll
fess up. I set it up with a layer of peat covered with a layer of small
gravel. I have done that many times nefore with great success once the
initial tannins leach out of the peat. But, in this case, I added some
commercial houseplant potting soil. Seems to have been a BIG mistake.) SO,
since it is time to get a larger tank anyway, it seems a good time to
break
down the old tank and start over.

So, here are my options. I wonder which you folks think is the best
choice.
My goal is a feshwater plant system with soft water and low pH for Angels,
Discuss, Dwarf South American Cichlids, and some tetras as well as the
usual
army of bottom feeders including some corys and plecos.

1. Do the peat thing again but forget the potting soil!!!! I like the way
this maintains the water chemistry but it is a bit frustrating waiting for
the tannins to leach out so the water will stop turning a lovely shade of
yellow and clear up. usually takes about three months in the systems I
have
set up before. Would you add laterite to this mix if you were going to use
it????

2. Plain old gravel. (You are going tohave to do a LOT of convincing to
get
me to buy into THAT one)

3. Profile (That water plant stuff sold at Home Depot and Lowes for garden
pond plants.) I have heard a number of people report good success. But is
it
rich enough for more difficult plants? Would you add any soil additives to
that like the Laterite my LFS wants to sell me?

4. Any other suggestions? the ideal would be a sbstrate rich enough to
support a variety of plants.

Doug