Substrate for my 150?

[wolfbane]

Hi friends! Hoping you all can give me some ideas of a good substrate for my Discus tank. I have been using a coarse sant in my cichlid tanks for years, its a sand-blast media I think. It takes 10 pieces to make an inch line when layed out. Also, If I want some swords, should I put Laterite beneath the gravel?

I guess I need to know if bigger pebbles is better or if this coarse sand will work for the Discus too. A natural color is what I am aiming for, but are there colors that enhance the fish? Dark isn't good I've heard.

Thanks for the help,
Debbie

[Spices]

I'm using the Eco under the white stone gravel. I only add enough for each plant and/or stems. Other areas of my tank has only the white stone gravel. Also there is a natural colored stone gravel made by Estes. Check your fish shops. It has the color of beige/tan sand.

Dark colors always diminishes the subject in question. Lighter colors enhances it, as if illuminating or glowing. I sticked to lighter tones because I like to see more of the subject. ;)

[Dissident]

Laterite can be a real pain, when uprooting plants you can really mess up the water column if your not careful. If you want a nice clean substrate eco or flourite are good alternatives.

If you just plan on having swords/crypts or other root feeders, you can use root tabs. I have done that in a few tanks with no special substrate to hold a few swords, lotus, crypts etc and have done fine that way.

If you are going to have the tank heavily planted then a good substrate is going to be important (among other things).

[RAWesolowski]

Debbie,

I have Eco in my 125G. Great substrate for plants and it didn't require any rinsing. The dark color is a nice counterpoint to the light gray background. Plants stand out well. I highly recommend the product.

[wolfbane]

:D Happy happy! got a 10 gal full of plants for my 150 tank, 2 anubias, 6 vals, 2 pots of red crypt, all in quarantine for now. saw some snails this afternoon, can I use that stuff, Had-a-snail, on them? how long should I keep them separate? :confused:

[Spices]

:D Happy happy! got a 10 gal full of plants for my 150 tank, 2 anubias, 6 vals, 2 pots of red crypt, all in quarantine for now. saw some snails this afternoon, can I use that stuff, Had-a-snail, on them? how long should I keep them separate? :confused:

Not long. Dip plants in a heavy salt solution (maybe three tablespoons per gallon of water). That will easily melt the slugs on those plants. But, you can also get a few loaches in the tank too. They will devour those slugs in an instant.
Congrats. Post pixs...lots of them! :D
*A*

[wolfbane]

Angie, thanks for the tip, :D I guess less chemicals IS better, and snails are an annoyance, not a real danger. Saw some nice botia loaches at a great fish store downtown, probably pick up a couple if any snails show up.

The driftwood has been sitting in the sun for a week, have not treated it with bleach or boiling water yet. :o My driftwood may be too big for the tank!! been trimming off the pointy places but don't want to ruin the branchy look. Now I have to see if I can get it in the tank, past the center brace. Going to be some huffing and puffing and some twisting and turning, to get it in. :p
Debbie