help with substrate please!

[1977]

Going a little crazy trying to figure out what I should do for substrate. I want to set up my 125 as a very low tech planted. I like the look of sand but have seen the posts about bad smells and sand turning green. I don't want to spend much money but obviously I'll need a lot of substrate to cover the 125. What is the bare minimum I will need so my plants wont die and my tank will look nice. Where should I buy large quantities of substrate, Home Depot?

[geekgeek]

Hi,

I have a super low tech discus planted tank. Not the prettiest but for sure low tech.

I use swimming pool filter sand from the local swimming pool supply shop. For less than $50 you can fill up your whole 125G. Get the #10 mesh. 1/16" to 1/8" in diameter.

I can only grow onion plants and java fern. Everything else died. They don't work well with sand or at least I don't have enough of it. I only have 1-1.5" of sand. The sand is natural colour with brown, white, black, cream grains.

For my plants, I don't have lighting. Not sure if that's low tech enough for you. So hence only 2 types of plants grow in my tank.

If it is low tech, just make sure you give it 20G per fish then you don't have to do alot of water change. I do about 25% a week.

My nitrite and ammonia is zero and nitrate is barely detectable. I guess the plant took care most of the waste for me. My plants don't grow much. They can only reach a certain size and that's it. I guess there isn't any more nutrient for them to grow since there isn't enough fish waste.

I am not into breeding or having them grow to 10". I just want a decent size fish without alot of work.

Hope it helps.