That said, sand can and is used in planted discus tanks i.e. Check out Chad Hughes posts and Second Annual Discus Hobbyist Challenge (2009)
Sand is not intended for a planted tank, when we're saying biotope is to try and simulate a piece of the amazons where they live, and there a very few plants in their natural environment, so if you want a planted tank you need to use a diferrent type of substrate, there are some specific for plants and this is not what we recommend for discus, specially young one's, since that kind of substrate will be able to host a number or creatures, including parasites, and since when you have a planted tank you really don't want to move the gravel a lot, that's what really makes it not the ideal environment for discus. Sand is used in a thin layer so it can be clean properly and you always know how clean it is.
That said, sand can and is used in planted discus tanks i.e. Check out Chad Hughes posts and Second Annual Discus Hobbyist Challenge (2009)
I'm not sure if you're still looking for pool filter sand or not, but I got some for my turtle's tank at Lorrison Pool and Spa in South Charleston. It's just past Husson's, Wendy's, and KFC under the I-64 bridge. I can't remember what I paid for it, but it was pretty cheap. Maybe $10 for a 50 lb bag.
Where did you come by that information, much of which is inaccurate ? I would venture there are literally thousands of fishkeepers that use PFS as a substrate for their planted tanks, very successfully I might add, and many, many discus-keepers with planted tanks do so as well. I know quite a few myself, and I have one myself- have done so for at least 2 years.
http://s1105.photobucket.com/albums/...l/FTS-Osaka260
Same as any other, 2-4". Sand just has fine particles so plants with small roots can attach easier
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-Zach
I'm a little wary of deep sand thickness at the rear, if you're sloping it, particularly in my discus tank, to preclude the risk of anearobic pockets forming, so I slope from 1" at the front to about 3" + at the rear, where most of the plantings are. And I occasionally stir it up when I do vac & wcs.
yes deep sand will go anaerobic especially fine sand like play sand. Pool filter sand is a bit bigger and more unifirm so it will not go anaerobic as easily as long as you keep the depth under 3" (less is better). Just keep the depth enough to plant and eventually the roots will take hold and keep the sand from going bad. Keeping a slope with sand is near impossible in the long rund unless you set up terraces or something
where is everyone getting these fabulous wood pieces? my lfs never has anything amazing like these!