what sand/plant substrate are you using

[discusjoe27]

I'm wondering what sand and/or plant substrate you are using. I was using pool filter sand, but I notice it was raising my ph a little. I did the fizz test and it did not fizz, I'm using eco-complete and my plants are not growing some are turning brown. could be the lighting 72 watts on a 75 gallon.

[JRunyon21]

I'm using Turface MVP. It is a clay based product that is supposedly great for plants. The plants have been in the Turface for 5 days now and everything is looking great. I used plain gravel before and it was a complete failure although some have had success with it.

[discusjoe27]

cool, do you have any photos?

[poconoboss]

I am changing over to sand this weekend, I bought several bags of Super Naturals by Caribsea. It is especially made for freshwater and will not effect the PH: http://www.caribsea.com/pages/products/super_nat.html

For my plants I use Flourite by Seachem.

[Larry Bugg]

I have tanks with Eco complete, Soil Master Select, Truface, pool filter sand and 3M color quartz. Soilmaster and Truface are not on my favorites list because they are so dog gone hard to clean before using. Never had a issue with pool filter sand altering PH.

[underwaterforest]

I'm using flourish in one tank and eco-complete in the other. I really hate the flourish because it likes to break down into dust over the years and makes it almost impossible to change the landscape. The eco-complete is fine nothing spectacular but it works. Plants seem to grow faster in the flourish compared to the eco though. Another thing I really dislike about the flourish is the color, it just doesn't blend very well in a aquascaped garden. Just my .02 cents.

[Harriett]

Pool sand, aka silica sand, is inert. It didn't fizz because it is inert. Something else is raising your pH.
Best regards,
Harriett

[zamboniMan]

I've used flourite and it was okay but expensive. Now I use play sand and organic miracle grow. I layer the play sand around the miracle grow. This works wonders (at least for me). Make sure you get the organic stuff the other miracle grows are sprayed with growth hormones.

[mareshow]

Pool sand, aka silica sand, is inert. It didn't fizz because it is inert. Something else is raising your pH.
Best regards,
Harriett

Not entirely true, most pool sands (especially those by 3M) are made of Quartz. Many ray keepers use this because it is rounded and will not scratch the rays bottoms. Silica is a great sand but not for any soft bottomed fish

[chachi]

plain gravel. same gravel from a planted tank 10 years ago that i had success with. i use root tabs for nutrients in it tho.

chachi

[underwaterforest]

My brain was a little disconnected I meant fluorite not flourish in my last post.

Want the best growth imaginable try a layer of quality earthworm castings then 1" layer of sand and top with gravel. I wouldn't recommend it for beginners though (lot of crazy things can grow out of the earthworm layer).

[discusjoe27]

I've used flourite and it was okay but expensive. Now I use play sand and organic miracle grow. I layer the play sand around the miracle grow. This works wonders (at least for me). Make sure you get the organic stuff the other miracle grows are sprayed with growth hormones.

cool where can I get this so called organic stuff? I'm using eco-complete in a 75 gallon tank with 72 watts of light, maybe I need better lighting.

[zamboniMan]

cool where can I get this so called organic stuff?

Your local hardware store (lowes, home depot, etc). You can get a 50 lb bag for like $10. I don't dose my tanks anyway but I have yet to find an nutrient deficiencies while using it. You can use it without layering it but I just don't think it looks nice (though the discus that I had in the only tank I did this in loved to swim around and pick at it eating god only knows what ;). ) As always with new substrate use an ammonia test kit frequently to figure out when your tanks cycled. I've never had it raise my ammonia (always below detectable levels) but I always keep an eye on it (better safe than sorry).

[discusjoe27]

Your local hardware store (lowes, home depot, etc). You can get a 50 lb bag for like $10. I don't dose my tanks anyway but I have yet to find an nutrient deficiencies while using it. You can use it without layering it but I just don't think it looks nice (though the discus that I had in the only tank I did this in loved to swim around and pick at it eating god only knows what ;). ) As always with new substrate use an ammonia test kit frequently to figure out when your tanks cycled. I've never had it raise my ammonia (always below detectable levels) but I always keep an eye on it (better safe than sorry).

thanks, you would happen to have a photo, or do I just as for organic miracle grow?

[zamboniMan]

Here's a photo. Word to the wise if you layer it make sure that you soak it and whatever you're layering with or you'll get air bubbles which will bubble up and push it to the top.
There was much swearing when I did this the first time because I spent hours getting the top layer just right and then it bubbled up and I had to start over.

Josh

[discusjoe27]

thanks, I looked at acehardware.com they didn't have it nether did home depot, and I can't get lowes to come up.

[zamboniMan]

Home depot here carries it (Cincinnati) as does lowes and the specialty gardening stores (though they tend to be more pricy). If they don't have it chances are they can order it. The problem your going to have getting it now is probably due to it being January and not a lot of people touch the stuff during the winter. Its much more cost effective for them to carry salt and snow shovels than gardening stuff in the winter.

[discusjoe27]

yep yep, I guess I'll just work with what I have, I actually need a bigger tank.
80 gallon with 9 discus, some cory's,tetras,and rasboras.

[zamboniMan]

Everyone always needs a bigger tank :D

[gittarheero]

I used pool filter/silica sand in two of my tanks and noticed it took the PH up for a few days, but then it settled back down to a stable PH. I added in some ADA soil to buffer the PH and provide some nutrients for the plants.

[zamboniMan]

I used pool filter/silica sand in two of my tanks and noticed it took the PH up for a few days, but then it settled back down to a stable PH. I added in some ADA soil to buffer the PH and provide some nutrients for the plants.

Aquasoil is great if you have the dough but it like everything it loses it's buffering capacity/nutritional benefits. The miracle grow is cheap enough that you'll hardly notice the cost compared to aquasoil.