Aquarium substrate

[seedcorn]

Seem to remember some member had a planted aquarium. What do you use for a substrate? Want a very low maintainance system. Thinking extremely easy to keep plants with Cory cats, otto’s and neons.

 

[flowerbug]

you have two kinds of fish that enjoy rooting around in the bottom so you will need to have a layer of larger flatter stones over any rooting area for the plants. the plant types will give you the rooting volume needed, i can't say much about those without a list of prospects and tank size.

on top of the larger flatter stones you can put smaller things so the otto and cory will have things to do/move around and feel at home in.

neons are fun too.

miss my aquariums...

 

[Nyboy]

while more outside pond I would add duckweed to my inside tanks. Didnt last long the fish love to eat it but have endless supply.

 

[Nyboy]

I think @secuono has planted tanks

 

[secuono]

I think @secuono has planted tanks

I do. Have just the big 125g currently.

 

[secuono]

I use Sand blasting sand, at farm stores for, you guessed it, to sand blast rust n paint off of metal items.
It is black and far less dust than play and has.
My emerald green corries do well with it.

I haven't vacuumed the substrate in years.
Seems to be a combination of many bottom dwellers stirring it up and good canister filters to suck up the dead leaves and stirred muck.

I use osmocote capsules for "root tabs". Far cheaper than anything in the petstore. Add new ones every 4-8mo. Once a month I add Leaf Zone. New light bulbs when I remember its been about 6mo.

I only keep easy plants, I'm a bit lazy, lol. High maintenance is not my thing.

 

[secuono]

IDK where you live, and it's too cold now, but I could mail you some of my extra plants next time I thin out in the spring.

 

[seedcorn]

IDK where you live, and it's too cold now, but I could mail you some of my extra plants next time I thin out in the spring.

What plants do you use? Hornwort is only plant I haven’t managed to kill. I never fed any of the plants.

One video I watched suggested to use 2” of organic (no fertilizer)Potting soil and cover with sand. Thoughts?

Love your aquarium.

 

[secuono]

I've melted hornwort...lol. It survives in my pond, though.

Spiral vals, cryptocoryne wendtii green & red, amazon sword, anubias of some sort, java fern, rotala indica I think, fairy moss, salvinia.

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

i used FloraMax in my 20g planted but the 55g catfish tank i've used a crushed coral gravel instead-it was cheaper. i only have java fern in the catfish tank with little light & the stuff flourishes in it. my 20g has more plants that like low light so they thrive in there with a blue & white LED light setup.