I am very happy with this simple substrate

1" peat moss ($10 for a 3/4 yard bail)

1" play sand

1" pc select ($8 for a 50 pound bag) (or aquarium gravel).

Add each layer then add water until that layer is wet. Clean and level then add the next.

Plant the plants after the third layer.

Then fill the tank with water.

On one test tank kh has been 4 dkh and gh has been 9-10 dgh for over two years and neon tetras have thrived. Just sand resulted in kh an dgh rising over the years. (dkh hit 20+, dgh over 40)

plants have done really well with no co2 added.


my .02

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fw leiden since 1979, fo salt since 1979, mixed reef 55g 2002-2009. Strong emphasis on the tank taking care of itself. Balanced with plant life, no water changes, tap water, no filters in FW. Only dosing calcium, alk, mag in marine reef tanks. http://www.aquariumforum.com/f15/my-...ods-26410.html
recent tanks (till 2009) 7 years- 10g FW leiden 7 yrs, 55g mixed reef 7, 2 yrs, 20g FW leiden, 10 g fw leiden , 29g mixed reef, current tank 55g leiden