I want to plant, but I'm not sure what type of substrate I should use. I would like to do some of the grassy stuff, with some of the mossy stuff, and some of the viny stuff. Also, I don't know any technical terms, and information is so scattered on this subject, it's hard to find the same thing twice. Thanks!

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125gal - 10" bala, 10" irridescent, 6 gourami's, 2 blood parrots, 1 common pleco, 1 Blue Lobster, & 1 Morimo Ball - Rena XP3
75gal - 5 balas, 2 firemouths, 2 albino oscars, 1 common pleco, 6" firemouth - Rena XP3

You have to find out what plants you are planting first. Different plants have different needs. (ex: Java fern does best when you use thread to gently anchor the roots to drift wood or a porous rock like lava rock, while other plants like swords or hygro get planted in the substrate. Some plants are even free floating on the top of the water.)

I didn't plan on having real plants, so I just used regular black gravel. I ended up getting a dwarf hygro, giant hygro, amazon sword, java fern, 2 moss balls and dwarf water lettuce. All of the plants are doing fantastic and I don't have any special plant substrate.

However, next time I set up a tank, I will be using a more plant friendly substrate, simply because it is best for them. A lot of people use a mix of fine sand and a plant substrate such as "Flourite" or "Onyx Sand" or Azoo plant Grower Bed". A good depth for this mixture would be about 3-5 cm deep. Then putting a layer of gravel on top of that (about 2 cm deep) helps to keep the sand and plant substrate from getting mixed up into the water if any of your fish dig around the bottom of the tank. It also makes it so you can gravel vacuum the top layer (gravel). If you just use sand, you can't really vacuum the bottom.

There are many different types of plant substrates that you can choose from, that will each have some benefits to help growing plants, (ex: SeaChem Onyx Sand - for plants with large mineral needs - or some people use topsoil or compost. (Be careful that the compost doesn't leech any bad toxins or liquids out into the water though).

There are lots of different plant substrates out there. Ask your LFS what substrate would be best for the plants you have (or want to get) and then go from there. (I would suggest the different layers though, as it allows the plant substrate to stay where it should, and allows for gravel vacuuming).

Also, plant fertilizers are often needed - tabs that you put into the substrate or liquid. (I use a liquid fert' and it's doing wonders).

Hope this helps.

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20g Heavily Planted http://www.aquariumforum.com/gallery...00&ppuser=8981
36g Bow Front Heavily Planted http://www.aquariumforum.com/gallery...00&ppuser=8981

Thanks for the info, it's great. I didn't plan on it at first either, and I used black gravel. I want to change to black sand with a light layer of black gravel, and plant that. However to do that I need to move my cichlids out, 2 bloodparrots and 2 firemouths, as well as my placo. I want to do java fern, anubius, but the "type" of substrate, I wasn't sure black sand would be suitable for the roots to take and for it to thrive, not to mention how long it owuld take to get the tank to suitable conditions again for my cichlids. The blood parrots are really tempramental about their water conditions, and I have harsh water conditions to start wtih. I was going to plant 3-5 plants in the gravel, fill with 50% RO/50% tap at 9ph( :( ), it would still take a few days to get the conditions ideal again. I'm not sure how much my fish would like that. I have a 15gal tall hospital tank that is completely empty that I could put some fake plants in but the stress on the blood parrots seems rather high, and I'm worried about them not making it. I definitely planned on multi-layer substrate so I could vacuum because the parrots are messy. The fire mouths don't seem to care about anything, and hte plecos, yeah, heartiest fish without a care in the world as long as he has something to suck on.

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125gal - 10" bala, 10" irridescent, 6 gourami's, 2 blood parrots, 1 common pleco, 1 Blue Lobster, & 1 Morimo Ball - Rena XP3
75gal - 5 balas, 2 firemouths, 2 albino oscars, 1 common pleco, 6" firemouth - Rena XP3

Just be careful what sand you put in the tank. Some sand can change water ph, (ex: sand specifically for Chiclid tanks, etc...) make sure it's a sand that won't change anything - unless you are trying to change it. :D

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20g Heavily Planted http://www.aquariumforum.com/gallery...00&ppuser=8981
36g Bow Front Heavily Planted http://www.aquariumforum.com/gallery...00&ppuser=8981

I'm just using pea sized gravel for my substrate although I'm planning on using some fluorite or sand under it later when I redo the tank. My plants are doing amazing! The tank has been up for a year now & I just fertilized my plants with Osmocote ice cubes stuck under the gravel. My lighting is 2 fluorescent plant tubes. I have a variety of plants but forgot what they are. Crypts & Swords for sure.

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