Questions about substrate.

Zefrik · 04-04-2012, 05:24 PM

I am needing to buy substrate for my 40b I am going to be setting up in a few months. I went and bought some black diamond but noticed I had gotten 40-80 grit. I have washed about 2-3 gallons of it to put in the 40 gallon with water, and I do not really think it looks that good. I might need to invest in a better planted tank substrate if I want to be happy with this tank. Some of the substrates I am looking at.

- Seachem Flourite sand, Black
- Seachem Flourite regular, Black
- Caribsea Eco complete
- Azoo plant grower bed

* Can I use just flourite as a substrate?
* If so how many pounds should I need?
* Is Azoo's Plant growing bed any good? Is it like aquasoil?

Thanks in advance for the replies.

**Hoppy** · 04-04-2012, 05:59 PM

How good a substrate looks is a personal thing. So, you may not like how Flourite looks either, or ECO complete, etc. You can use any of the commercially available substrates as a substrate, and grow plants well with any of them. First you need to decide what you want the substrate to look like, and go from there.

Zefrik · 04-04-2012, 06:48 PM

Okay, How much would I need for a 40b of ecocomplete? Could I get 2 bags and mix in a little bit of black diamond? Or do I need to get 60 pounds?

What should I do?

- Eco complete 40 pounds
- Eco complete 60 pounds
- Flourite 45 pounds

I don't know how much I need to get.

Sierra255 · 04-04-2012, 06:52 PM

I didn't like the regular Fluorite (the brown and red gravel substrate). No matter how much washing and maintaining I did, it always kicked up dust when I did anything. Moving plants or decorations, water changes, etc. Some may be able to deal with that, but I couldn't. I have used Eco Complete (black) in two aquariums and really like it. It doesn't have the same 'dust' issue that Fluorite had. Plant growth in both has been about equal, but I was also at different stages of my planted aquarium experience when I've used them. When I used the Fluorite, it was the very first time I had tried to grow any aquatic plants. I'm not much more than that now, but I do have a little bit better knowledge than I did then, and it's been about five years, for what it's worth.

Marko_Sp · 04-07-2012, 01:28 AM

I have Fluorite black in my 450l aquarium - for base 150x55cm I spent 11 bags of gravel. I think that I had more problems with washing classic stone gravel than Fluorite (washing 10 minutes per bag), and after all I have added 3 bags in one year old planted tank full of water, without any dust or something.
Only plant with problems is Cuba, but I do not blame Fluorite. Bottom fishes as Ancistrus, Corry and Siamese Algae Eater dig it out, again and again.

Zefrik · 04-07-2012, 01:55 AM

I just bought 4 bags of Eco-complete on petco.com. I can't remember who it was but they posted a thread saying petco was having a sale on them right when I was in the market for some. WOOHOO.

Zefrik · 04-07-2012, 01:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zefrik

I just bought 4 bags of Eco-complete on petco.com. I can't remember who it was but they posted a thread saying petco was having a sale on them right when I was in the market for some. WOOHOO.

Should 4 20 pound bags be enough for a 40b?

04-04-2012, 05:24 PM	#1
Zefrik Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Topeka, Kansas Posts: 1,017	Questions about substrate. I am needing to buy substrate for my 40b I am going to be setting up in a few months. I went and bought some black diamond but noticed I had gotten 40-80 grit. I have washed about 2-3 gallons of it to put in the 40 gallon with water, and I do not really think it looks that good. I might need to invest in a better planted tank substrate if I want to be happy with this tank. Some of the substrates I am looking at. - Seachem Flourite sand, Black - Seachem Flourite regular, Black - Caribsea Eco complete - Azoo plant grower bed * Can I use just flourite as a substrate? * If so how many pounds should I need? * Is Azoo's Plant growing bed any good? Is it like aquasoil? Thanks in advance for the replies.

04-04-2012, 05:59 PM	#2
Hoppy Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (52/100%) Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 17,198	How good a substrate looks is a personal thing. So, you may not like how Flourite looks either, or ECO complete, etc. You can use any of the commercially available substrates as a substrate, and grow plants well with any of them. First you need to decide what you want the substrate to look like, and go from there. __________________ Hoppy

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

04-04-2012, 06:48 PM	#3
Zefrik Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Topeka, Kansas Posts: 1,017	Okay, How much would I need for a 40b of ecocomplete? Could I get 2 bags and mix in a little bit of black diamond? Or do I need to get 60 pounds? What should I do? - Eco complete 40 pounds - Eco complete 60 pounds - Flourite 45 pounds I don't know how much I need to get.

04-04-2012, 06:52 PM	#4
Sierra255 Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Dickinson, TX Posts: 217	I didn't like the regular Fluorite (the brown and red gravel substrate). No matter how much washing and maintaining I did, it always kicked up dust when I did anything. Moving plants or decorations, water changes, etc. Some may be able to deal with that, but I couldn't. I have used Eco Complete (black) in two aquariums and really like it. It doesn't have the same 'dust' issue that Fluorite had. Plant growth in both has been about equal, but I was also at different stages of my planted aquarium experience when I've used them. When I used the Fluorite, it was the very first time I had tried to grow any aquatic plants. I'm not much more than that now, but I do have a little bit better knowledge than I did then, and it's been about five years, for what it's worth.

04-07-2012, 01:28 AM	#5
Marko_Sp Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Croatia Posts: 9	I have Fluorite black in my 450l aquarium - for base 150x55cm I spent 11 bags of gravel. I think that I had more problems with washing classic stone gravel than Fluorite (washing 10 minutes per bag), and after all I have added 3 bags in one year old planted tank full of water, without any dust or something. Only plant with problems is Cuba, but I do not blame Fluorite. Bottom fishes as Ancistrus, Corry and Siamese Algae Eater dig it out, again and again.

04-07-2012, 01:55 AM	#6
Zefrik Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Topeka, Kansas Posts: 1,017	I just bought 4 bags of Eco-complete on petco.com. I can't remember who it was but they posted a thread saying petco was having a sale on them right when I was in the market for some. WOOHOO.