I am in the process of setting up a thirty gallon tank, and I'm just wondering are there any plants besides floaters, moss, anubias and java fern that would do well in a completely inert substrate (play sand) with dry dose ferts and under low-medium light? I was thinking vals, sag's, pygmy chain sword, maybe ludwigia or bacopa species? Thanks for all replies in advance.
There are many plants that can & will do well, and even thrive, in a low-tech tank with sand substrate, using root tab ferts. Besides the plants mentioned above, I suggest Amazon swords - all varieties, Jumbo Grasses, Lotuses, Rotalas, Hygrophilas, Crinums, & Crypts, among others.
Also strongly suggest you use inert silica pool filter sand obtained from a pool supply store - around $10. for a 50 lb. bag - much better than play sand for several very good reasons.
Planting in sand should be fine if you follow an EI dosing scheme. I think i read somewhere from Tom Barr that plants prefer getting nutrients from the water column anyway. And use pool filter sand, anything finer gets stirred up to easily.
Rene, you should be fine with the play sand. +1 one jimmy's comment as you will probably need to find some water column fertilizing regimen that works for you. Some plants do well in sand and others don't. In my plain sand 20g, I've had good luck with Valisneria sp. and some of the Crypts, C.wendtii, in particular. +1 to discuspaul's comments on the lotuses and rotalas. I've had good luck there, too. I think you'll do fine with the sand.
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