Hi Everyone,

I have a question about running Iwagumi style tanks and the problems you could run into with thick substrate.

I'm planning on putting sand in the front because it's fine and ideal for the carpeting plants. I have Seachem Flourite gravel to cover the back areas. Some of what I want has some of the substrate around 6 inches high. With gravel, and the plant roots it will help maintain things, but I am still worried things may not go as planned. I'm concerned about anaerobic bacteria getting out of control and not having enough water flow through the substrate.

I have never done substrate thicker than 4 inches and never done this style of tank before. Thank you for any advice ahead of time!

Attached is an image of a 75 gallon plan for this tank.
Lightest Brown - Sand 2-3"
Brown- Flourite 3-4"
Dark Brown - Flourite 4-6"
Grey - Rock

Water Parameters:
dGH: 6-8
pH: 7.2-7.4
Nitrate: 6ppm out of tap

This will be a 75 gallon tank with a SunSun HW-505A running on it.

Attached Thumbnails

 

I've about 6 inches of fluorite in the back of my tank with no issues..

83 gallon, high light, CO2, finally getting onto automated dosing of ferts.

Bump: If you're really concerned you could lay a network of perforated pipe into the base of the substrate to allow things to equalize...

You'll be fine, do you plan on having any mts?

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I do not. Are there any benefits to having MTS' in this kind of tank?

Aeration of the soil would be the main benefit, many cichlids prey on them if you keep some, like apistos. Also great for cleanup

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In this specific 75 Gallon, it will be 6-7 Yoyo loaches, 12-15 Boesemani Rainbow, and a dwarf gourami.

From what I've witnessed of the loaches, they would eat those snails to extinction hahaha. Would they eat Assassin snails or mystery snails?