[tithra]

Hello! This is my first post here, although I have been a lurker for a long time

I am considering planting my 40 gallon with glosso and dwarf hairgrass (along with a couple other not so needy plants) and have a question regarding substrate.

I would like to use sand for substrate, but am wondering if sand and root tabs will be enough to support these plants, or do you think it is essential to have a nutrient rich substrate?

I have a bag of both flourite and eco complete that I have used in my other planted tank, but I really don't want a dark substrate in my 40 gallon. I could potentially do a cap of sand over the flourite or eco complete, but I would honestly rather not if I don't have to.

Let me know what you think!

(lighting is 126 watts T5HO)

 

[tithra]

silly question?

 

[scotty82]

Sand and root tabs will be just fine. I have play sand with root tabs in it and it grows everything just fine. Never tried glosso but the hair grass did great. After a couple weeks it sent runners out all the time.

 

[HybridHerp]

I am using organic potting mix capped with sand......tht with hi-light means that my glosso and dig is going crazy

a word of advice though, you will want substrate dividers if you plan on having both species in a tank and not having them intergrow.......because they will invade eachother and you will have a possibly perplexing looking mixed carpet

 

[tithra]

Sand and root tabs will be just fine. I have play sand with root tabs in it and it grows everything just fine. Never tried glosso but the hair grass did great. After a couple weeks it sent runners out all the time.

perfect. thank you for confirming this for me I have DHG growing nicely in my 6 gallon with eco complete, but was unsure if root tabs would do the job just as well.

 

[tithra]

I am using organic potting mix capped with sand......tht with hi-light means that my glosso and dig is going crazy

a word of advice though, you will want substrate dividers if you plan on having both species in a tank and not having them intergrow.......because they will invade eachother and you will have a possibly perplexing looking mixed carpet

thanks so much for the reply! I was actually just this morning thinking that I will probably need dividers.... I have never done this before, what material do you use and where do you get it?

I fear using any sort of dual substrate because this is actually a goldfish tank, and as such a bit of experiment. If it doesn't work out I don't want a mess of mixed substrates in my tank lol. I'm hoping to take my two fish out for a month or so to allow the plants to root/spread, then see how it goes!

 

[Overgrowth]

Sorry, but goldfish will still tear up your carpet no matter how long it takes to grow.

 

[tithra]

Sorry, but goldfish will still tear up your carpet no matter how long it takes to grow.

I am not certain of this. I have kept many different plants with these fish and they have never nibbled/torn them up so far, granted these are the smallest plants I have tried, but I think it's worth a try. I planted a small patch (about 1/4 of the tank) of DHG last night as a trial and it was all intact this morning.

Never say never!

 

[scotty82]

If you want a good cheap substrate divider check out my 75 gallon thread in my sig. I just bought these sheets of acrylic at Home Depot for like $4 and used a razor knife and a ruler. After a couple passes with the razor, I just bent it at the score mark and it snapped perfectly straight.

 

[HybridHerp]

I don't use substrate dividers
Mine mixed together lol