[philoserenus]

hmm, i want to set up a crypt only, 10G with some combination of a combination of lucens/undulata-red/wendtii-brown/willisii.

as a university student who is always on a tight budget, wat is the cheapest combination of substrates that i can use to make these guys grow and be happy? gravel and ______. gravel with roots tabs alone make me think that it not gonna be enough nutrients...

any suggestions? mind u, i live in canada... home depot is our DIY store, i've read people use clay, peat, decomposing stuff... this is my first and i dun wanna kill my fish...

thanks for all the help and suggestion

 

[Wasserpest]

While I am successfully using some extremely cheap substrate setups, for a 10gal, that isn't much of an issue.

A bag of Flourite, EC, Aquasoil, whatever you find available in your favorite color, doesn't cost that much in the great scheme of things. You will probably spend a multiple of that on lights and filtration.

Gravel doesn't work that well, since it doesn't bind nutrients like those other clay-based substrates do.

I would start with some Jobes sticks, cover them up with a layer of peat, then finish that up with a bag of good planted tank substrate.

Good luck with the Crypts...

 

[cjyhc4]

I use an aquatic soil made of tiny pieces of terra cotta. The porous nature of the clay absorbs nutrients and holds them until your plants use them. Sand works well too. As long as your not going for high-tech, super-awesome, your fish will probably produce enough nutrients for your plants.

I made the mistake of fertilizing before my plants were settled, now I have 3 sick moons, and just got the tank over an outbreak of Ich.

 

[cbennett]

I have had a 12 gallon tank running for 8 years or so filled with dwarf sag, anubias and crypts plus a little moss. It just has aquarium gravel with an underlayer of laterite. The laterite was a small box that I got at the fish store. So all together, it was very cheap. As long as you have enough light - crypts don't need much but I would go for at least 1.5 watts if you can - the plants will do fine. Just make sure to not to bury the crown of the crypt and be prepared for the crypts to melt after you plant them. Don't worry, it'll grow back.

 

[philoserenus]

hmmm thanks guys, they all sound very do-able for me. i'll look into them all, since i still have a few mths before i start setting up =)

 

[inkslinger]

will i might be late for this but i have #1,#3 gravel 4 inchs with some latrite mix in , and the crypt grows like crazy ,gh4, ph 6.5 w/co2 controller and 6 t5 ho's on a 110g tank :hihi: