Sand? Beginner ?s!

978 Views 7 Replies 5 Participants Last post by snafuspyramid, Sep 22, 2010

04100824

Discussion Starter · Sep 19, 2010

I am going to be starting my first planted tank next weekend, and I am stressing over the substrate I'm going to use. I purchased a bag of Flourite Red, but I'm not all that hot on it. (Haven't opened the bag yet.) I've been looking EVERYWHERE for Flourite Black or Eco Complete, but I've only been able to find it at the most expensive shop around so far. It's running about $20 more than I paid for the Flourite. I really like the black look better than the red though.

I've found some black and white sands that I like the look of a lot, but because this will be my first tank, I don't want to set myself up for failure... Am I better off to just stick with the Flourite and deal with the red color, or can I easily make the sand work with some kind of substrate additive?

I should probably add, too, that I am planning on staying low tech, and this is going to be a 10 gallon tank.

Thanks!!

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DANIELSON

· #2 · Sep 19, 2010

I would reccomend going with what you really like. I have a 46G tank and went with flourite red and also want to have flourite black sand now its going to be a total pain to change all of it out. Better to just spend a little extra up front and really like it.

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Hoppy

· #3 · Sep 19, 2010

Fortunately, a 10 gallon tank doesn't require a lot of substrate, so even the expensive ones don't cost enough to blow your household budget. I agree with Danielson.

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04100824

Discussion Starter · #4 · Sep 21, 2010

Well, thank you all for your advice. I called around to several other fish stores and found Flourite black about 45 minutes from my house for $30. Totally worth it! I rinsed it out so I could get a better idea of what it looks like and I love it! So glad that I didn't just go with the red.

Thanks!

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Pootie

· #5 · Sep 21, 2010

Good thread... Well i am also a noob to this planted tank stuff..

I set up a 10g tank for my daughter who quickly lost intrest . I have now adopted it and trying to transform it to a somewhat decent planted tank...

Right now i have some rivergravel for substraight ( i have my racecar tuned near the Delaware watergap, and i just went down and got about 5 lbs of gravel)..

My question is can i mix the gravel with Flourite Black to make it more fertile?

PS: sorry to thread jack

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04100824

Discussion Starter · #6 · Sep 21, 2010

Oh no, steal away.

You might get more answers if you make a new one though.

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Hoppy

· #7 · Sep 22, 2010

Pootie said:
Good thread... Well i am also a noob to this planted tank stuff..

I set up a 10g tank for my daughter who quickly lost intrest . I have now adopted it and trying to transform it to a somewhat decent planted tank...

Right now i have some rivergravel for substraight ( i have my racecar tuned near the Delaware watergap, and i just went down and got about 5 lbs of gravel)..

My question is can i mix the gravel with Flourite Black to make it more fertile?

PS: sorry to thread jack

Gravel won't make any substrate more fertile. Flourite also won't make any substrate more fertile, but it will help plant roots get access to the anions of nutrients that are there, either in the water or in the substrate. That is what a high CEC means, and Flourite has a high CEC.

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snafuspyramid

· #8 · Sep 22, 2010

I have a low tech 90 gallon tank (though I do use gluteraldehyde and t5s, so maybe "medium tech"). I use only pool filter sand, with plenty of (locally made laterite) root tabs under the heavy root feeders. I've been able to grow everything perfectly well, except Excel-sensitive species and some ground covers.

A high CEC substrate helps (I have it in a smaller tank). But it's certainly not essential. If it's cheaper and easier, stick with the sand with additives.

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