About $100$

[ImAGMan]

Have about $100 to spend on plants and substrate. Little over 2wpg 2.5 to be exact.

Ideas?

[jpappy789]

How big of a tank? Quality substrate is expensive, at least where I'm at...I'd suggest saving more so you have more options. You don't want to end up with the bare minimum and decide that you will have to rearrange later...

[Nolapete]

I'd get Eco-Complete from Drsfosterandsmith.com. Shipping is cheap unlike other places.

When you're set up, order 20+5 or 40+10 Indian Fern Plantlings from me :D They make great front/mid/floating plants.

[mellowvision]

I'm guessing he's planning the 55 in his sig... you should be able to do it if you get cheap plants... and use cheap substrate like sand or even if you used a mix of something nice like eco complete and cheap gravel or sand, a hundred bucks will do you. buy things that grow fast, and maybe start a hair lighter than you want. I've had a lot of success with dwarf sags growing fast... and they were maybe 4 bucks each at a premium price store. bulbs are almost free. I got a multipack at petco for maybe 4 bucks that took some time, but generated enough plants to practically clog 20 gallons. some nice ones too, a madagascar lace, etc. avoid the more expensive specialties and harder to grow ones...

[ImAGMan]

Actually i constructed a 24X12X24 which is about 29 gallons or so. Sorry i didn't mention tank size.

[mellowvision]

so it's 24" tall? or is it a flat shallow square?

[unbeatablec]

if you want plants sand is a big NO NO, the roots have more trouble growing, id suggest a fine gravel, your choice of color of course, i would choose black, and click the link below and find deluxe decorator kit #1,I have heard great things from this site, you can have a planted tank with driftwood for 47.00$ and the package is rated for 29g tanks.

http://www.aquariumdriftwood.com/packages.htm
Deluxe Decorator Kit #1 (For 29 Gallons or similar size)

[mellowvision]

many forum members have said they are successful with many plants in sand. mixing sand with other substrate can help lower costs while providing a better mix.

[unbeatablec]

many forum members have said they are successful with many plants in sand. mixing sand with other substrate can help lower costs while providing a better mix.
Maybe succesful but the plants probably weren't vibrant. It does not lower the cost and will just fall through the gravel into the bottom, fine black gravel which I prefer is cheap, and looks great, and plants can vibrantly grow in it. You can buy the gravel in bulk.

Sand is VERY hard to clean, you always lose some if you gravel vac, it can develope pockets of toxins, and overall just has to many risks involved. I stand by fine gravel.

[jpappy789]

Not completely true. Many people have had success with sand. Clean up isn't as horrible as people make it seem. Mixing is a good option as well...

[unbeatablec]

Again there is no point because the sand will fall through the gravel and sand creates toxic pockets, and is overall more expensive. Believe me ImaGman, gravel 100%

[Plecosterone]

I use play sand with no problems. Cleaning it is actually easier than gravel because you don't have to stir it up since nothing gets into it. I use a 1/2" clear rigid tube attached to a flexible hose and go over the sand (takes some getting used too) keeping the tube above the sand. The tube allows me to get right into the thick plants without disturbing them. I really don't even vac that often because the plants use the mulm that gathers under them as ferts. Roots on my plants are amazingly long and it is so easy to plant in sand. Sand is inert and water column ferts are recommended. I used to use root tabs but have not seen any growth difference when I don't use them. See sig for plants and sand in my tank.

[rich311k]

With 2.5 watts a gallon you have a lot of options. For substrate you could try Shultz's aquatic gravel or Turface, both good low cost options. If you add CO2 with that lighting you will be able to grow just about anything you want. Start out with fast growing stems to get ahead of the algae and then switch over to the plants you really want.

[Quartermain]

I have never tried sand myself but I have read many articles suggesting that anaerobic pockets are not really a problem so long as you have good root growth or stir the sand every once in a while.

Personally though I like Fluorite and Eco Complete which unlike sand bring additional nutrients to the substrate. You can mix these 50/50 with either plain aquarium gravel or natural river rock and get good growth without additional fertilizer in the substrate. Easy.

[unbeatablec]

And in that tank sand would once stirred up, take a few hours to settle

[Star_Rider]

I believe there are different types of sand available(some of it is coarse)

the coarse sand would not take long to settle out(I believe it is playsand it could also be pool filter sand-I'm not totally sure)
I personally don't like sand.it can get into the fileter and cause some issues but it can work.

[unbeatablec]

I like fine gravel the best

[Sedghammer]

I would recommend 1 inch of 2-4 mm gravel with a layer of quality organic dirt 1-1.5 inches underneath. Dirt has a much greater area for bacteria to colonize and when the organic material that it contains breaks down it will produce CO2 for your plants...not to mention all of the macronutrients that it contains will slowly release aiding plant growth.

I am more of a proponent of a low tech setup that requires minimum investment and maximum return. I use sunlight to light my tanks on top of CF AH Supply kits of anywhere between 1 to 3 wpg. You will get great growth in this setup if you slowly acclimate your plants to the sunlight so that they don't die from overexposure to UV (accomplished with a shade or curtain). Position your tank so that you have about 3 hours during the day of full sun and the rest indirect. This can be accomplished if you have a window that faces south. Because of the macronutrients in the soil and the fish food that you will be feeding, you probably won't need to fertilize. On top of that, as long as you have a low bioload you will need no filtration either...the plants will do it all. I have not changed the water in my tanks in over 5 months and I get good plant growth the fish are doing really well. If you are trying to grow some of the more demanding species, this setup might not have what it takes. CO2 injection might be needed in some form and you will have to fertilize as well to accommodate for the increase in CO2.

By the way, what are your tap water parameters?

[KidInTheHall]

I have pool filter sand which is silica sand, plants seem to do fine since I've changed, my lighting isn't too great, just 30 watts for the whole 55g. The sand is easy to clean, I just hover my python about a 1/4 in above the sand and dirt and detritus float up into the suction leaving the sand be.

[yourchoice]

3 inches of quality substrate first .Long term investment no worries..Seachems flourite or Eco-complete 2 common types.

[ImAGMan]

if you want plants sand is a big NO NO, the roots have more trouble growing, id suggest a fine gravel, your choice of color of course, i would choose black, and click the link below and find deluxe decorator kit #1,I have heard great things from this site, you can have a planted tank with driftwood for 47.00$ and the package is rated for 29g tanks.

http://www.aquariumdriftwood.com/packages.htm
Deluxe Decorator Kit #1 (For 29 Gallons or similar size)



I'm Considering this package and maybe two bags of flourite

[gforster]

OK, for $100 and the size of your tank. . .without knowing your planted tank experience. . .
I would get SoilMaster Select Charcoal for the substrate. I picked up a 50 pound bag for $11. That leaves you with $89. Then, I would head over to this site and get the "Hard to Kill" package (http://www.aquabotanicstore.com/Hard_to_Kill_Plant_Assortment_p/passort1.htm). It costs $46.38 + SH (I guess about $10). So that is 56.38 + 11 = 67.38. Let's say $68. Now you have your plants & substrate. You have $32 left. You can invest that in lighting (AH Supply is probably the best option out there) or CO2 or fish or a good filter or. . .whatever you want.

Of course you could get one their other plant packages for a little bit more $$ if you have the lighting and co2 etc. to handle it.

[unbeatablec]

OK, for $100 and the size of your tank. . .without knowing your planted tank experience. . .
I would get SoilMaster Select Charcoal for the substrate. I picked up a 50 pound bag for $11. That leaves you with $89. Then, I would head over to this site and get the "Hard to Kill" package (http://www.aquabotanicstore.com/Hard_to_Kill_Plant_Assortment_p/passort1.htm). It costs $46.38 + SH (I guess about $10). So that is 56.38 + 11 = 67.38. Let's say $68. Now you have your plants & substrate. You have $32 left. You can invest that in lighting (AH Supply is probably the best option out there) or CO2 or fish or a good filter or. . .whatever you want.

Of course you could get one their other plant packages for a little bit more $$ if you have the lighting and co2 etc. to handle it.
But you dont get any driftwood, and driftwood alone for a smaller peice is around 40-50$

[Sedghammer]

But you dont get any driftwood, and driftwood alone for a smaller peice is around 40-50$

Oh man...just take a walk to a local creek or river. Find said driftwood (hardwood only) for absolutely free and scrub and boil it in a pot for a couple of hours or until the wood stops turning the water into soup...viola! Not everything that you use in your aquarium has to come from a store.

Here is a good article outlining the specifics- http://www.aquarticles.com/articles/management/Haupenthal_Driftwood.html

[unbeatablec]

it could have inside bacteria and you would have to soak it for it to sink.

[Sedghammer]

it could have inside bacteria and you would have to soak it for it to sink.

Exactly the reason why you boil it.

[ImAGMan]

I thank you all for turning my thread into yet another "im right you're wrong!" topic.

[unbeatablec]

Exactly the reason why you boil it.
Yes but that brings your size range down quite alot considering you can only boil smaller peices unless you have a huge pot.

[jtburf]

the guy is asking about plants and substarte for his tank. he is NOT asking for another "your wrong i'm right" argument. So before this gets ugly and recuires a mod quit arguing.

Your plans of that package are good but i would sugest one of the eco complets.

[unbeatablec]

Im just trying to help and be convinent