I am going to plant my 55g gallon soon (this is my first attempt at planting a tank). My question is at the LFS I go to the owner says fine gravel works the best for plants. The problem is the gravel I have in my tank is a little bigger then he recomended. Does the size of the gravel greatly affect the succes of your plants?
Does gravel size really matter?
- Thread starter F1shkeeper
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yes it can make a difference. alot of times it is something as simple as the plant not staying in the gravel long enough for it to get rooted there are other factors that com into play to just cant remember them right now and as jpappy789 said what size is the gravel and what plants are you considering?
Finer gravel will help keep the plants in place, and help them root more easily. Courser gravel will allow more nutrient rich fish waste to be trapped near the roots.
It will be less work for you to have finer gravel. There will be some plants that won't stay in the course gravel. The largest factor is personal preference.
It will be less work for you to have finer gravel. There will be some plants that won't stay in the course gravel. The largest factor is personal preference.
I have trouble with some plants rooting even in finer gravel...tends to be stem plants. Personally bacopa, alternanthera, and pennywort never wanted to stay down for me.
I can't get pennywort to stay down in sand.... on the occasion that I actually get the roots to stay down, the stem brakes a couple days later...
Interesting...mine rooted pretty easily in sand when I tried. Was using the Tahitian Moon sand.
I prefer it floating though.
I prefer it floating though.
Thanks for the replies, I just started my research into planting my tank so I'm still not sure which plants im considering. I would use the finer gravel that my LFS owner recommended but I really don't feel like replacing the gravel in my tank. I guess what I'm really asking is it worth my time and effort to replace the rocks or can I get away with what I have? I am not sure of the exact size of my gravel but i would guess about .3-.5 CM in size.
Slap a Pic up, with some of it in your hand, if it's pinky fingernail size, it will be incredibly tough to work with. I've always used play sand in my planted tanks, works wonders and is cheap.
I have put plants into all sizes of gravel but have never tried sand. The finer gravle work the best and as you size up the problems become much greater. I have my largest gravel in my 75 and having tried a number of things, it is now a 100% anubias and fern tank.
The best gravel I have found that met my approval for both its appearance and size was the old Estes Bits of Walnut gravel. It is a very small size gravel and needed the addition of laterite and substrate ferts to provide good nutrition, but plants love it as a rooting medium.
I would not suggest using any substrate that is larger than the size you see in Flourite by Seachem
The best gravel I have found that met my approval for both its appearance and size was the old Estes Bits of Walnut gravel. It is a very small size gravel and needed the addition of laterite and substrate ferts to provide good nutrition, but plants love it as a rooting medium.
I would not suggest using any substrate that is larger than the size you see in Flourite by Seachem