Another newbie question

[Bear]

I've just set up a 5 (ish) gallon tank and am in the process of fishless cycling it - I'd really like to have a bunch of plants in it but have realized (after much reading) that I haven't added a plant-friendly substrate down (laterite) and have relatively large gravel. Is it worth pulling up all the gravel I've already got down and adding some laterite in a tank this small, or can I get away with adding liquid fertilizers until a decent mulm base builds up to nourish the plants?

Thanks!

Bear

[prerunnedyota]

well since its jsut a 5 gallon and there not to much gravel i think that it would benifit the plants to just change it with a bottom layer and some smaller gravel

[TKOS]

It all depends on your plant choice. The 5 gallon may limit it to smaller plants unless you want to constantly prune. My 5 gallon betta tank has some lovely java ferns in it and they are growing great in regular aquarium gravel. If you stick with java fern, moss and stem plants then changing the gravel isn't needed.

You could also buy a small amount of flourite and since you have no fish attempt to mix it into the substrate I guess.

[djlen]

If you add plants in quantity you don't have to cycle it. The plants will do it for you.
I personally don't like laterite. I've never used it because it can cause problems later when after moving plants around it comes to the surface of the substrate and can cause problems.
As stated above, if you plant with Java's etc. you can get away with large diameter gravel, but if you want to plant stems and rosettes, you should consider a quality substrate like flourite, or at least something finer in content than what you have now.
I recently received a 5 gal. and asked my LFS if they had a half bag of flourite laying around and sure enough they did so I'll combine that with another 5 lbs. of natural gravel and have a decent substrate for planting my 5.
Add to that a 15watt fluorescent tube or two and I'm in business.

Len

[Bear]

Thanks for the feedback -
I've decided that, due to sheer laziness, I'm going to leave the substrate I've got in a go with a few of the suggested plants (java moss etc). I've got a mugwort in already which looks nice but big (the plant itself isn't that big, the tank is VERY small :D )
I've picked up some liquid fertilizer for the time being, see how things go from here.

Thanks!

Bear

[Must4ng s4lly]

I use fairly large gravel for my planted tanks and it is fine. As a matter of fact, the tank with the finer gravel does not hold the plants as well. On occaision I use plant fertlizers meant for aquarium plants and the plants love it! I never have had any trouble with the fertilizers. Has anyone out there had trouble????