Adding substrate to gravel

[mpx]

Hi, i have a 65 watt pc light for my 37 high w/just gravel.

I was wondering if i added a planting substrate like flourite that it would improve my plant growth. Also, whut kind of brand?

I currently have dwarf sag., Amazon swords, & crypt wendtii.

Also, should i remove all fishes in the process & would it really cloud my aquarium too much?

[hatton3]

Try this,
Rinse the flourite well, let it dry, then add it to your gravel this way:

Buy a length of 2" PVC and put it in the tank angled. Pour a small quantity of flourite down the PVC and it will come to rest at the bottom of the tank. If it starts clouding, stop and just start again later. It will become mixed next time you gravel vac.

[Skittyfish]

I added pure laterite to my gravel about a month ago. WHAT A MESS! I put the stuff in a paint strainer and rinsed it, and rinsed, and rinsed some more, still never got the water to run clear. I emptied my tank down to just less than half, and gently lowered the laterite in and mixed it up, my water immediately turned red. After I got it all in and sort of mixed in i added the water back in, turned my filter on and then started up my HOT Magnum with the micron filter in it. I had to do another small water change for the next three days before my water cleared. Didn't seem to bother any of the fish though.

Good Luck!