Quick question about substrate

[Walker Anderson]

Hi,
I started my tank out with good quality gravel (dark midnight blue) and artifical plants. After being scoffed at by my dad, I bought some cabomba to try out. Live looked so much better than plastics, I tore plastics out, mixed a bag of laterite into the gravel and planted the tank.
Is this an ok thing to do. Plants seem ok, Just not alot of growth.
This past week, to give my corys a place to root around in I added a layer of sand in part of the tank. Will this cause problems for the plants in that area?

I think I may be just overdoing it and trying to correct mistakes in the past, and may have compounded them.

Any suggestions on substrate and if I should make any changes to it, would be appriciated. Sand can be vaccumed out and gravel can be carefully scooped out if need be. Thank you for any suggestions or help.

[Aries]

Sand will not cause any problems to the plants as long as it is the correct sand. However, if is placed on top of existing gravel, it will mix over time. If it is by itself with no gravel below it, it could compact causing problems for the plants since they cant extent their roots.

My suggestion is to go one way or the other because maintaining both could potentially become a nightmare if not the proper precautions taken.

You mention you got cambomba - what are your lightings specs? Also do you (or plan to) fertilize and what about CO2? If you can grow it without those, you are a better person than I. I failed miserabbly at growing Cambomba.

Good Luck

Aries

[Walker Anderson]

I have 2 hoods for lights on timers. I have a 2 bulb regular flourescent where the normal light hood would be. I took of the flip lid thing to access the fish, and put a 1 bulb with flora-gro lightbulb in it, got some hinges and drawer handle from home depot and made the one bulb hood so you can lift it on hinges to access the tank.

I am using liquid ferts and also the little circle fert blocks for my chain java.
I have the gravel mixed with laterite under the sand currently.

Been thinking about some kind of co2 but don't really want to fool with it if I can get by w/out it.

Thanks for the reply.

[Brody]

Been thinking about some kind of co2 but don't really want to fool with it if I can get by w/out it.

Thanks for the reply.

DIY co2 is cheap, easy, and you cannot deny the benefits once you use it. Give it a shot, you wont be dissapointed.