Sand substrate... I so confused#$!

T

trumpteezer

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Nov 30, 2005
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I'm in the "gathering" phase of setting up my new(new to me anyway) 55 gallon! I am a livebearer addict and they will be the focus of my tank. I truly love the look of a planted aquarium, as well as the apparent benefits. However, I am confused on all of the information I am reading.

If I am going to do a planted tank, I need some type of "fertilizer" beneath the sand?

Did I read that this "fertilizer" should never reach the fish column? If so, how do you deep clean your sand to prevent these deadly bacterial pockets?

Would I be able to have a planted aquarium, where all the plants are just attached to rocks, wood, etc? thus enabling me to deep clean the sand preventing these deadly pockets?

Would MTS snails cure the need to deep clean the sand?

OK- I think this is enough questions for now. Going back to do some more "gathering"-lol

Thanks for any and all input, I love this forum, so much good information... just trying to get a grip on it all.

Eager in Wisc,

Trumpy
 
For 55 gallon planted tank, I suggest you use substrates rather than attaching some suitable plants to rocks and woods.

You don't want to deep clean the sand/ substrates because the anaerobic bacteria is working there to convert the nitrates-family. Some places will remain untouched for months or even until the next rearrangement.

MTS will move the top substrates and can accelerate decomposition.
 
trumpteezer said:
If I am going to do a planted tank, I need some type of "fertilizer" beneath the sand?
Click to expand...
What type of sand do you have in mind? Regardless, you don't need to put anything under the sand although I tend to put a layer of mulm at the base when starting a new tank. Sand tends to sink to the bottom layer if you mix it with other substrates. Onyx is the finest grained substrate I know of that's specifically for plants. Eco Complete and Flourite seem to be the most commom substrates used.

trumpteezer said:
Did I read that this "fertilizer" should never reach the fish column? If so, how do you deep clean your sand to prevent these deadly bacterial pockets?
Click to expand...
Not really too sure what you mean by fertilizer reaching the water column. Substrates shouldn't contain anything that's not desirable in your tank.

If you go with a finer sand it will have to be stirred up once in a while to stop it compacting. Anaerobic pockets should be avoided.

trumpteezer said:
Would I be able to have a planted aquarium, where all the plants are just attached to rocks, wood, etc? thus enabling me to deep clean the sand preventing these deadly pockets?
Click to expand...
Sure. There are mosses that will attach to wood and rocks. Java fern, anubias and bolbitis are also great for this. They are all low light and easy, except maybe bolbitis is more of a challenge than the others.

trumpteezer said:
Would MTS snails cure the need to deep clean the sand?
Click to expand...
MTS will burrow only as far as there is oxygen for them.
 
I purchased silica sand since it was affordable, heavy enough not to get caught in the filters and I truly appreciate the look of it.

I read through a ton of posts before I made up my mind on the sand vs. gravel, and which type of sand to use.

Then I got this wild idea of having live plants! Many posts mention that you need a base layer of peat, laterite, or flora base beneath your gravel or sand. Are these types of products safe when they're stirred up in the tank during cleaning? What will stirring up the sand do to the root systems of the plants?

Too many thoughts with too little brain power for me right now lol!

Thanks!

Trumpy
 
It is kind of difficult to get a different layer underneath sand. I've got no experience with laterite or flora base. Many people do use a dusting of peat as a base layer.

I did set up a tank with eco complete and tahiti moon sand. What I done was seive the eco to get out the finer particles and used those as a bottom layer in the front half of the tank. I added a layer of moon sand on top. The back of the tank is mainly eco with what was left of the sand.
 
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