can gravel be used as a substrate?

[dbcb314]

i know absolutely nothin about plants. ive kept fish, but i always used plastic plants. but, i been wanting to start a live plant tank in my 30gal, but i wanted to know if i could use gravel as the substate. i asked the dude at petco, and he said yes, but i dont believe him at all. so can i?

[ChilDawg]

You can, but for only the hardiest of plants. I have Wal-Mart's Aponogeton bulbs growing in my 10 gal...some are actually above the substrate.

There are also all sorts of floaters or plants with roots that don't suck up food. Those would be good.

[TomFromStLouis]

If you simply want a couple of easy plants in low or moderate light, plain gravel works as an anchoring media. If you move up to dense planting and high light and CO2 injection, then substrate feeding becomes more an issue and flourite or laterite are common solutions.

Rinse it until the water comes off clear and pay attention to particle size (the stuff your lfs sells called "aquarium gravel" is the right size - and it is gravel!). No limestone or other rock that fizzes under a vinegar dose - you do not want to be raising water hardness constantly.

[dbcb314]

awesome, what kind of plants would i be able to get?

[somefinnfishy]

I grow lots of plants in the perfectly wrong gravel its a large diam polished stone.:rolleyes: