importance of substrate...

E

eurostar

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Jun 5, 2006
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i was just woundering if i could still grow most plants with just a sand bottom on my tank? will they die or just grow alot slower?
 
If you are diligent with liquid dosing, you can grow plants in any substrate. Having a plant substrate means you can make more mistakes however, and really helps heavy root feeders establish themselves much quicker.
 
For sure you could grow anubias, java ferns, and java moss. They take their nutrients from the water, and are tied to rocks and decorations instead of being buried in the substrate. Fertilization is optional, not necessary with these undemanding plants.
 
what about crypts and vals do they need that substrate, i want to have some cool pants without ripping apart my tank to put in a differnt substrate
 
I wouldn't recommend vals with sand. IME they need a nutrient-rich substrate like Eco Complete to do well. When I grew them in gravel, I had to fertilize them constantly...
 
Ms.Bubbles said:
I wouldn't recommend vals with sand. IME they need a nutrient-rich substrate like Eco Complete to do well. When I grew them in gravel, I had to fertilize them constantly...
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Ill have to disagree w/ that. While my vals do just fine in my gravel 55, the ones in the sand 20gal grow like crazy. In fact i just pulled up 18 vals from the sand tank for "take a plant leave a plant" ive got atleast double that left in the tank. The 55 has been growing vals longer and is no where near that amount.

I dont fertilize the substrate either, Fish waste and MTS work just fine.

A mature substrate of any kind will support plant life adequately, while roots may struggle w/ large rock, they will grow. Ive had plants growing in a marble substrate when i was breeding neons.
 
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I use sand and my plants are doing great.

You can see some pics from clicking the link in my signature.

I'll even update them right now.
 
Hmmm...I wonder why my vals did so poorly in gravel. I grew anacharis and vals in the same tank, anacharis grew well (floating) and vals yellowed every week unless I fertilized. I assumed it must be the substrate, but maybe the anacharis was just more efficient at removing all the nutrients from the water, perhaps leaving little left over for the vals...
 
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Vals are heavy root feeders, they do better with a root tab stuck under them then they do pulling ferts from the water column.
 
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