New to planted tanks — substrate suggestions/opinions?
- Thread starter apenhow
- Start date
dougall, you're always very helpful! You have much more plant experiences than I've had...in spite of your relative youthfulness (ahem, I've seen your pic, 
). I think we all try to offer up the best info we can, you're just, well, better at many plants & some fish than many of us...But I'm going to claim laziness as a virtue, ha ha! At least for some of us, it's easier to go with old school...but your so mod! my friend, lol.
There are SO many crypts, most are easy! A few are not or get too tall/big for your tank...it's not just wendtiis, I have a red cordata blassii? I was given so far after a year it'd be a nice 1 for your tank but I did say I'm lame at ferts...Your mileage may vary...like so many things...in plants & fish...It's no wonder their my & dougall's favorite genus...Isn't that still right, dougall? It is easily for me!
). I think we all try to offer up the best info we can, you're just, well, better at many plants & some fish than many of us...But I'm going to claim laziness as a virtue, ha ha! At least for some of us, it's easier to go with old school...but your so mod! my friend, lol.There are SO many crypts, most are easy! A few are not or get too tall/big for your tank...it's not just wendtiis, I have a red cordata blassii? I was given so far after a year it'd be a nice 1 for your tank but I did say I'm lame at ferts...Your mileage may vary...like so many things...in plants & fish...It's no wonder their my & dougall's favorite genus...Isn't that still right, dougall? It is easily for me!
Thanks, but I am unintelligibly lazy too!.
But, yes, Cryptocoryne are my favorite genus followed by non-wild collected Bucephelandra.
But, crypts are heavy root feeders, if you are sticking with flourite, be sure to add good root tabs to it (check labels to make sure all nutrients are included adequately, I would do Tropical or NilocG off the top of my head, not Seachem or API) or choose something where you start with nutrients like Fluval Stratum.
There are hundreds of types of crypts, both species and hybrids or varietals, go with something on the cheaper end tobstart
But, yes, Cryptocoryne are my favorite genus followed by non-wild collected Bucephelandra.
But, crypts are heavy root feeders, if you are sticking with flourite, be sure to add good root tabs to it (check labels to make sure all nutrients are included adequately, I would do Tropical or NilocG off the top of my head, not Seachem or API) or choose something where you start with nutrients like Fluval Stratum.
There are hundreds of types of crypts, both species and hybrids or varietals, go with something on the cheaper end tobstart
Sorry for their/they're lack of typing, it bugs me when others do it, but I do it too...lol...
You don't need the lastest types of crypts, there are so many! Just look at what's available to you now & see what you like...but they may not look the same in your tank...co2, better/lesser ferts, different lights...they can all make a big difference. There are NO ugly crypts, like dougall said, go cheap & work your way up...that's seems like very good advice!
Side note to dougall, I called my friend with the ferts...Had to do Google Asst...a new 1 on me...I don't know if he got my message or not...or maybe he's PO'd...
You don't need the lastest types of crypts, there are so many! Just look at what's available to you now & see what you like...but they may not look the same in your tank...co2, better/lesser ferts, different lights...they can all make a big difference. There are NO ugly crypts, like dougall said, go cheap & work your way up...that's seems like very good advice!
Side note to dougall, I called my friend with the ferts...Had to do Google Asst...a new 1 on me...I don't know if he got my message or not...or maybe he's PO'd...
As a side note, some crypts will get far too big for your aquarium, spiralis and retrospriralis come to mind, as well as another whose name escapes me. So as always research a little before you put anything in your aquarium. Probably the most common that you will be able to find in person would be wendtii which will be fine but is likely close to as big as you should go.
I believe it's a green and a red variety of wendtii that I have in my 55. They started life as awful looking, half price petsmart or petco? plants. Don't recall which.
Being mostly unprepared for rooting plants, I kind of used the gell the roots were packed in to anchor them in the gravel I have in this tank. It took months, but they eventually took off and grew around the tank. Some are ~16" tall.
I use no ferts, tabs or special substrate. I don't gravel vac this tank. Just a ~60% WC every 14 days.
The only fortified substrate I've tried was Caribsea Flora Max. I set it up in a 10g which was a silly move because the plants weren't appropriate for such a small area.
Being mostly unprepared for rooting plants, I kind of used the gell the roots were packed in to anchor them in the gravel I have in this tank. It took months, but they eventually took off and grew around the tank. Some are ~16" tall.
I use no ferts, tabs or special substrate. I don't gravel vac this tank. Just a ~60% WC every 14 days.
The only fortified substrate I've tried was Caribsea Flora Max. I set it up in a 10g which was a silly move because the plants weren't appropriate for such a small area.
I wouldn’t spend big money on a planted tank here’s all you really need, at least 1-2 watt of led per gallon light preferably full spectrum, a generic top soil, pool filter sand to cap and of course, plants
stay on topic!!!
But I'm sure you will be fine, I imagine we can sort you out if everything falls through.
and,, arghhhh
watts per gallon is useless, especially with LED lighting,
Floramax has very little fortification in the way of nutrients
Capped soil can be an issue for beginners, and incredibly messy... if using soil I would at least look into using mineralized topsoil not just bagged soil. on a small tank, and for the amount of work, it's easier to use an actual aquasoil.
the aquarium already has a light
watts per gallon is useless, especially with LED lighting,
Floramax has very little fortification in the way of nutrients
Capped soil can be an issue for beginners, and incredibly messy... if using soil I would at least look into using mineralized topsoil not just bagged soil. on a small tank, and for the amount of work, it's easier to use an actual aquasoil.
the aquarium already has a light
I am old school when it comes to planted tanks. I have some T-8s, T-5 Power compacts and no LEDs at all. I am even older school re substrate. I use cheap small gravel, a bit of laterite and then I wait for mulm to build up. I use ferts in the gravel but they are not suitable for many. I use Jobes Lush Fern & Palm Spikes. Great as long as you do not plan to dig up the substrate i.e. replant and/or rescape. If you do, you will learn more about algae blooms than you believed was possible. I use Tropica ferts and some from SeaChem plus Flourish Excel.
I did all the high tech plants for about a decade and then went to all easy to do low to medium-low light. I am lazier than any of you
I did all the high tech plants for about a decade and then went to all easy to do low to medium-low light. I am lazier than any of you
