Preventing anaerobic areas in a planted sand tank?

[plantbrain]

I've found flourite and onyx to be great. I've never had them ever go anaerobic and produce the blackened stinky H2S smell.

Basic preparation:
I used about 150lbs for my 75 gallon tank.
You can get away with less. Maybe 100lbs or so.
I rinse it 3-4 times good then add it. I first add about 1/2 inch or so and then add 4 good handfuls of ground peat moss. You can get this at a nursery. I add add to this bottom layer a bunch of vacuumed mulm from an established tank. Ask the LFS or a friend who has a tank to let you vacuum their tank and get the dirt. Get as much dirt/mulm/detritus as you can.
Let the bucket sit for about 5 minutes or so.
Decant off the water.
Save the dirt.
Add about 1-2 liters worth of soupy dirt to this bottom layer. This is mainly organic material and is seriously loaded with bacteria. Save a bit for the filter.
You can also use some of the water from another tank, or run your filter on a friend's or LFS's tank for a couple of weeks first.

Thant's about the best substrate you'll get in the USA. Onyx and flourite can be had on line for about 12$ a bag of 15 lbs. Sometimes less. Shipping sometimes gets ya.
If you were in CA, I have 60lbs for sale or anyone that's interested can have at it. I am not shipping it though!
Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[aquascaper]

You can always get Malaysian Trumpet Snails if you want to move the substrate around. These snails are considered beneficial in a planted tank as they burrow themselves in the substrate in the day time and surface in the night.

I have a bunch of them in my tank and I always see them burrowing themselves under my flourite.

 

[plantbrain]

Those MTS's only move perhaps the top 1 inch at best.
Cory cats can do a bit of this also.

Horseface loaches are perhaps the best substrate movers that doesn't uproot plants drastically and move large amounts of gravel.


Regards,
Tom Barr