Advice on substrate please

[Henry]

Don't bother with another filter if you can't afford one, buy a powerhead or similar to supplement the flow.

Original Aquasoil won't leach ammonia and won't cloud the water unless it is disturbed. If you put a proportionally small amount on the bottom of your substrate, you shouldn't have any problems with it finding it's way to the surface.

 

[MatTheFish]

Cheers for replying mate.

Yeah would make sense mate for me as i got loads to buy lol, my only concern is will my fish tolerate and find a powerhead or circulation pump to much.

Reason I ask is last year when I had a Lido 120 before upgrading to the Lido 200 I bought a "Hydor Koralia Nano 1600 Circulation and Wave Pump". When I had it on the fish seemed to be struggling a bit with the flow. When i asked my LFS who is trusted by many people and myself to some extent, i never trust them fully, they said it is the worst thing i could do to add one to my tank for my fish as they prefer slower moving water, fair enough but at the same time i think the rivers they come from surely must be faster flowing than the water in my tank lol. Basically they recommended for me to not use it and said they are mainly used in marine/reef as they need a high flow which makes sense. Since then i not used one and in fact sent it back at the time as was worried my fish might get stressful and become ill because of stress. The tank was obviously a bit smaller as it was a 120l not 200l like i have now, i notice though they do a Hydor Koralia Nano 900 which won't be so harsh but not sure if it would be enough for the CO2 to be distributed.

I took the Juwel Interal Filter out of my tank when i got it and have the powerhead pump from that which is still in box, it also has the little nozzle to direct flow wherever, not sure if i could use that maybe although i can't alter speed of flow or anything so probably easier to buy something.

My fish stock:

5 x Kuhli loach
6 x Corydoras trilineatus (false julii)
2 x L201 Pleco (Hypancistrus sp - Orinoco Angel Pleco)
3 x Otocinclus
8 x Cardinal Tetra
8 x Rummy Nose Tetra
1 x German Blue Ram
5 x Bleeding Heart Tetra
6 x Dwarf Neon Rainbowfish
2 x Platinum Blue Angelfish

Thanks! 🙂

 

[John P Coates]

If you're wanting to go down the safe route, buy some Tropica, Tetra Plant Complete, or any other supplementary base layer specifically designed for use in the planted aquarium.

Hi Henry,

Tetra Plant Complete seems a waste of money. It doesn't appear to have been of any benefit whatsoever in my aquarium. And I don't care too much for Tetra's lack of information about it. I bought it on the strength of George Farmer's review here:

http://www.ukaps.org/index.php?page=guide-to-substrates

Does anyone have a detailed analysis of its composition and any nutrients that it provides?

JPC

 

[MatTheFish]

Hi Henry,

Tetra Plant Complete seems a waste of money. It doesn't appear to have been of any benefit whatsoever in my aquarium. And I don't care too much for Tetra's lack of information about it. I bought it on the strength of George Farmer's review here:

http://www.ukaps.org/index.php?page=guide-to-substrates

Does anyone have a detailed analysis of its composition and any nutrients that it provides?

JPC

Hi,

JPC glad you posted about it, i was considering getting it for under my gravel as it's cheap and on Amazon UK the overall review is 5*. Not good enough though is it, regardless of amount one spends they should not market products and exaggerate about it, we live in such a false economy it's a shame.

 

[Henry]

The Tetra Plant substrate is likely composed of a high CEC substance. In all likelihood, it's just dried out compost with a few other things thrown in.

ADA Amazonia, and all of everyone's favourite substrates, are just processed soil, albeit with various nutrients and minerals. Go out and buy the Original Aquasoil, dose EI, and watch your plants flourish.

 

[MatTheFish]

The Tetra Plant substrate is likely composed of a high CEC substance. In all likelihood, it's just dried out compost with a few other things thrown in.

ADA Amazonia, and all of everyone's favourite substrates, are just processed soil, albeit with various nutrients and minerals. Go out and buy the Original Aquasoil, dose EI, and watch your plants flourish.

Think I will mate, fed up of trying to decide, worried about ammonia potentially leaching out or when i want to move things and causes a spike something and possibly messy, i know it will be capped with my gravel but still concerns me tbf.

Cheers

 

[Henry]

Then stick with just the gravel you have. If you're dosing EI, stop over-thinking the substrate, and concentrate on lighting, CO2, and flow.

 

[John P Coates]

Think I will mate, fed up of trying to decide, worried about ammonia potentially leaching out or when i want to move things and causes a spike something and possibly messy, i know it will be capped with my gravel but still concerns me tbf.

Hi,

Tetra 'Complete' initially leached ammonia for a couple of weeks in my setup but, as soon as the nitrifying bacteria were established, they put an end to that!

JPC