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Need inspiration.....

lstratton

Member
Joined
28 Jan 2008
Messages
100
Location
London
Grrrr second attempt at writing this.

Ok going to go back to a 24" tank after being bored of the restrictions with my arc tank. It will be placed on a breakfast counter in the kitchen. I'm going to keep things simple, so this is what I'm planning on so far: TNP+ and Easycarbo for fertilisers, Aquacare substrate on the bottom layer, ADA power soil (likely Amazonia) on the top layer. Plants to be along the lines of pogo, hemianthus cuba, moss and maybe vallis (want tall grassy looking plant).

As its on the counter I want equiment minimal on top, so am stuck between putting an ehiem aquaball inside with a heater too (could hide behind the vallis?) or to use my very very mature tetratec 600 with an inline heater, if I can find a way of hiding it on the floor below (if I was to drill 2 small holes to fit the tubing through in a rental property, do you think I could stick them back in when I leave whenever that may be?).

Also what lighting do you think I should go for?

Thank you for your help
 
Perfect, can't wait to get started with it, but going to take it slowly! Will keep you posted.

Anyone think I should stick with the external?

Oh and also if I have all the substrate planted up, do you think I could just put normal play sand on to of the aquacare instead of the ada powder? Just remembered I have a load of it still!
 
If I were you I wouldn't use the Aquacare at all with either of those choices.

ADA Aquasoil is a clay based substrate to begin with so adding Tropica Aquacare as a base layer (which is another clay based soil) makes no sense. Both have a high CEC and do a similar thing of being able to store nutrients so you wouldn't be achieving anything extra. Either use ADA Aquasoil on its own or go the full ADA substrate system with the Powersand and stuff if your feeling particularly flush. TBH most people on here just use straight Aquasoil on its own or an equivalent from another brand like Columbo FloraBase with great results

If you went for the sand + Aquacare combo I can imagine that the sand would mix horribly if you ever moved anything. Sand is sufficient for most plants providing you dose the water with nutrients, the benefit of clay soils however means you have a 'safety' store of nutrients ready so plants are less likely to be deficient. Aquacare would be OK though if you didnt plan on moving anything.
 
Ok, no sand then. I want to make my life easy not harder and knowing me I'll change the layout plenty of times over the years! The reason I was thinking of using the powder though, hence ADA and not things like florabase is that I have pygmy cories and I don't want them digging in the substrate if its too harsh on their barbels, so need something sand based. Will just stick to the ADA powder then.

Thanks
 
Provide both a sand and a soil area so they can still forage? I've only had a digging goby and once he dug his 'burrow' he doesn't root around so I'm not sure how bad it would be with the cories.
 
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