Help please with substrate

[ChilliPepper]

Hi all, I am looking for some help with substrate please.

Basically I wasn't thinking about doing a planted tank when I set my 50g up again. Just got some apparently black (more grey when lights are on) sand which makes a thin layer over the tank.

However I bought some Rainbowfish and read that they appreciate a planted aquarium, so thought I'd start again.

Forgot how frustrating they are

Did my weekly 50% w/c today, and took the opportunity of planting my new plants that I bought online.

Plants I have:
2 x Amazon Sword
5 x Cryptocoryne Wendtii
5 x Hygrophillia Difformis
1 x Salvinia Auriculata
1 x Nymphea Maculata (N. Zenkeri)
And some Java Moss tied onto wood and coconut caves.

The Hygro was a nightmare. Had to tie it all together in the end and sort of wedge it between some rocks to get it to stay down. Even when I really heaped the sand around it it just wouldn't stop floating back up to the top. It doesn't help that it has NO roots.

I am thinking of the best way of adding to my substrate, preferably, cheaply but with some nutrition for my plants. I have some Flourish Excel which I have dosed today, but would prefer to use every other day.

I don't use CO2 but have 2x39w T5's so I believe I may be fighting against algae soon.

 

[ceg4048]

Hi,
If you're using Excel then you are using CO2. That's what Excel provides. It's not a good idea to only use it every other day because that means the days that you don't use it the plants are not getting enough CO2 and that will cause problems. For best results, you should either not use it at all or use it every day.

Furthermore, if you use CO2 then you'll need to add nutrients.

Please review Setting up a 'higher' tech planted tank in the Tutorial section.

Cheers,

 

[bigmatt]

If you're using inert substrate get some root tabs - work brilliantly.
Cheers
Matt