When I set up my 90G tank, I had planned on lightly planted with Java ferns, Christmas moss and maybe some cryptos. So I did not factor plants in the substrate choice.
I used 1 1/2 inches of fine tan gravel on the bottom, then medium looking river rock on top. Looked nice, but since I have gone planted it is a pain, the larger rock makes it hard to anchor plants.
I have since added more small gravel on top to make it easier to plant. Should I do anything else to help out the substrate?
Someone on another forum suggested sprinkling turface clay over it and then kneading it in.
Other thoughts?
Improving my substrate
I don't know where to get turface locally, let me know if you do!
I just set up my 26 bowfront with a tan substrate, Shultz Aquatic Plant Soil from Home Depot. Also a fired clay substrate, light, but good for plants; I think it was 6 or 7 dollars for ten pounds - twenty pounds was more than enough for that footprint, 2-3 inches deep.
Fair warning, rinse rinse rinse then rinse again.
I just set up my 26 bowfront with a tan substrate, Shultz Aquatic Plant Soil from Home Depot. Also a fired clay substrate, light, but good for plants; I think it was 6 or 7 dollars for ten pounds - twenty pounds was more than enough for that footprint, 2-3 inches deep.
Fair warning, rinse rinse rinse then rinse again.
Dave
You can't get Turface locally. Well, at least one couldn't when I tried a couple years ago. There is a comparable product called Soilmast Select made by Pro Choice. It comes in charcoal or red colors. www.lesco.com for your nearest Lesco dealer. FYI, the charcoal color is hard to find, but the Silver Spring store has a pallet of it in stock. The cost is $17.00 for a 50lb. bag and that bag goes a long way.
I have about 75 pounds of the larger rock in there, so removing will take a while.Aaron wrote:If you mix substrates, inevitably the smaller grain sized one will settle on the bottom layer and the larger one will end up on top. The fine tan gravel should be fine for growing plants with the dosing you are doing. Is it too hard to remove the medium rock on top?
I am going to add another 25lbs of the small gravel and remove the larger rocks as they surface.
Redoing a large scale substrate can be a weekend affair if done all at once.Yeah, I've used Soilmaster in most of my tanks, I hate the PH plunge it does though - the Shultz seems to be PH neutral so far (and I'm pretty sure Turface, or the parent company, repackages Shultz for Depot).
Takes me a couple of months of babying a tank along adding baking soda or another bicarbonate to keep PH at reasonable levels to allow the Soilmaster to balance out finally.
Takes me a couple of months of babying a tank along adding baking soda or another bicarbonate to keep PH at reasonable levels to allow the Soilmaster to balance out finally.
Dave
