planted substrate

[Aquaria]

has anyone ever had a succsesfull planted tank with gravel only, 3-6mm

[StirCrazy]

nope to thin, no room for root development so you will get a ton of surface roots which will look ugly, and there will be no strength to keep the plant anchored if a fish bumps it or tugs on it.

Steve

[Stones]

I'd recommend Seachem Fluorite. It comes in brown, a rusty red, and black colours in both gravel size and now sand size as well. I've been using it for years and it works great as a planted tank substrate. Its also probably the easiest planted tank substrate to find in Canada as most LFS stock this. I'm running about 2-2.5" thick in my tank right now and thats more than enough to keep the roots buried and the plants held nicely in place.

[fLshgear]

are you talking 3 - 6mm of the size of the gravel? if so that would be fine. if you put it about 2" deep

i have 10 or so planted tanks submersed and 2 emersed tanks.

i have some with fluorite and most with just regular gravel. after a while, once the fish waste and dead plant stuff gets into the gravel the plain gravel is just as good as the fluorite.

i almost never clean the gravel in the planted tanks, like less than once a year.

lately i have been changing my gravel over from regular to a 1 - 2 mm sand colored gravel called sil 9 i get it from a sand blasting wholesaler place. it is $20 for 40kg

with the larger sized gravel it is just a little bit harder to get the plants to stay when initially placing them. but once they grow in it will be fine.

[fLshgear]

i also just noticed that you are from edmonton, and i think that the sil 9 is made in edmonton.

i think this place sells it, but i am not sure. i seen up to sil 8 in there catalog

http://www.sil.ab.ca/home.htm

[ibenu]

I use Shultz aquatic soil, which is repackaged turface. You should be able to get them at Home depot or bonsia/lanscaping places. I buy mine at Rona or Homedepot.

Good luck!