substrate

[bignose]

I need some help choosing a substrate for my new tank. I've never used substrate in a planted tank so I can use some advice.

[stick]

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[BlueAbyss]

I've heard good things about EcoComplete (I think that's what it's called, not sure who it's made by).

[Midknight]

I used Red Sea FloraBase. My plants just took of with that stuff.

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=45545

[bignose]

Thanks for the help I looked at both on the internet and it's exactly what I'm looking for. Now which too choose?

I found something on ADA substrate but I read that it's expensive and I don't know if you can buy it here in Edmonton.

[Myka]

ADA Amazonia Soil and Caribsea Flourite are the most recommended on planted tank websites. Eco-Complete is recommended often too, but the Iron is rumored to deplete in just two years, plus it is really light weight so it's a pain in the butt to plant plants in. ADA is expensive, Flourite much more reasonable. Flourite is available in Red, Dark, and Black, as well as gravel or sand. My personal choice would be the dark or black gravel.

[bignose]

Is this Seachem your talking about Myka?

[Myka]

Oh, oops yep Flourite is SeaChem, not Caribsea.

[BlueAbyss]

Originally Posted by Myka

Eco-Complete is recommended often too, but the Iron is rumored to deplete in just two years, plus it is really light weight so it's a pain in the butt to plant plants in

Hmm, I hadn't heard that. Good to know! I've gone as far as adding iron rich clay to the substrate of my planted tanks before, when I was growing Crypts.

Knowing that now, I would go for the dark Fluorite sand personally. But I have a thing for sand bottoms (it will probably depend more on the livestock than anything, I keep catfish and they like the sand).

P.S. Actually, 2 years isn't that bad, I guess it depends on what the expected life of the tank will be. But if it's lightweight, that's not good (and I would probably end up capping it with sand).

[RuGlu6]

Originally Posted by bignose

I need some help choosing a substrate for my new tank. I've never used substrate in a planted tank so I can use some advice.

http://www.caribsea.com/pages/products/super_nat.html
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http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=61430