# Suitable Substrate for Plants & Cory



## KiwiGal77 (May 6, 2016)

Hi all,

First post here, all the way from New Zealand  

I am thinking of swapping out my current sand substrate for Caribsea Eco-Complete to help out my plants after reading many good reviews. Even with root tabs and liquid fertiliser they just aren't developing well in the sand and their root systems seem weak and shunted, apparently this can happen as some find sand too compact as well as the obvious lack of nutrients?

My main problem is that I have Cory, and this substrate on its own isn't really suitable for them. So I was thinking of topping it with an inch layer of JBL Manado - with it being round and light the Cory should happily be able to sift through it without damage, and it keeps the red colour I am wanting. In theory as it's light it *should* also stay on top of the Eco-Complete rather than mix or sink to the bottom, I think??

Thoughts? Is there a better option I haven't considered?


Thanks!


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## burr740 (Feb 19, 2014)

Nothing wrong with switching substrates, but you have a couple misconceptions about sand. It is great for both plants and cories.


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## KiwiGal77 (May 6, 2016)

How have you managed success with sand and plants? 

I find none of mine like it for very long, new plants start ok but within a couple of months deteriorate. Lighting is medium and plants are all low-medium light plants. There's JBL 7+13 balls in there and I dose with Seachem Flourish Comprehensive weekly after each water change. 

I have had a bad run with blue-green algae/bacteria the last couple of months and I think that's really affected some plants, although they weren't looking great before that. I also did a full tank antibacterial/fungal treatment last year and that killed some plants and left most looking worse for wear and none really recovered, I wonder if there's still remains left of those chemicals in the sand?


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## burr740 (Feb 19, 2014)

First of all it will help you to understand that it is not the sand your plants "dont like for very long" but some other condition.

What that is could be a million things and there's very little info to go on.

However, a couple things that do stick out to me are

Not sure what jbl 7-13 is, but you have to be careful using non aquarium brand fertilizer products. Many are ammonia or urea based which can make for a volatile situation if not applied properly.

Flourish comp only contains micro nutrients (trace elements and iron) it does not provide any of the 3 main macro nutrients which plants use the most of. These are nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorous. It does list these ingredients but the amounts are negligible. 

Doubt there's any chemicals left in the sand from the algae meds.

Cyano is a sign that everything isnt kosher in the first place, could be poor flow, poor filtration, lack of nitrogen or other nutrients, plants being in a general state of ill health, dirty conditions, just to name a few. In other words cyano was another symptom that things werent right, not the cause.

It sound like you probably have appropriate lighting. It may be best for you to do a little more research on fertilizing a planted aquarium and possibly address filtration issues. Again this is based on very limited info.


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## KiwiGal77 (May 6, 2016)

burr740 said:


> First of all it will help you to understand that it is not the sand your plants "dont like for very long" but some other condition.
> 
> What that is could be a million things and there's very little info to go on.
> 
> ...


Flow & filtration *shouldn't* be an issue, although I have heard that this is a leading cause of the cyano. It's a 150L tank, medium stocked with plants and fish and running a 1200L/hr filter that provides surface agitation along the length of the tank. I test key parameters regularly and they are always good (0, 0, 10-15). Fertilising was something I was hoping the substrate change would help with by giving the plants more consistent nutrients as well as possibly a better substrate for their root systems.


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## Nordic (Nov 11, 2003)

Corries will help nutrients penetrate into sand by sifting through it.

Thing is, if you go over half inch of sand, the blue stuff will follow shortly.


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## burr740 (Feb 19, 2014)

Nordic said:


> Thing is, if you go over half inch of sand, the blue stuff will follow shortly.


Um, what?


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## Nordic (Nov 11, 2003)

Cyano, although I don't expect it is easily spotted with the black diamond sand everyone uses.


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## burr740 (Feb 19, 2014)

Yes I knew what you meant. It was the over 1/2" thing that threw me. Have to say that has not been my experience.....at all.


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## KiwiGal77 (May 6, 2016)

I'm not too sure what you're meaning by that either Nordic?

Burr, some more answers/replies above. Not sure what took that post so long to appear


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## burr740 (Feb 19, 2014)

Nitrogen and phosphorus are essential macro nutrients. Even in excess they DO NOT cause algae. Not having enough of either one certainly will though. Thriving plants and a clean tank deter algae. Any condition that that stalls plant growth will cause it. 

More info is needed to get further into what may be the problem, and pics. But it is not the sand substrate, especially if you are supplementing with root tabs.


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