# 20g Low/Med tech substrate



## AJTheFishKid (Jun 11, 2021)

Hello everyone, I’m looking for a substrate for a no Co2 low/med light 20g planted tank that would go well with my water parameters and plants.
Plants- (These are just considerations, only a few I know I’m going to get)

Foreground- DHG, Christmas moss, anubias nana petite, pearlweed, Monticarlo

Mid ground- Christmas moss, crypt wendetti, Java fern, Anubias nana, anubias coffeefolia, crypt lutea, pearlweed, anubias nana petite

Background- Anubias nana, bacopa caralinnianna rotalla roundafollia, Dwarf aquarium lilly, Crypt Balansae, pearlweed, Tiger lotus

Water Parameters-
GH-1-2 (Will add minerals. Probably around 6gh)
KH-2-3
(Sorry for the spelling)


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

You could use any kind of sand, fine gravel or clay-based substrate you want. For real. All of those plants will do well in the most basic sand you can get. You'll probably be able to get away with using root tabs.

What aesthetic are you going for? Black/darker substrate? More natural browns and tans? What will your hardscape be? Those preferences will help narrow down recommendations.

For black/dark substrates:

Standard black sand from Petco/Petsmart/Walmart
Flourite Black Sand
Dennerle's fine gravel
Crushed lava rock/lava cinders
A lot of people use blasting grit but I'm not a fan because it's a coal by-product

More natural look:

Pool filter sand
Darker play sands - Quikrete, Sakrete, et al - some are natural and look great, some not so much but they're all cheap and worth consideration
Caribsea Peace River - it's large sand/fine gravel
Flourite Sand - the dark brown kind. Could also consider just regular Flourite but it's closer to regular gravel in size.
Saf-t-sorb/Turface/Calcined clay

Only potential problems I see aren't substrate-related at all. Monte Carlo may not work well, depending upon your setup, so just be prepared to replace it with something less demanding. Without great lighting and CO2, it tends to get really leggy. And Dwarf Hair Grass - while it will live, it may not thrive in a low light, no CO2 environment. Meaning it won't carpet very well unless you have a ton of it.

How do you plan to use Monte Carlo? As a bushy plant? If so, it may work. But there are several other less demanding plants (like Hydrocotyle tripartita) you could replace it with if you find it's not ideal.

Moss, Anubias and ferns won't be planted in substrate, so you never really have to worry about them on that front. Crypts do really well in sand. So do the other plants you've listed.


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## AJTheFishKid (Jun 11, 2021)

Yeah, I really don’t know what kind of substrate but I’ll probably go for a darker substrate. I’m debating between the type of stone to use (Ethier Oko dragon stone or seiryu stone) Any Suggestions? I also don’t want to really use root tabs because I am trying to go for a carpet, and I would use a LOT of root tabs and it would add to the maintenance.
Update- I’m also planning to do a DIY Co2 setup and I’m also going to get a brighter light. (90PAR at 12”) So technically it’s no longer a low tech setup but rather a mid tech. I’m planning on using Monticarlo to hang on the rocks and wood. I think it will be Allright with the DIY Co2 and brighter light, as well as the DHG. I will be prepared to replace those plants if they don’t work out. I wont be using a dwarf aquarium Lilly but instead a tiger lotus. I will be using the epiphytes on the wood and rocks. I’m probably not using sand, but it is a possibility.


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Ohko won't mess with water parameters but Seiryu looks cool and mountain-y. Really tough call. So I guess whatever looks the best when the time comes? Both look great in tanks.

Probably wouldn't use too many root tabs. One per every square foot or so usually works for me. I almost always use them when I don't have an active or fancy plant substrate in a tank but have demanding or carpeting plants. If you ever decide you want to try root tabs, you can make your own easily - dry ferts, red clay, mix it all up and then roll it out into small pieces or little balls. Way more cost effective than buying something in the store. $20 would get you enough clay and ferts to last a long time.

Something smaller than regular gravel is going to be best for carpeting plants and scale in a 20gal. Anything larger than Caribsea Peace River and your hair grass could look wonky in a tank like that. But regular red, dark or black Flourite - the regular size - could work well. It's small enough particles that plants can carpet okay in it. It's also cheap for a tank that size and easy to plant in. Worth consideration.


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## AJTheFishKid (Jun 11, 2021)

I think seiryu stone would be good to raise the kh a bit. I might use eco complete for the crypts and other root feeding plants in conjunction with root tabs. I’ll look into those DIY root tabs. I might use a mixture of substrates now that I think about it. Sand near the right/front for the carpeting plants. Eco Complete or some other substrate for the other side of the tank separated by seiryu stone for the heavy root feeders.


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Eco Complete is just crushed lava rock. It offers nothing in terms of nutrients for plants. It's completely inert. You're just paying for liquid in a bag and marketing myths. Only use it if you like the look of it. 

Crypts will do best in a substrate they can send their roots through easily.


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## Plinkploop (Jan 24, 2021)

Eco complete is not ideal for carpeting. IMO at works well to break up inert gravel or stones to give roots a place to take hold but by itself is way too light to effectively plant in.


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## AJTheFishKid (Jun 11, 2021)

What about the CEC value in eco complete? I thought that it could take nutrients from the water column and give it to the plants. I know that it is inert. I totally could be wrong on that but that’s just what I have heard about it.

PinkPloop- I will most likely be using sand for the carpet.


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## Plinkploop (Jan 24, 2021)

AJTheFishKid said:


> What about the cdc value in eco complete? I thought that it could take nutrients from the water column and give it to the plants. I totally could be wrong on that but that’s just what I have heard about it.
> 
> PinkPloop- I will most likely be using sand for the carpet.


Eco complete is inert. It adds no fertilization to the tank nor does it buffer.


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

The CEC of lava rock isn't that great. Doesn't have properties that allow it to absorb much. If you're going for a look, then by all means use it. If you want CEC, then use some Safe-T-Sorb beneath/behind it. That'll have much better CEC.

You could do something like I did in one of my H. rubra tanks with crushed coral and lava rock. Here's a peek:










See how I created sort of a pillow? The guts are crushed coral but the top and sides are lava rock.





































Got the look of lava rock (though, I wish it were smaller grain for better scale) and the effect of crushed coral for my brackish water shrimp.

If you're dosing ferts or using root tabs, I wouldn't worry too much about CEC. Just use whatever substrate you like best that fits your budget.

Edit: To be clear, I'm not saying you should use crushed coral. Just suggesting this method of hiding one substrate beneath another may work well in your case.


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## AJTheFishKid (Jun 11, 2021)

Okay, I probably won’t use crushed coral because I don’t want my water to be too hard for the fish and plants but thanks anyway. I’ll probably end up getting some sand or finer grained soil for the carpet and then something like aqua soil or controlosoil near the back. Thanks for all the tips, I’ve learned a lot since I joined the forum.

Also, I am considering fluval stratum because the other stuff is just so expensive. Do you think this would be okay or should I go with something else?


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## Plinkploop (Jan 24, 2021)

AJTheFishKid said:


> Also, I am considering fluval stratum because the other stuff is just so expensive. Do you think this would be okay or should I go with something else?


Stratum is kinda hard to plant in. In my experience it's light and doesn't have enough weight to keep carpets and finer rooted plants down when doing water changes/ tank maintenance. Also my experience, maybe not others, is that it breaks down into a more silty mulm than other active substrates I've used and is a bit harder to change out because of this. It does a decent job of being an active substrate, though and I think plenty of people have had good luck with it.


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## Phil Edwards (Jul 18, 2003)

Do you know any other freshwater hobbyists in your area? If so, a good way to jump start a tank using an inert substrate is to collect as much mulm from the substrate and filter as you can when they do a water change and filter cleaning. Grab a 10 pack of Flourish Tabs, crunch them up really well, put the mulm down on the glass, put the substrate down and plant. 

If you feel up for going with the multiple material method like Plinkploop, doing a 50/50 mix of Turface/Safe-T-Sorb/Shultz Aquatic Plant Soil (they're all calcined clay) with your inert substrate and put that over the mulm/tab mix then cap with an inch or so of your substrate. The CEC and other physical properties of the calcined clay will do a couple things:

1. Increase CEC in the root zone
2. Decrease bulk density in the root zone to help avoid compaction, allowing the roots to more easily penetrate the material which increases oxygen through the root zone (roots are constantly exuding O2 as they require an aerobic zone to grow in), and overall nutrient uptake.
3. Give fine roots a good place to grow onto, increasing nutrient uptake and overall health of the root zone.

Hope this helps,
Phil


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

AJTheFishKid said:


> Okay, I probably won’t use crushed coral because I don’t want my water to be too hard for the fish and plants but thanks anyway. I’ll probably end up getting some sand or finer grained soil for the carpet and then something like aqua soil or controlosoil near the back. Thanks for all the tips, I’ve learned a lot since I joined the forum.


As I said in the post, I'm not suggesting you use crushed coral. But the _method_ I illustrated. If you want a certain look but ideally want to use a different substrate where people can't see it, that's a potential method to use - to pocket or pillow. It's a good way to use something that's less attractive like Safe-t-Sorb while having the _appearance_ of having used something else entirely like black lava rock.

Using Safe-t-Sorb and sand would also work in the same general way. Just create that inch or two barrier in the front and on the sides of sand. Then add the Safe-t-Sorb in the middle. Cover it with sand. The sand in the middle will sink and mix with the Safe-t-Sorb over time but it won't be as noticeable because you've used that barrier or pocket/pillow method to conceal it. Just like I did with crushed coral.



AJTheFishKid said:


> Also, I am considering fluval stratum because the other stuff is just so expensive. Do you think this would be okay or should I go with something else?


If you ever decide you want to use an active/enriched substrate like that, Fluval's product really isn't less expensive than the others. It's still going to be $40-$50 for a standard 20 gallon - even more for a 20 gallon long. For that same price, you'd get a large 9L bag of ADA product or a similar size bag from other manufacturers. When compared to almost anything else, Fluval's product is a waste of time and money. Even if it means you have to save up $20-$30 more in order to be able to get something better than Fluval Stratum, it will be well worth it.


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## AJTheFishKid (Jun 11, 2021)

Plinkploop said:


> Stratum is kinda hard to plant in. In my experience it's light and doesn't have enough weight to keep carpets and finer rooted plants down when doing water changes/ tank maintenance. Also my experience, maybe not others, is that it breaks down into a more silty mulm than other active substrates I've used and is a bit harder to change out because of this. It does a decent job of being an active substrate, though and I think plenty of people have had good luck with it.


Okay, I did read a couple of reviews saying the same thing so I appreciate you saying that. I’m taking stratum off the list.



Phil Edwards said:


> Do you know any other freshwater hobbyists in your area? If so, a good way to jump start a tank using an inert substrate is to collect as much mulm from the substrate and filter as you can when they do a water change and filter cleaning. Grab a 10 pack of Flourish Tabs, crunch them up really well, put the mulm down on the glass, put the substrate down and plant.
> 
> If you feel up for going with the multiple material method like Plinkploop, doing a 50/50 mix of Turface/Safe-T-Sorb/Shultz Aquatic Plant Soil (they're all calcined clay) with your inert substrate and put that over the mulm/tab mix then cap with an inch or so of your substrate. The CEC and other physical properties of the calcined clay will do a couple things:
> 
> ...


I’m not really in too much of a rush to jump start it and I would really be fine waiting a couple of months before I add any fish. But I will definitely look more into the substrate mix. I also didn’t know about calcined clay substrates and it sounds like it’s good for the plants, Thanks!



somewhatshocked said:


> As I said in the post, I'm not suggesting you use crushed coral. But the _method_ I illustrated. If you want a certain look but ideally want to use a different substrate where people can't see it, that's a potential method to use - to pocket or pillow. It's a good way to use something that's less attractive like Safe-t-Sorb while having the _appearance_ of having used something else entirely like black lava rock.
> 
> Using Safe-t-Sorb and sand would also work in the same general way. Just create that inch or two barrier in the front and on the sides of sand. Then add the Safe-t-Sorb in the middle. Cover it with sand. The sand in the middle will sink and mix with the Safe-t-Sorb over time but it won't be as noticeable because you've used that barrier or pocket/pillow method to conceal it. Just like I did with crushed coral.
> 
> ...


Okay, It definitely makes sense to use something else where people can’t see it.
I won’t be going with the Stratum now that you say that, thanks for the help!


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Not sure what your purchasing timeline is but I just posted a thread in the Lounge (link here) you may want to check out. Some good deals on Flourite products. Even an okay-ish price on Eco-Complete, though keep in mind what you've already learned about it.

I try to post about these things when I see members planning purchases and this is one of the rare sales on some of these products.


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## AJTheFishKid (Jun 11, 2021)

Wow, that’s really nice. Great deals on there. I won’t be ordering now but thanks for the heads up because I was just planning ordering everything on Amazon.


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## AJTheFishKid (Jun 11, 2021)

I’m probably going with aqua soil based on the research I’ve done. I have heard this stuff lasts around a year or two. Is this because of it physically breaking down into mush or it just loosing its nutrients? If it just loses its nutrients after a year I could just use root tabs. I want to keep this tank up for probably 2 years so I just want to make sure aqua soil would work.
Also, I drew out the scape I would probably use (Sorry it looks messy) but I realized it only uses 3 root feeding plants, DHG, Water sprite, and crypt wendetti. I would prefer to just use aqua soil in the foreground section and near the crypts and water sprite to save money. But I feel like if I do that it would look kinda weird having clumps of different substrate for the water sprite and crypt. Not sure how to hide this. I’m trying to go for a nice looking scape but also not to drain my wallet on aqua soil. Any ideas?


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## Phil Edwards (Jul 18, 2003)

Most aqua soils lose the majority of their original nutritive benefits after six months to a year, so you'll need to start adding nutrients at some point. Even though the substrate may have lost its nutritive value, the physical and chemical properties of it are still highly useful. They're the best material for fine/microscopic root hairs to grow on and are generally have a lower bulk density than other materials, which results in a healthier root zone. The electrical charge (CEC, AEC) is very useful for trapping nutrients in the rooting area as well. Nutrient tabs are excellent for this and I'd recommend using them from the start. Crumbling up tabs such as Flourish Tabs, and laying it down as a base layer on the glass will help enrich the substrate and promote faster establishment and growth in the beginning.

As far as breaking down, this is definitely a thing, and the rate depends on the brand/material. This is generally only a significant issue when uprooting plants though; even the fine particles "mush", are good for root systems. I've used Amazonia, Brightwell's Volcanit, and Seachem's Aquasolum for years in tanks without them causing problems with plants. That being said, you'll want to do a heavy vacuum every six months or so to clear out the dust to keep it from making a mess of the tank when uprooting a lot of plants or doing a wholesale rescape.

Regards,
Phil


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## AJTheFishKid (Jun 11, 2021)

Phil Edwards said:


> Most aqua soils lose the majority of their original nutritive benefits after six months to a year, so you'll need to start adding nutrients at some point. Even though the substrate may have lost its nutritive value, the physical and chemical properties of it are still highly useful. They're the best material for fine/microscopic root hairs to grow on and are generally have a lower bulk density than other materials, which results in a healthier root zone. The electrical charge (CEC, AEC) is very useful for trapping nutrients in the rooting area as well. Nutrient tabs are excellent for this and I'd recommend using them from the start. Crumbling up tabs such as Flourish Tabs, and laying it down as a base layer on the glass will help enrich the substrate and promote faster establishment and growth in the beginning.
> 
> As far as breaking down, this is definitely a thing, and the rate depends on the brand/material. This is generally only a significant issue when uprooting plants though; even the fine particles "mush", are good for root systems. I've used Amazonia, Brightwell's Volcanit, and Seachem's Aquasolum for years in tanks without them causing problems with plants. That being said, you'll want to do a heavy vacuum every six months or so to clear out the dust to keep it from making a mess of the tank when uprooting a lot of plants or doing a wholesale rescape.
> 
> ...


Okay, thanks for that info, it really helps. I will be going with the ver2 aqua soil if I do get it.


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## AJTheFishKid (Jun 11, 2021)

Any ideas on how too save money on substrate while still having it look good?


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

AJTheFishKid said:


> Any ideas on how too save money on substrate while still having it look good?


Please re-read and take in the advice people have already provided you the past month. Several have given you lists of substrates - myself included - that are beyond cheap. Some of them could be used to fill a 200gal tank with substrate for $25. And they all look good and spread the gamut of aesthetics to fit a bunch of different preferences.

But in a 20gal tank? You're looking at cheap even if you use high-end products.

Have you read any of the suggestions people have offered?


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## AJTheFishKid (Jun 11, 2021)

Yeah I recently read them. Sorry about that. I think after a lot of reasearch I’m going to use crushed coral like you did in one of your tanks where the ephieties are and cap it with Amazona as well as using lava rock near the back to have a slope while not having to use too much amazona. Thanks for all the help though. Sorry about all the questions though I just forgot about that because I was overloading my brain with reasearch .


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## chvvkumar (May 5, 2012)

Plinkploop said:


> Eco complete is not ideal for carpeting. IMO at works well to break up inert gravel or stones to give roots a place to take hold but by itself is way too light to effectively plant in.


I kinda disagree. I have grown Glosso, DHG and dwarf baby tears in Eco Complete. The challenge is at the begining like you said. Things tend to uproot with stronger flow. But once you get past that, I found no issues with growing carpeting plants. I did EI dosing with CO2 and high lights:

Glosso:









DBT:









DHG, Glosso AND Dwarf Sagiteria at once:


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## Plinkploop (Jan 24, 2021)

chvvkumar said:


> I kinda disagree. I have grown Glosso, DHG and dwarf baby tears in Eco Complete. The challenge is at the begining like you said. Things tend to uproot with stronger flow. But once you get past that, I found no issues with growing carpeting plants. I did EI dosing with CO2 and high lights:
> 
> Glosso:
> View attachment 1031735
> ...


I'd just hate to advocate for something that would make it harder than it has to be for someone just starting out. When you're in low lights and low tech there's no possibility of getting those looks to begin with- trying to get a carpet going is, IMO, next to impossible (not completely) even with the best substrate. Trying to use eco complete for this would be a disaster.


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## AJTheFishKid (Jun 11, 2021)

chvvkumar said:


> I kinda disagree. I have grown Glosso, DHG and dwarf baby tears in Eco Complete. The challenge is at the begining like you said. Things tend to uproot with stronger flow. But once you get past that, I found no issues with growing carpeting plants. I did EI dosing with CO2 and high lights:
> 
> Glosso:
> View attachment 1031735
> ...


Those are some really nice looking tanks, I can definitely see that it can be done but like pink ploop said, it would make it harder for a beginner like me. But nice looking tanks though, I like how you used eco complete, it goes to show that pretty much anything can be done in the aquarium hobby.


Plinkploop said:


> I'd just hate to advocate for something that would make it harder than it has to be for someone just starting out. When you're in low lights and low tech there's no possibility of getting those looks to begin with- trying to get a carpet going is, IMO, next to impossible (not completely) even with the best substrate. Trying to use eco complete for this would be a disaster.


Pink ploop, after further reasearch I’m going to go for a mid/high tech aqua scape because it would help the carpet and I want to dive into the high tech world of aquascaping. Not sure if you know this because in the title it says low/med tech and I tend to change my mind a lot. Sorry! I will be using diy Co2 with finnex alc.


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## chvvkumar (May 5, 2012)

Plinkploop said:


> I'd just hate to advocate for something that would make it harder than it has to be for someone just starting out. When you're in low lights and low tech there's no possibility of getting those looks to begin with- trying to get a carpet going is, IMO, next to impossible (not completely) even with the best substrate. Trying to use eco complete for this would be a disaster.





AJTheFishKid said:


> Those are some really nice looking tanks, I can definitely see that it can be done but like pink ploop said, it would make it harder for a beginner like me. But nice looking tanks though, I like how you used eco complete, it goes to show that pretty much anything can be done in the aquarium hobby.
> 
> Pink ploop, after further reasearch I’m going to go for a mid/high tech aqua scape because it would help the carpet and I want to dive into the high tech world of aquascaping. Not sure if you know this because in the title it says low/med tech and I tend to change my mind a lot. Sorry! I will be using diy Co2 with finnex alc.


Understood and agree it might be harder to start off with EC.


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## Plinkploop (Jan 24, 2021)

AJTheFishKid said:


> Those are some really nice looking tanks, I can definitely see that it can be done but like pink ploop said, it would make it harder for a beginner like me. But nice looking tanks though, I like how you used eco complete, it goes to show that pretty much anything can be done in the aquarium hobby.
> 
> Pink ploop, after further reasearch I’m going to go for a mid/high tech aqua scape because it would help the carpet and I want to dive into the high tech world of aquascaping. Not sure if you know this because in the title it says low/med tech and I tend to change my mind a lot. Sorry! I will be using diy Co2 with finnex alc.


Figured you might lean that way- tends to happen as you further your research. Can't wait to see what you come up with!! Remember- patience is key and start up is a lengthy process if you push it too much (speaking from years of paying for my own impatience there).


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## AJTheFishKid (Jun 11, 2021)

Okay, I will give it some time, I will probally start a tank journal once I get it up and running next year.


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## chvvkumar (May 5, 2012)

Plinkploop said:


> Figured you might lean that way- tends to happen as you further your research. Can't wait to see what you come up with!! Remember- patience is key and start up is a lengthy process if you push it too much (speaking from years of paying for my own impatience there).





AJTheFishKid said:


> Okay, I will give it some time, I will probally start a tank journal once I get it up and running next year.


My plan to go low tech lasted all of two days, so don't feel too bad


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

AJTheFishKid said:


> I’m going to use crushed coral like you did in one of your tanks where the ephieties are and cap it with Amazona


That isn't a good idea. Especially since you're new to planted tanks. 

I posted those photos as an _illustration_ and made clear that you should not use crushed coral. It was merely a way to show - give you an example - of how you can use different colors of substrate or how to hide different substrates in your tank.

Crushed coral is going to rapidly increase your water hardness all that goes along with it. Amazonia would be competing against it, absorbing hardness and creating extremely unstable parameters. That isn't a good idea at all - even for an experienced aquarist. You'll definitely want to avoid using crushed coral.


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## AJTheFishKid (Jun 11, 2021)

somewhatshocked said:


> That isn't a good idea. Especially since you're new to planted tanks.
> 
> I posted those photos as an _illustration_ and made clear that you should not use crushed coral. It was merely a way to show - give you an example - of how you can use different colors of substrate or how to hide different substrates in your tank.
> 
> Crushed coral is going to rapidly increase your water hardness all that goes along with it. Amazonia would be competing against it, absorbing hardness and creating extremely unstable parameters. That isn't a good idea at all - even for an experienced aquarist. You'll definitely want to avoid using crushed coral.


I was thinking to use it because my water is pretty soft, kh and gh at 2. I was only going to use a little bit and I understand that the Amazona would be working against it but I don’t want the kh to get too low.


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

AJTheFishKid said:


> I was thinking to use it because my water is pretty soft, kh and gh at 2. I was only going to use a little bit and I understand that the Amazona would be working against it but I don’t want the kh to get too low.


That won't help you much there. Amazonia will absorb any kH you add (from tap and whatever coral provides) and hold it at a steady 0 until it's exhausted. 

If you don't want low kH, you'll want to use some other kind of substrate. Ideally something inert like black sand. And use a remineralizing product to bump your kH and gH up to where you want them.


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## AJTheFishKid (Jun 11, 2021)

Alight, I really don't want to use something inert, Is there any way I could still go with amazona and raise the kh? I have some seachem equlibruim, but that only raises GH.


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## AJTheFishKid (Jun 11, 2021)

Is it possible to just run it at 0 and the fish be okay? Also, will the Amazona still hold it at 0 even with saruyu stone and crushed coral?


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

AJTheFishKid said:


> Alight, I really don't want to use something inert, Is there any way I could still go with amazona and raise the kh? I have some seachem equlibruim, but that only raises GH.


Why don't you want to use something inert? The setup you've described as a goal would do best with an inert substrate.

You shouldn't use Amazonia if your goal is to raise kH. You're begging for a system collapse as a newcomer to the hobby, unfortunately. If your source water already has a kH of 2-3, that's all you need for stability when using an inert substrate. You'd just need to increase gH to 7-8.



AJTheFishKid said:


> Is it possible to just run it at 0 and the fish be okay? Also, will the Amazona still hold it at 0 even with saruyu stone and crushed coral?


Depends upon the livestock you want to keep. Generally, you need to have some experience maintaining livestock for a while before going down that path.

Seiryu Stone is going to increase hardness. Depending upon the specific pieces you're using, it could be exponential. Crushed coral is going to increase hardness in the same manner. You don't need to be using either of them, honestly, as a newcomer. And certainly don't need to be combining them with ADA Aquasoil Amazonia if your goal is to find parameter stability. At some point, as a beginner, things are going to go wrong for you and it will be tough to find a balance. Not saying you can't do it but suggesting you take one thing at a time to make sure it's right for you.

Why not pick a dark, inert substrate like black sand? You can use root tabs and regular ferts as needed. And you won't have to chase parameters. 

If all goes well for you and you decide you really enjoy the hobby? Then I'd get a smaller tank of some sort to try an active, buffering substrate like Amazonia to see how things go. Cheaper and a heck of a lot easier to maintain.


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## AJTheFishKid (Jun 11, 2021)

I didnt want to use root tabs, don’t plants do better in something like aquasoil? Such as DHG, lots of the things I am seeing are saying to use a nutrient rich substrate to have it carpet. I also have heard a lot about sand being bad for plants, bacteria, and water flow because it compacts easily.


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## Plinkploop (Jan 24, 2021)

Carpets can be done with anything, granted some substrates are easier than others but the 1 key component of a quick growing carpet would be more on the co2 side, not the substrate type. I honestly believe sand (coarse sand/ fine gravel- NOT fine sand) and roots tabs work about the same as aquasoil for a fraction of the cost. The issues you mentioned about compaction usually only happens with very fine sand and not very often. The complications of aquasoils chewing through ferts happens more. Just my 2 cents. I have no real preference of 1 over the other.


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## AJTheFishKid (Jun 11, 2021)

Allright thanks, I will probably go with fine gravel/ coarse sand. What root tabs would you recommend? I’m leaning towards Nilog G because they come in a pack of 60 for a good price. Do you think DIY would work better or what?


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## AJTheFishKid (Jun 11, 2021)

After futher reasearch I also might go with fluorite, it’s chemically inert but the stuff is real expensive.


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## gjcarew (Dec 26, 2018)

AJTheFishKid said:


> Allright thanks, I will probably go with fine gravel/ coarse sand. What root tabs would you recommend? I’m leaning towards Nilog G because they come in a pack of 60 for a good price. Do you think DIY would work better or what?


If you're willing to do a little work DIY root tabs with Osmocote are very cheap and effective. That said I haven't tried Nilocg so they might be great.

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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

If it were me, I'd go the DIY route or buy whatever is cheapest at your local stores. I've seen Flourish tabs for just a couple bucks all over the place. Nearly every store online and in real life that caters to freshwater aquaria will have some sort of root tab available for cheap.

But it's easy to buy some red clay, dry ferts and roll your own. Takes a while to knead all the ferts into the clay but once that's done, you can take your time making little balls - just wrap up any clay you haven't finished so it doesn't dry out. Leave the little rolled out balls to dry on a tray for a few days and they'll last forever. Yes, it's a ton of physical labor. You'll be exhausted for a week but you'll be glad you did it. When I make mine, I pack them so full of ferts that it takes a few hours to get everything to mix up properly. It's overkill but worth it in the end. 

As others have said, you're going to need more than root tabs to accomplish a carpet. It will take diligent CO2 use, fert dosing and proper planting. Any fine substrate will work.


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## Thenoob (Jan 15, 2014)

somewhatshocked said:


> If it were me, I'd go the DIY route or buy whatever is cheapest at your local stores. I've seen Flourish tabs for just a couple bucks all over the place. Nearly every store online and in real life that caters to freshwater aquaria will have some sort of root tab available for cheap.
> 
> But it's easy to buy some red clay, dry ferts and roll your own. Takes a while to knead all the ferts into the clay but once that's done, you can take your time making little balls - just wrap up any clay you haven't finished so it doesn't dry out. Leave the little rolled out balls to dry on a tray for a few days and they'll last forever. Yes, it's a ton of physical labor. You'll be exhausted for a week but you'll be glad you did it. When I make mine, I pack them so full of ferts that it takes a few hours to get everything to mix up properly. It's overkill but worth it in the end.
> 
> As others have said, you're going to need more than root tabs to accomplish a carpet. It will take diligent CO2 use, fert dosing and proper planting. Any fine substrate will work.


I used to do something similar for DIY root tabs. I rolled a sheet of red clay and then made little balls each filled with a couple of beads of osmocote plus. Then let them dry out. Worked great for me so could be another option.

Only thing is you have to be efficient placing them since the clay balls start melting pretty quickly in the water.

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## Plinkploop (Jan 24, 2021)

Fluorite sand with root tabs works great. I've used flourish tabs and API tabs (the most readily available) and like API better. I've come acrossed some no named brand ones on chewy that cost me $30 for a years supply for my 40 gallon and they work better. For me it comes down to comparing ingredients. Tedious, monotonous and boring but super helpful.


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## AJTheFishKid (Jun 11, 2021)

Okay, thank you all for the advice, I’m assuming that I wouldent have to use root tabs with regular fluorite, right?


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

AJTheFishKid said:


> Okay, thank you all for the advice, I’m assuming that I wouldent have to use root tabs with regular fluorite, right?


All versions of Flourite are inert, so you'd need to use root tabs if you aren't dosing your tank some other way.


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## AJTheFishKid (Jun 11, 2021)

somewhatshocked said:


> All versions of Flourite are inert, so you'd need to use root tabs if you aren't dosing your tank some other way.


Okay, thanks.


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