# advice on ada nile sand (56k)



## !shadow! (Jan 25, 2010)

well l was reading a bit about bacter 100 in this article and seems to help a bit:
http://www.aquajournal.net/na/basics/basics_02.html


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## benon (Feb 18, 2010)

*Nile sand*

I'm using ada nile sand right now for cosmetic, and amazonia for the plants.

So far, it is the same as my first aquarium experience of planting a 12 gal nano with amazonia 2. Don't have any pics of that but I'm about to replant it with the same combination of nile sand and amazonia. I might try and lay the nile sand over the amazonia, but I don't think it will sustain an HC carpet... or will it.


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## !shadow! (Jan 25, 2010)

l'm doing alot of research as ada isn't cheap soil and l really wanna get the look right. l was thinking about doing a combination of the two. From what i've been reading you put about 4-5 inches of the sand in the front and use the soil for the background/plants. lf you look at my link it'll show you a good picture/description of what i mean. The only reason l think i might not do it that way is because my layout will be much different and that is the reason l wanted to know if i could just use lets say ada nile sand for the entire substrate since it would be much more convenient for me. l just want to get some background to see if there would be any possible problems such an anaerobic reasons(wouldn't want bga growing), inssuficient nutrients from what i've read,and ect...


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## !shadow! (Jan 25, 2010)

l guess not alot of people have experience with nile sand ... l guess i'm going to rely on good ole google.


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## Craigthor (Sep 9, 2007)

Nile Sand is purely decorative, I use the Xingu sand in 150g Riparium. It won't do anything for your plants and if you don't mind that all is good. I have very few plants in the lower portion of my tank and those that are there I just stick a root tab nextto them.

Craig


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## !shadow! (Jan 25, 2010)

Thanks craig l knew you'd pull through for me . l was thinking about the root tab l was just curious as to how effective it would be. l guess i'm going to have to seperate different sections of my tank from the sand and ada soil with like cardboard or something.


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## !shadow! (Jan 25, 2010)

l was going to ask a question maybe some of you more experience aquarist could answer. l was wondering if l could possibly lay a 1/2 an inch of just caribsea rio grande substrate at the very base to increase oxygen,then 1 inch layer of ada ll soil, then cap it off with 1' of nile sand? Anything wrong with that set-up if there is i'd like to know


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## Craigthor (Sep 9, 2007)

!shadow! said:


> l was going to ask a question maybe some of you more experience aquarist could answer. l was wondering if l could possibly lay a 1/2 an inch of just caribsea rio grande substrate at the very base to increase oxygen,then 1 inch layer of ada ll soil, then cap it off with 1' of nile sand? Anything wrong with that set-up if there is i'd like to know


As long as you dont mind them mixed together over the long run as that is what will happen.

Craig


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## !shadow! (Jan 25, 2010)

In that case l am going to mix a portion to check the look out. l kinda wanted to grow a carpet but have the natural look that the sand would give you. l was aiming at something like this to give you guys a better idea of what i'm thinking about:




























the way l see it is that all of these layouts just used sand and maybe some dividers to spread the soil in the back


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## icepotato89 (Apr 3, 2009)

i use inert substrate to grow carpeting plants (hc, glosso, hairgrass and microsword). all you need to do is not clean the sand and have fish that know how to turd. here are 2 of my 15g tanks both with fine gravel as the substrate


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## !shadow! (Jan 25, 2010)

ls that sand in your first tank? looks kind of white in the center of the tank. l think a sand substrate with like glosso would be my pick, l'm just worried about it not staying in place. l've heard of the mats as well but rather not go into that route as l don't want them to be visible but at the same time i could dig them deep into the sand. my main concern is that l got ada ll, nile sand and caribsea rio grande. l don't mind too much that the carib and the sand mix but preferably wouldn't want them to. Now if the ada ll mixes with the sand i'm going to really hate the look. You see l'm only putting in the ada ll for the nutrients since the sand won't do much since it's more compact than the soil. Now i've heard people using root tabs, but not sure how effective that is. l was thinking maybe l could put a fine screen in between the ada soil and nile sand but not sure how would it affect the tank in the long run. l'm leaning on doing it the way takashi amano did it in the aga 2008 meeting with the dividers. i'll find out when l get my tank on tuesday and lay it all out then l can just try out the looks inside and well if l don't like it just take it out since l won't fill it up with water just yet until i like the look.


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