# Aquariumplants.com soft belly soil?



## WendyRob (Feb 9, 2012)

Hi, I'm new to planted tanks and need your help. I recently purchased a used 55 gal with pea gravel, (6) anubias & (2) amazon swords. I'm interested in changing the substrate over to something better for root nutrient absorption. This is a community tank stocked with fish, and because of the (3) botia histroinica I'm thinking soil with a sand cap wouldn't be a good way to go as I read they like to bury themselves & I think they will kick up the soil a lot. I have ruled out ADA Aquasoil as I would not like to put my fish through the amonia bloom. I like the looks of the soft belly soil on aquariumplants.com website. 

Does anyone here have any experience with it? Will it be too rough on my botias? Would it need to be gravel vaccuumed? Is it advisable to use a substrate heater with this type of substrate if I'm also planning on using root tabs? Here it is: http://www.aquariumplants.com/Freshwater_Aquarium_Plant_Substrate_p/ss.htm

I'd like to eventually add some cryptocorynes (wendtii & balansae), and some low-light stem plants, and a few red tiger lotus.

Any advice on this type of substrate would be appreciated. Thank you, Wendy


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## smokaah (Nov 30, 2011)

I use Flourite. It is very good. Its loaded with nutrients. I do not use root tabs. If your tank is heavily planted I would not vacuum it. I would do water changes though. All the junk that gathers at the bottom should dissolve into your soil and turn into more nutrients.


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## WendyRob (Feb 9, 2012)

The fluorite at my LFS is pretty rough looking stuff. I'm thinking the Botias might not like it do you have any botias with your fluorite?


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## smokaah (Nov 30, 2011)

No I do not. Its not particularly rough in my opinion. I have Fluval substrate in my nano. That is little round pebbles also works well.


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## WendyRob (Feb 9, 2012)

Do you have a favorite online place to purchase this Fluval substrate from? I found a vendor, and in the pic the particle size looks kind of large, about 1/2 the size of pea gravel. Would you say this is accurate?


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## IWANNAGOFAST (Jan 14, 2008)

flourite doesnt have nutrients persay...

you could try azoo plant substrate, no ammonia spike there.


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## WendyRob (Feb 9, 2012)

I found the Azoo substrate @ marinedepot.com, do you use this? About how large would you say the particle size is? Do you use root tabs with it? Thank you for the suggestion


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## aweeby (Oct 1, 2011)

I have the regular aquaticplants.com substrate. Its fine on my botias and otos, so my guess is that the smoother one is also fine. Grain size is about 3-6 mm and is in little chips. I can grow pretty much anything I want, but it is inert, so it was a little rough on the heavy rooters in the beginning. I prefer unbaked clay, just got some akadama and it's doing very well so far.


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## WendyRob (Feb 9, 2012)

Thank you for chiming in. I read that my Botia Histroinica likes to burrow in the substrate at times so I'd like to give them the best possible burrowing ground while caring for my plants' needs. Do you use the root tablets from aquariumplants.com with thier substrate? I also want to attach some java & bolbitus fern & anubias nana to the driftwood, but was wondering about feeding these plants if I'm root tabbing the tank?


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