# Overwhelmed by Substrate Options



## minorhero (Mar 28, 2019)

I've done dirt, sand, and aquasoil substrates plus combinations. A bag of aquasoil sufficient to put down .5 to 1 inch of substrate on a 20 gallon will run you less then 30 dollars. Cap that with a bag pool filter sand (50 lbs will run you about 15 dollars and is sufficient to cover that tank like... 20 times? so yea a good amount). If you put down around 1" to 2" pool filter sand minimum and you are good to go. Super easy, reasonably cheap, aesthetically looking nice, and is by far the easiest substrate type (sand) to plant into. I've done this on 2 tanks now and I think its great for easy startup. 

Aquasoil and dirt tanks are essentially the same except 1) aquasoil doesn't make a giant mess if it gets into the water column, 2) aquasoil costs more pound for pound then dirt, 3) aquasoil allows you to build banks/hills and valleys whereas dirt really does not, and 4) you can make aquasoil as deep as you want if you don't mind spending the money whereas dirt you are limited to only about 1" depth. 

Diana Walstad's main proponent of using dirt over aquasoil is that dirt is cheaper. But a bag of dirt will cost you around 7 dollars. A bag of aquasoil costs around 20-30 dollars. The dirt you can do lots of tanks whereas for the money the aquasoil you get substantially smaller amount. BUT, for a cost difference of like 13 to 23 dollars..... your tank is SOOOO much cleaner, easier to maintain, and just as healthy growing as a dirt tank... so yea.. I don't begrudge the money difference. If you were scaping 50 tanks on a razor thin budget... well dirt has a lot going for it then monetarily. But 1 tank.... why not go for it?

As for which type of aquasoil.. well they are all about the same. Fluval stratum, ADA amazonia, UNS controlsoil. Brightwell.. they are all good options.


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## Blue Ridge Reef (Feb 10, 2008)

I keep a few tanks with different substrates and they have their pros and cons. But for purposes of removing the most variables and having the most straightforward route to success, I'd just go with inert*. The vast majority of plants kept in the hobby can be fertilized from the water column. 

*Inert refers to anything that doesn't alter water parameters, such as Eco Complete, Flourite, sand or plain ol' aquarium gravel.


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## Immortal1 (Feb 18, 2015)

Blue Ridge Reef said:


> I keep a few tanks with different substrates and they have their pros and cons. But for purposes of removing the most variables and having the most straightforward route to success, I'd just go with inert*. The vast majority of plants kept in the hobby can be fertilized from the water column.
> 
> *Inert refers to anything that doesn't alter water parameters, such as Eco Complete, Flourite, sand or plain ol' aquarium gravel.



I guess to add to this a little bit with regards to inert substrates. If you decide to go this route, they all pretty much do the same thing for the plants. The rest would be up to your personal preferences. Many like the solid black of blasting sand. It is also fairly dense and holds the plants well. I have been using Eco Complete for years - it works, once you get used to it. Not as easy to plant in (it is lighter than the blasting sand). Aquarium gravel has some drawbacks in my experience - tends to be rather large grained which makes planting small plants a problem. Fine white aquarium sand looks very nice... for awhile.


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## WaterWelder (Mar 31, 2020)

minorhero said:


> Aquasoil and dirt tanks are essentially the same except 1) aquasoil doesn't make a giant mess if it gets into the water column, 2) aquasoil costs more pound for pound then dirt, 3) aquasoil allows you to build banks/hills and valleys whereas dirt really does not, and 4) you can make aquasoil as deep as you want if you don't mind spending the money whereas dirt you are limited to only about 1" depth.


This is terrific, thank you! I plan on doing some aquascaping with hills and things so I might go with an aquasoil base layer and black sand on top.


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## Sb1991 (Apr 2, 2020)

Immortal1 said:


> Blue Ridge Reef said:
> 
> 
> > I keep a few tanks with different substrates and they have their pros and cons. But for purposes of removing the most variables and having the most straightforward route to success, I'd just go with inert*. The vast majority of plants kept in the hobby can be fertilized from the water column.
> ...


Eco complete is horrible to plant in, especially with a tank full of hardscape and water... id least leave water out at first next time and then fill the water, also would allow you to put any root tabs in ahead of time for root feeders...


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## Blue Ridge Reef (Feb 10, 2008)

Sb1991 said:


> Eco complete is horrible to plant in, especially with a tank full of hardscape and water....


Compared to what? I have my qualms with EC, mostly being that Caribsea makes claims about its makeup being available as nutrients -and the price point for what it is. But I find it fine to plant in. Good substrate size, heavy enough to hold new plants in, yet light enough to get them in there. And unlike its closest competitor, it doesn't require hours of rinsing. EC gets a lot of online hate and I really don't get it.


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## EdWiser (Jul 14, 2015)

My take on soil is that if you can use Aquasoil or Tropica soil. I want to have a successful aquarium with out much trouble. The soil in the tank is the base in which your plants will grow. A strong foundation with give you a stable stage to grow your plants.


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## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

What level of plants do you want? I find plenty of success with going simple and not sweating the tough stuff. So in swapping/trading around, I wound up with used Flourite and added sand, gravel and dirt as the mood struck and things changed. after a while I stopped worry about what to plant in and just went with whatever had come up and gotten mixed in in all the shuffle I do. None seem to be the restrive problem I thought and none seem to do any better than another. Perhaps if I wanted to do a stellar setup or aomething fussy, I might look for better but that doesn't seem to fit for a college tank that is not likely to last all that long to be worth waiting long for the sub to get ready. College folks need to strike while the iron is hot, not wait six months or so? 
Pool filter sand and dry ferts to go for it? Some live, some die and I find something that works better but at the end of the day, I'm relieved not to be sweating over the small stuff!


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## fishguy1978 (Mar 20, 2020)

I use organic potting soil from one of the large home improvement stores. I add about one inch or so of soil and cover with inert sand/gravel with a piece of fiberglass screen in between. The screen helps keep the dirt and gravel from mixing and keeps my loaches from digging down into the soil. Now, with the screen there is no moving plants once they are established. I have attached pics of my 29g planted shrimp. Initial and several months progress.


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## Sb1991 (Apr 2, 2020)

Blue Ridge Reef said:


> Sb1991 said:
> 
> 
> > Eco complete is horrible to plant in, especially with a tank full of hardscape and water....
> ...


I wont say its a bad product overall, i personally had a hell of a time keeping my plants from floating out as soon as i pushed them in. Im very new though so my technique is probly lacking


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## Blue Ridge Reef (Feb 10, 2008)

Fair enough. Flourite hit the market after I had been using only sand and aquarium gravel for some time and then I thought it was fantastic. Then Eco Complete came out and it was Flourite that didn't take a week to rinse, so even better. As time has gone on, I've cooled on it but still feel like it's about as good as anything inert out there. If it's any help, plant them deeper than you want and pull the plant up afterwards is pretty much the only "trick" I have. Easier done when you have a handful of rooted plants than when you have 45 micro swords, obviously.


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## Asteroid (Jul 26, 2018)

Blue Ridge Reef said:


> ...If it's any help, plant them deeper than you want and pull the plant up afterwards is pretty much the only "trick" I have...


Yep, that's exactly how you do it if your having trouble. When you push them down further and then pull up slightly the substrate falls in and around the base of the stem and holds it. Tweezers are mandatory.


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## Nubster (Aug 9, 2011)

After much back and forth I decided on and just ordered 18L of Tropica soil for my new tank. I was debating a dirted tank. And I might still try one on a small tank. I have a 7g cube I want to setup soon and I'll probably give it a go with that tank. My new 32g tank...I didn't want to "experiment" with it. I just want something I know will work. I may have just went inert because I have a bunch of eco-complete from other tanks in the past...but I want cories in this tank and eco doesn't play well with cories from what I read...too abrasive to their barbs.

And just BTW...I've used Eco-complete for years and have always had pretty good success with it.


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## GrampsGrunge (Jun 18, 2012)

Building supply places like sand and gravel sellers have 'washed river sand' and a unique fine gravel for chicken gizzard stones, called Chicken grit or Turkey grit I've used igneous sourced Turkey Grit for years and still have two, 5 gallon containers of the stuff. Works great with heated element substrates and laterite.


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## WaterWelder (Mar 31, 2020)

Thank you all for your input! This is why I love this forum. :smile2:



Nubster said:


> After much back and forth I decided on and just ordered 18L of Tropica soil for my new tank. I was debating a dirted tank. And I might still try one on a small tank.


I had a dirted tank several years ago and MAN did those anaerobic pockets take off. I just don't have the time for that sort of maintenance at present. It was a great experience and I'll probably make a full hobby out of dirted tanks if I ever go back to dirt.



PlantedRich said:


> What level of plants do you want? I find plenty of success with going simple and not sweating the tough stuff. ... Perhaps if I wanted to do a stellar setup or aomething fussy, I might look for better but that doesn't seem to fit for a college tank that is not likely to last all that long to be worth waiting long for the sub to get ready. College folks need to strike while the iron is hot, not wait six months or so?
> Pool filter sand and dry ferts to go for it? Some live, some die and I find something that works better but at the end of the day, I'm relieved not to be sweating over the small stuff!


I decided to go with the Fluval Stratum capped with rinsed pool filter sand. I also picked up some flagstone from my local quarry that never treats their stone. I've got it in some test water and salt water to check for chemistry changes and rust. So far so good. You're right about just going with ferts and simple substrate I think. Especially seeing how I'll be moving in a couple years. Makes the tank easy to break down and move on with life.


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## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

Yes, at times it gets easy to forget we run the tank, not the tank runs us!


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## sudhirr (Apr 12, 2019)

Happy that you went with Fluval Stratum. Will not disappoint for sure. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## WaterWelder (Mar 31, 2020)

PlantedRich said:


> Yes, at times it gets easy to forget we run the tank, not the tank runs us!


Wiser words have never been spoken. Thank you sensei.



sudhirr said:


> Happy that you went with Fluval Stratum. Will not disappoint for sure.


I'm excited for it. Still considering using sand only underneath my flagstone since those areas don't need the benefit of the fancy substrate.

The stand comes in on Monday, and barring some terrible damage via transit, I'll be good to go next week! I'll have to post a picture or two here once the tank gets established.


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## Capsaicin_MFK (Nov 15, 2009)

I wouldn't put sand on top of the Fluval Stratum. I guarantee it will mix and look bad later on. Just stick with the Stratum as you will be able to pull out plants to trim and move around.


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