# Pool Sand & Plants ??



## Royal Pleco (Sep 11, 2011)

My Crypts (wendti, Tropica, and Balansae) all thrive in my pool filter sand. I use a root tab with them. My water sprite does pretty good. (root tab too)


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## Aquaticus (Jan 7, 2013)

Dwarf sagittaria does great in sand. Vals would do great. Ditto on crypts. Are you going to do a topsoil base?


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## wade0328 (Jul 10, 2013)

In my 55 gallon when I was planting it with low to high low lighting I used pool filter sand with the plants. I have some anubias, swords, microswords, etc. in there. Just use some root tabs and if you want to dose with some ferts but just a small amount is what I did. Turned out pretty nice.


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## thelub (Jan 4, 2013)

I got a jungle going in my old 55 with only PFS. Lots of 'weeds' were planted, cabomba, hygro polysperma, Limnophila Aquatica, Rotala Indica Rotundrafolia etc etc. 

And like others said you can go with crypts as well.


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## TekWarren (Oct 6, 2013)

I have an assortment of plants in my 40b using pool filter sand. I've yet to use any root tabs and plants are fine dosing EI and DIY yeast co2. Over time the sand should accumulate some nutrients. I have mts snails in my sand to help keep it turned over.


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## THE V (Nov 17, 2011)

I can't think of any lowlight plant that won't work in sand honestly. Except for those that don't like to be in the substrate (anubus, java fern etc.) 

I grow crypts, val's, & swords in sand capped with pea gravel and just water column fert dosing.


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## Aplomado (Feb 20, 2013)

Look into using soil capped with sand...


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## Infidel (Dec 10, 2013)

My Amazon swords are doing great in sand with out tabs; only flourish in the water. They were doing so good I didn't see the need to add tabs. My dwarf grass didn't make it though, even with root tabs added near them to try to save it.


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## j-pond (Dec 18, 2008)

Aquaticus said:


> Dwarf sagittaria does great in sand. Vals would do great. Ditto on crypts. Are you going to do a topsoil base?


I was actually thinking of maybe using this as a base: 
*Eco Complete Planted Black Aquarium Substrate *

but wasn't sure how well it would work, or if I needed it at all. 

Thank you all for your responses, this will help me greatly.


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## roadmaster (Nov 5, 2009)

I have low tech with sand over soil,and all plant's do well except...the anacharis.
This stuff just won't grow for me rooted.
That anacharis which I allow to float on the surface in another tank grow's fine, but effort's at getting it to do much while rooted in substrate, have been dissapointing.


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## Aquaticus (Jan 7, 2013)

I'm sure Ecocomplete works fine, but it is expensive, and I question whether the results on a low tech tank would be any better than just using plain topsoil. A lot of low light plants will benefit from a fertile root zone, and the nice thing about a sand cap is that if you pull them out slowly, the dirt remains in the bottom of the tank and you have nice clean roots if you decide to move a plant or two.


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## j-pond (Dec 18, 2008)

When you say top soil, you mean the completly organic stuff right? is there a particular one I should look for?



Aquaticus said:


> I'm sure Ecocomplete works fine, but it is expensive, and I question whether the results on a low tech tank would be any better than just using plain topsoil. A lot of low light plants will benefit from a fertile root zone, and the nice thing about a sand cap is that if you pull them out slowly, the dirt remains in the bottom of the tank and you have nice clean roots if you decide to move a plant or two.


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## Aqualady (Jan 14, 2013)

+1 on using soil and root tabs....good luck getting it worked out j-pond


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## Aquaticus (Jan 7, 2013)

Personally, I just use the bag marked topsoil here in Wisconsin at Menards, my local big box. It is just plain dirt and costs about $3. I'd put a link to it, but it is out of season here now. I'm sure it would be better to go through the process of mineralizing it, but I'm too impatient for that. I also use it topped with Oil-Dry for planting crypts in pots, which I keep in all of my "fish" tanks.

Some people use the Miracle Grow organic stuff, which seems to work fine, too, but you may need to pick out any bigger pieces. YMMV.


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## tdiggs (May 30, 2013)

Infidel said:


> My Amazon swords are doing great in sand with out tabs; only flourish in the water. They were doing so good I didn't see the need to add tabs. My dwarf grass didn't make it though, even with root tabs added near them to try to save it.


I have Eco-Complete with Root Tabs and dosing Flourish and Excel and my Amazon Swords are just surviving and not thriving. I had them in a dirt setup with no dosing, little water changes (there were no fish in it), and PFS to cap it and they took off.

To the OP. If you go with PFS look into putting a very thin layer of dirt in it. It'll make those plants thrive.


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## j-pond (Dec 18, 2008)

Thank you all for the answers. I'm not sure if it's because I'm a noob or just old, what do the following mean (in the quotes below:
OP
YMMV



tdiggs said:


> I have Eco-Complete with Root Tabs and dosing Flourish and Excel and my Amazon Swords are just surviving and not thriving. I had them in a dirt setup with no dosing, little water changes (there were no fish in it), and PFS to cap it and they took off.
> 
> To the OP. If you go with PFS look into putting a very thin layer of dirt in it. It'll make those plants thrive.





Aquaticus said:


> Personally, I just use the bag marked topsoil here in Wisconsin at Menards, my local big box. It is just plain dirt and costs about $3. I'd put a link to it, but it is out of season here now. I'm sure it would be better to go through the process of mineralizing it, but I'm too impatient for that. I also use it topped with Oil-Dry for planting crypts in pots, which I keep in all of my "fish" tanks.
> 
> Some people use the Miracle Grow organic stuff, which seems to work fine, too, but you may need to pick out any bigger pieces. YMMV.


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## Aquaticus (Jan 7, 2013)

OP = Original Poster
YMMV = Your Mileage May Vary


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## j-pond (Dec 18, 2008)

Slapping myself in the forehead , DUH....thanks.


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## tdiggs (May 30, 2013)

In time j-pond, in time...


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## j-pond (Dec 18, 2008)

Thanks I'll keep trying.


tdiggs said:


> In time j-pond, in time...


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## trini_fella (Jan 24, 2014)

I myself have so many questions that I try to answer by reading. And it seems like the more I read, the more questions i have, lol!! I myself am using pool filter sand as my substrate because atm, i cannot afford Aquasoil, but that seems to be the people's choice on probably the most nutrient-rich substrate. I figure that plants which do not root like Java Moss won't be affected by an inert substrate, so I'm starting from there


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## 1Sarah (Jan 31, 2014)

I use pfs in my 10g low tech. I'm growing hygro poly, crypt wendtii (be sure not to bury the rhyzome), Java moss, wisteria and bacopa. The wisteria and bacopa are more recent additions but they are starting to root and look fine so far. I use compact fluorescents for light and dose ferts daily. Also have some root tabs in there.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk


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## Mirkinator (Jan 13, 2014)

I recently changed from gravel to planted substrate (Floramax) with sand on top. My plants root so much better and look the best they ever have. It is kinda of a pain to keep only sand on top if you have any bigger fish in your tank that like to screw things up (read: Goldfish). Also all my fish seem really happy with it


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## mnemenoi (May 28, 2012)

I use it in my 150 gallon and have dense planting with root tabs and column dosing, plants grow wonderfully (crypts, hygro, stargrass, swords). Straight PFS, nothing underneath. I stir the substrate occasionally and the 12" Fahaka in the tank enjoys sand diving regularly, thus a lower amount would end up mixed and a hot mess. Have about 3" in front deepening a bit in the back. Do have decent lighting and excel dosing.


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## j-pond (Dec 18, 2008)

I think I have decided to get the Flora Max and cap it with PFS. I like the look of the sand on the top. 
So now I have to order it, no one around me has it in stock.


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