# on a budget for substrate in a planted tank



## EdwardN (Nov 7, 2008)

rummynoseneon said:


> only got about $40.
> 29 gallon tank.
> heard people use turface, pfs, potting soil, and peat. any suggestions?


Buy Turface and you will still have over $20 left for plants...


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## rummynoseneon (Jun 2, 2010)

how many pounds of it would i need? and is it sold at john deere?


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## EntoCraig (Jun 7, 2010)

rummynoseneon said:


> how many pounds of it would i need? and is it sold at john deere?


A lot of people dock it but I have been using Flourite (red) by seachem.
Its 20 bucks a bag so you will be one bag short, but maybe you can mix it with another gravel you have? All my tanks have this in it except for one.


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## rummynoseneon (Jun 2, 2010)

if i had too resort to a substrate like flourite i can get eco at petco for 20 bucks a 20lb bag.


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## EntoCraig (Jun 7, 2010)

rummynoseneon said:


> if i had too resort to a substrate like flourite i can get eco at petco for 20 bucks a 20lb bag.


You know, I used Eco in one tank and didn't notice much of a difference...
But yeah there are some cheap options like that. 

OR you could mow someones lawn and get the extra few buck you need to get the substrate you are eye-balling.

Good luck, hope you can find what you need.


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## VadimShevchuk (Sep 19, 2009)

IMO eco looks alot better then flourite. I have 60lbs of eco complete in my 37 and another bag wouldnt hurt.


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## rummynoseneon (Jun 2, 2010)

thanks everyone. decided to go with the eco-complete


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## VadimShevchuk (Sep 19, 2009)

good choice. I would spend another 50 bucks and get amazonia 1. Great subtrate and it lowers ph.


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

Turface is great for budget aquariums One bag would do several 29 gallon tanks. I got one bag for 125 gallon (6' x 18"). Another bag did a lot of smaller tanks. (Actually I used Soil Master Select, but they are about the same)


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## EntoCraig (Jun 7, 2010)

Diana said:


> Turface is great for budget aquariums One bag would do several 29 gallon tanks. I got one bag for 125 gallon (6' x 18"). Another bag did a lot of smaller tanks. (Actually I used Soil Master Select, but they are about the same)


Could you provide a link for those of us who have no idea what 'Turface' is?


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## g33tar (Jan 8, 2010)

I got this stuff called "Black Diamond" which is sand blasting material...basically black sand. I got a 50lb bag of it at Tractor Supply Co. for 7$. Everything in the tank is doing well. The only thing ive heard is that its not good for corys.


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## Craigthor (Sep 9, 2007)

EntoCraig said:


> Could you provide a link for those of us who have no idea what 'Turface' is?


Google! That our use the forums search function as there are pictures in several thread what it looks like. roud:


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## EntoCraig (Jun 7, 2010)

Craigthor said:


> Google! That our use the forums search function as there are pictures in several thread what it looks like. roud:


Oh I did, I use google for everything, but googles results for Turface are Athletic shoes... I will search the forum though. I am new to the forum...


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## Craigthor (Sep 9, 2007)

EntoCraig said:


> Oh I did, I use google for everything, but googles results for Turface are Athletic shoes... I will search the forum though. I am new to the forum...


I know there are pictures of Turface in my journal...


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## Nymsley (Mar 24, 2009)

EntoCraig said:


> Oh I did, I use google for everything, but googles results for Turface are Athletic shoes...


Just have to be more specific:
http://www.google.com/search?q=turf...s=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a


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## TeamTeal (Mar 31, 2010)

Turface


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## EntoCraig (Jun 7, 2010)

Nymsley said:


> Just have to be more specific:
> http://www.google.com/search?q=turf...s=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a


Thanks everyone, I am a little lazy sometimes :hihi:


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## Kathyy (Feb 22, 2010)

I found Schultz Aquatic Soil at Walmart for something like $4 a bag 10 years ago. It is about $10 a bag now. I believe I started with 75 pounds of substrate, 20 of which was gravel so 4-5 bags of SAS in 10 square feet of tank bottom. My current tanks is 7.5 square feet and the substrate is still over 4" deep in the back after stealing enough for 2 ten gallon tanks and a couple quarts for other uses. I am not crazy about the color and it is lightweight so planting technique and patience is required but it does come in smaller bags so you won't have it laying around making you NEED to set up another tank!


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

Schultz Aquatic Soil is basically turface in an expensive bag.


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## Kathyy (Feb 22, 2010)

Yep. How large a bag of Turface do you have to buy though? Sure would be nice to have a choice of color though.


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## OverStocked (May 26, 2007)

EntoCraig said:


> Oh I did, I use google for everything, but googles results for Turface are Athletic shoes... I will search the forum though. I am new to the forum...


http://www.turface.com/

It is used for baseball fields.


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## Craigthor (Sep 9, 2007)

Kathyy said:


> Yep. How large a bag of Turface do you have to buy though? Sure would be nice to have a choice of color though.


Turface comes in 50# bags. I paid $9.80 each for mine and locally I can get Natural, Charcoal, Red. The Red is a bad choice for aquariums as the red dye they use washes off.

Craig


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## WhiskeyD (May 10, 2009)

I like pool filter sand. It's inert so you will have to add root tabs and/or dose the water column but otherwise its great! Its $7.99 for a 50# bag at a local pool supply store here.


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## aaronbrown (Apr 13, 2010)

i use black diamond sand blasting media it works good just got to really rinse it out but its only 7.99 for 50 pounds


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