# TMC NutraSoil substrate any goood reason not to cap?



## christo (8 Mar 2012)

I have added TMC NutraSoil as my substrate to a dwarf Puffer tank. Once the tank is cycled and ready to add fish i had hoped to top with sand. Do we have any good reason why the tub says not to not top with gravel - im assuming that includes Sand? i understand it might be they just want you to use more substrate. i just wanted to check for sure if it was safe or not.

Cheers Chris


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## George Farmer (8 Mar 2012)

There's no safety reason but from an aesthetic point of view the NutraSoil will gradually work its way above the sand and look unsightly.  This is because sand is a lot denser than the soil. 

If you can put up with the black/brown grains on top of your sand or keep siphoning them off, then you'll have no problems.


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## christo (8 Mar 2012)

Brilliant cheers George, i had just read at some point that Dwarf Puffer prefer sand so wanted to check if i had the option to add it. Thanks for the help


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## George Farmer (8 Mar 2012)

christo said:
			
		

> Brilliant cheers George, i had just read at some point that Dwarf Puffer prefer sand so wanted to check if i had the option to add it. Thanks for the help


Not sure why they'd prefer sand, except maybe to get easier access to any buried snails... In which case the NutraSoil will be just as easy to move around, if not easier.


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## christo (8 Mar 2012)

thanks  , I might just leave the sand out and get some plants on order, whilst i think about it, one last question on this set up and i think you would be well placed to answer. As i have added the TMC to help start of the cycle can i plant now whilst this happens or should i wait?


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## George Farmer (8 Mar 2012)

Plant right away but change plenty of water to avoid algae and test for ammonia and nitrite before adding fish/inverts.


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## Antipofish (9 Mar 2012)

"Plenty" change as mentioned by George above means 50% every other day for the first 2 to 3 weeks, then gradually reducing down.  Im at week 5 and doing 2 x 50% still and will give it another 2 weeks till i reduce down to my final 50% a week hopefully.  Touch wood, apart from a few diatoms, I have had no algae so far  And was able to start adding fish after 16 days.  Remember to add them slowly though. (You probably know this lol).


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## christo (9 Mar 2012)

Right so the TMC has been in since tuesday and i can get the plants delivered for next weekend - will this be ok to wait? i can go out and buy a few from my LFS if needed.  Will it create any issues to add plants after a week or so? I have a load of Riccia floating at the moment just as its got now other tank to be in for the moment.

Might it be easier to add the plants once the cycle has completed? does this create any issues?

Are the water changes to be done once i have planted but before i add the fish? Is this purely to hold off the Algae? As there will be no fish at this stage? these are large water changes in the initial stages rather than the weekly change i would do with my other tanks.

The fish im adding will be 2 or 3 dwarf puffers and will only be added once ammonia and nitrite are zero.  

Thanks again for the help and sorry of the barrage of questions.


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