# What makes a substrate good for plants?



## Jaap (3 Oct 2011)

Hello,

sorry if this sounds stupid but I was thinking what makes a good substrate good? Apart from being NPK or nutrient rich, which again if you dose via water column it might be unecessary, what makes a substrate good for a heavily planted tank? e.g not being porous, getting packed after some time, lack of oxygenation due to compact feature of substre....I don't really know but I am throughing ideas out there!!!   

Thanks


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## hotweldfire (3 Oct 2011)

High CEC I guess. Being able to absorb nutrients from the water column and provide to plan roots.


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## Jim (4 Oct 2011)

Plain and simply an anchor for the root system.


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## nayr88 (4 Oct 2011)

Jim said:
			
		

> Plain and simply an anchor for the root system.



2nd that


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