# Clean substrate



## Gregory Day (24 Apr 2019)

I’m looking for a substrate that doesn’t cloud water when plants are removed. Tank is being used as a grow on.


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## dean (24 Apr 2019)

Gravel 


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## PARAGUAY (24 Apr 2019)

Or butter containers.See Zeus  Pot Scape


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## GHNelson (24 Apr 2019)

Seachem Flourite gravel or sand.







 


hoggie


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## Zeus. (24 Apr 2019)

PARAGUAY said:


> Or butter containers.See Zeus  Pot Scape



The pot scape is a great way to grow the plants IMO Have some with just ceramic rings holding plants down. Take pot out replant put pot back in. Plus if you have a spot in the main tank that hides the 'pot' dead easy to change plants in tank


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## dean (24 Apr 2019)

Doesn’t it depends on how your fertilising the plants 
Dosing the water column then an inert substrate such as gravel will do 
If you want a nutrient rich substrate then it’s going to cost you and long term I’m sure they will loose their nutrients 


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## alto (24 Apr 2019)

dean said:


> long term I’m sure they will loose their nutrients


If dosing the water column why would this be an issue with Aquarium Soils and not gravel 

Most Aquarium Soils are designed with a high CEC - certainly they are far more proficient at this than any of the inert gravels 

For optimum growth, support both plant leaf and root structures ... some plants develop extensive roots systems, some plants focus on leaf structure

Tropica Aquarium Soil is the least clouding nutrient rich substrate I’ve used

Seachem Flourite is the most dusty - perhaps they’ve addressed this issue to some degree, but for years the only answer proffered was that shipping & (subsequent) storage - over which Seachem has no control - was the culprit
Certainly washing/rinsing the product was not particularly effective 
Though I must admit Flourite Red remains one of my favourite color/texture substrates 
(Flourite Black Sand was prone to anaerobic development if more than a few cm’s deep and no sand sifters ... so not a product I’d used if given to plant removal/rescaping in the presence of livestock)

Carib Sea Eco Complete is very “clean” but also similar to Flourite re high CEC but not intrinsically nutrient rich (compared to the shaped/dried Aquarium Soils) ... and the last batch I purchased had a lot of glittery bits - which did subside over some weeks 
(Carib Sea drop-shipped replacement bags so kudos to them on the customer service ... I said it really wasn't necessary, they insisted)


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## Gregory Day (24 Apr 2019)

Thanks


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## dean (25 Apr 2019)

alto said:


> If dosing the water column why would this be an issue with Aquarium Soils and not gravel



That’s what I meant 
If your dosing the water and it’s just a grow out tank why use an expensive soil that makes a mess every time you pull plants out 

It can be inert by have a good Cec such as akadama clay which is also clean 

I’m just a novice when it comes to plants so maybe I’ve missed something 



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## alto (25 Apr 2019)

My experience shows much better (quicker transition to submerse growth, more root development, more vibrant leaf  etc) plant growth in 
Aquarium Soil + water column dosing - especially when using tissue culture plants, and for fine, dense carpet plants 
vs
Inert substrate + water column dosing (even when a nutrient rich layer such as Tropica Growth Substrate or Sera Flore Depot is used beneath fine gravel) 

BUT my tap water is very soft and devoid of almost any nutrients (I also use lower CO2 levels) 

Successful planted tanks have been around much longer than the commercial Aquarium Soils but they really simplify the process, and (in my area) substantially increase success (good plant growth, minimal algae) rate among newcomers to the hobby


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## alto (25 Apr 2019)

dean said:


> why use an expensive soil that makes a mess every time you pull plants out


I can carefully lift plants from Tropica Soil with minimal clouding of the water - of course if I lift every plant in the tank, it’s going to get cloudy, but a couple large water changes will sort it


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