# Tropica Plant Substrate



## Coiln3107 (8 Jan 2009)

Hi guys, I am about to put my 260l tank back together after a strip and clean but for the first time as a fully planted tank. I will have bottled (FE) CO2 and high light (4x39w T5 HO plus leds) and will mature the tank after setup for a while before introducing fish. I have 30kg of coral sand from previously and considered a layer of tropica and the the sand before a lot of planted wood, but not a lot off planted substrate, I prefer the wood to be really the feature. Any comments or advice would be appreciated as right now I have a blank canvas on this tank. Thanks in advance Colin.


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## Wilis (9 Jan 2009)

Hi Colin, I wouldn't use the coral sand personally as it's calciferous & will constantly raise the hardness of the water,it's usually used for tanganyikan cichlids & setups like that. You could go for a complete substrate like ada as or ecocomplete, or you could go for tropica substrate, or a few other alternatives, & cap it with sand or a fine gravel. I would also cover the entire base of the tank with the planted substrate as this gives you more options when setting up your tank, you're not guaranteed to get your hardscape right first time so it saves second guessing exactly where your plants are gonna go,also if you decide to change your scape somewhere down the road,again, you're covered. Also something to consider is if you will be dosing the water column & which method you'll be following. 


			
				Coiln3107 said:
			
		

> a lot of planted wood


Sounds good, look forward to seeing it
Hope this helps
Will


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## Ed Seeley (10 Jan 2009)

Jus to add to what Will said you shouldn't even use pure coral sand in a cichlid tank as all their digging and rapid movements put the tiny particles into suspension and the sharp nature can cause them to flick and flash with the irritation.  I used 90% aquarium sand with 10% aragonite sand mixed in to buffer the pH.


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## REDSTEVEO (10 Jan 2009)

Coiln3107 said:
			
		

> Hi guys, I am about to put my 260l tank back together after a strip and clean but for the first time as a fully planted tank. I will have bottled (FE) CO2 and high light (4x39w T5 HO plus leds) and will mature the tank after setup for a while before introducing fish. I have 30kg of coral sand from previously and considered a layer of tropica and the the sand before a lot of planted wood, but not a lot off planted substrate, I prefer the wood to be really the feature. Any comments or advice would be appreciated as right now I have a blank canvas on this tank. Thanks in advance Colin.



Hi,

See my journal "Fallen Wilderness" and the use of Tropica Plant Substrate. I have also made reference to it in the "Substrate" section where there are some other comments you might find helpful.

Cheers and good luck with the tank.

Steve.


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## REDSTEVEO (10 Jan 2009)

Wilis said:
			
		

> Hi Colin, I wouldn't use the coral sand personally as it's calciferous & will constantly raise the hardness of the water,it's usually used for tanganyikan cichlids & setups like that. You could go for a complete substrate like ada as or ecocomplete, or you could go for tropica substrate, or a few other alternatives, & cap it with sand or a fine gravel. I would also cover the entire base of the tank with the planted substrate as this gives you more options when setting up your tank, you're not guaranteed to get your hardscape right first time so it saves second guessing exactly where your plants are gonna go,also if you decide to change your scape somewhere down the road,again, you're covered. Also something to consider is if you will be dosing the water column & which method you'll be following.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Hi,

I'm loving the picture of the discus in the planted tank below this post. Are there any photo's to look at any where on the site?

Cheers.

Steve.


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## Wilis (19 Jan 2009)

Hi Redstevo, 
Yeah he's a beautul fish & my favourite discus, I don't have many pictures I'm afraid but I'll post some when I've set up my new tank
Regards
Will


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