# Nutrient Rich Substrate that sand can go on top off



## tommyleestaples (9 Jan 2010)

Hi there, is there any nutrient rich soils that I can add sand to as the top layer?


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## AdAndrews (9 Jan 2010)

products such as tropica plant substrate need to be capped with something like sand, although, my experience with tropica substrate was pretty bad, it clouds the water badly if you re-plant or take plants up. This may be minimalised with heavy capping, i had about 2 inches on top of it.


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## tommyleestaples (9 Jan 2010)

I was considering layering. If I put Eco Complete on the bottom with a layer of gravel on top and then fine sand. Would this act as a barrier and stop stand falling through.


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## AdAndrews (9 Jan 2010)

grains of sand will be able to fall through the gaps in the gravel.


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## fourmations (9 Jan 2010)

+1

i tried capping gravel with sand and it worked its way through the gravel
in no time, so any of those gravel size planty  substrates will be the same

flourite sand?

rgds

4


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## karl1987 (10 Jan 2010)

Ive always found JBL AquaBasis to be very good.


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## tommyleestaples (10 Jan 2010)

Mixed opinions I may use a layer of laterite with Flourite Black sand on top then with my lighter sand on top that way it shouldnt seep through the Flourite Sand Substrate.


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## Robert1979b (11 Jan 2010)

Tommy

If i remember rightly Tom Barr wrote an article years ago about using soil (I don't think he used aquatic or pond soil but that may be easier) mixed with sand about 1:1 at the bottom and plane sand on top. With any layered substrate you are going to get problems during maintenance and re-planting. 

Why do you want a layered substrate?

Rob


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## tommyleestaples (12 Jan 2010)

Because I want to use light coloured sand as the substrate.


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## Dave Spencer (12 Jan 2010)

Why not just go for a 100% sand substrate?


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## tommyleestaples (12 Jan 2010)

It wont provide nutrients via the roots.


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## Dave Spencer (12 Jan 2010)

Mine was a slightly loaded question, expecting the answer you gave.

A nutrient rich substrate is not a necessity. Whilst nutrients via the substrate and water column is the most desirable situation, a planted tank with an inert substrate, but adequately nutrient rich water column will still grow plants very successfully. 

If you just chose something like Argos play sand, possibly alongside TPN+ should the water column require dosing, you then end up with the type of look you want with the substrate, and it is cheaper.

Dave.


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## Goodygumdrops (12 Jan 2010)

Damn that about Tropica plant base,I've just ordered a bag!!I've currently got a tank running 100% sand that everything except swords and crypts does well in,I target the roots of these with api root tabs in this tank (Argos playsand).
In my 125,I have a layer of laterite (never clouds when disturbed,I believe this was also API),over which I have eco complete,with a black sand foreground (which is ever so slowly mixing with the eco complete).
I'm about to set up another tank,with the Tropica plant base,pea gravel background and playsand foreground.After my previous experience I'll use a physical barrier to seperate the rear and foregrounds.
On the basis of what was said earlier (I wish I'd known),if you want a nutritious bed that won't cloud to go under your sand,I'd go with laterite.


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