# Capping.



## AdAndrews (24 Jan 2010)

Whats the minimum and maximum substrate you would use under the inert sand/gravel? and how much inert substrate would you add on top?

cheers


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## Steve Smith (24 Jan 2010)

It will depend on what plants you are growing really.  If you think about it, Crypts have rampant root growth, where as something like HC has fairly shallow roots.  I would say a few centimetres should be fine for most plants (shallower for carpeting plants).


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## AdAndrews (24 Jan 2010)

ok, well, here is what im thinking about doing(as i have left overs of certain substrates)

1cm tropica substrate
then 2cm of oli knotts nature soil

capped with black gravel(just less than pea size)

and plants:

crypts
rotala
p.helferi
e.tennellus.

what do you rekon?
and is it good practice to sprinke a bit of dry powders down with the tropica?


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## Nick16 (24 Jan 2010)

have you though about getitng something like osmocote? 
it has good NPK, and is pretty cheap. i always use a sprinkling of that in all my tanks. 

your amounts should be fine mate, got somethng planned


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## AdAndrews (24 Jan 2010)

no, never heard of osmocote, what is it

like a composty type thing for gardening


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## dw1305 (25 Jan 2010)

*Re: Capping Osmocote*

Osmocote is a controlled release fertiliser designed for use with container plants. It comes in a range of sizes and formulations, but the basic idea is the resin coat slows the dissolution of the fertiliser elements into the tank/soil water.
<http://www.scottsprofessional.com/en/controlled-release-fertilizers.html>.

I've used it and as suggested it it is very good in tanks and relatively cheap.

cheers Darrel


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## AdAndrews (25 Jan 2010)

awesome, but would i need this if i already had tropica substrate and oli knotts??


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## Jase (25 Jan 2010)

I would suggest you don't need all three Ad. Tropica substrate is clay based, as is Oli Knott's NS so you shouldn't have problems 'holding' your ferts. 

I've found the Tropica stuff to be great but be aware that it expands and will creep up the glass if you put it too close so set it back an inch or so from the glass when you put it in


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## AdAndrews (25 Jan 2010)

ok, im only using all three becuase ive only got limited ammounts of each you see, will do with the tropica, thanks for the advice

i'll just go with my tropica and oli knotts capped with gravel then, thanks


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## Jase (25 Jan 2010)

I meant all three being the Osmocote as well as the Tropica and Nature Soil.

Also, perhaps consider keeping the NS separate from the gravel, will benefit should you uproot anything. If it CAN mix it WILL mix


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## AdAndrews (25 Jan 2010)

Changed my mind  

Im not going to use the tropica(theres no point for the sake of about Â£2 wastage, its horrible stuff)

so im going to use my oli knotts, i have about 2l of this, i want to do things lower costs, so how about buying Colombo Flora Base - Black 5l, this combined, roughly 7l

and then mix that with my black gravel, probably wont look too pretty, but its all gonna be covered, 

what do you rekon?


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## AdAndrews (25 Jan 2010)

or shall i just put my 2l of oli knotts down, and put gravel on top, simply and cheaply? will that be enough nutrients for the plants?

I was also considering putting some dry ferts down with the substrate..? a scattering of my macro mix, aswell as the mono KP and the PN cant do any harm can it?


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