# Best substrate/soil or combo?



## MrAqua (18 May 2016)

Hi,
Im in the process of setting up a new tank, 240 L. It will be a heavily planted tank, mostly of the easy&medium category (tropica scale). Ligthtning will be 2 t5. Will be using a external filter, aiming for an eheim or fluval. No co2 at start but will dose with liquid carbon and PMDD. The water is quite soft, 3 on the german scale.

What type of soil or substrate would you recommend?

Cheers


----------



## Paulo Soares (18 May 2016)

Good afternoon, 

Tropica Plant Growth Substrate plus Tropica Soil plus Tropica Powder (this last one as an optional if you like) 

Using also Tropica Specialized fertilization or Vimi. 

You will be recomended to other substrates but i´m talking from my experience. I also had used ADA but as you might know this kind of substrate works quite diferently from others on what nutrients is concern. ADA is a bit hard and different and requires more knowledge. ADA works by limitation of PO4 and kind of oblige you to use their fertilization method wich is very expensive. 

You may be earing people using ADA substrates along with "EI" fertilization and that it works well. Or even Tropica Soil along with "EI" method. In Tropica is very simply to use or ad "EI" method. On ADA i don´t think the same way.

There are of course quite a lot of other substrates on the market at cheaper prices but in most cases the cheaper the choice the expensive in return.. 
I just don´t recomend Specially the JBL Manado. For a heavily planted tank you can´t produce a layout or even attach roots plants so well in the substrate cause this Manado is to light.

I believe Tropica is the best choice of the market. But don´t go along with this brand without the fertil Substrate Growth. It is very important although many people claim otherwise. Many people only use Tropica Soil. I do not recomend to do this. 

If Tropica will be your choice, aply both Growth and Soil Substrate. In time you will be able to revitalize the Growth Substrate and plants are radicular roots. 

This is my opinion. 

BIg HUg.


----------



## rebel (18 May 2016)

What's your budget?

Do you guys have black earth over there? In OZ, this is becoming more popular as there is less leeching at the beginning.


----------



## alto (18 May 2016)

As rebel mentions, budget is an important factor ...

Putting that aside, after using Seachem Flourite (red, black, dark & sand), Carib Sea EcoComplete, ADA system, I'm with Paulo - Tropica produces an outstanding product
I use Growth Substrate + Powder Soil (prefer the texture/look over the larger grain, though if you were planning any 20+ cm "banks" I'd use mostly the larger grain for these areas)
After 18mo use, I don't notice any breakdown in the Tropica Powder.
Unlike ADA Soil, there is no significant release of ammonia upon start up - important if you want to add livestock immediately or change out substrate in an existing tank.

(Also used Sera FloreDepot & various fine gravels/coarse sands - rather liked some of these but that company/product seems to have disappeared)


----------



## MrAqua (18 May 2016)

Paulo Soares said:


> Good afternoon,
> 
> Tropica Plant Growth Substrate plus Tropica Soil plus Tropica Powder (this last one as an optional if you like)
> 
> ...



Hi Paulo and thanks for your reply. Tropica seems to be a popular choice among 'scapers. I will take your advice under consideration. 




rebel said:


> What's your budget?
> 
> Do you guys have black earth over there? In OZ, this is becoming more popular as there is less leeching at the beginning.



My budget is quite good, since I put away some funds every month. "The 240-project" (my nickname for it) is a long term project ending this autumn 

I never heard of it so i googled it. It seems that there are a few retailers in Europe who has it stocked. Is it so remarkable as the producer says? Im skeptic at heart lol 



alto said:


> As rebel mentions, budget is an important factor ...
> 
> Putting that aside, after using Seachem Flourite (red, black, dark & sand), Carib Sea EcoComplete, ADA system, I'm with Paulo - Tropica produces an outstanding product
> I use Growth Substrate + Powder Soil (prefer the texture/look over the larger grain, though if you were planning any 20+ cm "banks" I'd use mostly the larger grain for these areas)
> ...



Thanks for the reply alto.

Would you recommend having the the 2 layers of tropica topped with sand? I.e creating a 3rd layer of substrate..

Cheers


----------



## alto (18 May 2016)

In general anything with smaller grain size will tend to move towards the (tank) bottom so while you can layer sand over Tropica Soil, I can't imagine any upkeep that would retain the finer particle on top.
You could place a fine mesh between the layers but for the plants that would rather defeat the purpose of the soil (some plants seem to prefer rooting in soil).
If you want sand as the upper layer, just use Tropica Growth Substrate layered beneath - Tropica site has many inspiration tanks (& videos) done in this way.     

(I had set up a tank with a sand area, the cory's & shrimp happily carried soil to sand & eventually I decided to remove the sand zone, I missed a good few bits of sand that quickly vanished beneath the Tropica soil.)


----------



## rebel (19 May 2016)

We don't have easy access to tropica stuff here. Sounds like a good choice.

Black is earth is the same as ADA. Tends to breakdown slightly less but it depends on your tinkering tendencies.


----------

