Which substrate option is best?

[Dominic]

Okay thanks, so should i mix the osmocote and clumping clay with the soil or layer them on top?
if so, what do you think of this-

1st layer- 2cm or so of soil

2nd layer- a scattering of osmocote and clumping cat litter.

3rd layer- Capped with 2-3cm of moler clay

 

[Henry]

I'd put the osmocote and clay on the bottom layer to reduce mess when you uproot stuff. There's no need to overthink it, just make sure the moler clay layer is adequately deep to contain the soil etc.

 

[Tim Harrison]

Sounds unnecessarily complicated to me. Alternatively you could check out the tutorials and in particular the one linked below at the bottom of the post.
There is no reason why you can't get good results with a soil substrate capped with sand or gravel regardless of energy level...and for just a few bucks.
I have with great success and so has Plutonow...Check his tank out here My garden 250l - M.Pluta | UK Aquatic Plant Society.
If you're worried about mess use a gravel tidy or soil retainer between the soil and capping substrate...it's all in the tutorial.

 

[greenink]

It's non-clumping you want! There's a whole thread on the forum about car litter somewhere about a hundred pages long!

 

[chazbaz]

Hi folks, after many years away from fish keeping I have taken the first step and now on order from maidenhead aquatics is there oak wine aquarium vax027 160x45 320 ltr with the heating efx 400 filter 2xt5 lights, the intention being to have a dutch style aquacape community tank.
I am not sure that is correct termanology for a well planted tank but feel sure someone will put me right, could a member please help a confused newbie to the correct substrate for planted tank as I had intended to use jbl aquabasis plus with a topping of jbl sansibar which I have been told is best for the corydoras I intend having, but after reading comments on this forum it seems to be a bad choice as the topping causes substrate to stagnate due to lack of flow.
also use of catty litter mixed into substrate oh nearly forgot osmocote use is this the garden centre additive for house plants etc if so how do you apply it to substrate.
so much to learn so much to mess up so easily.
any members in area of biggin hill /bromley area
many thanks in advance and thank you for taking time to read my first post .

Charlie.