going back to tropical and plants

[cdelly]

So, after 10 years of marine, I've decided to go back to where i started(at the tender age of 13).

Back then it was under-gravel filtration and apparently plants didn't like it, i managed to get quite a few to grow back then. Mind you not a lot to choose from and that's if they weren't household plants

I have grown plants in gravel, then sand and also dug up the front garden and put some of that in there

Would normally have community fish in there.

Water change once or twice a month, rip out hands full of plants.

Going to start with a low tech. probably around 50l tank.

Now the questions

What is the best sand to use? It was mainly playsand, after running a magnet through it and rinsing it. This was ok but tended to compact and release the lovely smelly gases

I have a RO unit from my marine kit, that I'm keeping. What do you use to re-mineral this water? The only thing i can remember was available was black water and that was for discus.

Thanks

 

[Simon Cole]

Sand: My favourites are the Hugo Kamishi Natural Quartz Sand (white with tones of grey and beige) and Swell Limpopo Black Sand (black with lovely tonal variation), the latter is slightly lighter, and is less rounded or spherical. Both look very natural to me.

 

[Zeus.]

You may not benefit from using RO water esp if your supply is soft water. But if your water is very hard mixing 50:50 tap RO water may be a good ideal as plants generaly like soft water, choice of ferts eg Fe is easy.
Then reduces the cost of remineralsing.
So depends on your tap water, you should be able to download a water report from your suppiler.

 

[Edvet]

Not sure if you can get some from local waters, but i would go for some riversand ( slightly rounded, varying in size).
Do without the RO for starters and look for plants from the "easy"section from Tropica. Start with lowish light and a filter ( could get a cannister or an intank filter).
Do large waterchanges in the start ( 50% weekly, hence the regular tapwater) and see if you can get things growing.
Don't forget to fertilise ( look for EI method, you can go lower in lower light), look for Darrel's "duckweed index"

 

[cdelly]

Thanks for replies

Dont think the rivers around here would be suitable. Used to go to DIY stores and buy different size gravel to get riverbed look

Water quality is showing as slightly hard quality

Do like the look of the sands, so much better than Argos playsand lol

 

[Tim Harrison]

Are you using the sand as a cap over soil, or just sand? I'd always recommend the former.
Either way pool filter sand is a good option, 25kgs for £20.00 inc delivery off eBay, very natural looking and a decent grain size.

 

[cdelly]

going to just use the sand for a beach rather than capping the soil. wanting some sand for any bottom feeding fish i may get, Cory's etc.

Love the look of that tank, what size is it?

 

[Tim Harrison]

Thanks, it's a 30cm cube.

 

[cdelly]

Have you upgraded the lights at all???

What plants you looking at having in there?

 

[Tim Harrison]

It's a pic from an old journal, Nano Nature Scape, so it's been done and dusted for a while now.
I didn't upgrade the light, I think it's a compact fluorescent. I can pretty much grow anything with it and I like the colour rendition.

 

[cdelly]

cool will check it out

 

[cdelly]

so been shopping and got a few pieces, the tank and wood from LFS

the soil etc are from aquarium gardens uk, excellent and fast service

 

[cdelly]

Had a bit of a play, lid will be going and tank will be open topped. getting net so cats are not going fishing

also ordered 2 cheap hob led lights