Help !!

[gunny bedford]

Hi
New to Forum, and returning back to fish keeping after a 5 year siesta !

Ive ordered a Evolution Aqua Ea 900 dimensions 90 (L) x 50 (W) x 70 (H) cm capacity 249 liters.
My first issue is substrate, i would like to do a scape similar to this one;

in this he used 3 x 9L bags of tropica powder soil which according to Aquarium Gardens would come to £114 ! yikes !!
So my first question is how can i get similar result but cheaper ! i would like a black substrate, and intend to put plenty of plants in, is there a similar product that i could use as base and then top of with cheaper substrate (still black)
Ive done a fair bit of research, and all the substrates seem pretty expensive and similar, but i wonder if there is one that would particularly suit being a base layer, topped with gravel or similar ? if used as a base layer how deep should that be ?
thanks
Neil

 

[Siege]

You could use Jbl volcanoe underneath but saving is not great. Very little point unless you want to go super deep with it.

I think George used standard soil, not powder, so that will be cheaper.

Look at 3 X bags of ProbiBio soil. Excellent soil and cheaper still at c.£32 per pag.

Either way. Decent soil does come at a cost I’m afraid.

 

[alto]

Actually George mentions Powder in the video so I’d guess that’s what was used (or maybe I need to list again )

Have you watched George’s Scaper Sunday Substrate video? that will give you some idea and the pros/cons of different substrates


If you layer substrates, they usually won’t be as long lasting - some mixing is inevitable should you move plants/hardscape (at all), and obviously is a major consideration if doing a complete rescape


I’ve been doing this for almost 20 years now - and many substrates later - Tropica Soil is the best
I prefer the Powder as grain size does impact carpet density and root growth, it’s also “easier” from a beginner standpoint ... the more uniform packing means plants “hold” better initially, though this is really only significant with 1-2-Grow (which I prefer ... loads more stems per cup compared to potted plants)

You might also price out using a nutrient dense layer (such as Tropica Growth Substrate) topped with an inert 1-3mm smooth granule sand (that does not pack densely, some do, some don’t, so definitely test before committing the whole tank)
Regardless of which sand, it should not be banked as steeply as you will see in tanks using Aquarium Soils

If you do want a deep bank (eg, 25+cm vs 10-15cm), then using a larger grain size Aquarium Soil (not Powder) or substarte similar to ADA Power Sand, topped with Powder provides the best “flow” re water movement, oxygenation etc

The most suitable substrate depends on your goals
No substrate lasts forever (massive plant growth will deplete any substrate over time ... enter root tabs which can be layered in the beginning or added later)
All substrates are designed to be used in conjunction with water column dosing
3yr old Tropica AS Powder looks much the same as new (which can’t be said of many Aquarium Soils)
Choosing a substrate with a high cation exchange index means it will stay “charged” much longer/more efficiently than any sand etc
If you have very soft water, an Aquarium Soil product makes everything so much simpler

A high power tank means you need to invest in suitable substrates, fertilizers, lights, CO2, filtration

A lovely “slow growth” tank can be had for much lower investment BUT it will take several months to develop rather than several weeks, and suitable plant choice is more important

 

[Simon Cole]

is there a similar product that i could use as base and then top of with cheaper substrate (still black)

Hi Neil,
I have used black basalt (1-3 mm diameter) for just that purpose. It was £23 for 20kg with delivery included, on Ebay.