Maq's Substrate Experiment

[_Maq_]

Then go for Tropica

So, folks, tell me, vote: Tropica or ADA?

 

[Andy Pierce]

I use Tropica but either would be interesting.

 

[Krzysztof 82 (Kris)]

I'm using Tropica soil, especially it's below £30 for 9L bag in my area.

 

[_Maq_]

A preliminary draft:

SUBSTRATE:
A - silica sand: 3 liters of clean, carefully washed silica sand, size 1.4-2.0 mm, calculated depth of substrate is 4.25 cm.
B - root tabs: silica sand as in A, plus 30 Osmocote beads beneath.
C - aqua soil: 3 liters of ADA Amazonia Light aqua soil. I opt for the "light" version mainly because this is a low-tech undertaking.
D - custom: silica sand as in A plus an additive suggested by @Simon Cole.
[Note: I'd prefer a bit deeper substrate, ideally 5 cm. However, ADA soil is available only in 3 or 9 liter bags. So I'll take the smaller one. Depending on what depth it'll make in my tank, I'll adjust the others to maintain the same depth of substrate in all of them.]

CYCLING:
A - No cycling.
B - No cycling.
C - I don't know whether I can call it "dry cycling"? I intend to add water only to keep the soil very wet (saturated) but the water surface lower than the uppermost layer of the soil. A sort of bog, marsh, or whatever term is appropriate. Lasting three weeks.
D - The same treatment as in C.

WATER & MINERALIZATION:
RODI water mineralized as follows will be used without any alterations for the whole experiment in all the tanks:

Micronutrients: Yes, I'll dose the micros, too.
Water changes: 50 per cent, weekly.
[Note: I've opted for lean dosing because I want to make the tanks contrasting - A & D lean, B & C rich in nutrients. I want to see what difference it'll make.]

PLANT SPECIES:
Not yet established. I'd like to choose about five rather sensitive species, not easy to introduce, both monocots and dicots, both tissue culture and normal. Suggestions will be welcome...

... as well as your comments, suggestions & questions concerning anything about this experiment.

 

[Andy Pierce]

Great experimental plan.

I might skip the "dry cycling" and just crack on with planting straight away. Do the instructions on the bag of ADA Amazonia Light aqua soil say to do a damp cycle - won't that just leach out the magic goodies? There is also a note on one vendor website saying about ADA Amazonia Light that "this item has been discontinued by ADA and has been replaced with Amazonia Version 2". if you're going to pay top cash for a fancy ADA substrate, I'd go for one the ADA lists currently in its product line-up.

 

[John q]

Hats off for running another experiment @_Maq_

PLANT SPECIES:
Not yet established. I'd like to choose about five rather sensitive species, not easy to introduce, both monocots and dicots, both tissue culture and normal. Suggestions will be welcome...

Apologies if I'm miss reading this but don't you think it would be wise to include some bread and butter "easy" plants in with this experiment? Assuming you are trying to re create what most folks do when starting up a planted tank the firm advice is to include some easy fast growing plants, I think we'd all agree this aids tank stability at start up.

 

[_Maq_]

when starting up a planted tank the firm advice is to include some easy fast growing plants, I think we'd all agree this aids tank stability at start up.

Well, I quite agree with this principle yet, in reality, mostly "forget" to follow. Undemanding plants often grow faster than the others, occupy space. They are rather easy to introduce and as such, a success does not indicate much. But yes, I'll try to move a bit toward "moderately demanding" area.

 

[John q]

.

I want to check behaviour of a "typical" aquasoil compared to sandy substrate, and a sandy substrate with and without "typical" root tabs.

Well, I quite agree with this principle yet, in reality, mostly "forget" to follow. Undemanding plants often grow faster than the others, occupy space. They are rather easy to introduce and as such, a success does not indicate much.

Don't forget your aims of this test. You are testing the substrate not the plants 😘

 

[PARAGUAY]

Three silica sand substrates ,how about one gravel /lava

 

[_Maq_]

Don't forget your aims of this test. You are testing the substrate not the plants

Very well. I'm testing the substrates. But what is the measure of success? I think it's the successful introduction of plants and their growth.

I'm not an admirer of aquasoils. Yet I assume they possess some advantages in the beginning. I don't think it's the abundance of nutrients, though. I believe there are other factors which are decisive for a new tank's success. Aquasoils' benefits rather stem from:
(a) they release CO2, and
(b) they contain clay. I hypothesize that plants' roots "like" the microscopic particles of clay.

At the same time, I fear of negative effects of aquasoils. They contain and release lots of organic compounds. These support proliferation of microbes, and these in turn may harm the plants; either directly attacking, or at least increasing oxygen demand.

For these reasons, I usually go very lean, "sterile" path when establishing new tanks. I don't think plants need much nutrients in this period. What they do need is light, CO2 & oxygen.

I'm curious to know. If I choose "easy" plants, they will likely prosper in all conditions. Perhaps they'll grow faster in richly fertilized tanks. But that's not what I want to know, that's not my focus. My focus are plants which often die-off in new tanks. What is the best substrate to establish such sensitive plants? That is the question.

A word to "dry cycling". Bogs are considered the most productive biotopes in nature. Water, oxygen, and light are abundant. Microbes thrive at oxic-suboxic interface.
I think "dry cycling" is the most effective way to quickly establish microbial community. Sump filters work on similar principle. And water processing-cleaning swamps are often used industrially.
I admit, it's not the typical way aquasoils are treated by hobbyists. Maybe I'd rather go the usual way, i.e. cycling underwater. I haven't made my decision on this question, yet. Suggestions welcome.

how about one gravel /lava

That would be the fifth tank, if I had any...
Yes, porous soils are also popular. They supposedly promote microbial life and keep the substrate better oxygenated. In my opinion, it's a lie. But how to arrange an experiment which could possibly demonstrate the issue? Of that I'm not sure.

 

[_Maq_]

I'm considering the composition of plants to use for this experiment. I think I'll choose five species from the list as follows:
Ammania gracilis Red - tc
Cryptocoryne spiralis Red - pot
Ludwigia glandulosa - pot
Lysimachia nummularia - tc
Pogostemon erectus - pot or Proserpinaca palustris - pot
Rotala macrandra - tc or Rotala wallichii - cuttings
Utricularia graminifolia - tc

Comments & suggestions welcome.

 

[Krzysztof 82 (Kris)]

Utricularia graminifolia is not an easy plant and shouldn't be planned in fresh setups, as it's fragile. Also I think it's not a first choice for most people.

 

[_Maq_]

Utricularia graminifolia is not an easy plant and shouldn't be planned in fresh setups

I'm fully aware of that. In fact, that's why I've chosen it.
This is my first try with this species. It's likely to perish. But what if it survives in some of the tanks? THAT will be something.
This is an experiment. I don't want all species to establish and grow happily. I want to see differences.

Alternatives: Eriocaulon cinereum, Blyxa japonica. Also Elatine hydropiper, but this one is dicotyledon.

 

[Katharine]

I like the idea of using a range of plants with different needs/levels of difficulties. You'll have to decide what your approach is if any of them die - will you remove decaying plant matter? Or for that matter if one starts to take over?

Forgive my beginner question but are any of these floating plants?

 

[_Maq_]

are any of these floating plants?

No. The tanks are small and a powerhead will make the water move. The water will be quite turbulent, not suitable for hosting floating plants.

to decide what your approach is if any of them die - will you remove decaying plant matter?

I'll be removing decaying matter.

if one starts to take over?

No CO2 injection, so the growth is likely to remain slow. Shading is unlikely within, say, two to three months.

 

[Ernesto]

junping in, eagerly waiting for your next report 🙂

 

[_Maq_]

I've been sick (flu or covid? - don't know), that's why a delay. Nevertheless, the dry start is already running. The day Zero - filling the tanks with water & plants - is scheduled for Dec 4th. 🙂

 

[Mat H]

I've been sick (flu or covid? - don't know), that's why a delay. Nevertheless, the dry start is already running. The day Zero - filling the tanks with water & plants - is scheduled for Dec 4th. 🙂

Get well soon @_Maq_ will await updates in due course!

 

[LightingBamboozled]

Hope the virus has abated in time for Day Zero tomorrow Maq cannot wait to see the results of this one.

 

[_Maq_]

I'll disappoint you, I'm afraid - another virus (Herpes) visited me. But the latter is my old faithful, coming irregularly for 30 years already, and I know what to expect.
I expect the Day Zero will happen on Friday, or so. I don't want to place an order on plants before I'm sure I'll be able to do the job.