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Opinions for new scape.

Which do you recommend?

  • Dennerle nutribase + dennerle soil.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Tropica growth substrate + tropica soil

    Votes: 4 100.0%
  • Power sand S + ADA Amazonia

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    4
I’ve no access to Dennerle but either ADA or Tropica are equally good, just different
Follow the recommended protocols for either methodology for best/most consistent results

You don’t need Power Sand or Tropica GS unless tank is super high powered or you want a long term scape (greater than 1 year)
Any layering means more mess if you like to move plants about/replace or adjust hardscape

Given you’re young and likely have house moves ahead and may wish to “practise” scapes, I’d keep it simpler - and less expensive

Water column fertilizers will support and extend soil lifetime

I’ve recently replaced my older Tropica Soil and the increase in leaf growth and root growth and plant density is noticeable ... I tend to limit water column nutrients (re fish preferences) AND my tap water is extremely soft, it’s possible if you follow EI methods, aquarium soils will have a longer “high power” lifespan
 
Thank you for your response.
You're very right about possible moves although I'd be setting up a nano tank so I could move it...
I also think long term is best due to costs of re-scaping.

Cheers
 
Yeah I have seen it used many times with gravel.
Just wanting to know what other people use.
Cheers
 
GS is perfectly manageable beneath Aquarium soil as well - I moved away from it as the S vaillanti were reactive to any increased organics in the water column (released by plant etc moves) - at least that was my assumption as there were minimal measurable nitrates, zero nitrItes and ammonia detected
With GS underneath it would take a few days of large water changes, before fish activity was back to usual
With just the Tropica Powder, fish would return to usual activity the same day

The GS forms a rather compact “mud” layer against the glass, but the uppermost layer is much more mobile releasing that “cloud” effect of fines when the substrate is disturbed

I used it initially as local tap water is extremely soft so it makes good sense to employ an extra nutrient layer for plants ... but then I also found myself wanting to rescape more frequently ;)
 
I'm late but thought I'd share the conversation I had with Tropica customer support a year ago- I asked them about using plant growth substrate under aquarium soil and they said it can be done but it's pointless and it would have no benefits over using just tropica aquarium soil. So I think it's not exactly like the ADA substrate system, in which each product supplements the others. Tropica plant growth substrate is only meant to be used under inert gravel.
 
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