starting new low tech

[jonathanj]

iv just put my wood in my 7ft 2ft 2ft tank and would like to ask whot substrate to use as would like to dose not to heavy and only do 10-20% water change every week or two Would a high nutrient substrate be best like tropica soil with a skimming of silver sand as love that look

also thinking of few wild discus and to move a pair of my altum angels from other tank into this tank
Would these plants be ok with temps around 28c

crypts
anubias
java fern
microsorum pteropus Trident
hygrophila difformis and frogbit for top cover

any other plants you think would look good and go with discus/angels and temps

 

[Lee iley]

Tropical soil is good. But there are a few good ones out there now which more or less do the same job. I use tropical soil I like it.

 

[tam]

I don't think soil with a skim of silver sand will work, it will soon mix together. You could think about where you want the root feeders (just the crypts) and create rock surrounds with tropica soil in the middle and sand in the rest of the tank - look up island aquascapes. It would certainly save you a lot of money to just use it in select areas in a tank that big.

 

[Matt @ ScapeEasy]

Also look up tropical planting substrate (rather than soil) which you could use where required and cap with sand.