Substrate Recommendations??

[23matt3]

Hey guys!

I currently have a 55 gallon heavily planted tank with 10 Chinese Fire Belly Newts...

Anyways I have been using pool filter sand in it and my plants are not thriving like they used to and in fact dying. I am taking the tank down in the next few days because i am moving and figured this would be the best time to change out substrate.

I am most interested in getting some black substrate as the plants would stick out more and have a vibrant color and the newts would look cool because their bellies would be the most prominent feature in the tank.. Anyways; have been looking around online for any other substrate that would be good for plants and came across the Flourite Black substrate. It has 4.5 stars on every site online and people rave about how well the plants do.

Could anyone vouch that this would work good? Anyone with a heavily planted tank?? or have any other recommendations? I enjoy the sand look but seems like the plants do not prefer it as the roots cannot grab to anything.. My other idea was to go dirted and cap with some other black sand or substrate..

Any thoughts or opinions are welcome!

Thanks and have a great day

 

[joemomma1016]

Dirted tanks are awesome and natural. I have a dirted tropical fish tank and plants are thriving. Obviously the gravel has to be big enough so the newts don't inhale a pebble or two. I actually asked about dirted tanks myself in this link:

http://www.caudata.org/forum/f1173-...neral-discussion/105498-dirted-newt-tank.html

 

[23matt3]

Thanks Joe! What would you recommend as a good cap? I really wanted to do a black substrate. Would the flourite black be ok? Looks like its a clay based substrate

 

[23matt3]

Also could you recommend a good soil to use? I see everyone uses Miracle Grow Organic soil, but it seems that no one sells it. I've gone to Lowes, home depot and walmart and everyone has told me that they do not carry it. Also should I be using potting soil or potting mix?

 

[joemomma1016]

Yea I'm unsure of Fluorite to be honest. I've looked at their ingredients before and see a lot of metals in there like copper, iron, and such which is not recommended for caudates. Clay also lowers ph which might be bad depending on your water. I had the same trouble finding the organic Miracle Gro. But the place I find it everytime are Ace Hardware stores of all places! Even a mom and pop place might have it too. You could possibly get away with a topsoil that doesn't have any additives, but those are difficult to find too. But, I would for sure check Ace if you have them where you live.

 

[joemomma1016]

And as far as something to cap it off, the black substrate look is awesome like you say. I have that going on in my dirted tank. I haven't seen large black pebbles but I have seen black sand which could work for ya.

 

[Blackbun]

Maybe an added complexity here...I use black sand for my Amazon tetra tank (750 litre) which is black volcanic as opposed to black sand which has been dyed.
I use an aquatic loam which is depleted of minerals etc which would cause issues re microbial growth, altering pH and of course toxicity with certain metals. I over lay this with https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tetra-Complete-Substrate-Planting-2-5kg/dp/B00MPYG1AC and then the sand. I also have a heat cable to create a current through the substrate thus preventing pockets of anaerobic bacteria. This keeps oxygen and nutrients around the plant roots. Once a month I add liquid plant feed and I also put nutrient enriched clay balls pressed into the substrate next to the plants.

 

[23matt3]

Has anyone used Blasting sand? I have seen tons of posts from other fish forums about using black diamond blasting sand. It is $8 for a 50pound bag at tractor suplply. I wanted the black substrate look and figured this was a cheap alternative

 

[23matt3]

If not blasting sand could someone recommend some cheap but good substrate to use? I currently have a 55 gallon so any type of expensive substrate would be super expensive in my tank lol

Like I said previous; Looking for a darker substrate, safe for newts, good for plants, and on the cheaper side.

If anyone could post pics of their setups that would be even better

Thanks again for all your help guys