Aquarium substrates; for planted tank; UG filters for same     3/5/16
Hi!
<Hey Sarah>
I'm looking to set up a 30gal freshwater planted aquarium. I have some basic brown gravel but was wondering if that was the best option for planting live plants. I'm considering using EcoComplete or even mixing the two.
<A good product...>
What are your thoughts/suggestions?
<Am a huge fan of SeaChem's Flourish...>
I am using an undergravel filter <Mmm; then do blind pot your planted plants... almost all do poorly with UG
filters along with an overhanging tetra filtration system. Would it be unavoidable to use the EcoComplete with an UGF?
<Unavoidable?>
My goals for this project is to create an environment focused more on the aquascape than fish, but still plan on including fish in the system.
I'm still very new to all of this, so I'm looking for a solid, basic setup that won't limit me to only growing certain kinds of plants or fish.
<Either remove the UG filter or don't hook it up>
Also, I would like to assemble some pieces of driftwood to create a centerpiece. Any pros/cons or directions I should be aware of in attempting that?
<See; as in read on WWM re... the search tool; on every page>
Thanks,
Sarah
<Welcome. Bob Fenner>
Aquarium substrates /Neale     3/5/16
Hi!
I'm looking to set up a 30gal freshwater planted aquarium. I have some basic brown gravel but was wondering if that was the best option for planting live plants.
<Depends on the plants. Anything attached to bogwood (Anubias, Java fern, ava moss) couldn't care less. Anything floating won't care either. Some plants are so adaptable they'll happily grow in gravel, such as
Vallisneria. The hardy Amazon Swords are fine too, provided you stick the odd fertiliser pellet into their roots every few weeks or so. But for sure there are some delicate or greedy plants that prefer something richer than
gravel. The downside is that if you have slow-growing plants and/or too much light, the nutrients in the substrate have to go somewhere... and they end up encouraging algae!>
I'm considering using EcoComplete or even mixing the two. What are your thoughts/suggestions? I am using an undergravel filter along with an overhanging tetra filtration system. Would it be unavoidable to use the
EcoComplete with an UGF?
<By definition you can't use anything other than gravel with an undergravel filter. Even if you could, it'd be pointless. Flowing oxygenated water (necessary for the filter bacteria) will oxidise mineral nutrients too,
making them unavailable to the plants. So if you're going to have a fancy pants substrate, it needs to be relatively oxygen-poor, and that means no flowing water going through it. Make sense?>
My goals for this project is to create an environment focused more on the aquascape than fish, but still plan on including fish in the system. I'm still very new to all of this, so I'm looking for a solid, basic setup that won't limit me to only growing certain kinds of plants or fish.
<Here's the thing: ecosystems are very difficult to create in small aquaria. In most aquatic habitats algae, not plants, dominate -- and few aquarists want to grow algae! So you instead have to think of the tank as more like a garden, and your job is to balance substrate, lighting, and plant choice in such a way that the plants grow well but without so much light or nutrients that algae use up the excess.>
Also, I would like to assemble some pieces of driftwood to create a centerpiece. Any pros/cons or directions I should be aware of in attempting that?
<Actually, using bogwood to support epiphytic plants is the idea way to plant a tank with an undergravel filter. Anubias, Java fern, Java moss and if you can get it Bolbitis provide some really contrasting shapes and
colours. Alongside these floating plants can be used to moderate lighting and inhibit algae. Both floating plants and epiphytes absorb nutrients from the water, not the substrate, and as such do just fine with undergravel
filters.>
Thanks,
Sarah
<Welcome, Neale.>
Re: Aquarium substrates; reading; and how     3/5/16
So would it be a better idea just to start with the gravel and see if the plants will take? It sounds better to utilize fertilizer pellets than to battle too many nutrients.
<.... these are complex issues.. Let's have you start reading here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/PlantedTksSubWebIndex/AquariumGardenSubWebIndex.html.....
From the top down>
I've always been advised to use an undergravel, but it's sounding like it's not the best option for a planted aquarium.
<...>
If I opted to remove it, how would that play out with cleanings and longterm care? Is it more efficient to use both as I originally intended?
<Keep reading... BobF>