# Play Sand



## RevoBuda (Sep 3, 2011)

I was wondering if anyone had any experience with plants and play sand?

I currently have a base of Flourite, but want to put white play sand over top of it to give a beach look. Would this cause issues with plants growing through?

Please help. This is for the Discus tank!


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## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

It depends on your sand. The biggest problem is if your sand has a lot of silt, which results in muddy water.

Also, finer substrates tend to settle at the bottom over time, so if you put sand over fluorite, it might eventually end up on the bottom.


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## zfarsh (Apr 7, 2011)

Play Sand is hard / long to clean, but is beautifull, and is what i use, though i donot have florite underneath personnaly, many of my plants are non rooted, and the ones that are do grow, such as my dwarf sags, but not at the same speed and strength as the ones i have with the better substrate in my other tank. Probably having the florite at the bottom would help with plants that have deep roots, however, i can imagine they will mix and some may surface up at some point in time.

Another thing you could do is what Amano does, ie the sand at front, and separate the back somehow (rocks / branches), and have the florite at the back for the plants the rooted grow better. Here is one example of many of how he does it, and i think it may give you what you are looking for:


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## zfarsh (Apr 7, 2011)

actually, i highly recommend you go through several of Amano's videos in youtube, there are a couple where he is doing a beach type effect, and it is extremely motivational and a nice watch. Again, he will use the sand in front or sides, and the florite in the middle where plants will be, but go through his videos, an absolute must for all aquarist trying to improve their layouts.


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