# Using mixed substrate



## Kan (Nov 12, 2011)

I see lots of people use mixed substrate like sand on top of other substrate. Just curious how do you unmixed them once you decide to take everything out. I can't imagine any easy way of accomplishing this. I have done gravel covering soil and it was almost impossible to separate them when I wanted to clean it up. Do people just throw away the mixed substrate after? Seems kinda waste


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

There is really no "easy" way to separate the two substrates once they are mixed, unless they are of significantly different sizes. In that case, you might be able to do it with a sieve/strainer.


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## Kan (Nov 12, 2011)

I was thinking of putting sand on top of eco-complete, since I got few cories and the surface are too rough for them. I guess it's not a good idea since part of eco-complete is as fine as sand. It would be impossible to separate them for re-use and It would look pretty bad mixed up I imagine


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

You could always try mixing black sand with your Ecocomplete.

Don't forget that over time, with mixed grain sizes, the smaller grains will settle to the bottom.


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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

Darkblade48 said:


> You could always try mixing black sand with your Ecocomplete.
> 
> Don't forget that over time, with mixed grain sizes, the smaller grains will settle to the bottom.


I did this... and this did happen.

Instead put Black sand Flourite in the front 5-6" of the tank, and eco in the back, and plant from the back forward leaving some open area in the front few inches.

But ultimately, isnt the goal of most planted tanks, to be a lush and full tank with plants so abundant that you arent even seeing substrate? Sure not all tanks, but many.


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## Kan (Nov 12, 2011)

Might have been better idea to just use Fluorite Sand in the first place. I was avoiding it mainly because I heard it's big mess to clean and I was not sure if it's as good as regular Fluorite or eco-complete in terms of holding nutrition for plant root. I do like the looks when i saw some of Big'Al tanks with it. 

Looks is not the big issues right now I just want to make sure my cories are happy. I have them for only a week and they already have their whiskers cut short due to the sharp pieces of eco-complete  I'm trying to growing HC carpet for most part of my tank, so I hope once HC covers up the substrate cories will be happier.


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