# Substrate for live plants?



## DeepThinker (Mar 13, 2011)

I am setting up a new 90 gallon bowfront in our family room, about 16 feet back from the windows but it is still a bright room. I am planning on keeping angelfish and a few other compatible fish with them. I have an Eheim 2075 canister with an inline heater and a 48" T5 double light. I've read many of the threads on keeping plants and have a few questions. In regards to substrate will the Caribsea Supernaturals substrate I picked up from Big Al's support plants? I'm new to keeping plants so I'd prefer to keep it more simple. Any suggestions on where to get plants from? Thanks for the help.


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## chriscro (Dec 3, 2010)

that sand along with 95% of other sand have no minerals or nutrients for plants. but... using root tabs or layering your substrate with something undernear like aquasoil or fluorite will help with a planted aquarium.

also for a 90gal 2 bulb isn't alot of light and you are on the low end of which plants you can use. if you can go for a 4 bulb fixutre and you will have better chances of achieving your goals.

as for where to get plants from other people in the hobby is the best bet, big als is crazy for prices check other smaller stores typically in mississauga (dragon, cams) they are half the price. just be sure you know what your looking for and don't get the wrong labelled plants by mistake.


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## Antoine Doinel (Dec 20, 2010)

If they're T5 HO's, then you already have enough light for a lot of options.

As for plants, don't bother with Big Al's unless they have their weekly sales on. Even then, most are still expensive.

Since you're in Whitby, I'd suggest going to Vandermeers in Ajax. They're a huge nursery that carries a decent selection of aquatic plants (more in the summer). Prices are good, and you get a lot more for your dollar than anywhere else. 

I've also got quite a few plants at Petsmart. Pretty small selection, but they've got good prices, especially during sales. Occasionally, you can get an absolute steal too. I got a HUGE Anbias Gracilis for $4. Keep in mind that the Swords are often in rough shape and will need a good trimming. They regrow their leaves pretty fast though. The Whitby location had all their potted plants on sale for $4.99 yesterday. Should still be on. I think I got the last two Melon Swords, but there were still a few other swords left.

Third option is to go to Menagerie in Toronto. Amazing selection and prices, and there are deals for larger orders.


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

The Durham (DRAS) annual auction is coming in a few weeks. April 10 I believe and there are lots of plants in the auction. Towards the end of the day they go very cheaply.


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## chriscro (Dec 3, 2010)

i dunno about alot of options 2 54w 48 inch bulbs on a 90gal isn't exactly alot of light....


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## 5318008 (Dec 11, 2010)

I've managed to grow many plants with inert substrate as well. You'd just need to keep up with water column dosing. The most important thing is to ensure that you have sufficient co2.


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## Antoine Doinel (Dec 20, 2010)

Yeah, but remember that T5HO emits far more lumens per watt. I don't believe some of the claims that it's twice that of T8, but he's probably still on the low end of mid-light. He can't do carpets or anything, but I'd say he has options.

That's if he's doing T5HO. Considering he's running a canister and an inline, there's a good chance he is.


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

There are quite a few plants that will probably do ok in that set up. I have had success growing Val spiralis in quite low light as well as dwarf sag. There are the obvious selections of Crypts, Java fern, and Anubias as well. To carpet, Chain Sword, E. latifolius should also do fine. They will all grow in inert substrate, without CO2 and without ferts.


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## DeepThinker (Mar 13, 2011)

I purchased a 48" high output T5 dual lamp that has a 10,000K daylight bulb and a Actininc blue light for my 90 gallon bowfront, is this sufficient for plants or do I need more?


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## DeepThinker (Mar 13, 2011)

I am planning an Angelfish tank and have water and filter media from a running 60 gallon that I intend to use to help cycle the tank more quickly. The tank is 48" long and 30" tall. Can you help me decide what substrate I should use and what plants I should start with. I gather I should do the plants first and wait a bit before introducing fish? How long would be sufficient? Thanks, Frank.


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## Antoine Doinel (Dec 20, 2010)

You purchased a marine lighting rig. I'd suggest switching the Actinic for something with a very low kelvin rating, like this. It will balance out with the 10,000k and give you around 7000k, which is great for plants.

The other, more expensive option is just to replace both bulbs with something around 5000k-6500k. You may have to do this if you can't find the bulbs at Rona (pretty sure they're hard to come by).

As for substrate and plant choices, it largely comes down to your budget, and what kind of look you want. If you plan on having bottom feeders that like to sift, like cories, kuhlis, or loaches, I'd go with sand or sand + a layer of something.


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## qwerty (Dec 15, 2009)

I've recently been doing a lot of reading into different aquarium lights, wattage, etc since I've been hunting down some new lighting myself.

Basically a T5HO bulb is going to have the same PAR at a given distance from its source of light (the bulb) as any other T5HO of equal quality regardless of power consumption (watts).

In other words, forget about watts. Watts are only proportional in relationship to the length of the bulb. Larger surface area to maintain lit = more energy required to output the same amount of light.

There is a nifty little chart floating around in the series of tubes that is the internet, that compares the PAR of different bulbs, but you'll have to google that yourself.

As far as substrate is concerned, my understanding is that after awhile the substrate will deplete of nutrients and past that point the only difference between substrate A and substrate B is surface area occupied by bacteria and the substrate's ability to lock in new nutrients.

FWIW I use flourite black sand and find it plenty suitable. Though it doesn't hold a slope very well.

Soil can be used as substrate, too. If you're interested you should probably look up Diana Walstaad's book (hope I didn't mispell that) "Ecology of the Planted Aquarium". Great book for anyone interested in planted aquariums.


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