Does anyone on this group use enriched substrate? I use mushroom compost and
lava rock dust (mud). I put a thin layer of this under a thick layer of sand.
Seems to work well with some plants, not so well with others. Does any one else
have their own recipes?

Moon
remove nospam from e-mail to send to me, I grow trees in aquariums like bonsai.
I breed dwarf crayfish, great for planted community tanks. If you can get me a
shovelnose sturgeon fingerling (Scaphirhynchus platorynchus) no wild caught
please, contact me

ospam (Moontanman) wrote in message ...
Does anyone on this group use enriched substrate? I use mushroom compost and
lava rock dust (mud). I put a thin layer of this under a thick layer of sand.
Seems to work well with some plants, not so well with others. Does any one else
have their own recipes?

Moon

I doubt you need to add compost(too rich). Soil with a fair amount of
peat soaked about two weeks and then add about 1:3 ratio soil/gravel
(2-3mm) cap. You can add a few tablespoons of dolomite if you want in
there.

I use flourite these days or folks that just seem not to get it, use
the soil + laterite/peat etc.

Flourite or onyx I collect the mulm from the gravel of an old tank,
let the water settle, decant, save the mulm in the bottom, add a liter
of wet mulm to each sq ft of gravel. I add about 1 handful of ground
peat(Say like Scott's brand) per sqft also. If the tank is non CO2,
I'll add 1 inch dry peat, Then cap it with flourite of oynx(3 inches).

This works much better for the long term in either tank method and
also in the start up phase.

Pre soaking the soil is a good idea since this reduces most of the NH4
by bacteria(soak for 2-3 weeks). NH4= algae.

I think plain soil by itself is plenty rich enough to support the
plants but the flourite/oynx stuff does help when both are used.

Some have used profile, MPV turface + soil+ sand(To add more weight)
with decent results.

Then there's always the simple window sill jar test, 1 qt jars with a
plant in them, add different substrates+ a guppy etc, see how the
plant/fish/algae reacts. Run for about 2-4 weeks.
Easy way to gauge generally how a substrate behaves.

Regards,
Tom Barr

I use flourite these days or folks that just seem not to get it, use
the soil + laterite/peat etc.


I like to use morter sand because I collect most of my plants from the wild and
they live in sand in this area or rich sandy mud. I add organics as a thin
layer under the sand. About 1/6 ratio of enriched mix to sand. ie 1" of
enriched mix with a layer of sand 6" deep over it. since I grow cypress trees
in some of my tanks and cattails they seem to need a little more richness than
most other plants. I like the peat idea and I may incorporate it into the mix.
I am getting ready to set up a 150 so I will be able to adjust the mix again
this time around and try to make it better since this tank will likely be set
up for several years. The onyx or flourite I have seen in stores is more of a
gravel than sand. I may use black sand this year if i can justify the expense.
I like black sand with black water fish. the only black sand i can find is a
little more fine than morter sand so i am still thinking it through. No sense
in being hasty when setting up a big tank.

Moon
remove nospam from e-mail to send to me, I grow trees in aquariums like bonsai.
I breed dwarf crayfish, great for planted community tanks. If you can get me a
shovelnose sturgeon fingerling (Scaphirhynchus platorynchus) no wild caught
please, contact me

i use a similar mix.
jungle potting soil with a thick layer of sand and a layer of smaller grain
sand as a decorative top, jobe sticks, and iy co2 finish off the plant
additives