# Substate Recommendation for 10G



## carb850 (Mar 7, 2007)

I'm setting up my first 10G tank and looking for a substrate recommendation. I have the Hagen Co2 device. For lighting, I currently have 20W of compact flourescent screw bulbs but might try swapping out one 10W bulb for a 20W giving me 30W total.

I assume this will be considered a low to mid light setup. What substrate would be a good match? Oh, as far as plants go I do not have anything picked out yet but I want to stick with smaller plants. Would that mean I should stick with a finer grained substrate?


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

Looks like you're on your way to a fine planted aquarium! For any substrate you want to stick with a fine grain substrate (2-3mm). The finer grains help keep your plants down. 

As for a specific substrate, if you want a plant specific substrate the options are Eco Complete, Seachem Flourite, and ADA aquasoil. I prefer either Eco complete or Aquasoil due to color and nutrient benefits within aquasoil. 1 bag of Eco complete or about 5 liters of Aquasoil should be enough for your 10 gallon tank. aquariumplants.com is your source fore Eco Complete, and adgshop.com for the Aquasoil.

-John N.


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## eklikewhoa (Jul 24, 2006)

My vote goes to the aquasoil.


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## carb850 (Mar 7, 2007)

On the aquasoil, what is the difference between Amazonia, Malaya, & African? Color? 

Since, they only sell in 3 and 9 liter bags, should I get two 3L sized bags with one being normal and one powder for a top layer?


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## eklikewhoa (Jul 24, 2006)

The three differ mainly in color but I have read somewhere that there is slight differences in the three but minimal.

I would personally just get the normal size grain cause smaller grain will eventually find it's way to the bottom and if you uproot a lot it will surely make it's way to the bottom. Getting two 3L bags would probably work best but having extra doesn't hurt.


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## carb850 (Mar 7, 2007)

Thanks everyone. Now to pick a color


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

ADA Aquasoil Amazonia looks the best in my opinion. The other ones are too bright. I prefer to have a darker type substrate to compliment the fish, shrimp, and plants.

-John N.


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## carb850 (Mar 7, 2007)

Now that I'm looking at the dense floor covering, in most areas I think I will go with the Amazonia. With all the green on the bottom, the tank will not be overly black. Otherwise, I think it would be too dark with the dark substrate and my black background IMO.


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## carb850 (Mar 7, 2007)

Just an update. 

I decided to go with Aquasoil only, 2 - 3L bags. I also placed an order for everything else that I think I need so hopefully I will have a system ready to add plants by the end of the week. Woohoo!


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## PinchHarmonic (Mar 30, 2007)

Hi everyone. One poster said to go with the larger grain for the aqua soil, because smaller grains will sink to bottom when you are uprooting.

I'm confused, is this for a mixed substrate application or all aquasoil? Otherwise i'm confused why it would matter if the grain sinks in deeper since it's all the same.

Also,

any fundamental difference between aqua soil and eco-complete? Which one would you all prefer? The descriptions are slightly biased on the webpages, I wanted to know what you all thought.


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## carb850 (Mar 7, 2007)

Pinch, I'm just as new to this as you are so please do not take my response with any seriousness.

I think the deal with the small grain aqua soil might be mainly used for its ascetics. If so and the small grain works its way to the bottom then it would not hurt anything but you sort of wasted your money on it. Again, I could be completely wrong.


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

Pinch, Carb is right. The fine "powder" Aquasoil is mostly used for aesthetics. You wouldn't want to have a substrate of pure powder type. The powder blows up and gets sucked into the filter fairly easily when cleaning or doing any type of uprooting. Most people use it as an accent piece in the foregorund to give the substrate bed texture, while having regular aquasoil in the background to grow the plants.

*The fundamental difference between Aquasoil and Eco Complete*:

Each grain of Aquasoil is made of a clay ball packed with nutrients that gets released into the water column over time. This helps lower the pH and KH making conditions for plants optimal. The nutrients released and effect on water parameters will run out over the first year of setup (faster if more waterchanges are done).

On the other hand, Eco complete is fine ground up rocks that contain some nutrients but doesn't affect the water parameters like Aquasoil. The black color substrate makes it very appealing for hobbyists.

Both substrates grow plants well. Aquasoil has a slight edge over Eco complete because of those water effecting properties. The grains are easily squished if you aquascape, and replant alot.

-John N.


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## PinchHarmonic (Mar 30, 2007)

Thanks for the responses both of u!

I was thinking for my first serious planted tank I would use all of one kind of substrate (aquasoil probably after what you wrote) since it's easier.

So what I'm picture in my mind, after what you two wrote, is ..

(1). fill tank with the granular aqua soil 
(2). Sprinkle really fine aqua soil over the larger grain aqua soil in front half of the tank

OR

(1). Fill back half of tank with granular aqua soil
(2). fill front portion of tank wtih the fine aqua soil (this is to prevent the finer one from sifting to bottom and not being visible)


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