# HELP! im going crazy over substrate ideas!!!!



## lottie_pufferfish (Jan 16, 2007)

what should i use, holly cow!!!!!!!!

theres so many ideas.
layered,mixed. then within those 2 theres, sand on top soil options (which i dont plan on using), flourite mixed with eco compleat. (are they the same flourite and eco compleat?) then theres laterite with very small gravel. (theres a semi ok looking light colored version at my lfs but its not white,)

i like the White sand look, but have figured i cant use this with flourite or gravel or anything not soil?? as sand will end up on bottem.

i really want a white sand top. i wish there was a white eco complete to mix with white sand,

im nervous about what other gravel, or floride ideas will look like.

i cant use soil because i stir stuff to much and move plants and want somthing that if it did get mixed a little it wouldnt look horrible.

i think i need to first put ferts in form of laterite then do what ever im going to do?

i want to have a white substrate so bad it hurts. ive tryed mixing frourite and eco complete, it looks ugle to me. eco is so expensie and i have to fill a 50 gal.
please help im going crazy, i lost sleep on it last night.
i think i told you all my preferences.
ok thank im done venting, but please help me, any suggestions will help to.

and what are the different brands of sands that dont change ph and gh and everything?


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## BryceM (Nov 6, 2005)

First, decide what your goals are.

Second, develop a plan to acheive them.

Third, if you post questions, try using the shift key once in a while with correct spelling. It's much easier to read and you'll be more likely to get useful responses.

Personally, I prefer a single substrate. It makes everything easier and is more durable over time. Layers almost always get mixed up eventually and it's pretty hard to keep a white sand foreground looking nice. It isn't impossible - it just takes more work.

To do a white sand foreground "correctly" you should use hardscape materials to separate this region from the "other" substrate. This will minimize mixing and make maintainence easier. You might consider this a "varsity" technique - best for someone with experience that knows how to position plants, minimize disturbances over time, and create a nice 'scape on the first try.

Why on earth would you mix flourite and eco-complete? They're both perfectly fine as substrates and each has an individual distinctive color and texture.

Do a little looking around in the "Science of Substrates" forum and you'll quickly learn the merits and problems with each of the commonly used substrates.


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## lottie_pufferfish (Jan 16, 2007)

So sand substrate just is not for me, and we will never be right for each other, lol. I mixed eco and Florite to get a different color ground, i saw it at the LFS and it looked cool, but i added to much Florite and had to start over, i actually traded all my substrate i had mixed (which was 1 and 1/2 bags red Florite and 1 bag eco) to the store (they put it in there planted tank) for 2 bags eco. so im back to start. i have 2 bags eco in a 36 gal which im upgrading to a 50very soon, i just dont want to screw up the substrate for the 2nd time.


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## lottie_pufferfish (Jan 16, 2007)

Sorry i dont understand what you mean by hit the shift key, what does that do?
dumb question sorry.

my goal: to learn how to make plants grow, and create a pretty garden underwater, that fish will enjoy as much as i do.

and my plan: i just suck at planning:bathbaby:


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

The thing about substrates we all tend to forget is that eventually you can't see it anyway. If the plants do really well, they just cover all of the substrate. And, unless you enjoy housekeeping, you will be driven to distraction by white sand because it will always look "dirty". The fish have no manners. The algae bits love to mess up a white carpet. And, mulm in general, will collect everywhere all the time. I see contest entry type aquascapes using white sand in selected areas, but I always suspect that those aquascapes look that way only for short times. Other than that, a dark colored substrate just looks better - you rarely ever even see it, because your eyes are attracted to the plants and fish instead.

Having said all of that, if you want a white substrate, just use white quartz gravel. You will be providing the plants fertilizer needs with water column dosing anyway.


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## lottie_pufferfish (Jan 16, 2007)

ok, so im going to use eco. and i need somthing to lenghthen it out with, like black sand.


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## ed seeley (Dec 1, 2006)

I use pale sand in all my tanks. I've got flourite under it in my 40g tank and get the odd piece coming up when i replant, but nothing major; API Laterite on two others; soil under one and Tetraplant complete under the Nano [email protected] just set up! I like how it looks and the fish and plants seem to love it. I wouldn't call it 'white' though!


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

Eco-Complete and ADA AS will cost about the same. ADA AS is better (in many people's views) too. You might want to consider that.


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## lottie_pufferfish (Jan 16, 2007)

dont you have to replace it after a while


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