# Good substrate for bottom dwelling fish



## grumpybear (Dec 4, 2006)

Hello everyone, I am new to this forum and to having aquatic plants. I have a 33 gallon that I am currently setting up to be a planted tank. I was wondering what would be a good substrate for my bottom dwelling fish. I have Bichirs some pictus cats and others, in my other tank I have loaches. I am planning on getting a CO2 system I was just looking for a easy to find substrate that is good for plants and for my fish, (really they are my first priority). I like the look of white play sand but am not sure if it would be alright for plants. Is there anything I could mix in it that wont wreck the appearance of it? Any suggestions would be helpful for this newbie to plants.


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## Satirica (Feb 13, 2005)

Play sand grows plants without a hitch as long as you are adding fertilizer to the water column. Usually people don't recommend it because it can compact and develop anaerobic zones (which is solved by having fish that disturb the sand, having a colony of malaysian trumpet snails or manually disturbing the sand by poking it or through vacuuming) and the fact that it is a bit harder to keep looking nice. There was a recent thread in the aquascaping section on keeping white sand white.

I have a sand bottom tank that was set up for shell dwellers. Plants grow as well in it as in the slightly older Eco-complete tank. It *is* a bit of a pain to maintain.


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

Welcome to APC  

Actually pool filter sand is better to use than play sand. For one it will not effect your water parameters, where as some play sand will. Second pool filter sand is a larger grain then play sand, so it is less likely to become compacted. 

I use pool filter sand in all my tanks. Either alone, mixed with gravel or Laterite underneatn. I think it is much easier to plant in and holds the plants down better then gravel. I have no problems with plant growth since I use liquid ferts on a regular basis.


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## grumpybear (Dec 4, 2006)

Thanks for your guys answers. Ummm, what is a water column? lol. And liquid fertalizer doesn't hurt my fish does it? One more question, when I add the Co2 system is it going to make my water parameters go all funky? If so how do you keep the water levels fine and have CO2.


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

The water column is the just the water in the tank.

Liquid ferts will not hurt your fish if you dose according to the MFG directions.

C02 will only effect your PH levels. Here is a good read... DFW Aquatic Plant Club Articles-- Beginner Basics: CO2


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## ShortFin (Jan 13, 2006)

If you haven't done so, the first thing I would look into is the lighting.


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## KoiGuy (Jan 26, 2007)

where do u get pool filter sand?
how much?


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