# Best substrate for a thick microsword lawn?



## PMD (May 3, 2005)

Does anyone have some good recommendations for a substrate that would give me a nice thick lawn of microsword and hairgrass?


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

Ecocomplete 
Flourite 
ADA aquasoil 

These are typically the top three. There's a trend to the ADA stuff now. It goes plants well, but Eco and Flourite will too.

-John N.


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## plantbrain (Jan 23, 2004)

ADA soil grew the same water column routine vs flourite better.
I used the micro E. tenellus.
It grows very fast.

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## SCMurphy (Jan 28, 2004)

PMD said:


> Does anyone have some good recommendations for a substrate that would give me a nice thick lawn of microsword and hairgrass?


 I ended up with a solid piece of sod of mixed microsword and hairgrass using tahitian moon sand over a mineralized topsoil/clay layer. It came out of the ten gallon tank in one piece when I took the tank down. You could get the same result with the 3M Colorquartz over the topsoil/clay layer.


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## jsenske (Mar 15, 2004)

I never grew microsword (Lilaeopsis) so nicely as in Aqua Soil. I sorta struggles with it actually in Flourite-- it eventually took off but didn't give me that dense lawn until about a year later, then it started to grow too tall in some sections. AS was tight and thich from the get-go. Even Amano told me he had trouble with microsword specifically back-in-the-day, before Aqua Soil. If you look back inthe mature Aquarium World books, you almost never see it used-- not in the tight, dense foreground way of later works anyway. 
That's all microsword in the foreground in this image below-- Aqua Soil and Power Sand substrate.

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/gallery/files/2/1/2/gloss1_original.jpg


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## MatPat (Mar 22, 2004)

PMD said:


> Does anyone have some good recommendations for a substrate that would give me a nice thick lawn of microsword and hairgrass?


I guess that will depend mainly on your fertilization routine...

If you plan on adding ferts to the water column you could go with 3M's Color Quartz as Sean mentioned, Tahitian Moon Sand (more expensive than 3M) or plain old silica sand. Color will be the main criteria in your decision.

If you are a bit forgetful or lazy like I am sometimes go with something like Eco Complete. That may help if you miss a dose or two of fertilizer.

If you want to go with something that is cheap, try and locate some Soilmaster Select, Turface Pro League, or Schultz Aqautic Plant Soil (only cheap in the 50lb size).

Lastly, you can try some of the ADA products which I understand are about the same price as flourite. Someone correct me if I am wrong about the price 

I have used all of the above with the exception of ADA products and while I have no "scientific" proof, they all grow plants about the same if you fertilize regularly and keep up on your CO2.


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## plantbrain (Jan 23, 2004)

jsenske said:


> I never grew microsword (Lilaeopsis) so nicely as in Aqua Soil. I sorta struggles with it actually in Flourite-- it eventually took off but didn't give me that dense lawn until about a year later, then it started to grow too tall in some sections. AS was tight and thich from the get-go. Even Amano told me he had trouble with microsword specifically back-in-the-day, before Aqua Soil. If you look back inthe mature Aquarium World books, you almost never see it used-- not in the tight, dense foreground way of later works anyway.
> That's all microsword in the foreground in this image below-- Aqua Soil and Power Sand substrate.
> 
> http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/gallery/files/2/1/2/gloss1_original.jpg


I'd have to agree with Jeff here.
I noted this a long time ago in the APD.
I've done well with micro sword in many different substrates over the years, but I think for ease of use, it's very hard to beat Aqua soil for any commercial brands.

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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