A question about TetraPlant Complete Substrate

[50000tears]

I am about to order the 5.8kg ppack of this to go underneath the gravel of a new set up and have a few basic questions.

1. Is 5.8KG enough for what I am after? I plan to have 20 - 30 plants in a 100cm by 40cm 200 litre tank.

2. When gravel cleaning my new tank will I be stiring up the clay substrate making a very dirty tank which will need lots of settling time?

3. If stired up is the subsrate safe for my fish

4. Should I be even disturbing the gravel a lot at all when planted. I was thinking of leaving the very front of my tank unplanted and have just the back 2/3rds planted so could have just gravel here and no plant substrate allowing me to clean the gravel here where it is visible.

Any other ideas or tips will be very welcome.

Chris

I am about to order the 5.8kg ppack of this to go underneath the gravel of a new set up and have a few basic questions.

1. Is 5.8KG enough for what I am after? I plan to have 20 - 30 plants in a 100cm by 40cm 200 litre tank.

This should be enough for 120L aquarium using 2cm deep. If you spread it out to much it will become to thin and if you only place were you have plants this will restrict any further planting later on.

2. When gravel cleaning my new tank will I be stiring up the clay substrate making a very dirty tank which will need lots of settling time?

Gravel cleaning shouldn’t be a go digging for gold but gently swish the surface to stir up any mulm to be sucked up.

3. If stired up is the subsrate safe for my fish

It shouldn’t have any effect o your fish but could and probably will cause a cloud if disturbed to much. Also could cause algae if to much is allowed to go to long.

4. Should I be even disturbing the gravel a lot at all when planted. I was thinking of leaving the very front of my tank unplanted and have just the back 2/3rds planted so could have just gravel here and no plant substrate allowing me to clean the gravel here where it is visible.

Around the plant base if you left the mulm it will help feed the plants, digging to much could also up root or disturb the roots etc.

Any other ideas or tips will be very welcome.

If you intend on not planting the front half of the tank later on(but I would be surprised if you don’t) then the 5.8kg pack may suffice for your needs.
I would suggest to get enough plant substrate to do the job from the start instead of trying to add it after the tank I set up.

HTH

regards

[50000tears]

Many thanks Mralgae. I have really pestered this board over the last few days in a bid to "get it right" and have been hugely grateful for the superb advice I have received. I hope one day to have the experience and expertise to give back in full.

Originally Posted by 50000tears

Many thanks Mralgae. I have really pestered this board over the last few days in a bid to "get it right" and have been hugely grateful for the superb advice I have received. I hope one day to have the experience and expertise to give back in full.

most welcome chris,thats the one great thing about this hobby over most others is that we all live for our fish or planted tanks.

the only way to learn is to ask and pester LOL, till you are happy with what you have. even those of us who have experieance still need to ask now and again as different things crop up that we havent had b4.

i am sure it wont be long b4 you are helping others to.

good luck