Substrate Mix for Heavy Root Feeding Plants
Nov 20, 2015 23:55:00 GMT -5
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Post by guppyguy on Nov 20, 2015 23:55:00 GMT -5
It is not news to many that I love planted tanks and have had planted tanks for quite while and in that time I have come to prefer some plant species. My favorite plant family is the cryptocorynes or crypts as many just call them and they happen to be big root feeders. I have tried many types of substrates over the years both basic and plant type substrates. I have found that no one substrate is the be all great substrate for heavy roots feeders like crypts. Instead a mix of 3 substrates with proper ratio's, grain size, and substrate depth all come into play. The 3 substrates that have been proven successful every time for me is, CaribSea Eco-Complete fine grain, Seachem Flourite Red and a inert gravel of you choice with a granules size of 1.0 - 3.0mm. For a inert gravel I use CaribSea Super Naturals Kon Tiki. It looks natural and is the perfect size. The fluorite provides much needed iron and other nutrients, while the Eco-Complete acts a nutrient sponge drawing in nutrients to be stored in the substrate to be used by the plants and the gravel acts to keep the substrate from becoming to compacted. The size of granules matters because if to small such as sand then it can quickly compact and become anaerobic and the roots need some water flow in the substrate to bring in fresh nutrients. If the granule size is to large then a opposite effect comes into play where to much water movement goes through the substrates and strips away the much needed nutrients. And the substrate should be around 3 inches deep.
This mix works great for sword plants, lilies and aponogeton species to list a few and seeing amazing result in each case with impressive healthy roots systems. Healthy plant roots are white and strong. Not brown, slimy, weak and brittle. Just look at the banana plant roots in the photo's below from one the plants I have grown in this substrate mix for a great example.
For each pound of substrate mix 50% Eco-Complete 25% fluorite and 25% inert 1.0 - 3.0mm granules size gravel. Rinse each substrate before use, once added together mix thoroughly before placing substrate in the tank. The end result does not look bad either. It actually looks very natural and here are some photo examples in some planted tanks below.
This mix works great for sword plants, lilies and aponogeton species to list a few and seeing amazing result in each case with impressive healthy roots systems. Healthy plant roots are white and strong. Not brown, slimy, weak and brittle. Just look at the banana plant roots in the photo's below from one the plants I have grown in this substrate mix for a great example.
For each pound of substrate mix 50% Eco-Complete 25% fluorite and 25% inert 1.0 - 3.0mm granules size gravel. Rinse each substrate before use, once added together mix thoroughly before placing substrate in the tank. The end result does not look bad either. It actually looks very natural and here are some photo examples in some planted tanks below.
