Photo Request, Planted Tank With Pool Filter Sand

[aquafrogstuff]

I wanted to start a thread that people could respond to with photos of planted tanks that have pool filter sand (or other light coloured substrate for that matter) at the substrate.

I'm wanting to set up a planted tank soon and seen some tanks on this forum with light coloured substrate.

Thought I'd tease out more for comparison.

Dwayne

[DiscusMad]

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c286/discusmad/IMG_1831.jpg

this is before I took it down and started again will give an updat when my computer comes back from the shop

[Proteus]

Using pool filter sand over commercial plant substrate...

[DiscusMad]

so I should of said I use pool filter sand as well

[aquafrogstuff]

Good ones.

Pro, have seen your pics before. Exactly what I had in mind for my tank.

Thanks guys.

[fish_r]

these were my planted Axolotl tanks with pool filter substrate

[DR.V]

Nice tank fish_r. Why dont you add a couple of discus in the tank ? ^^

[fish_r]

thx DR.V
i have since stripped the top tank down "5 foot" and set it up with discus and gave away my axolotls
cant keep both together as u cant keep axolotls above 24c preffereably @ 18c i much more prefer discus.
in the proccess of setting up the bottom tank "3 foot" with discus aswell...

[aquafrogstuff]

fish_r

Other than the pool filter sand, did you have anything beneath in the way of aquatic potting mix or laterite??

I'm looking at doing something very similar.

[DiscusMad]

not me just sand

[lesley]

this tank is in the very early stages of set up. the ugly mechanical filtration is about to be removed - has been acting as bio filter while tank builds up enough of its own. initial plan was to fasten all plants to wood, but this is not working as well I hoped. I want plants to am thinking of next actions now.

Currently very thin layer of "sand" but will be increased. It is apparently from marble chips. When I did an initial pH test before I added to the tank it is very alkaline, however in the 6' tank doesn't affect carbonates/alkalinity at all, I actually have to add carbonates just the same as I always have.

I got this from a new aquarium in Keysborough (there are now two) can work out addresss if you needed it. It is quite a brilliant white and really lightens up the tank.

[Nathan]

i like your tank lesley its different i really do like it, a few more plants an itl look even better

[fish_r]

fish_r
Other than the pool filter sand, did you have anything beneath in the way of aquatic potting mix or laterite??
I'm looking at doing something very similar.
no just the pool filter sand and used seachem plant tabs and seachem florish and excell.
probably would be better with lateralite or peat underneath though
"i didnt know about it then"

[aquafrogstuff]

It's been a while since I started this thread. I've now got the point where I'm close to getting the tank setup.

I've a friend who's kept discus for a long time, and who's opinion I value, suggest a few potential issues with light gravel. The issues mainly relate to keeping it clean considering fish mess, plants dying etc etc.

Can I get other opinions on this from people who have or have had tanks with light substrate such as pool filter sand. Is it a hassle to keep clean?

[Nathan]

usually the poo just stays on top of the sand so you can lightly vaccum it an shouldnt have any worries gettn the crap out

[ellwa]

It's been a while since I started this thread. I've now got the point where I'm close to getting the tank setup.

I've had a friend who's kept discus for a long time, and who's opinion I value, suggest a few potential issues with light gravel. The issues mainly relate to keeping it clean considering fish mess, plants dying etc etc.

Can I get other opinions on this from people who have or have had tanks with light substrate such as pool filter sand. Is it a hassle to keep clean?

These were some of my concerns before making the conversion about a week ago to pool filter sand.

My plants love it. My Corys keep it turned over, the contour of the substrate is always changing, and the fish waste isn't too much of a problem, because, well, I don't know why, but it isnt.

will post pics when i get new cam. batteries.

[ellwa]

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k99/ellwa/SSL10079-1.jpg

lights off, flash on.

Will show more shortly

[aquafrogstuff]

Awesome looking tank. Mind if I ask what plants you'vew got in there?

[ellwa]

Awesome looking tank. Mind if I ask what plants you'vew got in there?

Anubias barteri
Micranthemum umbrosum
Tiger Lotus - Green
Glossostigma elatinoides
Echinodorus Oriental
Eleocharis acicularis (Dwarf Hairgrass)
Tiger Lotus - Red

There are also some amazon swords[that are going bezerk with pressurized CO2], and I've just come upon the final realisation that what I recieved as glosso, isn't glosso, confirming that I didn;t think it was.

Now I just need to get myself a BOC CO2 bottle, and the appropriate hose, so I can fill my 350G bottle myself.

I did the conversion to sand one afternoon hoping that it would help my dwarf hairgrass, but still hasn't really made a diffrence, everytime I come home I still find a few clumps of it floating around.

I emptied a large amount of water into containers, removed all the fish, and then pulled up all the plants. All the plants went onto a table, covered with foil, and were then trimmed down, all poor looking growth removed, and the root balls trimmed down.

Before I added the sand, I did a very slow, meticulous gravel clean, and wow, it was filthy.

After I washed the sand, I cut the bottom off a 1.5L water bottle, and basically poured the sand into the tank, which only had about 3inches of water in it, and the sand settled out quite nicely. The whole time the canister was running, collecting any large particles.

All up it took probably three hours, from the time I started emptying to the time the tank was refilled, and took about 12hours to get the water crystal clear again.

I removed alot of growth from all the plants, but everything has started growing really well, even the red lotus.

next investment will be a new heater.

glad you like it :)