Substrate and Gravel?

Question

I'd like to put in a FEW plants for my 30 gallon tank so how much substrate and gravel do I need and how would you put it in?

Answer 1

about 1.5 to 2 pounds per gallon will give you a nice bed. I would use quartz gravel or something of a similar size, the plants will root better. You can also use laterite, but make sure you research it before you use it, a little bit goes a long way. You layer it under you regular gravel for fertilization.

I recommend a book called The Encycolpedia of Aquarium Plants by Peter Hiscock (yes, that name is real)

The book is great for teaching you about platns, lights, aquariums, water quality, and maintenance.

You can by quartz gravel and local fish stores, but PetSmart carries a very small substrate that is great for plants and cheap. Get the smalllest grade you can find.

Good Luck!

Answer 2

It depends on the plants to some extent. Some plants develop a much larger root system than others and therefore would need more substrate. Instead of pound per gallon I would suggest you go by depth of the gravel. Pounds per gallon is a good rough estimate, but compare a 20 high and a 20 regular tank, lots of difference in the foot print. Shot for having 2.5 - 3 inches of gravel for the plants, that's deep enough for most any plant you'll want and enough to hold them down until the roots grow out well.

Install the gravel with a slight slope to the front is what most books will tell you. So that watse will collect towards the front of the tank. I have never seen this work well and the gravel seems to level out fairly soon anyway. I say just put it in as you would normally for any other tank.

Hope this helps

BTW: The book mentioned above is very good and so is Encyclopedia of Water Plants by Dr. Jiri Stodola

Answer 3

If you have a brackish water tank, don't bother with the plants. Most of the plants you find and most aquarium stores won't survive in brackish water. They'll slowly die.