tko187

Hi i have a palnted 50g tank, just realised i need substrate like florabase, i dont want to start from the begining again as i have just finished my cycle........is there any way in which i could do this without taking all the good bacteria out, i will be using the same gravel again, am i right in thinking this stuff goes under the gravel or can i just mix something in, doing this would mean i have to empty the whole tank out, there must be a way, an easier way. Do i need this stuff and will it make a difference to my plants and also does it have any negative effects on the water ie cloudy or harder to clean the gravel Any help really appreciate, im a newb but im really trin!!!!!!!!!! oh by the way do i even add the gravel back on top of thiis stuff or not Thanks

Barbrella

It should make a difference to your plants, and I see no reason why can't just add it to the substrate you already have, since taking all the gravel out of a big tank is not a desirable job.

It will boost the nutrients your plants get. Just rinse very well before using. I'm not familiar with that type of substrate, but if it's anything like Flourite, you need to rinse many times (until rinse water runs clear) before adding it.

FishFolk

I hadn't used flroa base either so I checked the website for Red Sea (makers of flora base). Here's the link to the pdf directions for flora base.

http://www.redseafish.com/languages/95/pdf/237.pdf

The directions say "do NOT mix with other substrate" Also it isn't recommended for aquariums where fish need higher pH than 7.0.

If the link fails, go to www.redseafish.com Then navigate to plant substrates. when you find flora base, open the manual.

Good luck.

MrWaxhead

Of course they want to sell as much as possible, I have florabase in my 50g under all my rooted plants and carpet in the middle. And a large gravel and rock section on the right and sand on the left of the tank. I just used hardscape wood and rocks etc to keep the substrates divided.

I was in the same boat as you, I decided to add a carpet after I had planted so I did the following. I run two filters on my tanks one on each side, I started taking plants out on the right hand side and all the fish bolted for the left. I then put in a lexan divider and left both filters running. I stared to pull out the unwanted substrate and add florabase and replanted and pulled the divider. I then switched the filters around so the dirty one that had been sucking up all the cloudy mess from my substate change to the left of the tank and started to pull the plants on the left. All the fish will bolt to the right put in the divider and do your work on the left. Clean the left filter up and pull the divider and all is well. Just make sure you do a large water change after doing a large substrate job as it can cause algae outbreaks if you dont.

If your tank is planted heavy enough, you would not even notice a mini cycle even if you got one as the plants are very efficient as sucking up excess toxins. Especially if you have lots of fast growing plants in your tank. When ever I do a very large job on my tanks I always add some hornwort to my tank to suck up nutrients, I leave em for a few weeks and then turf em back into a plant nursery tank after they have done there job.

Fish Addict

I know for my flourite, after I put it in, it has just been mixed down into the gravel from numerous wc's