Planted substrates you have had success with.

I am getting a pea puffer tank for my birthday, it will be a 5 gallon. And I want to have a heavily planted. I want to use a planted substrate, but I don’t know what one. In my 29 gallon I have sand and I use root tabs. The problem is, my Amazon swords and valisneria are surviving, but not thriving. I also dose seachem flourish but it really dosent make a difference, even with the anubias and Java fern. I was thinking fluval stratum or eco complete? I know fluval stratum lowers ph and I don’t know if I can buffer that easily and make it fish safe. The eco complete dosent do that, but it dosent have a lot of nutrients. What would you suggest?

 

I am getting a pea puffer tank for my birthday, it will be a 5 gallon. And I want to have a heavily planted. I want to use a planted substrate, but I don’t know what one. In my 29 gallon I have sand and I use root tabs. The problem is, my Amazon swords and valisneria are surviving, but not thriving. I also dose seachem flourish but it really dosent make a difference, even with the anubias and Java fern. I was thinking fluval stratum or eco complete? I know fluval stratum lowers ph and I don’t know if I can buffer that easily and make it fish safe. The eco complete dosent do that, but it dosent have a lot of nutrients. What would you suggest?

I'd suggest fertilizing with Niloc or s Easy Green instead of the Flourish .

 

Any active soil, such as ADA Amazonia or Fluval Stratum, in combination with a fertiliser that reflects the ADA approach, such as 2hr Aquarist APT 1, or any fertiliser that is low in NO3 and PO4, as the active soil provides this. Apart from tank size, dosing depends for a large part on the use of CO2 injection and light intensity.

pH will not reach below 6. Is that OK for a pea puffer?

 

Any active soil, such as ADA Amazonia or Fluval Stratum, in combination with a fertiliser that reflects the ADA approach, such as 2hr Aquarist APT 1, or any fertiliser that is low in NO3 and PO4, as the active soil provides this. Apart from tank size, dosing depends for a large part on the use of CO2 injection and light intensity.

So what are your thoughts on the lowered ph with the stratum? I have 7.8-8.2 ph and I have heard it takes it down to 6.5. I am concerned as that would take even longer to acclimate the sensitive pea puffer
And obviously I am going to cycle the tank

 

Sorry, I'm no expert on (pea) puffers. But if it really is of concern, I would not use an active soil, keep the sand substrate and follow Tom Barr's Estimate Index approach for plant growth. In terms of fertilisers, you would need one that actually delivers NO3 and PO4, such as 2hr Aquarist APT 3. But I believe Seachem Flourish isn't that different, although I would have to look it up.

But note, my approach to plant keeping is based on good water flow, dim light and shady plants (ferns, crypts, bucephalandra). My plants are doing excellent but growth is slow because of plant selection and associated approach; which for me is totally fine. Some of my tanks are completely filled with plants, because I simply have a lot of plants!

 

Sorry, I'm no expert on (pea) puffers. But if it really is of concern, I would not use an active soil, keep the sand substrate and follow Tom Barr's Estimate Index approach for plant growth. In terms of fertilisers, you would need one that actually delivers NO3 and PO4, such as 2hr Aquarist APT 3. But I believe Seachem Flourish isn't that different, although I would have to look it up.

But note, my approach to plant keeping is based on good water flow, dim light and shady plants (ferns, crypts, bucephalandra). My plants are doing excellent but growth is slow because of plant selection and associated approach; which for me is totally fine. Some of my tanks are completely filled with plants, because I simply have a lot of plants!

Nice! So maybe just put sand in and get good ferts?

 

Nice! So maybe just put sand in and get good ferts?

Seachem is I believe a popular product in the US; Im not familiar with it, so I would have to look it up what exactly it contains. But the point is, if you feel the fertiliser is not doing anything and you still want to keep things simple, choose a fertiliser that contains all the micro and macro ingredients for plants and overdose your tank with the ferts followed by a weekly significant water change, and continue to do so every week. You can find out more about this approach by googling Estimative Index.

 

I'm 100% a fan of using an inert substrate (plain gravel or sand) and adding root tabs and liquid fertilizer manually. I've had some poor experiences with planted tank substrates falling apart and becoming a mess over the years, although I've only tried a couple different products.

I really enjoy fertilizers - Easy Green, Easy Iron, and Easy Root Tabs all work well for low/medium tech tanks, and I'd say that your 5 gallon will fit into those categories nicely.

 

I'm 100% a fan of using an inert substrate (plain gravel or sand) and adding root tabs and liquid fertilizer manually. I've had some poor experiences with planted tank substrates falling apart and becoming a mess over the years, although I've only tried a couple different products.

I really enjoy Aquarium Co-Op's fertilizers - Easy Green, Easy Iron, and Easy Root Tabs all work well for low/medium tech tanks, and I'd say that your 5 gallon will fit into those categories nicely.

Thanks! I have been looking at the easy green and easy root tabs. I have some black sand that I will most likely use.