Substrate depth Question

I just finished cycling my 125g tank and I was about to add some plants, which I planned on. However, I now realize that my sand substrate may be too thin to put any beginner plants in it. It is only about 1- 1 1/2 inch thick. Do y'all think I should add more substrate or do you think its deep enough to add amazon swords, micro swords and crispus?

 

I tend to lean more towards 2-2 1/2 simply because it makes it easier for me to keep any plants in the substrate whereas 1 inch makes it easy for them to fall out and drift up when moving around in the tank, especially when they're new plants and haven't grown out their roots yet.

 

IMO if you're able to keep them down you'll be fine. I have stem plants and dwarf lilies in one of my tanks in about a half inch of fine sand and they do well. Also pearlweed and val in about an inch of sand and aquasoil mix and they are also fine there.

 

Three to four inches of substrate allows for anaerobic denitrification.

 

Three to four inches of substrate allows for anaerobic denitrification.

An that's when gas bubbles form and can kill your fish right?

 

I'm a deep gravel guy. Judging by the many threads & post made by deep sand bed keepers on this forum, the few gas bubbles that fester up out of the sand appear to be harmless to the fish.
A weekly raking of the sand should help alleviate any gas pockets.

 

I always go about 3-4 inches in the back or wherever I’m going to have the majority of plants and then taper it