Mmiller2001

Maybe because I’ve done this several times now. But I think sand is just easier to remove and less muck.

Removed plants, scooped substrate, used a plastic dust pan when there wasn’t a lot left in there, added the BDBS, water change and finally replanted. Did a filter clean the next day.

Big change as of late. Substrate swap to BDBS. This was the easiest swap I’ve ever done and just kept everything running with the fish in. After the swap, I did around a 70 gallon water change. No problems until the next day, I lost the Bluetooth module on one light causing it not to function. Fixed it this morning and I’m hoping the plants get back to growing well next week. I’m also trying two vine type plants as a moss wall. I’m liking the H. Japan and tomorrow will pull the H. Sryphellum down and spread it as much as I can.

Yes, BDBS is 1 to 3mm.

There are some plants that absolutely do better with low pH at the root zone. So having an aqua soil works really well for them. But it isn’t necessary. Some Erio species need an aqua soil and do even better with an added root tab. But the vast majority of plants in this hobby do just fine in inert substrates without root tabs. I will venture grain size is more important when it comes to substrates and plants doing well when given what they need. So much so, I swapped my substrate to BDBS last Monday!

I’m sorry, but this is completely not true. In fact, the vast majority of plants available (to the hobby) do not need anything but plain old water column dosing regardless of substrate type.

Non of those plants are heavy root feeders.

Absolutely, Keep us updated. Do your best to keep up the weekly water changes but I get that's a lot of work to get distilled and mix. The best option is to get a RO/DI system so you can just make water at home and then build GH/KH with cheap salts, but it does depend on how far down the rabbit hole you want to go. Here's a tank by E. Kreikes 2018 in 8dGH and 8dKH water.

Absolutely not true. You have almost no GH and have salt in the water which damages plants. For reference, GH 5.2 KH near 0, in pool filter sand and no root tabs. Get the water right with excellent husbandry and you will be in a much better spot.

I’d just do a 50 50 mix and go with that. 8 degrees GH isn’t a deal breaker.

Do you have a tds meter by any chance? And how many degrees was the GH of the bypassed water?

GH between 3 to 5 degrees and KH of 3 to 0 degrees would be fine.

What fish do you have?

25 percent a week for 4 weeks should be fine. Just make sure the mix creates good numbers.

You could mix bypassed water with distilled water to lower the bypassed GH and you would be in a better place. That would lower that real high GH and eliminate the sodium. It’s extra work but the plants will be much happier. You could increase water change amount but go longer between intervals to make the extra work not as “ tedious ‘. Say 50% change a month. I personally would do 25% each week for 4 weeks then after go with 50% once a month.

So it’s removing Ca and Mg and adding salt. All bad for plants.

No GH because of the softener. Dose the softener use salt or the potassium alternative?

Would have all the plants pulled out 😀

For Dutch, that’s the rule. The focus should be the plants and not the fish.

That’s a lot of work 😆.

You definitely could. I just didn’t have a large enough tank to put them in. My plan going forward is just not buy any more fish and in a few years I’ll have less at some point 😆.

Forward and left 😂

You just keep going and don’t settle for anything that you are not happy with.

Yeah, they weren’t too happy not having a plant diagram 😆

Yeah, I have a heck of a time maintaining my QT tank without CO2.