Tarazzl Posted February 18, 2022 Share Posted February 18, 2022 On 2/18/2022 at 12:49 AM, Seattle_Aquarist said: Hi @tarazzl29 Plants need sufficient light, nutrients (including a carbon source), and acceptable water parameters to grow. I don't think that just adding CO2 would guarantee that you could get Eleocharis (harigrass) in a tank no matter what substrate is being used. What I said was I could not grow Eleocharis in tanks without CO2, possibly others have but not me. -Roy I see. I just got a bag of hairgrass from Etsy. I am going to try germinating them before putting them in the tank with your input in mind. Fingers crossed. Thank you! 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anewbie Posted February 18, 2022 Share Posted February 18, 2022 On 2/18/2022 at 9:35 AM, Seattle_Aquarist said: Hi @anewbie I agree, I am not aware of a high CEC substrate that would work with sand-sifters like Geophagus sp. however I have kept Apistogramma sp. in tanks with Safe-t-sorb with no issues whatsoever including breeding. -Roy My old A. cacatuoides 'Triple Red' I think it depends on the species - some species of apisto are closer to earth eaters than others. Anyway i like the look of that stuff for larger fishes - it is sort of a cheap eco-complete but maybe wee bit finer. However for the aquariums i'm setting up next year (pair of 400); I think I need something finer. I guess play sand would be the cheap option but it lacks the benefits of cec. I 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seattle_Aquarist Posted February 18, 2022 Share Posted February 18, 2022 On 2/18/2022 at 11:25 AM, anewbie said: I think it depends on the species - some species of apisto are closer to earth eaters than others. Anyway i like the look of that stuff for larger fishes - it is sort of a cheap eco-complete but maybe wee bit finer. However for the aquariums i'm setting up next year (pair of 400); I think I need something finer. I guess play sand would be the cheap option but it lacks the benefits of cec. I Hi @anewbie, Play sand may be fine if it doesn't contain shell pieces or pieces of limestone, both of which can increase pH and hardness. For a truly inert sand I use HTH Pool Filter Sand ($11.00/50#) that is >99% silicone dioxide with a very uniform grain size. Also I find it doesn't compact as badly as regular 'sand' does. When it starts to look 'dirty' I siphon off 1/8" off the top and add handfuls of new rinsed sand. I don't rinse it when I set up a tanks and it doesn't cloud the water if I don't disturb the substrate when filling. -Roy 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anewbie Posted February 19, 2022 Share Posted February 19, 2022 On 2/18/2022 at 1:52 PM, Seattle_Aquarist said: Hi @anewbie, Play sand may be fine if it doesn't contain shell pieces or pieces of limestone, both of which can increase pH and hardness. For a truly inert sand I use HTH Pool Filter Sand ($11.00/50#) that is >99% silicone dioxide with a very uniform grain size. Also I find it doesn't compact as badly as regular 'sand' does. When it starts to look 'dirty' I siphon off 1/8" off the top and add handfuls of new rinsed sand. I don't rinse it when I set up a tanks and it doesn't cloud the water if I don't disturb the substrate when filling. -Roy That looks pretty decent for the ram/geo tank I will setup. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmhicks101 Posted March 6, 2022 Author Share Posted March 6, 2022 2 months after switching from fluval stratum to HTH and now using the home made capsules this is what my tank looks like. Here’s a before and after. I’m loving this. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seattle_Aquarist Posted March 6, 2022 Share Posted March 6, 2022 On 3/6/2022 at 2:24 PM, lmhicks101 said: 2 months after switching from fluval stratum to HTH and now using the home made capsules this is what my tank looks like. Here’s a before and after. I’m loving this. m Hi @Imhicks101, Did you change your lights, filter, photoperiod? Did you see a reduction in the amount of algae that you have to clean periodically? -Roy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmhicks101 Posted March 6, 2022 Author Share Posted March 6, 2022 (edited) @Seattle_Aquarist I didn't change much. Same Fluval 3.0 light with the same pro light spectrum. I'm using the Thrive C with 6 pumps twice a day. The only thing that's changed is I switched to 3 of the fert pearl filled tabs you guys suggested and the sand. I did add the ludwigia and a couple new Pink flamingos in the front. The scarlets are in the old tank too but behind the log. I had a big spike in black beard algae last month which before I had just a little patches of green spot algae. I just kept plucking it off and got a few amono shrimp and now just a small spot of green algae on the moss on the log. All in all I'm happy. Edited March 6, 2022 by lmhicks101 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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