Lava sand for planted tank???

[IlhamSetiawan]

Hello there, so i want to setup a new 5 gallon tank for my new Betta, i want a lush & healthy plant growth, but soil are too expensive in my LFS, the seller said that you can grow plants with lava sand, do lava sand have nutrients in it?

Any answer will help.

[Tanked]

Because it is inert, I believe lava sand has very few nutrients.  Being porous, it will contain the same nutrients as the water column.  

[JoeQ]

On 9/16/2023 at 6:44 AM, IlhamSetiawan said:

Hello there, so i want to setup a new 5 gallon tank for my new Betta, i want a lush & healthy plant growth, but soil are too expensive in my LFS, the seller said that you can grow plants with lava sand, do lava sand have nutrients in it?

Any answer will help.

You can pretty much grow plants in any substrate. Some guys even use dirt cheap pool filter sand or blasting sand, the key to using these substrates is to have a good nutritional plan.

Edited September 16 by JoeQ

[JettsPapa]

On 9/16/2023 at 12:37 PM, JoeQ said:

. . . Some guys even use dirt cheap pool filter sand or blasting sand, the key to using these substrates is to have a good nutritional plan.

I agree, but contrary to what some people will tell you, you don't need to add root tabs.  Many plants will do fine in inert substrates with just liquid fertilizer.  That includes some that are often described as heavy root feeders.

[JoeQ]

On 9/16/2023 at 4:46 PM, JettsPapa said:

I agree, but contrary to what some people will tell you, you don't need to add root tabs.  Many plants will do fine in inert substrates with just liquid fertilizer.  That includes some that are often described as heavy root feeders.

That is why I said "nutritional plan". The argument on to tab, or not to tab, is similar to the comic book fanboy argument of who's the better super hero. In either debate, no argument is going to change minds; its just noise IMHO.