Wanting to try something new to me

[mtnmonster]

I picked up a 20 high on sale at PetSmart and I'm wanting to try something different. I've had good luck with gravel and eco complete for planted tanks. But I want to try something like fluval stratum or something similar. I was thinking of mixing or layering with eco complete. 

I'm looking to try more root feeders and some stem plants. Any suggestions on substrate type, depth and plants to try? Not interested in running CO2. Just better substrate and better lighting. 

[nabokovfan87]

I would put the eco complete as the base, largest size bits on the bottom, and then top it with stratum or something like controsoil.  My current setup has the heavier (but small size) substrate on the top and it works pretty well.  You'd want about 4" in the front with 6" in the back of your substrate.

Essentially, get your feet wet with stems and then decide if/when you go into the co2 side of things.

some good stems to try first would be:
-Pearlweed
-Staurogyne Repens
-Moneywort
-Bacopa Caroliniana
-Pogostemon Erectus
-Ammannia Gracilis (for some color)

Here's a fun one on one of the above stems.

 

Edited December 16, 2023 by nabokovfan87
added vid

[mtnmonster]

On 12/15/2023 at 6:36 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

I would put the eco complete as the base, largest size bits on the bottom, and then top it with stratum or something like controsoil.  My current setup has the heavier (but small size) substrate on the top and it works pretty well.  You'd want about 4" in the front with 6" in the back of your substrate.

Essentially, get your feet wet with stems and then decide if/when you go into the co2 side of things.

some good stems to try first would be:
-Pearlweed
-Staurogyne Repens
-Moneywort
-Bacopa Caroliniana
-Pogostemon Erectus
-Ammannia Gracilis (for some color)

Here's a fun one on one of the above stems.

 

Thanks for the suggestions. I made a list of plants that I know already do well for me that I'm going to propagate from my other tanks.

- vallisneria (in back corner to hide heater and filter) plus lfs already agreed to give me some store credit for Val when I get too much.

-alternanthera reineckii (does well just slow grower for me, but stays vibrant red , medium height and bushy)

-dwarf sag

- anubias nana and nana petite

-crypt lucens

-crypt wendtii green and I think I have a bronze mixed in 

 

What I want to try:

-pearl weed

-Bacopa caroliniana (just got some tissue culture in one other tank to see if it does well)

-crypt spiralis(I can't seem to find it locally)

-some sort of moss

-maybe some sort of floating plant

 

Plants I want to try again but can seem to keep

-any java fern

-staurogyne repens

-water sprite

-pogostemon stellatus

I don't plant on using all of these but a few will definitely be in this tank because I know they will do well for me.

 

So far my plants are doing well in eco complete and one tank is gravel and using root tabs and easy green in them. But I feel eco complete compacts and I'm wondering if it's hindering some of my plants. Plus it does raise ph kh and gh in those tanks. I figured mixing eco complete and an aqua soil would allow roots to establish better and have more nutrient consistency. And maybe keep my ph kh and gh a little lower.