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I'm going to be planting my 30 Gal. tank when it is ready. I know there are substrates made especially for plants, but I find them ugly. Can I mix plant substrate and normal gravel? Can some plants grow in just normal gravel?

You don't like flourite?? Probably the prettiest gravel i've ever used

Plants will grow in a normal gravel substrate but you're better off with a plant-oriented substrate

Hi,
Actually, you have a couple of options.

First, you can use 100% gravel. Gravel is pure silica
(SiO2) and as such contains nothing to support plant
growth. Instead it acts, as all substrates do, as
a medium for the roots to anchor themselves into.

The bacterial colonies that thrive in the gravel break
down the fish waste, excess food, and dead/dying plant
material into the nutrients (the nitrogen cycle)
that the plants feed off of.

If you set up the tank with a normal fish load, have
the correct lighting for the correct duration, then
the plants will grow as the nutrients become available.
It will be a slow process, because the nutrients are
not already present as if you were planting a well
established tank. Rather you are starting from scratch
and MAY have to add fertilizers too. I say may, because
it will depend upon the quantity of fish.

Second, and better, is a 50/50 ratio aquarium gravel
and flourite or laterite. You use a layer system.
Mix either 50/50 flourite, or 50/50 laterite and
place an inch and a half thick layer of the mixture
on the glass bottom of the tank spread evenly across
the whole surface. Then cap it with an inch and a
half layer of pure gravel. Put about two to three
inches of water in the tank CAREFULLY so as not to
disturb the bottom layer. Plant the plants where you
want them to grow. Plant the plants in the upper layer
only. Do not push them into the second layer. The plants
will grow roots down into the second layer and thrive.
Be warned that when you uproot a plant, or vacuum too
deeply, you will bring the clay through the cap layer
and muddy the tank.

Check out these two sites first:

http://home.infinet.net/teban/substrat.htm
http://www.plantedtank.net/substratecalculator.html

The best is 100% flourite, EcoComplete, Onyx, etc.
The next best is 100% laterite under a cap layer of
gravel.
The 50/50 mix is primarly for folks who cannot afford
the 100% solution as it can be expensive.
Hope these thoughts help...

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Just one more additional option, similar to what Frank mentioned, is that instead of using plain aquarium gravel, or pea gravel, is to use Shultz's Aquatic plant soil it's less expensive than aquarium gravel, and only slightly more expensive than pea gravel from a landscaping shop. Only drawback is that like flourite, it's red.

^_^
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Flourite red is red, reg'lar flourite is brown

And what's wrong with red?

Nothing Tim, but

I know there are substrates made especially for plants, but I find them ugly.

figured they didnt like it cause it was abnormally colored.

^_^
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Yes, but flourite reg'lar is one of the prettiest substrates out there, kind of like you!! only not a substrate... *runs*

Wait, flourite isnt' a substrate now , you're gonna confuse the daylight delux bulbs outa the people !

What I was trying to say was that some people want a less red or brown or multi colored substrate... I think that's what I was trying to say .

^_^
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right, and then you used "drawback" and "flourite" in the same sentance, bad babel *takes away caffeiene privelages*

I just like flourite and when he said he didn't like planted tank substrates, i had to speak up!!

"It will be a slow process, because the nutrients are not already present as if you were planting an already established tank"

I'm going to be using a filter cartridge from my established tank, and some of the water from it aswell. Will this help? Also, if I decide to do just plain gravel, can you suggest some plants that would work?

Filter cartridge will help, but you'll be losing alot of the bacteria that's present in the substrate (where most of your biofilter is located actually ).

Alot of plants will do just fine in plain gravel...I'd suggest poking your head in over in the planted forum .

^_^
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