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Does a Vallisneria Spiralis plant do well & grow in a sand substrate tank?.

Thanks alot in advance.



http://www.flickr.com/photos/corydoras/
Member of the Malta Aquarist Society - 1970.
http://www.maltaaquarist.com

Hi Jason, how's it going ?

Vals and most plants will do the same in sand as they will in gravel as long as you compensate for the difference between them. Sand compacts, nutrients move thru it poorly as a result. It contains no nutrients.

Mts snails will keep the sand from compacting and move any
nutrients throughout. This would be of huge benefit to your plants









The Amazon Nut...

Thanks alot for your reply.

I would compensate the difference with some fertilizer.

Would the sand crush the Vallisneria roots?.

ps. I'm not a great fan of Mts snails.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/corydoras/
Member of the Malta Aquarist Society - 1970.
http://www.maltaaquarist.com

No problem

Val is low requirement, you won't need much fert, it does need iron. You'll need a fert that goes into the substrate to give it iron. Here's my pitch on a method.

Why not to use fert tabs, and an alternative.

Fert tabs always leave chemical residue in the tank.
(a white, doughy looking mess) You will need to stir the sand at maintenance time to keep it from compacting and to prevent anerobic pockets. When you do that, or when you plant or pull up plants, the residue can enter your water column, causing algae problems and possibly make fish sick.

A safer method would be diy clay balls (mixed with peat). Freeze them then stick a couple down by the roots. The clay will provide iron, the peat will provide additional nutrients. The val will get whatever else it needs thu the water column thru it's leaves.

Would the sand crush the Vallisneria roots? - Vals grow in sandy areas in nature but organisms keep it sifted. Stir the sand during maintenance for same effect



The Amazon Nut...

Thanks alot for your fast reply. Yes, i will use some clay "balls" & see how it will go.

I already have a "sandy" substrate tank & yes, i stir the sand during water changes & never had any problems with anerobic pockets.

Thanks once again & best regards.
Jason.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/corydoras/
Member of the Malta Aquarist Society - 1970.
http://www.maltaaquarist.com