substrates..... how does my garden grow
stonefly
Member Posts: 43
hi everybody....... just wanted to start a discussion on substrates......
I use 4 levels of substrate material in my tanks..... the base is wet ceramics
clay as I figured plants lived in mud..... I then use fine gravel and filter wool
which I add 200ml of live bacteria to..... sand.... and finally a mixture of granite
and green coloured pebbles...... you can get the ceramics clay at a local pottery
supply shop for about 10 bucks....... the plants go nuts in it..... and I also add live
black worm for the fish....... does anybody else get into grossly over planting aquariums.......???????
some times I prefer the plants to the fish........!!!!!!!
I use 4 levels of substrate material in my tanks..... the base is wet ceramics
clay as I figured plants lived in mud..... I then use fine gravel and filter wool
which I add 200ml of live bacteria to..... sand.... and finally a mixture of granite
and green coloured pebbles...... you can get the ceramics clay at a local pottery
supply shop for about 10 bucks....... the plants go nuts in it..... and I also add live
black worm for the fish....... does anybody else get into grossly over planting aquariums.......???????
some times I prefer the plants to the fish........!!!!!!!
Comments
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Where are you getting your live bacteria from.
I realy like the clay idea but cichlids dig.
Yeah i have to agree with you sometimes i prefer the plants to fish.
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Thats alot of layers how long does it take for you to set up.
What size tank do you have.
Why put the sand on top and not fine gravel. -
Sorry stonefly you have gravel last.
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afternoon cookie....... the sand is important for insulation from the mixture that would occur with the clay and tank water...... the substrate height can get pretty massive with so many levels.... my 2 foot tanks substrate is about 10cm high but the tank is 18 inches tall so ive still got a lot of room to work with......... most pet stores stock bacteria.... I use bio booster by aqua master..... it comes in a dormant form and when added begins to break down nitrates and ammonia ........
I would like to get some blue rams.... but ive heard they strip the plants bare.... does anybody know if its true or not..? does anybody own any..? -
Love your substrate idea. Have a look at the planted forum on Aquarium Life.
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I used to have a simpler version of this in my discus tank with Potting sand (very clay heavy sand mix) on the bottom and silica sand on the top. Used to work amazing. I would have green lotus sprouting up like weeds! I couldnt get rid of them fast enough so i used to throw them away!
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Blue Rams will not touch your plants, who ever told you that ought to be flogged lol
You need pristine water conditions for Rams,
I have a plant fetish I must say, I only use DIY Co2 as a fert, sometimes I will pop in some proper ferts but not often needed :
I would love to see a pic of your efforts
It does sound like what Doug did.
I must say I find plants like gravel more than sand, The roots get to travel easier
Helping to create the eco balance you need
No plants stripping here
This is my 5 foot ram tank at different times
Here are a few Rams I have kept
Shrimp tank
I liked them quite a bit lol ;;)
"I'm a Doug Addict" 
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You could say i like plants more than fish...
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Definitely.
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thanx guys....... looks like rams are back on the list...... im currently setting up a 3 foot tank and another 1x1 by 2 foot tall and got 3 large blocks of clay for the job...... still working out how to up load pics....... livefish should have made it a bit easier with a browse option....... ive got a small pic of my 2 foot tank on the left with my profile but its probably too small to see properly......... looking at getting a 5 foot tank too moo but ive got to make a bit more room for it to fit......
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Mary Mary quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells and cockle shells
And pretty maids all in a row.
Off with their heads!!
Couldn't restrain myself any longer. Sometimes when I reflect back on all the beer I drink I feel ashamed. Then I look into the glass and think about the workers in the brewery and all of their hopes & dreams. -
FYI
When you get your Rams, ask the place, for a pair, Educate yourself in the art of selecting a pair before you go Rams are quite placid with other fish, But with each other(same sex) they can be very aggressive, especially when they are breeding, but other active fish will upset them.. They don't like Corys or similar busy bottom dwelling types... "I'm a Doug Addict" -
when I get the 3 footer set up I will consider the selection of fish carefully...... I was originally going to put a murray cod in it so im still a bit undecided........I was also going to go half a dozen land hermit crabs instead of filling it with water and fish..... already picked out a rock background for it...... makes for something different to stare at hour upon hour.... endless staring.....occasional breaks for food and water.....lol
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A cod won't fit the 3 foot for long
Hermits are kool lol bit of a waste of a 3 foot tho, 2 foots big enough for hermits
a planted shrimp tank would be nice "I'm a Doug Addict" -
I used to have a shrimp tank moo..... bad memories of starting with 5 cherry shrimp.. 2 male 3 female and with in 6 months I had over 200 cherry shrimp infesting my tank I ended up getting rid of them but kept 3 females for another tank...... lesson learnt..!!
I know a cod would out grow the tank pretty quickly but I live in wild murray cod territory so I would probably just let him go in a lake somewhere when he got a bit to big......... lucky fish...!!!!!!!! -
NO! Not lucky fish. dead fish!
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:-S
Um, Taking from or releasing into our natural water system is illegal ... :-t "I'm a Doug Addict" -
That is something a lot of us here are quite passionate about, apart from being ILLEGAL it's not in the best interest of our water ways to take or release fish here in Aus.
Some food for thought.
>- Sometimes when I reflect back on all the beer I drink I feel ashamed. Then I look into the glass and think about the workers in the brewery and all of their hopes & dreams. -
Hey stonefly, why not consider something like this it will live in the 3' tank quite happily, and you'll be able to keep it for years.
http://www.aquagreen.com.au/plant_data/Mogurnda_mogurnda.htmlSometimes when I reflect back on all the beer I drink I feel ashamed. Then I look into the glass and think about the workers in the brewery and all of their hopes & dreams. -
sorry guys a MURRAY COD comes from the murray river in victoria...... its an Australian native...and its legal to fish for and release..... ive got the fishes best interest at heart..... rather than see it spend all its years tank when it gets too big...... they grow upto 100 pounds
................... my other non native fish are firmly stuck in my tanks for a number of years
..... look guys I suffer from scitzoprenia and you've unnerved me.... I joined this site to make friends not be persecuted
maybe I will just stick with the hermit crabs -
Hey,stonefly,things always sound harsher when typed,ya know?If you could actually hear these people speak,as like a conversation,then you would realise that no ones having a go,you love fish,we can tell,so,on this forum,give advice,take advice,interact,join in,make friends(you already have)BTW-Nothing wrong with a Murray cod,strict feeding regime,as in less is more,unheated tank,and growth rates slow considerably,i have two, had em for years, no dramas,onya m8>-
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No one is persecuting you, So sorry you think so,
We still love you REALLY
We were all nice and are just informing you of the laws is all ;;)
Don't leave us for loving the planet and all it's critters :;(
What happens if the cod you release, has some nasty and contaminates other fishies Best not introduce fish from tanks to water ways, Just to be safe me thinks .
Anyway ... Chill dude, You're kool B-)>- Peace Out "I'm a Doug Addict" -
fair enough....... I think I will introduce myself a little better with
a few photos in the gallery... beware not all of them are fishy..!!!!! -
WOW Mooo your tank looks awesome and your fish. mrc265 WOW again id say you do to.
Stonefly cheers for that info i will have to come back to this thread later when i pull everything out of the 2 foot and give the clay a go from a horticultural point of view they say clay has the most nutrients as far as a media goes, makes sense the plants would grow well did you still use ferts. -
yeah, we are all nice on here, but the old timers on here know that I am very defensive of our natural fish and their natural habitat. Captive raised fish loose ability to live in the wild. been shown over and over again. If you are after a murray cod, and you should be as they are an awesome fish!!! do the right thing and buy one from a shop that has been bred for tanks
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sorry guys ..... guess I didn't fit into your group,...... ive deleted my
profile -
stonefly, I'm not quite sure what you mean by your group, this is a fish forum where every body can have say. No one here has abused, ridiculed or been nasty to you in any way, we were just putting our point of view across about the capture and or release of fish back into the waterways. If you feel this has offended you in anyway that was not our intention.
Good luck on your next venture on life's little roads.
Peace out...........>- Sometimes when I reflect back on all the beer I drink I feel ashamed. Then I look into the glass and think about the workers in the brewery and all of their hopes & dreams. -
you don't understand mr Heinz....
maybe you were right......
I shouldn't let it go.....
it is hard to come by plump fat pellet feed cod.....
oh yes im starting to understand.....
sorry I deserved the persecution......
and will leave it there.........
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OK stonefly I'll play along, what is it I don't understand??
What does a fish on a plate with what looks like, julienne ginger and shredded kaffir lime leaves have to do with anything??
Now when has anyone on here ever persecuted you??
If you are a schizophrenic as you claim you are, (I do not use that word lightly), then you are obviously not taking your meds as prescribed. For goodness sake, take your meds and reread all the posts on your own thread here and tell us who you think persecuted you.
Sometimes when I reflect back on all the beer I drink I feel ashamed. Then I look into the glass and think about the workers in the brewery and all of their hopes & dreams. -
and a slice of lemon........
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....and a drizzle of white wine sauce!)
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strangely i feel like sushi...]
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Jeez louize what a thread i think ya all need a cookie. And a cupa. :-\"
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Me thinks a hash cookie, hey Mr Heintz
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And a sav blanc sauce, lightly steemed cod with asian greens. Green tea to follow with some of heintz's cookies a port and a good lie down.
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COOKIES, COOKIES, YUM,YUM.................... \m/Sometimes when I reflect back on all the beer I drink I feel ashamed. Then I look into the glass and think about the workers in the brewery and all of their hopes & dreams. -
) ) ) I love it ) ) I-)
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just have a cookie and a cuppa and relax in front of your tank. 8->
I love it too. -
A cookie and a coupla jacks and coke praps?>-
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