New Tank substrate

[apuda2010]

After 4 years of planted tanks, have had a change of . Maintainence of the planted tank is taking up too much of my time, and the endless battle with algae and mulm are not helping.

Have therefore decided to change tracks. My new scape is planned with driftwood, rocks, moss on the driftwood, some anubias. The plan is to keep tetras, shrimps - basically small inhabitants.

Need some help to decide the substrate. What combination do the experts suggest ?

- Single layer of sand ? White sand or black sand ?
- Double layer - one of a nutrition layer (ADA or Soilrite) and sand on top ?
- Triple layer - one of gravel, one of a nutrition layer and sand on top ?

[parthapratim22]

Why not only sand? if its only moss, and anubias.

Why algae after so many years of tank keeping, its scaring me?

[apuda2010]

Partha, if you remember, I had put up the CREE LED fixture journal on this forum. From then till about 2 months back, I had good plant growth. My tank parameters are also good, nitrates are almost zero, CO2 is around 30ppm. All of a sudden I had this huge hair algae outbreak. This is one of the most difficult algae to take care of. I have 4 Ottos and 6 Amanos in the tank, and very little time except on Friday evening to clean the tank. I am not able to do large water changes as that hits the Amanos hard. Small water changes mean that the amount of surface debris and mulm that I am able to vaccum is not optimal. All this is tiring me down.

But I don't want to give up. Hence the move to moss,anubias ,driftwood and a different substrate.

[parthapratim22]

Is it like few weeks of without WC(due to you busy schedule) suddenly bring this hair algae? This happens to me all the time, but next few week again rigorous maintenance, and steady WC brings the tank stable, I have noticed this all the time, but for you again WC is not good, so will be difficult. Then definitely needed decision. Will not deviating from the topic.

Will wait and see your tank.

Never visit your house as you asked many times, though every weekend I go to CR Park market 1or2, so may visit soon to see your collection.

[apuda2010]

Sure Partha...

Meanwhile...where do I get sand in Delhi ? Pure white or Pure black ? Any sources anyone ?

[parthapratim22]

You may get with builders, but first time I got confused with Badarpur, but you know better.Black one I doubt, Black river sand(available here in Delhi) is tough to wash, will not suggest to use. Pure white you may get in Good LFS.

[SCORPIO]

lanned with driftwood, rocks, moss on the driftwood, some anubias. The plan is to keep tetras, shrimps - basically small inhabitants.

You can go white sand/golden sand with mentioned plants.

Both of these available with Bengal Aquarium, Anand Parvat.

[saikumar]

If cleaning is problem, go bare bottom. Spend the same money you spent on the costly ADA/Contro on a nice clean plumbing system that ll help you do a wc in a minute.

I'm telling you from experience, not from options, been in busy life got stuck, and still stuck... Plumbing helps. Conseal it well and you shouldn't have to worry. That's the problem I see with you, but if this post is just to choose substrate then ignore above- but even this will need siphoning etc.

Cheers!

[apuda2010]

Thanks Rajiv...will make this into a journal now once all materials are in place.

Planning to go for black sand..sourcing from Rajasthan.

Sai - appreciate the inputs my friend. Yes, bare bottom with god plumbing is the way to go for when life gets too busy. But you know something...I have been maintaining my tanks for almost 18 years now...will not give up so easily . Its just that the combination of dirt+debris+algae is becoming too much to tackle.