Regular Member EvilVegan Posted January 13, 2015 Regular Member Share Posted January 13, 2015 Setting up a new tank this weekend. I want to plant the crap out of it. My existing tank has 3 anubias tied to rocks, no substrate. I was thinking of doing tahitian black sand, but I don't want to worry about anaerobic air pockets. If I do a carpet of something (like in the background of this very website), how do I vacuum adequately to avoid those pockets? Or are the carpets stable enough that they keep the pockets in check? If I don't do a substrate, who has pretty things I can put my plants in? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member ShawneeRiver Posted January 13, 2015 Regular Member Share Posted January 13, 2015 Somewhere here it was recently discussed that the sand would have to be very deep to risk such pockets. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member LisaCGold Posted January 13, 2015 Regular Member Share Posted January 13, 2015 If don't do substrate, you can try the following for your plants that need their roots buried: http://ripariumsupply.com/tank-planters/ I tried them, but I didn't like how algae gathered on them and how they get a bit dirty on the inside. If you are interested in trying them, I could mail you my stash. Someone from Koko's (I think her name was Carol), sent me hers. I'm happy to pass them onto you. Just PM me. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member shakaho Posted January 14, 2015 Regular Member Share Posted January 14, 2015 I just don't buy the "danger" of anaerobic pockets in aquarium sand. Goldfish are native to lakes and ponds, which all have a bottom of soil. Not just a few inches but down to the bedrock. While there are situations in which nasty gases bubble up from the bottom of natural waters and killing fish, these are rare and occur in swamps, highly eutrophic lakes that are loaded with decomposing organic material, and some very deep lakes with hundreds of yards of anaerobic water in the bottom. Do any of these sound like your aquarium? Plant roots aerate soil, so if you have sand in a planted tank, nobody worries about anaerobic pockets. Those who worry about anaerobic pockets pockets in sand recommend that unplanted sand be no deeper than 2.5 inches. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member jmetzger72 Posted January 14, 2015 Regular Member Share Posted January 14, 2015 I have sand in both of my tanks and I don't touch it. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Daniel Posted January 14, 2015 Regular Member Share Posted January 14, 2015 I can think of handful of aquascapers who have substrate a foot or higher in the back -- they're more worried about landslides than anything. Put some stems back there, they'll develop fairly extensive root systems. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member HomerJay Posted January 14, 2015 Regular Member Share Posted January 14, 2015 I have sand in both of my tanks and I don't touch it. Agreed, plus the goldies do a very good job of turning it over. Mine are constantly foraging. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member EvilVegan Posted January 14, 2015 Author Regular Member Share Posted January 14, 2015 Thanks everyone, The seller I'm getting the tank from happens to have 6 bags of Tahitian sand and he'll probably just throw them in with the tank. I wasn't going to do more than an inch or two deep anyway. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member EvilVegan Posted January 15, 2015 Author Regular Member Share Posted January 15, 2015 Alright followup question. I have 3 anubias currently in my 37 gal. Next week I'm setting up a 135 gallon and starting the fishless cycle. The anubias should be able to handle the ammonia. What other plants can I throw in the tank? I want to add some Amazon swordss, duckweed and hyacinth and water lettuce floating, and maybe some tasty anacharis; can those all handle high ammonia and nitrite levels? Does anyone have suggestions on what to do to get water moving through the whole tank so I don't have dead zones? I've never dealt with a tank this size. I'm going to get an 1800 GPH pump for the wet/dry return and I think with my calculations it should do 1300 GPH with the plumbing and height difference. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Daniel Posted January 16, 2015 Regular Member Share Posted January 16, 2015 I don't know of any plants that won't handle a cycle. Your plant list is hardy, they will hold up just fine. Depending on what you are going for, look at microsorums (java fern, windelov, etc), cryptocorynes (wendtii green, red and tropica are all nice, perhaps some parva too if you wanted a low maintenance slow growing carpet). Assorted anubias, helanthium tenellus, echinodorus quadricostatus, alternanthera reineckii, some marsilea drummondii might hold up, hydorocotyle tripartita or leucocephala, aponogeton crispus, crinum calamistratum, rotala sp. green, rotala rotundifolia, hygrophila polysperma, hygrophila polysperma rosanervig, hygrophila corymbosa, hygrophila difformis, ludwigia repens, java moss, christmas moss, fissidens fontanus, etc. The list could go on and on. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member yafashelli Posted January 16, 2015 Regular Member Share Posted January 16, 2015 Dan gave you a fabulous answer! Post photos of your new tank!!! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member EvilVegan Posted January 16, 2015 Author Regular Member Share Posted January 16, 2015 What's the thoughts on quarantine or bleaching plants for a new tank setup that I'm going to be cycling for about 30 days? The fishless cycling seems like it would be good enough for quarantine time. I only buy from one source as well. It's a local fish store that's been around for decades. Do parasites handle ammonia? Probably do... those little jerks. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member ShawneeRiver Posted January 16, 2015 Regular Member Share Posted January 16, 2015 Just as a heads up: I had to go deeper than 1-2 inches for my large sword plants. With plants, just try it. If a plant works and you like it, buy more. If it doesn't thrive, try something else. I've had plant thrive in one tank and not the other for no apparent reason, and I've had plants do better in different spots inside the tank. It's very experimental but enjoyable. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Daniel Posted January 17, 2015 Regular Member Share Posted January 17, 2015 I do a bleach dip because I'm impatient. The ratio is 1:19 of bleach to water. Leave plants in for 2-3 minutes, rinse, prime, rinse and rinse again. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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