Filter And Substrate Questions

[Guest goldfishbklyn]

Hi everyone! I'm getting stuff together for a 75 gallon planted tank with my two goldfish (who now live in a 20 gallon planted). I'm hoping for your advice on a couple of things:

- After a lot of shopping, I think I'm going to get a Eheim Pro II 2028 filter. I chose this because I think I need more filtering power than you can get in the Eheim Classics, plus I like that the Pro has a primer and media baskets. Does this sound OK?

- I'm stumped on the substrate question:

I think Flourite would be great for plants, but I've read here and there (including on this forum) that Flourite can be too sharp for fish who like to poke around in the gravel. When I emailed Seachem they said: "Flourite is completely safe to be used with goldfish. We have one variety or another of Flourite in all of our freshwater planted tanks here at Seachem, and many of those tanks have bottom-feeders, including clown loaches, etc, all which do just fine with the gravel. If you are still concerned about this, then you could go with Flourite Black Sand, which does not contain any sharp edges." But I've heard otherwise and I'm afraid for the fish. Also I've never heard of sand being good for plants or easy to maintain, so I don't think I'll go that route.

What I don't like about regular gravel is that it's all coated with plastic, which I think must make it harder for plant roots to hang on to. I called Estes (one of the manufacturers) and they said they have to coat all gravel with plastic because silica dust is classified as a carcinogen, so even though it's the same stuff that's on any beach, it'd be hard to sell a gravel if they had to mark it as carcinogenic. The guy recommended Estes Natural #4 as having the thinnest coating, but when I checked it out at my LFS it doesn't look very porous to me. It's also a really light color, which isn't that attractive.

So at this point I'm leaning toward the Flourite, but I don't want to hurt my fish! Any advice?

Thanks!!!

[Cynders]

Well you really don't even need substrate if you want a planted tank. Anubias and java ferns grow on rocks and the goldfish won't tear them up. Plus it'll be easier on you to have a barebottom tank. You can also put plant pots in your tank and plant the plants in the pots using flourite. Then the fish won't dig in it.

What plants did you have in mind? Because goldfish will ususally tear them up.

[Guest goldfishbklyn]

Thanks! I've got anubias and java ferns in the tank they're in right now, and I'm thinking I'll get more of those plus some hornwort and some other species that people say work well with goldfish. I think I'll go with gravel because I'm hoping to have a pretty densely planted, natural-looking plant. I don't mind vacuuming.

Well you really don't even need substrate if you want a planted tank. Anubias and java ferns grow on rocks and the goldfish won't tear them up. Plus it'll be easier on you to have a barebottom tank. You can also put plant pots in your tank and plant the plants in the pots using flourite. Then the fish won't dig in it.

What plants did you have in mind? Because goldfish will ususally tear them up.

[johann_pond]

I have black gravel in my tank, they do forage around in it, and I have had no problems. I know alot of people don't like to use gravel with goldies but I have done it for a while and it actually helps my plants.

[koko]

"Flourite" I only used in my planted tank when I had Swords in it cause they needed it. But if your having plants like Anibias or java fern you dont need it. There is a product called Flourish Excel and it will do the same thing as Flourite just its liquid and easier to use.

[number20121]

I gave up on plants in my tank. My goldis are pigs and have no sense for style.

And I got rid of my gravel because my single tails like to pick it up and I don't want them to choke on it. Instead I am using river rocks of different colors (tan through black) to add some color to the tank and to not have the bottom of the tank all bare.

[Guest goldfishbklyn]

Thanks very much, everyone, for the great advice!

I gave up on plants in my tank. My goldis are pigs and have no sense for style.

And I got rid of my gravel because my single tails like to pick it up and I don't want them to choke on it. Instead I am using river rocks of different colors (tan through black) to add some color to the tank and to not have the bottom of the tank all bare.