Plant Substrates and Loaches

[soul-hugger]

Hello..,

I am planning on switching substrates from regular aquarium gravel to half sand and half gravel. I thought I might use the sand in the front and centre, and the gravel around the outer edges where most of the plants will be. I would like to try the Dutch-Style aquarium with lots of plants and terraced areas, with some gravel piled up behind driftwood to create planting beds. I have considered trying one of the plant-growing substrates such as Laterite, Fluorite, Eco-Complete, Flora Base, etc., but wondered if these would be safe for use with Loaches. The Loaches in question are Weathers, Kuhlis, and Schistura. I would love to hear about any of your experiences with these materials, as well as any tips or reccommendations.

Thank-you
soul-hugger

[Diana]

Plant specific substrates are fine with Loaches. I have Eco Complete mixed with Soil Master Select in my 125 gallon, Flora Base in a 10 gallon (no Loaches in there, but I do know that brand name, it is a good one, rounded particles).
I have handled Flourite, but not used it. It looks sharper than it really is.

Plants grow so much better in a plant specialty substrate that I am switching all my tanks over to these products.

Sand and 'other' material may tend to mix, or one will be heavier and will sift its way under the lighter one. I have built retaining walls of broken flagstone and expanding foam filler that keeps the 2 materials separate, except for what the fish or the water movement lifts over the wall.

[Bully]

I have used both the standard Flourite and the fine Flourite Black Sand. In my opinion neither are suited to loaches. Both my striata and my sids refused to sift in the Flourite when used alone. I have the Flourite Black Sand mixed 50/50 with a standard fine black sand and now they will happily root about in it. Again, with the Eco-Complete (which I also use) I would not use it alone with loaches, or any fish that likes to root about in the substrate. CaribSea have Eco-Complete as suited to soft-bellied fish but not burrowers.

http://www.caribsea.com/pages/products/ ... aquar.html

Mixing it with a softer substrate such as sand or aquatic soil should make it much safer for use with loaches.

[soul-hugger]

Thank-you, Diana and Bully...

Presently I have the regular rounded "river-stone" gravel in my tanks. Both the Kuhlis and one particular Weather Loach will burrow in it occasionally. All my plants are growing but could definitely use a boost. All the products I have named are in a catalogue; I have never seen any of them offered in the stores around here. It would be nice to be able to feel them to see what I'm up against as far as texture. The Flora-Base seems to be one that is a more rounded particle, and a smaller grain. A sand grain may be even better, but I'm wondering about it compacting around the plants. Perhaps if it is made for plants, it will let the roots breathe a little more than regular sand. Occaisionally I give my houseplants carbonated water. They love this little treat because it loosens up the soil around their roots and give them room to breathe. Not to mention they are carbon-lovers. What I would love to see is either a documentary or a bunch of pictures of actual river bottoms around the world and the flora and fauna living there. It would be best to attempt to match the substrate to that in nature.

It is a good point to say that the materials will mix. I guess this is inevitable, with the water movement, and the movement of the fish. A retaining wall is a very good idea. Most of the plant substrate I would use will be piled up behind driftwood and scattered around a bit on the sand to give it some texture. I like to have most of the plants around the back and sides of the tank, with the middle and front section left open for swimming.

Thanks for the link, too.., I will check it out right away.

Bye for Now
soul-hugger