# plants + sand= ?? HELP!



## ssunnylee24 (Jan 10, 2008)

im using pool filter sand in my 55g tank and i want to try to use real plants instead of fake ones(they dont look good) and just bought a first nice driftwood. 
will swords n Anubias grow?? or should i take sand out and use diffrent gravel?


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## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

the swords should do fine in the sand, i've never had any problems with it, but you should take the anubias out of the sand and attach it to driftwood, they do much better that way


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

Anubias will grow in there if you keep the water nice.
Swords need a decent amount of light. 1.5wpg ideal.


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## ssunnylee24 (Jan 10, 2008)

thanks alot guys. would u guys recommend me a place where i can get a good deal? online? or local petstore?


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## LS1FDRx7 (Mar 6, 2007)

Just go to your Home Depot store and buy their Schultz Aquatic Plant Soil, it's made for planted Aquarium and works great. It comes in 10lbs bag and cost about 4.49 a bag. Which is dirt cheap!!!!!

I have all sorts of species of Swords and Anubias plant grown in it. Works awesome. Here's a picture of how it looks like.









I figured if DiPpY eGgS used it, it must be good and it is!!!


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## ssunnylee24 (Jan 10, 2008)

LS1FDRx7 said:


> Just go to your Home Depot store and buy their Schultz Aquatic Plant Soil, it's made for planted Aquarium and works great. It comes in 10lbs bag and cost about 4.49 a bag. Which is dirt cheap!!!!!
> 
> I have all sorts of species of Swords and Anubias plant grown in it. Works awesome. Here's a picture of how it looks like.
> 
> ...


nice!! can i get a close up shot of the soil in the tank. i like the darkness. maybe ill take my sand out and put that soil in


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## MiGsTeR (Jan 19, 2008)

LS1FDRx7 said:


> Just go to your Home Depot store and buy their Schultz Aquatic Plant Soil, it's made for planted Aquarium and works great. It comes in 10lbs bag and cost about 4.49 a bag. Which is dirt cheap!!!!!
> 
> I have all sorts of species of Swords and Anubias plant grown in it. Works awesome. Here's a picture of how it looks like.
> 
> ...


I might use this but does it have its draw backs with fishes especially P's.. Thx


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## MiGsTeR (Jan 19, 2008)

I checked out Home Depots site and they didn't have any. I might have to go directly at the store and I checked the online prices and it was in the $15-$20 range..


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## ssunnylee24 (Jan 10, 2008)

what do u guys think about mixing pool filter sand and the Aquatic Plant Soil??? should i just take the sand out and put soil in??i wanna start to progress already but i donno where to start from?


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## rickstsi (Apr 6, 2007)

MiGsTeR said:


> I checked out Home Depots site and they didn't have any. I might have to go directly at the store and I checked the online prices and it was in the $15-$20 range..


I paid $8 for my bag at the Paramus home depot but i don't know what size bag it was.
You could get the flourite at pet smart for $12.90 with price mach.

here is the Link http://www.aquatic-store.com/en-us/dept_218.html


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## LS1FDRx7 (Mar 6, 2007)

Mixing it would be fine, I would use the Aquatic soil below first, add your plants and what now, then put the pool sand on top. The Aquatic soil is really "light weight".

I used the Aquatic soil with a black substrate gravel, it makes it look nice.

I also have 30lbs of it in my Piraya tank for a good 4 + months now and I haven't seen any drawback.

It's actually in the indoor area of Homedepot where it's leading outside to the garden, where they have all the money trees and bamboo plants.


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

> I might use this but does it have its draw backs with fishes especially P's.. Thx


The only drawback to this stuff is the weight.
Piranhas could kick the stuff all over the place when they get excited. And yes, that means the plants could go with it.
But I would listen to someone who has done this before. I have not 


> I checked out Home Depots site and they didn't have any. I might have to go directly at the store and I checked the online prices and it was in the $15-$20 range..


That is what I paid for my 25lb bags.


> what do u guys think about mixing pool filter sand and the Aquatic Plant Soil??? should i just take the sand out and put soil in??i wanna start to progress already but i donno where to start from?


I don't think it's necissary. It would probably end up looking ugly, unless you separated them using a plastic strip or something. A soil back, and some sand up front always looks nise








If you put the pool filter sand on top, it will sink right into the SAPS. 
I'm sure the plants would like it better than just sand, but like I said, it might look hideous


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## ssunnylee24 (Jan 10, 2008)

DiPpY eGgS said:


> > I might use this but does it have its draw backs with fishes especially P's.. Thx
> 
> 
> The only drawback to this stuff is the weight.
> ...


i went to home depot near me and bought 4 bags of Schultz aquatic plant soil. thought it was gonna b darker color but its brownish color. tank is still cloudy. no plants yet.


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## LS1FDRx7 (Mar 6, 2007)

Looking Awesome. It should clear up within an hour if your filtration is really good.


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

I'm getting serious growth with this stuff in my tank.

When I uproot, there always is a bunch sticking to the roots lol-- drawing nutrients!


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## ssunnylee24 (Jan 10, 2008)

LS1FDRx7 said:


> Looking Awesome. It should clear up within an hour if your filtration is really good.


it cleared up pretty good now, ill put pic up tomorrow. where should i buy plants? im kinda close to Shark Aquarium in hillside, nj. donno if they got good plants there. i do not feel like ordering them online.


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## Dr. Giggles (Oct 18, 2003)

ssunnylee24 said:


> Looking Awesome. It should clear up within an hour if your filtration is really good.


it cleared up pretty good now, ill put pic up tomorrow. where should i buy plants? im kinda close to Shark Aquarium in hillside, nj. donno if they got good plants there. i do not feel like ordering them online.
[/quote]

George has a ton of fresh plants in a dedicated tank but are of the small/short size variety. Nothing wrong with growing them out though. Last I was there not to long ago nothing large size. He has the best large pieces of driftwood i've ever seen though if you need some of that to.


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## ssunnylee24 (Jan 10, 2008)

Dr. Giggles said:


> Looking Awesome. It should clear up within an hour if your filtration is really good.


it cleared up pretty good now, ill put pic up tomorrow. where should i buy plants? im kinda close to Shark Aquarium in hillside, nj. donno if they got good plants there. i do not feel like ordering them online.
[/quote]

George has a ton of fresh plants in a dedicated tank but are of the small/short size variety. Nothing wrong with growing them out though. Last I was there not to long ago nothing large size. He has the best large pieces of driftwood i've ever seen though if you need some of that to.
[/quote]
yeah i bought that driftwood in the middle of my tank. its cleared up.


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