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Posted by on March 18, 2009, 10:00 pm
Please log in for more thread options As a complete newbie to this, I'm confused as to the depth of
substrate that I should be using.
Aquarium is 125 litres and I've started with 5mm gravel. However, one
book says 2 inches depth and another says 4 inches. I want to put
plants in it and have bought some laterite to mix in with the gravel
but have no idae of what depth to aim for.
Any suggestions appreciated. Thanks.
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Posted by PABBY on March 19, 2009, 1:57 pm
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saabmans95@hotmail.com wrote:
> As a complete newbie to this, I'm confused as to the depth of
> substrate that I should be using.
> Aquarium is 125 litres and I've started with 5mm gravel. However, one
> book says 2 inches depth and another says 4 inches. I want to put
> plants in it and have bought some laterite to mix in with the gravel
> but have no idae of what depth to aim for.
> Any suggestions appreciated. Thanks.
2 inches isn't a bad starting point and you can always add more later, if
required.
I've got a 180L heavily planted tank that's got maybe 2-3 inches of gravel
in when level. However, I don't keep the gravel at a uniform depth, rather I
have it sloping from the back of the tank where it's probably 4 inches at
the deepest part. I also let it accumulate deeper behind the rocks and
bogwood, just to add character and to break up any straight lines. The more
established plants towards the back of the tank definitely seem to have
benefited by growing and spreading more rapidly (in fact, just appearing
healthier) since the extra gravel was accumulated around them.
Let us know how you get on.
Paul
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Posted by Gary Thomas Bolton on March 23, 2009, 9:07 pm
Please log in for more thread options About 1inch will do fine for most fish
--
http://www.aquariumfish.me
> As a complete newbie to this, I'm confused as to the depth of
> substrate that I should be using.
> Aquarium is 125 litres and I've started with 5mm gravel. However, one
> book says 2 inches depth and another says 4 inches. I want to put
> plants in it and have bought some laterite to mix in with the gravel
> but have no idae of what depth to aim for.
> Any suggestions appreciated. Thanks.
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Posted by Duncan on March 25, 2009, 5:51 pm
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> About 1inch will do fine for most fish
>
> --
> http://www.aquariumfish.me
>
>
>> As a complete newbie to this, I'm confused as to the depth of
>> substrate that I should be using.
>> Aquarium is 125 litres and I've started with 5mm gravel. However, one
>> book says 2 inches depth and another says 4 inches. I want to put
>> plants in it and have bought some laterite to mix in with the gravel
>> but have no idae of what depth to aim for.
>> Any suggestions appreciated. Thanks.
>
I've used fine river sand instead of gravel and it has been brilliant. Any
solid muck stays on top rather than sinking to form a foul sludge, and a
few cory catfish keep the sand constantly turned over (they filter it
through the mouth & gills). Compared with previous experience of catfish
kept in gravel-bottomed tanks, their barbels are spectacularly long. Plant
growth is good in an average of 2 inches depth of sand, with fine roots. The
sand is deeper at the back and held back behind a huge chunk of bogwood. I
don't see why you couldn't mix sand and gravel, the variation in particle
size ought to be good for plant root growth. Siphon cleaning lifts some sand
into the bucket, but it is easy to rinse it and put it back in the tank.
Duncan
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Posted by Edward Cowling London UK on March 26, 2009, 5:36 am
Please log in for more thread options In message
saabmans95@hotmail.com writes
>As a complete newbie to this, I'm confused as to the depth of
>substrate that I should be using.
>Aquarium is 125 litres and I've started with 5mm gravel. However, one
>book says 2 inches depth and another says 4 inches. I want to put
>plants in it and have bought some laterite to mix in with the gravel
>but have no idae of what depth to aim for.
>Any suggestions appreciated. Thanks.
5mm :-)
I have a nice lush plant life in my tank with 4 inches of gravel in the
bottom.
It gives more space for the bugs to work on the assorted effluvia as
well. My 120 litre tank has been up for about 7 years without a major
refit and is still sparkling clean and full of happy fish & plants.
--
Edward Cowling North London UK
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> substrate that I should be using.
> Aquarium is 125 litres and I've started with 5mm gravel. However, one
> book says 2 inches depth and another says 4 inches. I want to put
> plants in it and have bought some laterite to mix in with the gravel
> but have no idae of what depth to aim for.
> Any suggestions appreciated. Thanks.