Substrate layers

[nightster]

Was thinking about tearing down my planted tank and redoing it. Ill be using brightwells fine and a top layer of extra fine but idk what to put underneath those two. ADG has power sand and all the other additives but they get expensive quick. I added up all the products and its over 150 just for the substrate additives. So i was looking for other alternatives, all that will be planted is gonna be dhg. Substrate will more than likely be thicker in areas and other areas not as thick, but still over 1". Let me know what you guys/gals think. Thanks...

[Totenkampf]

for just DHG, i would use some first layer laterite on the very bottom. maybe some peat granules and some bio-zyme to kinda replicate what ADA is doing. get all fancy if you can find bamboo carbon granules. i bet that would be a cool place to put a few crushed IAL....hmmm

[nightster]

You know where i can pick this stuff up at? I'm on the sw side of Houston.

[sunkenmetal]

south west side!

Whats wrong with what you have now?

[eklikewhoa]

If using brightwell just run it by itself.

[nightster]

south west side!

Whats wrong with what you have now?

Wrong color and I'm gonna transfer it into another tank...

If using brightwell just run it by itself.

I thought about this, but wasn't sure if it would work.

[Totenkampf]

i havent used brightwell, you can probably just run the ADA substrates by themselves too. i should have mentioned that I add that kind of stuff to emulate what i think those ADA adatives may be and since you were asking about them then that is what i recommended. if the soil isnt inert, like pool sand or something, then you could just run it by itself. my standard mix these days is laterite with some peat and bacteria starter mixed in and then capped by a pool sand / fluorite red mix and eco complete on top. i can see just using brightwell for what you are doing though.

[eklikewhoa]

I hate layering substrates cause it's kinda a one time use ordeal.

ADA and Brightwell is strong enough to use on it's own. I've done the ADA amazonia with the powersand before and compared to just plain aquasoil I didn't noticed much difference unless you plan on using some heavy root feeding plants and even then I didn't see much difference till like a year or two later before it presented itself.

All the other additives is cool but IME not absolutely necessary.

[sunkenmetal]

Sand and a ton of root tabs. When you get bored with plants vacuum the piss out of the sand and your good to go lol