Jump to content





Posted Image

PCS & Stuart M. Grant - Cichlid Preservation Fund - Details here


Photo

To Substrate Or Not To Substrate

tanks aquarion aquascaping decorating

  • Please log in to reply
3 replies to this topic

#1 CloeyyMegan

CloeyyMegan
  • Forum Member
  • Joined: 23-July 14
  • Location: Canning Vale

Posted 03 November 2017 - 01:06 PM

What are your thoughts?

 

Do you put anything on the base of your tank?

 

why? why not?



#2 Delapool

Delapool

    Membership Officer

  • Admin
  • Joined: 10-July 15
  • Location:Swan View
  • Location: Swan View

Posted 03 November 2017 - 10:52 PM

Are you thinking for quarantine tank or in general? Seen a few options. In general I find bare tanks harder to get established (I think)and aesthetics not so great although my sister did a nice one in low light. On the plus side, super easy to clean, pond snails have no where to hide and anything looks better than rainbow gravel

#3 Delapool

Delapool

    Membership Officer

  • Admin
  • Joined: 10-July 15
  • Location:Swan View
  • Location: Swan View

Posted 04 November 2017 - 12:20 PM

Bit of an old photo - bare tank but looked like a grass field before mowed by snail.


74564-albums13177-picture69213.jpg

#4 malawiman85

malawiman85
  • Forum Member
  • Joined: 11-December 08
  • Location: Geraldton

Posted 05 November 2017 - 07:45 AM

Well it depends on what you're trying to achieve.
If you have huge bioloads then bare is the way to go so the tank can be kept very clean.
If you want to create a low maintenance display then a very thin layer of sub is a good idea and won't have any effect on water quality plus the sub is a good media for bacteria to support your biofilter.
If you want a fancier display, you will probably require a significantly deeper substrate.
I've done a couple of nice 2 foot tanks with drift wood and ferns on a bare base and i liked it. Fish probably don't like the reflection so much though.
Alternatively, you could stick a 3D background to the base. Some won't work but some would be perfect for creating a rocky river or lake look. The other advantage with that option is it's easy to keep clean... A bit like bare base. A little bit of algae on it actually looks good too.

I've wanted to use natural stone to create a really nice natural look with some areas filled with aquasoil for planting... Garden steppers from Bunnings would be what I would use. Would need to dedicate some time and effort to getting it right though.





Also tagged with one or more of these keywords: tanks, aquarion, aquascaping, decorating

1 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users