# Pea gravel and Plants



## Brando (Oct 6, 2010)

so Ive been contemplating different set-ups and had considered a live plant tank, whether i do or not i have decided that setting up for one in case i do is the best choice. 
Id like a kind of "natural" gravel substrate but want to be able to support plants and this occurred to me...
why not a good base of peat-moss covered with pea-gravel or a mix of pea and smaller gravel..i can get large bags of the pea gravel much cheaper at the Home Depot.
should i use a layer of sand between the two?


----------



## mfgann (Oct 21, 2010)

This is exactly what beaslbob suggests, and I have in a couple of my smaller tanks (with the sand layer). I think the peat moss is there to keep the pH lower, then sand for rooting, and then a layer of gravel or prochoice select on top. I have the gravel. It looks very good and the plants seem to be doing very, very well. I wouldn't discourage using eco-complete or flourite and then something like gravel on top of it too, if you wanted to spend money. Some people use the walstad method of plain topsoil covered with gravel or sand, but you might need to 'mineralize' it first (I think a misnomer for just doing the wetting/drying part of a true miniralization process).

edit: 
Just to be clear, I use 1" of peat moss, wet down but not soupy in the bottom, then 1" of play sand (construction sand isnt as 'clean'), then 1" of aquarium gravel.


----------



## Brando (Oct 6, 2010)

Hmm, ok, so the sand is the rooting medium, i thought the peat moss was what provided nutrients for the plants, i was trying to avoid as much cost as i could, this is an 80 gallon set-up , that much flourite would be expensive.

Is there a link to the beaslbob "faqs" so to speak?
I do know his build are mantinece free so to speak, I will be running a eheim 2075 though


----------



## rtbob (Jul 18, 2010)

I used two bags of the pea gravel from Lowes, decided it wasn't enough and went to Home Depot and got a bag. The Lowes brand was 3.89 for a 40 lb bag and the HD was 3.39.
The Lowes has some bits just a little bit larger and was a more natural river stone.

Either way both brands need to be rinsed extensively. I ended up drilling holes in the bottom of a large thick plastic container with rope handles. I poured about 1/5th the bag in at a time and used my garden hose and rinsed the heck out of the stuff.

I started out dumping about half a bag into my oversized utility room sink and when the water quickly turned a very muddy brown I knew why this stuff is so cheap compared to pea gravel for aquariums.


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

The peat will provide nutrients for the plants as well as help control kh and ph.


----------



## Brando (Oct 6, 2010)

rtbob said:


> I used two bags of the pea gravel from Lowes, decided it wasn't enough and went to Home Depot and got a bag. The Lowes brand was 3.89 for a 40 lb bag and the HD was 3.39.
> The Lowes has some bits just a little bit larger and was a more natural river stone.
> 
> Either way both brands need to be rinsed extensively. I ended up drilling holes in the bottom of a large thick plastic container with rope handles. I poured about 1/5th the bag in at a time and used my garden hose and rinsed the heck out of the stuff.
> ...


I dont mind rinsing, i have a i have a screen i made form 2x6's and 1/4 screening to sift for a different project that will work like a charm.
I may pick up a bag form lowes and HD and then decide which to purchase more of once i see it.

also suggestions on what to look for and or stay away from in type of brand of peat moss, i saw mention somewhere of some type of Canadian sphagnum


----------

