# Been thinking....



## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

(And just so you all know, YOU did this to me haha) 

Anyway, When I got the tank I set it up with what I had (very little) and what my friend gave me. The decor of the tank....sucks balls. So now that I've been nosing around the forums and checking everyone's tanks out, I want a more natural look. And a barer look too, as right now my tank is all kinds of decorations as well as neon pink and black gravel. So what kind of substrate is cheap, easy, and looks good? I was thinking some kind of gravel but witha few different shades of brown/tan/black in it? WHere can I get something like that?*c/p*


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## MissPisces (Jun 8, 2011)

The best place to buy gravel, in my experience, is Wal-Mart. In the pet section, with the fish stuff, they have bags of gravel in different colors. It's pretty cheap, too. They sell this one kind that has several nice shades of brown, tan, and even some white. I think they sell it in two and five pound bags (remember, one pound for each gallon in the tank). 

Oh, and you might already be interested in this, but live plants are the way to go. You'll probably hear that from a lot of people; we preach the Gospel of the Live Plant Way, lol! 

Good luck with setting your tank up!


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

As far as substrate goes, there's many different choices. Lots of people on here use stuff called PC Select (the stuff they fill baseball diamonds with), Ben (jrman) uses Safe-T-Zorb (used in auto shops to absorb oil spills - a great red-colored clay), beaslbob uses a layered mix of sphagnum peat moss, play sand, and pea gravel from the hardware store. I'm currently using the peat moss with some Fluorite substrate.

Sand is great and cheap but can pack down and therefore needs constant stirring during water changes (or a healthy population of Malaysian Trumpet Snails which burrow into the substrate), and it needs a LOT of washing before introduction into the tank or you'll have a dust storm. If you go the sand route, I would suggest pool filter sand from a spa and pool supply store - its marginally cleaner and more uniform as far as grain size than your average play sand bags from Home Depot.

Aquarium-specific substrate like Eco Complete, Fluorite, Floramax, etc. are very easy to use and most come pre-washed, but they can get pricey ($20 per 5 lbs or so).

Gravel isn't too good for plants, since it has very little nutrient content and the larger pebble sizes make root systems harder to establish. However, many (like myself) started our plant careers in regular gravel and provided our plants with nutrients through root fertilizer tablets.

Also, plants tend to not do as well in tanks with under-gravel filters just because they don't like moving water around their root systems.

Just my thoughts and past experiences...


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

I would do a low tech planted setup. Look at beaslbob build threads here.

Substrate 1" peat moss, 1" play sand, 1" pc select. the first two from building supply places pc select I found a local source from the pro's choice web site. 
(Pro's Choice Products)

for plants plenty of anacharis and vals, a few small potted types and 1 or 2 amaxon swords.

Just my .02


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## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

Thanks all! I'm in love with all the planted set ups you have. I would LOVE something like that, however I'm not sure I'm equipped. I just have a basic flourescant aquarium light, and no extreme funds to buy anything better atm. That may come eventually, but unless any of the aforementioned plats are goin to live with that kind of light, I don't think I"m ready.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Hey summer, the plants in my tank build are grown under shop lights. I think beaslbobs are to.


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## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

Would anyone care to see what I've got going on right now? (Without making too much fun of my goofy decor....yea...spongebob is in there w/ his pinapple under the sea...such is life with small kids)


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## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

susankat said:


> Hey summer, the plants in my tank build are grown under shop lights. I think beaslbobs are to.


oh really?! wow. I figured they would need some specialized photosynthesis lighting lmao


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

Some of the more basic hardy plants like java fern, anubias, and crypts don't require much light. Only thing you could do for cheap if you wanted to is get a nice 6700K bulb for the fixture you already have. I'm guessing it's a T8 fluorescent fixture?


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## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

Gizmo said:


> Some of the more basic hardy plants like java fern, anubias, and crypts don't require much light. Only thing you could do for cheap if you wanted to is get a nice 6700K bulb for the fixture you already have. I'm guessing it's a T8 fluorescent fixture?


Umm....no idea. Really. It's whatever my friend gave me. I honest to goodness don't even know what kind of filter I have. Sad right?


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

susankat said:


> Hey summer, the plants in my tank build are grown under shop lights. I think beaslbobs are to.


+1

I use shop lights on 4 foot tanks ($10 fixtures and $6 for 2 4 foot tubes).

On smaller tanks I use wall mart 6500k spiral incandescent replacement bubls in round spot clip on reflectors.

Very very inexpensive and very effective as well.


my .02


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Go inexpensive and get a 40lb (smallest size) bag of safe-t-sorb sold at Tractor Supply Company - cost $6. Incredible response from plants and has the more natural colors you are looking for. This tank has it:


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

Also, trust in the power of Craigslist! You could find a really nice light fixture on there (like a T5HO) for $40 or less. Might even be able to find some used and super cheap substrate (there was a guy selling 70 lbs of Fluorite for $30 a few weeks ago in my neck of the woods).

Is your light fixture a fluorescent fixture? And if so, is it a screw-in type bulb or is it a tube bulb? If it's a screw-in type (socket fixture), you can easily swap out the bulbs for a couple of 10Watt or 15Watt compact fluorescent (CFL) 6700K bulbs which can be had for around $3 apiece. If it's a tube bulb, I'm guessing it's a T8 (refers to the diameter of the bulb, T12 is the biggest, T5 is one of the smallest), and you could get a nice 6700K T8 bulb for around $10.


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## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

Funny thing...My husband's father passed away last year (NO THAT IS NOT THE FUNNY PART) he owned an auto garage....we inherited the building but are not running the business. I think I might make a little jaunt up there to scope for leftover bags of saf-t-zorb because i'm nearly positive that some was in existance. I could get lucky hehehe


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

I would only trust that brand because it has been tested by aquarists. Can't speak for any other brand.


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## williemcd (Jun 23, 2011)

I've got 2 155G's running Safe-T-Sorb.. I can attest for it's value .. both in terms of cost and effectiveness... Here I pay 5.25 for 40 lbs. Bill in Va.


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