# Will my substrate support life?



## Subaru4wd (May 6, 2011)

I am getting my 88 gallon tank established and I have already put a few plants in it. I have been curious if using 3/8" crushed rock was a mistake when it comes to planting live plants?? 










2 of the plants in the tank are Anubias, and i am sure they will root into pretty much anything. But 2 others are Ludwigia and I am curious if they will thrive, or if i should have prepared the substrate differently. 










I would also like to get more plants, but I dont want to get something that wont live in my tank. I had an idea to wall off a portion of my tank, and use a different substrate for different plants.


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

Substrate is not the issue. You can grow plants in any substrate. What will matter is the amount of nutrients and light available to them.

Planting in the gravel though can get tricky at times. Stem plants are more susceptible to float back up until the get established. And make sure the rhizome of the Anubias isn't burried.


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## Subaru4wd (May 6, 2011)

Thanks. Right now my light is an extra shop light from my garage with two 24" florescent 40w bulbs. My next purchase will most likely be new bulbs. I have the ludwigia pretty well secured in the substrate. It was a pain in the *** to keep the roots in the substrate, but the rock piled up pretty easily and I believe they are good and secure now. 

One of my Anubias is secured to a small piece of driftwood, which I pre-drilled some 1/4" holes into. Its secured using fishing line, the other Anubias is just sitting in a small pile of substrate that is ontop of a rock cave I setup. And whats a rhizome?

As far as nutrients, are there any additives or foods I can put in the tank while I let things cycle? At this time there are no fish in the tank, only 3 snails (who i hope are harmless). I hope to have fish in this tank within the next 3-4 weeks.


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

Subaru4wd said:


> And whats a rhizome?


The rhizome is the part of the plant where the leaves grow out from. Call it the "stem" if you want. That part should not be completely covered. If it is, the plant will rot.


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

Agreed. As long as you have the right light and enough nutrients, you're good to go.

I've got plain black gravel and use a liquid fert' once a week. (No root tabs or C02 system.) Although, mine are all low to mid light plants, so they don't require much extra help.

Then, as long as you have a light that is for 'aquatic plants' you're good to go. It will be suitable for your animals as well. (Normally aquarium lights aren't really suited for plants and you have to buy a bulb that is specifically for the purpose of growing them.)


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