# Substrate, cleaning, filtration



## JenK (Dec 27, 2015)

As I have already posted, I am rehabbing an old 125 gallon terrarium turned tropical tank. I am wanting to create a densely planted tank with small schooling fish. Right now it has a mix of medium to large gravel in the bottom (1/6-3/4 inches diameter?) in addition to a few rocks and I am using a hanging filter on one end. 

My question is what are the advantages and disadvantages of various substrates and figure out the best for my tank. Summer discouraged the under gravel filter, which makes sense. I think I am going with a canister filter for under the tank, and put the intake and outtake at opposite ends of the tank. How do I set this up so I don't have massive flooding if something goes wrong with the filter or tubing?

For substrate, it looks like sand mixed with gravel might be a nice mix? Is it better to create zones or to mix them together? Where can I source the sand? How deep should I make it? ***I did a search, found a cool calculator, and it looks like 3-4 inches of eco complete sand is the best bet?****

I am currently using one of those pythons to clean the tank, it is about 3 inches in diameter. I dig down to the glass bottom to get the muck out. Now that I have a few more plants, I am noticing I am disturbing the roots when doing this. Is there an advantage to leaving the muck in the substrate? How are other folks cleaning their substrate? Once this thing is planted the way I want, I won't really have much room to get the python in there without really messing up the roots. In land plants, messing with the root systems is a big stressor, but in hydroponics the roots seem a little more able to deal with it. So I am not sure which end I am dealing with here.


Edit: I read about SafeTSorb? Clay to add to substrate..any thoughts? Would it effect the pH? I am already fighting high pH to begin with, so don't want to add anything which would make it worse.


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## JenK (Dec 27, 2015)

So I went to pick up my lights. I got two 36" Fresh and Plant LED 2.0. I also bought one 15 lb bag of red fluorite to try out. I must have lost 2-3 lbs in muck rinsing out the gravel. I added it to the one end and sort of covered it over with existing stones. It looks too much like that god awful red mulch people put on their flower beds. Not a fan of the color but it was all they had. 

The husband of the owner at the store was very dismissive of using sand, he looked at me and said "where did you hear that...the internet?" At $27 a bag for 15 lbs, and knowing I would need 135 lbs of that substrate? Yeah, I can't afford not to use sand. Not a fan of the husband either.

I also bough 8 Rummynose tetras and 2 Galaxy Harlequin Rasboras, plus a Vallisneria, a Red Sword plant, and some Hornwort. I added the new substrate to one end, fixed it all up and planted the new ones, added the new lights and then the new fish after acclimating them. 

Everyone is freaking out (cause I terraformed their planet and changed out the sun) so I put the blue lights on for half an hour and then shut them all off. Hopefully in the morning everyone will have calmed down. The few minutes I had the LEDs on though...the tank looked awesome. Other than now you can really see the damage that was done by the path of water when it was a terrarium. When I dismantle the whole thing when it is time to replace the floor we are going to buff out the front window of the tank and hopefully that will go away. 

Anyways, I love coming back from the fish store!


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## BBradbury (Apr 22, 2011)

Hello Jen...

Here are some inexpensive ideas: Standard pea-size gravel works well as a substrate. It's easy to clean and never compacts, so you never have water chemistry problems. Shop lighting from the hardware store is fine for most plants like Anacharis, Swords, Anubias, Hornwort and Java fern. I use a four light fixture with T8, 32 watt, GE aquarium plant lamps. The whole set up is roughly $60.00. Canister filters will cost you three times what standard filters cost. I don't think they're three times better, though. I use Hagen Aquaclear filters that hang on the back. You don't need high end filtration as long as you change out half of the water weekly. Filters do a poor job of keeping the tank water free of dissolved wastes. Keep things simple and you'll have few, if any problems.

B


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## JenK (Dec 27, 2015)

That is all good advice, and I am afraid a bit late on most of it! If I ever set up a second tank I will keep all that in mind. 

I bought the LEDs a few weeks ago, just got them. Have to say I love them. They are very low profile, look great on the tank, and put out both full spectrum and blue lights with a simple switch. Yeah, I did pay 5 times the price you did, but I think it was worth it. I will never have to change a bulb again. 

I already ordered a canister filter. I have always had hang over the back filters-for nearly 20 years, and yes they worked fine. Problems are that they are very noisy (between the motor and the waterfall), and because of all the plastic molding on the tank it can only be put in one spot. It is also really splashy and messy. The underside of the glass gets really gross even with weekly changes, and that blocks the light. So yea, again, I am paying about 3 times more and you may be absolutely right that it isn't worth it, but too late now! 

Honestly, I really just wanted to try something new and my filter is due to take a crap any day now. I'm on a "spend money on my tank for the first time in years" spree and no point in stopping now! :wink2:


Ok, so pea gravel. Where do I get it? Do basic hardware stores carry it? What are other people's opinions on it? How does it look? I do like a natural look, I assume it give me that. Can I mix it with other substrate?

I may pick up a little and do a section with it to see how I like it. I have 3 separate sections in the same tank so I think experimenting would be valuable. I can keep folks updated if they are interested. Someday I will learn how to post a picture that works.


And B, thanks for the advice, I do appreciate it even though I went a different direction this time and as I said, if/when I set up a second tank, I probably will even follow it!


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## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

I dont clean my subtrate--one of the advantages of plants. and i happen to love sand


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## chipmunk1210 (Jul 3, 2012)

Canisters are some of the best filters for larger tanks. They have a great water turnover rate and have lots of places for biological media. The more media, the better the filtration.

For substrate, gravel is IMO the worst for holding nastiness and one of the hardest to keep clean. Gravel is also one of the hardest to plant. While the substrate like Eco Complete and Flourite are excellent for plants, they are also money pits when you are using them for a large tank. You only really the substrate 2-3 inches deep for most plants. I use sand in all of my tanks and that is my favorite substrate. Maybe not as fortified for plants the way the more expensive substrates are but that can be easily fixed with fertilizer tabs and liquid fertilizers for the plants. Definitely a cheaper option with 50lb bags only costing about $4-$7 depending on the type of sand you use. I use play sand, pool filter sand, and black beauty/diamond blasting sand in my tanks.

Good pick for the lighting. While they may have cost more upfront, they will pay for themselves in the long run with lower running cost and longevity of the bulbs. I want to switch all my tanks to LED.


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

To prevent catastrophic flooding/canister filter failure, you can drill pinholes in the tubing just below the water's surface in your tank. That way, if the canister springs a leak, the pinholes will break the siphon before too much of the water drains. You'll have to drill holes in both the inlet and outlet hoses.


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## JenK (Dec 27, 2015)

That is a brilliant idea! Thanks!


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## Chillwill007 (Aug 20, 2010)

Yea with such a big tank go with safe t zorb. Much cheaper better for the plants then just gravel and gives a nice look too. Check out my link to my old 75g tank build. I have lots of pictures on setting it up with safe t zorb.


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## JenK (Dec 27, 2015)

That thread was very helpful, thank you. Especially making sure to dump the bags outside!

Everyone in the tank seems to have settled in nicely. I LOVE the new LED lights, I have growth in plants that I was starting to suspect were plastic. All my plants are thriving thanks to the new changes (new lights, weekly water changes vs monthly, and fertilizer.)

The new rummynose are so perfect, but they have an odd quirk. They will not leave the end of the tank. It has dividers halfway to the top of the tank (so from the bottom to halfway up) and most of them will not leave that section, and in particular will not leave one corner. No one is really picking on them, they just don't seem to want to swim around. Any thoughts or ideas?


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## AcrylicSculptor (Dec 24, 2015)

Hey Jen,

I am using about 5 to 6 inches of eco complete substrate in my tank, since the substrate is so thick I'm using a gravel filter to generate water flow through gravel. Not really necessary for most tanks.. but it makes a great affect when the gravel is thicker in some places.


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## JenK (Dec 27, 2015)

So what is the advantage of having the filtration through the gravel?


Oh, and update, I bought 2 new heaters and put one at each end. The rummynose were swimming through the whole tank last night. I think maybe one heater was shot and just was not heating that end of the tank.


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## FishFlow (Sep 13, 2011)

I must of missed them. Where may I find the photos of your tank?


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