Need suggestions / advices on planted tank setup

[specialone0812]

I had a 58g planted tank before and got to sell it due to moving. I missed my tank since then.
I now want to set up a 75g freshwater planted tank. I plan to have it heavy planted, with angels (or maybe large discus),tetra and snails.I looked at prices for ADA soil and it was $40/9L bag, not $17/bag as I had bought for my 58g. To make it around 3" thick for a 75g, I would need around 4-5 bags.

Due to the cost of soil, I wonder what planted tank folks use for their substrate nowadays.

Thanks for your inputs.

[hydra]

I have just been using those $1.24 bags of topsoil from Lowe's since the 90s.
People were just starting to get into those offensively expensive substrates and I was like, "Pff. They're plants. They just need dirt." So I tried it and it works great.
I start with a thin layer of spagnum peat moss, (also very cheap) then about an inch of dirt. Then you have to cap it with a layer of sand or gravel (also at Lowe's, $2.49 for 40lbs).
Miracle-Gro has since begun selling an organic soil that the young whipper-snappers seem to like nowadays.
That should be good too, just be sure to get organic.
I also just bought my first bottle of liquid fertilizer last week and I must say, I'm very impressed!

[mnemenoi]

We have used a lot of different substrates, Aqua soil, Eco-Complete, Flourite, and a dozen more different types. It all depends on what you are hoping to achieve and your goals. Aqua Soil is a Ph reducing substrate, so it lowers the Ph of your water and can make Discus and Angels a bit happier, especially WC varieties. Non-Ph altering substrates like Flourite, EC, and even Pool Filter sand or Black Blasting sand can be effective and work well if combined with root tabs and an active fert regimen. I have had bad experiences with Walstaad capped dirt tanks. They end up with strange parameters and get all mixed if I ever replant or my fish are too active. I've seen a few work with light bioloads and carefully chosen fish. I'd just avoid that with Discus. This is all from a low tech perspective as well, if your going with CO2 injection it changes a lot of the particulars. We have a heavy planted 150 Deep with a Fahaka puffer and it only has pool filter sand.

[Matt in Houston]

Different perspective - best thing I did was ditch the substrate completely. You can make a very nice planted tank with driftwood, anubias, java ferns, and various other plants that attach themselves rather than root into substrate. I know this is not going to work if you planned on growing grass or something like that, but I cant begin to tell you how much less maintenance it needs and how much cleaner my tank is running it bare bottom with just a few rock caves and a bunch of driftwood. You can saturate the tank with plants and still make it look like a jungle if you want...so many different ways to do this. Paint the bottom of the tank a beige or sandy color, or anything you want for that matter. Brighter colors on the back glass will make the green leaves pop...

[specialone0812]

I had some experiment with dirt, for me it is a little messy when you move plants around or your fish pick up on the sand. the dirt is just too easy to break up.
I really like that idea of bare bottom tank, it will create a great scene for discus and on top of that, easy maintenance and less suffer for the fish due to the change in water chemistry.
The tank will be in my study room, so I want a calm and peaceful setup. discus vs angel, comebine with ram, apisto,tetra.

[originalhandy]

I just use pea gravel from Lowe's and I use root tabs.

It may not work for all types of plants that you want though. I've got Amazon's, anubias, java fern (some in the gravel itself) and some plants I got from that aquarium place that I can't remember the name of.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 2

[hydra]

We have used a lot of different substrates, Aqua soil, Eco-Complete, Flourite, and a dozen more different types. It all depends on what you are hoping to achieve and your goals. Aqua Soil is a Ph reducing substrate, so it lowers the Ph of your water and can make Discus and Angels a bit happier, especially WC varieties. Non-Ph altering substrates like Flourite, EC, and even Pool Filter sand or Black Blasting sand can be effective and work well if combined with root tabs and an active fert regimen. I have had bad experiences with Walstaad capped dirt tanks. They end up with strange parameters and get all mixed if I ever replant or my fish are too active. I've seen a few work with light bioloads and carefully chosen fish. I'd just avoid that with Discus. This is all from a low tech perspective as well, if your going with CO2 injection it changes a lot of the particulars. We have a heavy planted 150 Deep with a Fahaka puffer and it only has pool filter sand.

I'm surprised to hear of bad dirt-tank experiences. Like I said, I've been doing it for over 15yrs. I have kept angels, discus, severum, rams, pretty much any cichlid that doesn't dig. If I have to pull up a plant I'll get a poof of silt, but the filter floss catches it all in an hour or two. I will admit, it does take a few months for a dirt tank to stabilize, but knowing it isn't your fault, that it's just something they have to go thru, relieves a lot of the worrying and fussing. My 55G has been running 4-5 years now and it practically runs itself. I had a well stocked 125G for years that I only cleaned the filter on once or twice a year, and changed the water about ever 3-4 months, but there was some kinda crazy balance at work there that can't entirely take credit for. The aquarium gods just took the wheel on that one or something. :)

[mnemenoi]

Its funny as only one of our tanks is not planted (6 other are) but never had any luck with Walstad tanks. Maybe one day I'll give them another shot. Just been playing with substrate coloring, hardscape elements and different plants now. Most of our tanks are nanos so probably another reason I avoid them. Last time just got to be a hot mess to deal with and went with Eco Complete.

[Triangle08t]

Ive had about two months on my dirted tank and everything is growing great with next to zero effort on my part. It seems from what ive read that makes dirted tanks a hit or a fail is being able to heavily plant right at the start of the tank. Need something to absorb all the excess nutrients.

[mnemenoi]

I definitely want to mention them at the planted tank GHAC meeting along with low and high tech and all the things in between. Might give one a shot again eventually. Just need more tanks and time

[troy tucker]

I use pool filter sand. My Val. grows fast and spreads fast. My Glosso is starting to take off too.

[RUNuts]

I'm just getting back into these and am using black diamond blasting grit from Tractor supply and osmocote fertilizers. Like the dark bottom as the inhabitants color up better.

Having said that, I've killed everything but guppy grass, hair algea and vals. The anubias and java fern are undecided, except the trident leaf. It died.

Best of luck!