How much light

Christople

Hi if I got flourite or aqua soi or a fertilized substrate would I be able to slow down on the lighting. By the way what is flourite

wannalearn

i am no expert, but i would assume that by using a fertizing substrate, thus increasing the ammount of fertilization you would need to INcrease the amount of light, to keep everything balanced. that way you will have decent growth. and if i am not mistaking increasing one side of the balance and not the rest will lead to major alge problems.. but i am sure someone more informed on the subject will chime in and inlighten us both..

Christople

ok I was just wondering if it would work but I plan on getting sufficient lighting

Byron

Wannalearn is generally correct, but the substrate itself will not usually impact the balance depending upon the whole.

To explain Flourite, which is manufactured by Seachem, it is a nutrient-enriched substrate intended for planted tanks. Eco-Complete is another similar product made by CaribSea. These are small-grain gravels (Flourite has one called "sand" which is the smallest) that contain essential nutrients. The nutrients are only released by the gravel as they are needed by plant roots coming into contact. An over-simplification, but the technical process is unknown to me and doesn't matter.

Plants need adequate light and nutrients. If any one essential nutrient is missing, or light is inadequate, plants can't photosynthesize fully and they either slow down or stop altogether. If the nutrients occur in the substrate, that is fine for substrate-rooted plants but of little or no value whatsoever to non-substrate rooted plants; these latter only benefit from liquid fertilization directly into the water column.

Having an enriched substrate such as Flourite or Eco-Complete may or may not mean less liquid fertilization needs to be added, all to balance the light. The type of plants, the level of light and the organics in the system all affect this balance.

The advantage of enriched substrates is that the nutrients will not dissipate into the water and thus feed algae, if the light is less than what is required. The nutrients are only released when they are needed, or so the manufacturers of both products claim. And given the success so many aquarists have had with these two products, the claim seems accurate.

Lighting should always be the minimal required to grow the plants in any given system. With that as the starting point, nutrients are then added to balance the light, remembering that natural organics will provide some nutrients in addition to any we add. The enriched substrates are perfect in this scenario because they only release the nutrients as they are needed.

I hope I've explained it, feel free to ask questions.

Byron.

Christople

thank byron you have never failed me... is liquid fertelizer essential

Byron

Thank you.

As I mentioned previously, it all depends upon the type and number of plants and the light. If the tank is primarily substrate-rooted plants, then the enriched substrate will provide most of what they require. But any non-substrate rooted plants will not gain any nutrients--plants like Anubias, Java Fern, Java Moss, floating plants and many stem plants need nutrients in the water column, so liquid fert is essential for these. Plus, some larger swords may also need additional liquid. Echinodorus are heavy feeders, and while I have not (yet) used enriched substrates, I have used substrate fertilizers (sticks and tabs) and found that liquid fert was still necessary for the swords. I don't know the numbers for the level of nutrients in the substrate, or how quickly they may be released. Both Seachem and CarribSea claim they last the life of the aquarium, which seems a pretty fantastic claim, but it may depend upon what one means by life of the aquarium.

Byron.

Christople

so I plan on marimo moss horn wort and maybe some other plants so thats pretty mcuh it for now. I still have to get the tamk set up and see what would look good... any backround plants that you ould sugget for a ten gallon normal dimensions. I plan on having to larger rocks in close to the back corners and have them get covered with marimo but I need a good backround plant besides Hornwort

Byron

I am not a fan of stem plants because they generally need more light and they grow fast and need regular (weekly) trimming. In a 10g good background would be Corkscrew Vallisneria; Java Fern attached to rock or wood is good in a corner where it is generally darker.

Christople

very pretty plant. to be sure I understood right I can add plants from day one and I can also adda couple danois for a little bit.

Byron

Once you have several live plants, yes, you can add a fish or two.