[9thirty]

So I'm planning to start my aquarium hobby all over again from scratch. This time I want to do it correctly so I wouldn't be ending up with an aquarium I'm not satisfied with. I'm still waiting for a cheap aquarium I can buy somewhere around here, but there's really no rush. One thing that I've been thinking about is the substrate. I'm really not sure as to what to go for. Sand is nice and good, but I haven't had good experiences with it. It seems that it tends to compact (despite the large population of sand snails I have) at the bottom and waste accumulates on the top of it. Doesn't look all that appealing to me.
Anyway, I would appreciate it if you could suggest or more like recommend certain types of substrate I should use. I figured it would be good to have all this prepared before I buy a new aquarium. I've been thinking of buying Aqua Soil Amazon. The dark color looks pleasant to the eye especially in contrast to the green color of the plants I'll be having. I live in Norway, so I have no idea where to order it to make the purchase as cheap as possible.

Also, would it be wise to mix substrates? Would that help not only when it comes to appearance but optimal plant growth as well. Would it pay off to invest in a substrate heater? I know it's not a necessity, but it's good to have this decided before I start.


Thanks in advance!

 

[9thirty]

Hmm, there are a lot of different substrates out there that are very good for plant growth. Is Volcanite any good? Or what about Eco Complete?
But I'll definitely try getting my hands on Aqua Soil. Seems like a good investment. Any ideas on where I can get a hold of Aqua Soil here in Europe for a cheap price? I live in Norway and it seems that the only way I can get it is to order online, but I think I should try asking the LFS first.

 

[9thirty]

I just want a heavily planted aquarium. Hmm, it's really hard to decide what to go for, seems like Eco Complete might not be such a bad idea either. What about flourite and volcanite?
Anyway, has anyone had any experiences with spiking Aqua Soil/Eco Complete? Any "recipes" you would like to share? I'm planning to mix it with fine sand since I have half a sack of it.

Is Aqua Soil really soil? Not like gravel or sand?

 

[9thirty]

Ok, so if I were to buy ADA aqua soil, how many litres would I need? Seems like they only sell them in 3 and 9 liter bags. Hmm, I might have to spike them with some other substrate. Does anyone have any experience with this?

 

[9thirty]

Anyone?

 

[9thirty]

My tank I'm planning to buy is about 125 liters.
I'm starting to think about spiking ADA aquasoil if I do decide to buy it, but I'm not really sure it would be a good idea. What's the best alternative? Should I mix it with regular sand or should I go for something "fancier" like Volcanite?

 

[9thirty]

Hmm, I just received an email from the LFS and they said that they currently have JBL Aquabasis plus in stock. Is this any good?