I am planning on using Daltons aquatic mix with small 2-4 mm gravel on top. How thick do I need Daltons and how thick for gravel? How thick do I need gravel? and Where can I get gravel?

Thanks, any help would be appreciated

Well i've personally searched all the Christchurch shops at the beginning of the week. Go to Organism. John's got the best selection of substrates. He has a dark fine sandy gravel for planted tanks which looks good.

Thanks lduncan

Has anyone ever had problems with daltons aquatic mix?

Yeah, make sure you cover it with lots of gravel. I had problems with Daltons making my water a thick brown, took days to clear up but I put a lot in (10kg in a 200L tank hehe). I had covered it in gravel but two areas not quite covered and as soon as any water current hit them they picked up.

If you do things a bit more reasonable, say 3mm of Daltons and 40mm of gravel, or just a few handfuls here and there, everything will be fine. I used too much Daltons, and not enough gravel.

Some people use a mix of daltons aquatic and daltons propagating sand. I'm not sure how they got past the dirty water though??

But anyway with the drama all over, the good news is I wont need to add any JBL Balls for a few years to come 8) I've got a thick bedding of fertilised clay under my gravel now.

Gravel you can get from lots of places, Mitre 10 or your local fish store for example, but make sure to check out your local landscape suppliers too.

You don't need a massive cover of inert media, you only need to fill the tank carefully. Place a plate on the lowest portion of media with a glass jug on the plate and fill the jug slowly so it overfkows onto the plate and you should find it is only slightly cloudy and should clear quickly. I use about one quarter cover material.

Also try redwood aquatics for gravel, i just set up 4ft aquarium up last week and they have large bags of dark brown gravel around 2-4mm long for $8. I thought the colour might be quite dark but after seeing it in the tank i'm happy with the colour. i put down daltons aquatic mix (from bunnings) about an inch thick first and gravel on top of that about an inch thick. Make sure you wash the gravel thoroughly first as its quite dirty. To do my 4 foot tank took 6 bags of their gravel.

Whats the best cobination of things you can get? and How does doltans mix compare?

I also use Daltons aquatic mix and Daltons propergating? sand in my tanks and the plants are doing really well. The only tank I had a mess in was one where I wasn't careful enough filling - usually pour onto a saucer or into an icecream container and let it flow over into the tank - and didn't this once. Took a good 24 hours with a large sponge filter to clean it up but no problems now. I also have one tank with no substrate and just use flourish once a week - 10 days and the plants going well in this as well. I think its up to what you want to grow and what you want to use.

Make sure you wash the sand and any gravel well.

Thanks adodge think I will use daltons aqua mix and small dark gravel on top, Will say 30mm of aqua mix and 40mm of gravel be alright, or should I go for more aqua mix?

I've gone the other way with more substrate than gravel but you do have to be careful filling the tank. It really depends on what sort of plants you want as some have longer roots than others.

do you wash the aquatic mix?

No, if you do you wash all the fertilizer out of it. If you are using propagating sand you need to wash it really well and also any gravel you are going to use.

i have 2 tanks set up with daltons aquatic mix. i have a layer of daltons aquatic, a layer of daltons propagating sand and a layer of gravel.

i have never had a problem with the daltons. only time the water went funny was when i took a plant out, and the roots had the aquatic mix on, but the water went clear again within a couple of mins

do you wash the aquatic mix?

Daltons Aquatic mix is rather like fine soil, and as soon as you add water, it turns to mud, so washing it is going to waste a great percentage, and nigh on impossible.

I just chuck mine in, then put the stones on top. Put a plate or saucer on top, then pour the water onto this to partialy fill the tank to about 60mm. Remove the plate and position and insert your plants into the substrate.

When this is done, put the plate/saucer back in and carefully fill the tank with water. The purpose of the plate is to stop the water gouging holes in you substrate and allowing the Aquatic mix to end up floating around in the tank, and ultimately, when it settles, on top of your stones.

Needless to say, no mater how careful you are, a bit of Aquatic mix clouding the water is inevitable, and it will settle after a while, and you can vacuum it out.

HTH

Hi Aquarium Dude

Can only reiterate what others are saying regards establishing substrate.

In my AR980 I used JBL's Aqua Basis (20mm) and a really nice fine dark gravel from John at Organism at about 40mm. If you're going planted you've got to get it right from the ground up.

Regards, TGWH

I have used JBL micronutrient as well but I suspect Daltons aquatic mix is just as good and is certainly cheaper. You are puting the nutrient in the bottom and holding it down with washed media.