Substrate

[Shzard]

I am new to this fish keeping hobby, I have a AR 620 tank with 5 neons, a few live plants and driftwood. (low tech)

In the future i would like to improve from gravel to something a bit better to help my plants grow.

I am wondering what is there available in New Zealand, do we have eco complete or something similar?

Further down the line i would like to improve the lighting as well, right now there are 2 t8s 6700kea.

Thanks

[alexyay]

I think the main substrate fertilizers we have are:

- Seachem Fluorite

- JBL Aquabasis (? on name - I think this goes under substrate)

- Dalton's Aquatic Mix (the cheapest, needs to be under a substrate also)

I personally am a fan of Dalton's Aquatic Mix - its price being the main thing I like. I've not used the others but a con of Dalton's is that you end up with a mess if you're shutting down the tank and don't want to dig too deep in the substrate when cleaning. However when shutting down a tank and wanting to reuse the substrate I just use the mixed stuff under some new substrate (the old stuff will have a mix of Dalton's, old substrate and fish gunk, so it's still reasonably fertilized).

Root balls are another option and are what's usually used when tank's already set up.

[Shzard]

I think i need a bit for experience before going for a dirted tank, I was looking for the "all in one" kind of substrate that will allow me to grow something like amazon swords, I might just settle for putting in some root tabs for now.

[Shzard]

I found JBL Manado Aquarium Substrate on trade me, was that what you were thinking of?

I don't need a cap of sand or gravel

[gligor]

Seachem Flourite and JBL Manado are both substrates with minerals in them that will help planted tanks. I personally have JBL Aquabasis underneath the gravel and I'm pretty happy so far, plants are going well.