cheap planting medium

Can I get some ideas on planting substrate. Cheaper ones really. Not cat litter tho.

Or could I just use root tabs planted in aquarium gravel or sand? Or would a substrate give better growth.

you would get decent growth with sand as any other as long as there good light

So black sand would be fine? What do you use for nutrients ? Fertilizer or tabs or something?. Ive got 1.4 wpg.

i personaly dont use any food my tanks are in my consevatory and get light allday long and they grow out of control most of the time i started with a few plantlets for ebay and in 1 month i had enough to do 4 tanks they grew that fast

Lol ok cheers mick. Ill save the money and go with sand.

use play pit sand its cheaper about £3.00 a 25kg bag

play pit sand from argos is about £2.50 a 15kg bag

Can you get the sand in blackm from argos?

i dout it i use sea coal

another sand you could use is sharp sand looks great and at £1.60 a bag who's complaing just ive it a good wash first

Thanks for the help. Im going to go with a branded name in my 3 ft which will have everything in and running in 2-3 week and go with the play sand in my larger 5 ft. Use same plants in each and see the comparison. Although my 5 ft wornt be setup for a little while longer.. Ill post pics of my 3 ft when I get it sorted.

By branded name I mean either eco complete or flourite.

sharp sand is a good as fluorite and a fraction
of the cost sharp sand is just washed ungraded
and it look just like real river bed and even when
you wash it it doesn't wash all its nutrients out
and plants love it my next tank i am going to use
sharp sand

Im after.my substrate black. Could I put a layer of the sharp sand down 1-2 inch and then black gravel on top? Also is the sharp sand you get from b and q?

you know that sea coal that mick is on about
is easy to collect of the beach at seaton carew
and it looks great i am going to do a tank with a
substrate of aquatic compost /loam just to see
what the plants grow like

Ok cheers. Not sure which one im going to use now get loads of options lol il update when I choose and buy.

You were on about fertiliser for your plants. If you have a rabbit of know someone who has rabbits, then get some rabbit droppings and push them in the substrate...yep plant fertiliser.

Ive heard about doing that. Might it if i can find it lol