Dear fellows,
sorry to bother you with my amateur questions, but reading through the topics I got really confused and the following question appear:
Do I need to use a rich substrate(with added clay, Earthworms castings and so on) when Im using a water colomn fertilizition I intend to start a new aqua and to try the Estimative Index)? If the water is circulatin through the substrate(in the case plane sand) and Im providing the plants with enough ferts by EI, even the root feeders will benefit of it. So the addition of any substrates of the famous brands or added clay or EC will be not need it?

Here's the deal:

Folks carry on and on about "either or" methods.
This is very short sighted.

Rather than that idea, think about how plants grow, the various species we keep and what might be the best solution here?

If demand for nutrients is occurring, then would it not be best to have the nutrients in both locations?

This way you have covered both locations, adding ferts to the sediment once done is easy and no care is required for a long time, adding ferts to the water column allows the sediment nutrients to last longer.

Adding water column ferts also provides good locations to leaves and to the plants like Ferns, Anubias, Riccia etc which often do not have any access to the sediment.

So a combination of both methods is the most forgiving.

Some have claimed that algae or the potential for mistakes is greater with water column dosing but this has never been shown in plant aquariums, folks have had a lot of issues in the past using sediment based ferts, every bit as much as the water column.

If you look at both locations objectively, then you find examples where there is no algae with either method, thus the method itself is not the issue, rather, the user and other factors that cause algae.

I find it curious none of the critics of either method ever seem to know how to grow and induce specific species of algae they claim to know so much about preventing.

This is where I differed among most hobbyist, I actively cultured the algae and looked at what causes algae, not just correlations and guesses.

If you want to know why algae grows, then that should be one's focus, likewise, the same is true for plants. But if you do not bother to learn about algae, why it's induced etc, then you really cannot say much about why it grows and you cannot support any claim that one method is better than any other as far as algae goes.

There's no evidence for it in tropical lakes or aquariums, we see no correlation between water column N and P and algae. We can find plenty of tanks/lakes with algae or not with high and low nutrients.

So the question while simple, is good.
I'd suggest doing both, water column + sediment.
This along with the basics, pruning, water changes, good CO2, lower light intensity, dense planting from the start will help.

More light is not better.

CO2 IME is the biggest factor for most folks getting dial in correctly.

I have preference to ADA AS for a sediment, it looks nice and is uniform.
However, sand+EC, or delta muds/sandy loams etc all work equally well.

If later , you decide to go to a non CO2 method, you can do water column with inert sediments or the sediment based, but you can also do a little of both.

Regards,
Tom Barr

Hi,

A lot depends on the type of growth you want and the type of tank maintenace you want to do.

Will you be doing c02 injection? What type/how much lighting will you use?

Tank size, filtration, etc all are potential factors.

A rich substrate will make it more forgiving if your water column dosing (EI) is insufficient or you go away, forget, etc.

Plus, you will get better growth......

However, many folks (like me) use plain gravel with no issues.

IMO, a richer substrate is better in general, but again depends on what you want.

I use flourite in my display tank and like it very well with EI.

Hope this helps.

Thank you guys!
The things looks so simple, when someone gives you a guideline! This new aqua, that I'm intending to make is about a 100l with CO2 injection, external filter 0,6W/l and Im inrtending to grow Bolbitis, Microsorium, Rotala, Ludugia, Eleoharis and moss. I would definetely go for the combination of the both methods, because it will be more flexible.
regards

You really do not need much light or nutrients for this tank, wise choices made thus far, making it easier to manage over time.

Low light, good plant choices, CO2/Sediment nutrients, water column ferts, etc.

Regards,
Tom Barr