Who Gives A Fish Forums

I'm upgrading my 90 litre freshwater tank and I've already spent a couple of hundred. I've added up the rest of my list and I need another £450. I'm looking for ways to save money and I think I could make some savings on the substrate.

I was going to get the full ADA system, which would cost me £115. I know it's a good substrate, but I'm wondering if there are any cheaper alternatives that are just as good.

Has anyone used a cheaper brand with good results? My tank will have co2 injection and I'll be using TMC grobeam X 2 for lighting. I'm still deciding on plants, but I'll probably have a dwarf hair grass carpet, some anubias, and a few other small leaved plants.

Any advice would be great.

I've had success with a more budget-friendly approach to substrate, currently using an inert option for my hi-tech plants and it's working out just fine. If you're really looking to save, you could consider using terracat litter and capping it with gravel - not the prettiest solution, but it gets the job done. That being said, I've also had experience with the ADA substrates and they truly are top-notch, worth every penny if you can afford them.

I'm in a bit of a pickle, I really want the ADA system, but it's just out of my budget. I've broken down the costs and it's adding up to be quite pricey. I was thinking of trying a more affordable option, using just the Zorchzonia Aqua Soil and Power Sand.

I'm curious to know if this would still be a successful substrate without the ADA Bacter, Super Clear, and Power Sand. I've always had luck with plants in the past, just using a simple combination of sand and gravel. However, I'm eager to take my plant-keeping skills to the next level.

I used a mix of worm castings and natural terrac for my small tank, topped with a layer of flourite red, later replaced with black and white sand after a leak. The worm castings were essentially free, leftover from our fish bait, while the terrac was collected during a camping trip.

If you're looking for affordable options, consider pool filter sand or play sand - they're relatively inexpensive. If you can find pesticide-free soil, that's essentially free too. I'm all for repurposing natural materials in tank setups, but you have to be mindful of what you're introducing to the environment.

I've used just the aqua soil on its own before and it worked out alright, just keep in mind that it does leach ammonia so you'll want to keep an eye on that.

I think I'll give the aqua soil a go on its own and see how it pans out. ADA's got some new products in the pipeline that I can add later, gives me some flexibility.

That's a decent £60 saved, now to see where else I can cut costs.