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Sand in substrate



All,

At the risk of restarting the substrate wars, or even igniting a minor
skirmish, I'm going to ask my question.  I recently had a conversation with
Karl Scholler (of Substrate Gold fame) about my 100 gallon I'm rebuilding
after my recent move.  He suggested I use an inch or two of sand mixed with
laterite under 2-4 inches of gravel, stating that he found it was the best
way to work with most plants, especially those that were heavy root feeders,
like crypts and swords.  I'm interested in trying it out, but have concerns
about the sand compacting, putrification and the plants becoming root-bound.
As a bonus, I use Dupla's heating cables, and am wondering if there is a
possibility the sand will reduce the theoretical circulation of water
through the substrate via convection.  Any thoughts much appreciated.

Justin Collins