# Planted Tanks > Plant Talk > Cryptocoryne Club >  Cryptocoryne parva and Jap Hairgrass Lawn on Onyx Sand

## winston77

I am trying to achieve Cryptocoryne parva and Jap hairgrass lawn in a low-tech setup.

Can this be achieved with onyx sand, or GeX/ADA would be a better option to do so?

Winston
Rescaping for 2008 CNY

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## vurbul

I'd say go with Gex. I tried on both sand and I feel they grow better in Gex.

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## lEddyl

i have foreground full of c.parva.
ADA soil and dennerle sand.
surprisingly those on dennerle sand looks better

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## uklau

I always feel that Crypts need rich substrate to grow well.

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## williamng

But I thought ADA sand is very rich is fertilizers. With added power sand, I think parva will grow very well.

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## winston77

> I always feel that Crypts need rich substrate to grow well.


What is your opinion on Onyx with Crypts? I am quite reluctant to use ADA/GeX as they breaks down over time into "mud"...

I think Onyx is rich in Fe, which is good for crypts as well, right?

Winston

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## williamng

What is Onyx? I didnt see this soil before

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## Quixotic

> What is your opinion on Onyx with Crypts? I am quite reluctant to use ADA/GeX as they breaks down over time into "mud"...
> 
> I think Onyx is rich in Fe, which is good for crypts as well, right?
> 
> Winston


If only I could show you the pictures (has been removed as it is an old thread), bclee's tank substrate is Onyx sand and the crypts grew like weed. http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...d.php?p=129721

Note that your tank pH will be on the higher side when using Onyx sand as it is rich in carbonate.

William, it's Seachem Onyx sand.

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## winston77

> If only I could show you the pictures (has been removed as it is an old thread), bclee's tank substrate is Onyx sand and the crypts grew like weed. http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...d.php?p=129721
> 
> Note that your tank pH will be on the higher side when using Onyx sand as it is rich in carbonate.
> 
> William, it's Seachem Onyx sand.


Thanks for recommending this thread. Is it better to use basefert such as JBL, or using cocopeat/peatmoss for low-tech setup?

Also, any idea where purchase onyx sand?

Winston

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## uklau

> What is your opinion on Onyx with Crypts? I am quite reluctant to use ADA/GeX as they breaks down over time into "mud"...
> 
> I think Onyx is rich in Fe, which is good for crypts as well, right?
> 
> Winston


Winston, I'm growing Crypts & Crinum on Seachem Onyx in my low tech tank (with Excel dosing). They are doing well & never melted. 

I observed better plant growth (plants are sending out more new shoots) when I inserted Wonder-Gro Root+ tablets.

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## winston77

> Winston, I'm growing Crypts & Crinum on Seachem Onyx in my low tech tank (with Excel dosing). They are doing well & never melted. 
> 
> I observed better plant growth (plants are sending out more new shoots) when I inserted Wonder-Gro Root+ tablets.


Thanks for your advice.  :Smile:

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## Quixotic

Onyx sand can be used on it's own. You can mix with other substrate, but I would probably avoid mixing with other types that will has pH lowering properties. For bclee's tank, he used peat with Onyx and faced some problems initially.

You should be able to get Onyx sand from NA.

But the thing about _C. parva_ is that they are pretty slow growers to start with. So if you are going low tech, regardless of the soil used, you have to set your expectations and may not see much growth (as compared to CO2 enriched tanks).

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## winston77

I am seriously thinking of using the method PlantBrain introduced in the thread below:
http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...ad.php?t=32708

Just wondering will this help to promote the growth of crypt parva and jap hairgrass? Rushing to create a lawn effect before CNY'08  :Grin:

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## winston77

Oops! Thought my PC hung... out of sudden i posted so many duplicates...

Sorry Mod...

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## Quixotic

Ah okay, trying the initial setup emersed.

I don't really know the growth rate for emersed _C. parva_, but from the experiences shared by members here, _C. parva_ generally looks to be growing considerably slower than most _Cryptocoryne_ spp., even in CO2 enriched tanks. Good luck.  :Smile:

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## winston77

Another question:

If using the initial emersed setup method, once I filled up the tank with water, will there be serious melting effect due to conversion from emersed to submersed?

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## Quixotic

There will certainly be some melting. However, in my experience, _C. parva_ that I bought from LFS (which is supposedly emersed) show little melting when planted in my low tech tank (substrate is lapis sand). Let's see what other members' experiences are.

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## nys

I have C. parva (from Teo farm) in my low tech tank (GEX soil). My experience is slow growth and little melting...

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## Rokerites

I have planted c.parva in my previous setup, in fact I still have some remaining in my current setup.
On the contray to most, I find my c.parva growing rather fast, no melting as well. I uses ADA aquasoil and lapis sand.
When I did my rescaping, the c.parva that I remove, have roots spreading all over the whole tank.

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## the_r0ck

My situation is that my crypts flourished well in Onyx sand and my jap hairgrass can only spread like wild fire in ADA AS.

Its weird.  :Exasperated:

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## leeruisheng

I experienced better and faster crypt growth in normal lapis as compared to ADA soil. Both tanks are high tech.

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## Quixotic

Uhm, guys, just a question, do your tanks have CO2 injection or it's a low-tech?

winston77 is planning on a low-tech tank, so if yours is not a low-tech tank, then it would be good to state so, otherwise the reference can be misleading.  :Smile:

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## winston77

> Uhm, guys, just a question, do your tanks have CO2 injection or it's a low-tech?
> 
> winston77 is planning on a low-tech tank, so if yours is not a low-tech tank, then it would be good to state so, otherwise the reference can be misleading.


Thanks for all the experiences and advise from AQ guys. Whether it is high/low tech, comments are welcomed. But do stick to low-tech for this thread so that others can have a clearer idea on low-tech setup.

I have gotten 3 x 8kg of GeX from NA. Cost wise not much different from Onyx/ADA/ADA-II.

I have did a last min switch from Onyx to GeX, which NA and the local AQ guys recommended. Hope to start next week  :Smile:

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## illumnae

you won't regret choosing Gex. best substrate available in the market bar none  :Wink: 

*subject to personal opinion.

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