Planted tank not winning

My original post - I have planted them 15+cm down and then a few days later they basically dying or floating.

 

Looking fantastic! I do think my fish play a role in the slow growth too though as they like to eat the roots as well.

 

my bad , i saw your post "The substrate is Seachem Flourite Dark which is about 2cm thick in the 4ft."

 

The problem with the T8's is that they are not as efficient as T5's. You need to replace T8's every 6 months. I have to agree with previous posts that your lighting is the problem and not your substrate. If you have the time and the skill you can rather diy your lights in future and save yourself quite a bit of cash.

 

Ah okay i see, "eating my own words" lol

Will be redoing the tank soon as i am going 6ft and will be laying palm peat as a bottom layer substrate. Read a bit about this and it looks good, especially for rooting
Will use the florite dark above it.

 

Ps, any know a good tank builder in Jhb?
Looking for a 6ft (180cm) x 600H and 450deep.

Its being buit in so need to stick to these guides.

 

i use pfp , then spread out a layer of flourite , and then black gravel... growth is insane .

 

So i read a little more into it and using palm peat/pfp is good to a point and should be used sparingly(A very thin layer) as it starts to mould.
I redid the tank and will be taking photo's shortly.

Since i have had the tank i have had issues with plants uprooting and floating even though they had root growth and after removing everything from the tank i noticed that the roots in-fact were growing pretty well (especially after NPK).
I washed and layered the bottom of the tank with baked clay balls and added a mix of silica sand, flourite to weigh down the clay as it floats for the first couple of days.

I did a lot of reading about the clay balls/pellets and it looks like roots can really grip onto it and hopefully this will fix my floating plants.
Will be testing a few DIY substrate mixes over the next couple of months and see what gives the best result.

 

Thanks Oscar freak, good price but i need a custom tank size as its being built into our dining room.
Speaking to various shops and private guys on prices and seeing sample work.

 

So an update on the tank.
Went out a bought 4x28w T5 tubes. I haven't fitted the reflectors yet will get some this weekend.
Mounted the lights 30cm above the tank and kept them running for 10 hours.

The damage to the plants from them continually uprooting and not dosing correctly (as well as the pleco damage to the swords) was pretty bad and the plants looked wrecked.
But things are looking up! since the lighting and adding iron liquid fert and using Leca (clay balls);held down by 3cm silica, the plants and fish are growing really well.
Tank does not run co2.

PS any one want some of the floating plant (id please) i got allot and its overtaking fast.

Some pics Sorry about the quality.

 

Greatly improved!!!