Onyx sand is like the regular onyx gravel that you've probably seen, but a smaller grain size. A little more course (larger) than play sand. As for the flourite and sand... I'd still be worried about the sand itself compacting, plus I'd think that the sand would settle down into the flourite and cau...

I can't give you substrate 101, as I'm sure I don't know enough about the "why" to be able to explain that much. But, I can give you my opinion based on what I've tried. First, let me just put this right out there... I think that the best substrate for growing plants in an aquarium is Flou...

I can only comment on mine, which I think are blues...

They don't care in the slightest about snails unless I crush them. MTSs, pond snails, apple snails, unidentified snails that hitch-hike on new plants... doesn't matter. They don't mess with them at all.

No pictures yet... I can't find the fry! Unfortunately, my tank is pretty much a jungle due to lack of maintenance over the past three weeks, so the critters could be anywhere (assuming they didn't become someone's midnight snack). As soon as I can find them, I'll post them. I'll definately be doing...

Ghazanfar, I am indeed back, and will probably have to run some plants over to you from my collecting trip. Not sure I have room to keep them all till the auction. As for the "plant-farm" setup, I've got most of the concept worked out, just have to figure out some details before I start dr...

Ye gods, I wish I could judge depth of field that well! Very nice!

Projects for me this year (hopefully within the first month): 1 - Replace 110 gallon tall tank with 120 short tank (planting is so much easier when you can actually reach the gravel). 2 - Set up a multiple tank "plant-farm" in the basement... several 5 gallon tanks on one filter system, on...

Was that a crack about my dosing routine (or lack of)?

I was actually referring to the hairgrass and that my good/bad news being that it was the ONLY thing I collected that I could accurately identify. :) Not sure what Sean's news is though. But, I did get something that I think *might* be what you're looking for, but it's emersed growth, so I can't be ...

My cories didn't act "right" until I had about 5 of them. Of course, there might be some correlation with the size of the tank (and the size of the cories I guess), but I wouldn't know where to begin on that topic.