Question on building "path way"

[eugenecj]

hi guys, need some advice. i'm rescaping my tank and i'm intending to create a path way in the tank.
at the same time, i'm doing carpeting so my question is.. because i don't want to carpet plant to grow on the path way (which is sand) so how should i build it?

1. segment the building of my tank so that there is no soil underneath the path way so that there's no way the plant can grow roots
2. lay my soil all over and just lay the sand above my soil to create the path way i want

please guide me! thank you!

[Urban Aquaria]

Both ways will work... but the 1st method is better as it avoids the smaller-grain sand eventually sifting downwards and larger-grain soil sifting upwards over time. In addition, you can use plastic cut-outs or rocks to create a support barrier to further reduce the chances of the soil and sand mixing together.

Note that even if you use sand as the pathway, carpet plants will still be able to spread out and grow on the sand too, just that its slower for them to grow into the sand area, so you will usually have sufficient time to regularly trim the plants back and keep them under control.

[Shadow]

The key is regular trimming, trim those runner that extent toward the sand. You cannot stop them from growing on the sand. Root is not the only way for plant to get nutrients.

[eugenecj]

thanks guys! these explains alot! I never know roots can grow on sand! gosh....

[Low Tech Tan]

thanks guys! these explains alot! I never know roots can grow on sand! gosh....

If you take a walk at the reservoirs and peer into the water, you will commonly see sandy banks which have aquatic plants growing. A good number of aquatic plants in natural environments have no problem growing in "sand".
Before things like Aquasoil, very traditional aquarists used to use sand-mostly or sand-only substrate to plant too...
Just chiming in...pardon me