Do I Need to Change Substrate?

[slinky]

Now that I've got the aquarium set up nicely with small, rounded black gravel with a few colored stones, it has occurred to me yet again that there is more misinformation that I may have been given. I just got some anubias plants and they seem OK. But the taller plants might be starting to show a dark spot or two. I'm going to replace my lighting with a CF retrofit that will take me from 1 WPG to roughly 2.5 WPG. That's step one.

Step two - am I going to have to replace all my black gravel with alternate substrate like Eco-Complete or Flourite? Should I yank out part of the gravel and replant the plants on the side of the tank and put gravel over the top? Should I just keep things as they are - can I keep things as they are? Am I asking for trouble this way and will it be much better to just redo the substrate?

This is an incredible pain as all the fish are in there now and seem happy. But it won't help if all the plants start dying because they aren't getting enough nutrients or taking root properly. Anyone with an insight into this?

[Drumachine09]

If you use plant tabs and dose ferts + DIY CO2, you don't have to use a plant substrate, but it will be VERY beneficial to your plants.

[Lady Hobbs]

Anubius is not to be planted. I grows attached to wood.

[country_boy454]

I planted the roots only on my anubias and it is growing beautifully. The rhizome is above the substrate by about an inch. The roots grew into the substrate. It has 4 new leaves since I planted it.

[Lady Hobbs]

Good going. Have you seen how big anibius grows with the leaves emmersed?

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I'd like to take my empty 10 gallon and see how it works doing it this way.

[slinky]

Good going. Have you seen how big anibius grows with the leaves emmersed?

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I'd like to take my empty 10 gallon and see how it works doing it this way.
Ahhhh - thanks. I have the rhizome well stuck underneath my gravel. Perhaps I don't need new substrate after all since it says that anubias are supposed to root to gravel.