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I may be wrong, but I believe I read in a previous post that when using substrates such as flourite that you really don't need to add any other supplements to the water or substrate for planted tanks.

Is this correct, or did I misunderstand what was being stated?

This if for a 20 gallon long tank and I have already purchased the flourite for a base of 3".

Jim

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Water, taken in moderation, cannot hurt anybody. -- Mark Twain

I will add a bit more to that

I have been advised to get some when I set up my Betta tank.
So actually what is it and why does it work (if it does) and can I buy it in Aust if so where and under what trade/brand name.

Sorry OT I did not want to pinch your thread but I think my added questions will help any Aussies.

Keith

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fluorite is an iron rich material that can be used as its own substrate, or underneath gravel. i don't know how it's sold outside the US, but within the US you can pretty much only get it from aquarium suppliers, nobody else will carry it.

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"That's the trouble with political jokes in this country... they get elected!" -- Dave Lippman

"Seachem Fluorite is a specially fracted, iron rich, stable porous clay gravel for the natural planted aquarium. Although it may be mixed with other gravels, Fluorite is best used as the sole substrate bed. Any mixture should be at least half Fluorite. Gravel modifiers are not necessary. Fluorite is not chemically coated or treated and will not alter the pH of the water. Each 7kg (15.4lbs) is sufficient for about a 2 inch bed in a typical 10 gallon tank. Recommended use is 1 kg for every 200cm^2 (31in.^2) of tank bottom." from Seachem website

So it is clay that has been kiln dried. Great substrate for planted aquariums BUT rinse it very well and when you think that you are done, rinse it one more time. Be very careful when filling your tank as any water movement will raise dust that will suspend in the water column.

A good idea wouuld be to place the well rinsed substrate in the aquaium, sculpt it for your depths, say 2 inches in the front with 3 to 4 inches at the back of the tank. Since the substrate will be wet, it will be perfect for planting, so place your hardscape and plants, rooting them firmly.

Place a plate in the aquarium and very slowly fill the aquarium by directly the very slow water flow over the plate.

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Whether you will need to add other ferts and supplements to the tank really depends on a few things, like how heavily the tank ios planted, how much light you have, what kind of plants you have (heavy or light feeders? root or water column feeders?), whether you have CO2 or not, how heavily the tank is stocked, etc. etc.

Many plants are not root feeders and get most nutrients from the water column itself. If you have plants that feed heavily from the water column, you may need to supplement. If the tank is very heavily planted, lightly stocked, high light, has CO2, or a lot of heavy feeders (plants), you may need to supplement ferts. That really isn't an easy question to answer because every tank is different.

A cheaper alternative to fluorite tht has worked well for me is plain old aquarium gravel with laterite and root tabs added. It works well for much less than you would pay for fluorite. If you ask me, having the iron rich clay "capped" under the first layer of gravel is not nearly as messy, the tank doesn't cloud and it looks a lot nicer than having that nasty red colour on top.

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Last edited by Gold Digger at 13-Apr-2005 08:32