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i dont know if this is in the forum but i wanted to know if anyone has ever used flourite in their tank and does it do a good job for the roots and plants? also how many bags would u suggest for a 55 at the least?

I personally have never used it but my dad has it in his 75 gallon. He has a 5o% mix of flourite and 50% regular gravel. When i look uder his tank, i can see alot of white healthy roots of plants such as ( jungle vals, cryptocorynes, etc.). Are you looking for it too be 100% filled with flourite or a 50/50 mix. For a 100% mix i would suggest 4-5 bags. For the 50/50, 2 bags of flourite plus regular gravel.

hey tanks i think i may go a 75 florite 25 gravel

I have flourite on my 10, and absolutely love it (Until I decide to start moving things ... lots and lots of dust) But my plants love it as well. 50-50 mix would look good - I'd go black with the flourite, but that's just me. And 1 bag per 10 gal is recommended.

Why would you go just 50% fluorite? Is the stuff expensive or are there other reasons?

It is pretty expensive (compared to the rest of the gravels) But if you have the money - go for a full tank of just flourite - no mixing. I love how it looks in my 10, just for a 55, it seems like its a lot

My second tank was my first attempt with real plants and I used all flourite. The next tank I did a mix because the flourite was very similar in color to the existing gravel in the tank. For my Endler's breeding tank I wanted black substrate, so I used gravel over flourite. My latest project is an Asian biotope and is 100% flourite. Next project will be converting from fake to real plants and I'll probably do the mix again.

I like flourite and my plants are all doing well. I don't like the cost though And unlike regular gravel, flourite has to be rinsed and rinsed and rinsed...

Last edited by Theresa_M at 30-Sep-2004 01:23

~~~~~~~~~~~~
There is water at the bottom of the ocean

Hi,
I use 100% Flourite in my tank. Over 11 years, I've
made some major changes to the plant schemes and each
time I have been absolutely amazed at the extent of
the root system each plant has developed.
Huge (stretching the lenght/width and depth) thick
(looks like a birds nest) healthy (strong white roots
with well developed branches and filaments) roots
pervade the entire substrate.

Yes, it can be a pain when it comes to cloudiness,
but then you don't disturb a well planted tank as much
as you would a tank with just a few, or none.

IMO, while expensive, there are few substrates that
will provide for the plants as well as Flourite will.
It's well worth every penny spent.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

flourite is good for growing plants. it's major downside is the dust. it takes about 5 cups of water to properly clean 1 cup of flourite. even after you have rinsed it with that, it will still make some dust. after a few months this calms down.

if you compare the ammount of time you spend washing this gravel, water needed and time that you cannot see your fish due to clouded water, it's not worth the money. if you have corys, flourite will wear down their babels and they never grow back as nice as they were originally.

in canada, a 20lb bag of flourite is about $30. a 20lb bag of eco complete is $40.

eco complete is far superior. it's black, dustless and smooth. your corys will be fine. your tank won't cloud. it's also in water when you get it with bacteria. dump it in your tank and don't worry about cycling.

it did take 3 bags to get about 2" in the bottom of my 55g 4' tank. that's $120CAD before tax just for gravel. i having been using it for months in my 30g which only took 1 bag. plants grow as well in it as they do in flourite. i like the black color more than the red flourite though.


bottom line, spend the extra money on eco complete. you won't regret it.

yeah, make sure you wash this stuff off real good......i made the mistake of treating it like regular gravel.my aquarium water looked like chocolate milk. after several thorough washings, i put it back in my tank and the water still looked hazy.

Dust, dust, dust. I had 100% flourite in my ten gallon tank and had rinsed it quite well, but still had tons of dust anytime I so much as looked at the tank wrong. (Okay, exagerration, but it sure felt like it sometimes!)

I wound up getting rid of it and my plants don't do nearly as well, but I'm much happier with the non-dusty tank. I was so sick and tired of seeing my plants coated with dust and seeing my fish swimming in what looked like weak chocolate milk after a gravel vac.

I wish I could get hold of eco-complete (haven't seen any in nearby stores) and that it wasn't black. In my experience, darker gravel made that small of a tank look tiny and cavelike. I need something light colored that also is good for my plants... *sigh*

~Meow. Thus spoke the cat.~