# ATN: Those using coal slag, I have a question!



## Monster Fish (Mar 15, 2011)

Coal slag has iron?

I use it in my 5 gallon shrimp tank. It doesn't have any CEC so it won't absorb any liquid ferts. I use root tabs buried deep into the substrate. A lot of people use it to cap dirt. 

Here's my 5 gallon. 










Lots of crypts, all fed with root tabs. Anything that leaches out from the substrate feeds the floaters.


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## HamToast (May 6, 2012)

Thanks for the input and picture! I don't know if it has iron or not. I don't believe it does, I'm just trying to find out for sure.

So maybe the inch layer of Flourite would help with the nutrient storage issue. I could couple that with root tabs in deeper areas of substrate I guess.


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## Monster Fish (Mar 15, 2011)

You're welcome. Yeah, keep the root tabs as close to the bottom glass as possible. Flourite would help provide some CEC for the substrate as well.


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## wkndracer (Mar 14, 2009)

zilch, nada, nope, none
This is a high temp fired product with nothing provided but an anchorage point for the roots, same plant nutrient value as sand,, none 
(but it looks good LOL)


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## HamToast (May 6, 2012)

Good info! Thanks so much.

Flourite underneath with root tabs it is!


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## OverStocked (May 26, 2007)

There are no bioavailable nutrients in coal slag. 

Btw, there is a "replacement" for color quartz. I'm on mobile so I can't look it up(am too lazy) but a little leg work finds it. 

It is priced higher than 3m was. But not terrible. 

I'm lookin into another product and will pass it on if it works.


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## HamToast (May 6, 2012)

I found a product called Spectraquartz, but it seems to only be available in the Northern US. At more than double the cost of coal slag no less. With properties similar to coal slag, I just can't justify the cost or effort in hunting a different product down.

If you know of anything else similar, please let me know. Especially if it has some sort of CEC value.


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