# Using Turface for substrate



## Seattle_Aquarist (Jun 15, 2008)

Hi Stampedfish,

Welcome to TPT!!!

I too much prefer the heat treated montmorillonite clay materials as substrates; they are inexpensive (like gravel) however they have very high cation exchange capacities (unlike gravel) which allows them to absorb nutrients from the water column and make them available to the plants in the root zone.

Some of the ones liked are discontinued like Soilmaster Select charcoal color and Turface Pro League grey color. Currently I am using Safe T Sorb #7341 ($12.65 for 40# at WW Grainger). It is very "dusty" (I screen mine before use) and it requires multiple rinses before the first use but after that is isn't an issue.

10 gallon - STS #7941









20 gallon - STS #7941









30 gallon - Soilmaster Select Charcoal









45 gallon - Soilmaster Select Charcoal









75 gallon - STS #7941


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## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

Hey Seattle_Aquarist,

I recall reading in one of your threads some time ago that you like to pre-load these types of substrate with fertilizer before using them. Could you elaborate on this process?


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Jun 15, 2008)

Hi Axelrodi202,

Did you happen to see my response to a question about pre-loading in this thread?

I did not pre-load with KNO3 or KH2PO4 for the reasons outlined in that thread; I just pre-loaded with MgSO4 and CaCl. That said, if I had used the macro ferts I'm sure they would have been absorbed as the Mg and Ca were.

75 gallon on 8/27/14







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## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

Ah I had not seen that particular thread. Thanks for the link!


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

I have tanks currently running with Turface, Soil Master Select and Safe-T-Sorb. 
Some are combined with other products, some have some extra minerals dusted into the tank before adding the main substrate. 
Trying to get away from having to dose carbonates so much.


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## AKnickolai (Nov 30, 2012)

I've been using it in two tanks for a few years now. One is just Turface and I dose using a reduced EI regime, the other has a gravel/Turface cap over a simplified EHS dirt mixture. Great stuff. I actually use the carbonate leaching properties of the stuff to condition my water for breeding tetras - works surprising well!


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## Stampedfish (Mar 19, 2012)

Great responses, I pre loaded mine with equilibrium and a dry fert mix. I let it sit in a little bit of water in the tank. I hope this absorbed it to supply the roots with nutrition. Diana I have recently talked to you about root tabs, this is in relation to that.


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