# safe T-sorb, turface, kitty litter all natural clay



## tattooedfool83 (Mar 15, 2013)

Ive read a few different things about all of them, do any of these not have to be "charge" with ferts? 
I was thinking of soil/ kitty litter mixture capped with one of the other two listed. 

Thoughts? Suggestions?


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## acitydweller (Dec 28, 2011)

I use Safe-T-Sorb. This will naturally draw and absorb nutrients out of the water column so precharging them with ferts is a benefit but certainly not compulsory before use. 

Because this is clay based, you will likey want to rinse this a fair bit as failing to do so will have a cloudy tank for quite a long while.


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## tattooedfool83 (Mar 15, 2013)

Do you use just Safe-T-Sorb, nothing else?


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Jun 15, 2008)

Hi tattooedfool8,

I use Safe-T-Sorb by itself without precharging. I like to know how much nutrient has been added to my tank so I dose my ferts using the EI method.

10 gallon STS









20 gallon STS


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## tattooedfool83 (Mar 15, 2013)

Awesome, thanks. Your tanks look great and lush.


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## acitydweller (Dec 28, 2011)

Seattle A's going to make me post my STS tank up now *grin*

i only precharged my first tank, and just did a wash for all the subsequent tanks. the plants love it. ... just use GHbooster occassionaly at each water change and you'll be right as rain.


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## tattooedfool83 (Mar 15, 2013)

Lemme see it then... $4.99 a bag a tractor supply. Cant beat that. Especially if only this for substrate.


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## bitFUUL (May 14, 2010)

I didn't have any luck with STS in my 50 gallon, and my neighbors 10 gallon kept having pH fluctuations. Will try it again when I redo my 50, hoping for better results this time.


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## latchdan (Sep 7, 2007)

Has anyone grown a carpet plants such as glosso with STS? or is the particle size to big?


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## fishtastic (Apr 3, 2007)

latchdan said:


> Has anyone grown a carpet plants such as glosso with STS? or is the particle size to big?


My glosso seems to be growing fine in it. Its recently planted, so not quite a "carpet". I think its comparative to flourite size wise.


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

All these products will remove the carbonates, KH from the water. I found them quite stable with respect to GH. 

I sure would not mix them. I like the color of STS.


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## acitydweller (Dec 28, 2011)

latchdan said:


> Has anyone grown a carpet plants such as glosso with STS? or is the particle size to big?


i have successfully carpeted my sts tank several times over with ET, Glosso, S.Repens, and HM. They all seem to stay very low, more so Glosso which has been seen to be very tall and thin. There's a patch of micro swords creeping along the front of the tank now.

Here is a photo of my neglected 10g which was heavily trimmed this past weekend.










Notice how round and deep the glosso grows.


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