# JBL Aqua basis



## medicineman (Sep 28, 2005)

I'm using it also in my 260gal tank. 3 bags for your tank is sufficient. JBL aqua basis is a basic, long term fertilizer. You use it on the bottom part of your tank and add another layer of gravel on top. LFS here has been using it for a year tank and their plants are still looking good. One thing you have to notice is JBL aquabasis is not a substrate, it is a basic starter long term fertilizer, so you might not want to mix it with gravel, instead you bury it at the bottom part. It tends to floats around if you mix or spread it on the top layer. Since you already use JBL aquabasis and its set, you can consider even the poorest sustrate such as silica or plain gravel. You should notice that since it is a long term fertilizer, there will be an end to the live span.


----------



## dukydaf (Dec 27, 2004)

Thanks for the reply man. I understad that it has a life spam but belive me i would buy flourite if it didn't cost me 6X $ to deliver it to Romania.
I want to mix the aquabasis with Florapol ( some kind of laterite from JBL) to provide extra iron. Tell me about your set up> 

What did (do) you use on the top fine sand or gravel??
About the life spam of the substrate > how long will this be in a high-tech (co2 and 3wpg)??
Can the substrate be refertilized without braking the hole tank??
Can i use fine sand on top ( they say not to use larger garvel then 4 cm)?


----------



## medicineman (Sep 28, 2005)

I use the package JBL aquabasis came with. There are three items inside a plastic bucket container. I spread the dry ferts (aquabasis and ferropol) on the bottom part of the tank, then add another layer of river gravel on top until I reach a desireable height (which is around 7-12 cm). This product does work, stem plants in my 260gal tank are growing so fast under high light and CO2 injection. I only add little bit of PMDD ocassionally just to make sure the water collumn is well fertilized (for water collumn feeders like java moss, java fern, floating plants). The tank at FLS has Co2 injection, MH system and been set up for a year or so and it is still running great without any added fertilizer ever during the period (ok.. they do add trace, root tabs and iron I suspect). What you use on top depends on what you like, but be sure not to pick fine sand as it tends to compact over time. You should not pick anything too big either of pebble size, such size will not grow you plants nicely. Aim for something inert and 1-4 mm in size. There are small gravel, silica sand, blasting sand, etc available depends on your local market. Consult the forum about your mind on the substrate so you will not pick the wrong stuff. When it goes to live span, some says aquabasis can last for 2-3 years before depleted. You can always use root tabs and water collumn fertilization for supplementing nutrition, and eventually you have to tear apart your tank and start over when the time comes.


----------

