# vermiculite



## macclellan (Dec 22, 2006)

Vermiculite floats, no?


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## Homer_Simpson (May 10, 2007)

The issue of vermiculite has been discussed before. This post may be of interest to you.
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/substrate/57589-aquatic-soil.html

For reasons referenced in that post, I would personally stay away from vermiculite. IMHO, you would be better capping a dusting of peat, mulm, laterite or leonardite and crushed up fert tabs, with pool filter sand cap, or just go with a speciality substarte like Schultz Aquatic Soil, Soil Master Select, fluorite or eco-complete.


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## sick lid (Jan 13, 2008)

I used vermiculite in my 180. See post at bottom of this thread...
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/low-tech-forum/65042-help-my-first-planted-tank.html
Not worth the hassle in a small tank, IMO., but I got great results with it in a big tank. See link in signature.


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## aquaman73177 (May 20, 2008)

vermiculite, to my knowledge, will sink once it's saturated. I assume that's the difference (mainly) between it and perlite. If I'm wrong, please let me know.


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## sick lid (Jan 13, 2008)

True. It stays sunk once waterlogged, though since it's lighter than sand/gravel etc, you do get the odd pile on the bottom. I don't mind it in mine, it goes where the current or the swish of a fish tail pushes it. It gives a little more 'life' to the bottom of a tank, and it does stay on the bottom. Again, beneficial in a big tank where you can save a lot of dough, but I wouldn't bother in anything less than 55 gallons.


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