# Substrate and fertilizer



## cramramdon (Jul 22, 2002)

O.K. lets discuss substrate and fertilizer;

I am wondering what everybody's favorite fertilizer is?

I really like flourite for my tanks, one of them has a three-way mixture: equal parts flourite and gravel(small) and a little laterlite.

cram


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## Steve Hampton (Jul 22, 2002)

For substrate:

Flourite is the easiest. Onyx is my favorite. But I use or have used just about every type and combination. I find that small tanks work better for me with a sand/laterite mix in the bottom 2 inches, topped with 1 inch of plain sand, then 1 inch of dark pea gravel. I've recently setup my first tank with profile, jury is still very much out of how I like this substrate.


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## cramramdon (Jul 22, 2002)

How much sand? Say in comparison to a four inch substrate.

cram


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## Steve Hampton (Jul 22, 2002)

Personally, for a 4 inch substrate I set up as follows:

Bottom 2 inches would be sand and laterite mixed together.

I then add a 1 inch layer of plain sand over this, it helps keep the laterite form being introduced to the water column.

The top 1 inch I use a dark colored pea gravel.

So, to answer your question, about 3 inches of sand, but with the laterite mixed into part of it.


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## inxs (Jul 30, 2002)

Favorite fertilizer - PMDD.

Easy to manipulate according to needs.


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## Jason (Aug 12, 2002)

I herd from another forum that one of the members uses cat litter as a substrait.

What are your thoughts on that?


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## lorax (Nov 14, 2002)

Out of curiosity I experimented by putting cat litter in a cup with water. It clouded up, so I rinsed , iit clouded up so I rinsed, and so on and so on. It kept breaking down until it was mush. if you had it covered up pretty deep it might work, but it seemed pretty bad for me.

What about crushed up terra cotta pots?


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## SNPiccolo5 (Oct 6, 2002)

It might be more diffucult to crush terra cotta pots, and any left over large pieces might be really sharp. I'd be careful crushing terra cotta pots.

-Tim


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## Ackar (Aug 22, 2004)

How about terra cotta beads?

At the local 'Big Box' craft store they have non-painted terra cotta threaded beads that look like they would be a simple hard clay additive for sand/gravel substrates.


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