# Best substrate for planted tank



## Anonymous (Mar 2, 2003)

Hello. I'm in the process of setting up a 75 gallon system and want to do it right the first time. I am unsure if flourite is better than laterite. Should I add organic material such as peat? How deep for each component or mixture of components? My head is spinning. Thanks for the help - steve


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## SNPiccolo5 (Oct 6, 2002)

If you want a substrate that is good and VERY easy to manage, flourite is the best. Some tests say it holds very little nutrients, but the fact that it is porous is good. After being in the aquarium for a while, it will actually absorb nutrients (excess fertalizer too) and make it available to plants in the substrate. You have to be very careful to rinse it a lot. If you want flourite, they sell it at www.bigals.com for $11 a bag, but shipping for a heavy item costs $7-9 more, but it is still a good deal compared to local prices of mine.

Laterite works well too, I had it in pots I had my plants in and the roots systems were amazing! But...it clouds the water a lot and takes a while to get out...flourite is easier.

Somewhere on this site someone posted a post that contained a site that had all these reviews of substrates. If you search "substrate" without the quotes, you'll get a lot of stuff.

-Tim


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## Anonymous (Mar 2, 2003)

Tim,

Thanks. -Steve


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## GulfCoastAquarian (Jul 30, 2002)

I just started another tank last night (I don't think the wife is happy about it!) and used exclusively only Kitty Litter. ($1.87 for 25lb bag - Wal Mart Special Kitty Litter). It's cloudy right now but I'm going to vacuum out the surface layer of dust tonight and change half the water (15g tank) so it should help it clear up. 

I'll let you guys know how my 100% kitty litter experience goes!


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## geodiscus (Feb 7, 2004)

I like the eco sysytem substrate. It is a little pricey but it ismore beneficial to plants IMHO.


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## ^iMp^ (Oct 12, 2003)

Another vote for eco-complete. I like the dark look and ease of use--no rinsing or cloudiness.

^iMp^


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## Raul-7 (Oct 17, 2003)

Eco-Complete, the best all-round substrate there is...


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## Buck (Oct 13, 2002)

Hehe.... Eco-Complete was "almost" unheard of when this post was originally posted ! :lol:


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## Buck (Oct 13, 2002)

So how's the kitty litter doin Sam... ? :lol:


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## Gomer (Aug 14, 2003)

it was so unheard of that I picked up my first bag of eco for $11 from the LFS...don't think they knew what they had!


another vote for eco...just got 2 bags today for the new tank


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## aquaverde (Apr 15, 2003)

Yep, Sam, I really'd like to know how long the kitty litter lasted.


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

I have been using the brand of KL that Sam mentioned, and after over half a year, it still looks the same as when I put it into the tank. Grows lots of nice plants, and the price is right. No complaints from here...


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## Raul-7 (Oct 17, 2003)

So the mush is just a romour? :wink:


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## Rex Grigg (Dec 10, 2002)

Nope. I bought the same brand of CPA (cat piss absorbent) here and it turns to mush within 24 hours.


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## ginnie5 (Jan 9, 2003)

the tank is about a year old now. If I do a major moving of plants it will cloud the water like crazy but believe it or not I still have pieces of kitty litter that have made it to the top of the sand and are solid. I moved every plant in the tank a few weeks ago and it was a mess..only took about 3 hours though to clear up. I had to cut roots to even get them out. The root system of the swords was amazing! I'm a kitty litter fan. I would love to try the Eco Complete but the $$ is deterring me.


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## GulfCoastAquarian (Jul 30, 2002)

I've since mixed the 100% kitty litter with some sand, but the kitty litter is not mush for the most part. Sure, some of it has been pulverized and settled to the bottom as silt, but its still mostly granular.
Obviously, there is quite a bit of variance in the Special Kitty stock kept at Wal-Marts across the country.
So Raul, yes the mush is just a rumor, when said that it will invariably turn to mush. My brother tried it and his turned to mush, so you have to experiment. At less than $2 a bag, it's a pretty low risk experiment, in my opinion.


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## ANUBA (Jun 14, 2003)

USE SHULTZ AQUATIC PLANT SOIL $5.98 at Home Depot
wont' scartch like floutrite and has a better color


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