# JBL Aqua Basic plus



## Laith (Jul 7, 2004)

If you're talking about the JBL AquaBasis product, this is a substrate that goes *under* gravel. It cannot be used standalone like Flourite or Eco-complete...

At least according to JBL's website.


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## Raul-7 (Oct 17, 2003)

I've heard good things about this additive. I recommend it as well. Just add some peat, and mulm(fish gunk, decaying leaves, etc.) with it and you're good to go.


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## Aussie_Star (Feb 15, 2005)

well there will be normal gravel on top if i go with this product if i cant get the eco complete. Should i have 50/50 or 75/25 with the aqua basic with more?


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## gsg (Apr 11, 2005)

I am using it currently in my tank. It's been there for a month now, and it leaks so many carbonates to the water that i can't believe they don't say anything about it in the bag. It weekly takes my kH from 4º up to 7'5 in a matter of days after every water change. This weekend is going out, i am tearing up the tank and going with another inert substrate.
Not good, even though plants are growing fine.
Regards,


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## awrieger (May 12, 2005)

I use it in my pots (haven't got a planted tank yet, just pots, or jars, on a bare bottom).










As you can see, it's a very fine clay powdery 'soil'. Which means great clouds of muddy brown water if you disturb it, which is why I'm not planning on using it when I set up my tank. Okay for my pots because I make the mess in a bucket/sink, not the tank! 

But it holds fine roots really well as you can see in the pic. Which means you'll also pull a lot of it up if you decide to uproot a plant!

It goes as a bottom layer below the gravel. The instructions say 2cm of Aquabasis Plus, then 4-5cm of normal gravel on top.

It's nutrient rich out of the pack, but depletes totally within four weeks, I guess to last through the initial set-up, after which you're supposed to add fertiliser tabs or sticks into the gravel to help (I actually add AZOO slow release fertiliser granules to it when I pot to last 3 months). Which means it's probably uneccessary having it there in the first place. Ditto if you're planning to use the EI method. 

But it's supposed to be able to absorb and hold new nutrients from the water flow, so I suppose it's designed to need to work with those 'debatable' undergravel JBL heating cables to circulate water through it.

Hope that helps!


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