# LESCO Prochoice Soilmaster



## sfcallen (Dec 13, 2006)

Changed out my substrate today to some Prochoice soilmaster from LESCO. I got the red standard soil master. They had a four pack sample with prochoice soilmaster select, regular prochoice soilmaster, promound packing clay, and rapid dry. 

The Rapid Dry is very fine, less than .5mm, too fine for substrate IMO. The Soilmaster Select has a nice uniform grain size about 1mm, but seemed a little fine for my taste and application. The Prochoice Soilmaster grain size is not as uniform as the select and is slightly larger with a mix of size from 1-3mm. All three of these products are red. The Promound packing clay is black but not uniform in size all, ranging from dust particles to 5mm+ sizes. The Soilmaster select and regular soilmaster also are available in charcoal color but was not in stock at the store by my house.

link
http://www.lesco.com/?PageID=27&ItemNumber=080310

The tank I put the Prochoice Soilmaster has a standard 75/90 gal footprint of 48" x 18". I used a substrate calculator for Flourite; for a 3 inch bed it said I would need 90lbs. Well I bought 2 50lb bags of the Prochoice Soilmaster. 

I filled a 5 gallon bucket half full of the Soilmaster and washed it until ran clear. I repeated this, put approx. 75lbs of the Soilmaster in the tank. This made for a tapered depth of 3.5 inches in front and 4.5 inches + in the rear, there are also a few hills over 6 inches. One bag would be enough if you plan to top dress it. I filled the tank with water slowly and it was fairly clear. Not perfectly clear but I am sure it would settle/filter in a day. I am running my diatom filter on it now to clear it because I hate to wait for anything. 

I found it easy to plant in and the plants seemed well anchored. Even the two big sword plants that have runners going out of the tank seem to be holding on.

I left a good layer mulm in the bottom, also I am going to dose every day (macros morning, micros evening) and watch the levels. Then go back to every other day once everything seems normal.

The bill was less than $26 for 100lbs including tax.

One note is it did reduce my KH by 2dKH, I buffered it back with some baking soda.


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## JenThePlantGeek (Mar 27, 2006)

I think you'll be really happy with this stuff! Thanks for sharing the great review! I use the charcoal colored Soilmaster and I really love it.


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## yoink (Apr 21, 2005)

JenThePlantGeek said:


> I think you'll be really happy with this stuff! Thanks for sharing the great review! I use the charcoal colored Soilmaster and I really love it.


Same here. I'm not much for the red-orange color of the regular, but it does grow plants well and you can't beat the price.


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## spinnerbayt (Apr 2, 2005)

I have had the "red" in my 125g for about a year now and couldn't be happier with the growth of my plants but I wanted the darker color so I had my local lesco have some of the charcoal shipped in. It only took about a week for them to get it. I'm going to swap it all out over the christmas break. I think I might try a journal as I will be starting form scratch. Anyway, enjoy the soilmaster.

Regards,
Jeff


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## sfcallen (Dec 13, 2006)

The red doesn't bother me right now. But, I may top dress it later on for a different look. Ran the DE filter on it for about 1 hour last night and water was clear. I mean so clear I put my finger in it to make sure there was water in the tank. 

None of the plants were floating this morning and everything looked good. Dosed NPK and add some baking soda this morning. The KH had dropped 1dKH overnight. Going to dose micros this evening. Keeping an eye the KH, GH, and PH, all seems good with no wild swings.


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## <Frawg> (Nov 26, 2006)

Can anyone say for sure if the charcoal color of Soilmaster only comes in the "Soilmaster Select" version.

I've read (in another thread here) that Soilmaster is preferrable to Soilmaster Select.

Here is the link for all Soilmaster products:
http://www.lesco.com/?PageID=87&Keyword=soilmaster&Category=25&Group=045&Type=059&Form=1255

Any help getting Soilmaster Charcoal (in a 50 lb bag, no need for a ton - yet) would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Scott
Sanford, Maine


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## yoink (Apr 21, 2005)

I think you would have to go with the brown. It is very close in color to the charcoal.


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## <Frawg> (Nov 26, 2006)

But I don't want no stinkin' brown! 

Thanks - what part of Indiana are you in? I grew up in Hobart, IN (the "Region").

Scott
Sanford, Maine


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## Burks (May 21, 2006)

Can we see some pictures of the tank?


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## sfcallen (Dec 13, 2006)

Burks said:


> Can we see some pictures of the tank?


Here are some of the red

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/photo-album/40800-75-gal-weed-collection-big-pics.html


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## Burks (May 21, 2006)

Very nice tank. The red seems to bring out the color of the plants, to me at least.

For some reason I think the red would look nice in a Discus tank. *shrugs*

Nice review as well. Thank you.


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## sfcallen (Dec 13, 2006)

I have been thinking the same thing, some blue discus would really look nice with the red substrate.


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## <Frawg> (Nov 26, 2006)

So, the ordering process is a bit strange.

Since I'll be paying when I go in, you would think that they would not need my credit card information *now*?!?

Or am I just doing this wrong somehow?

s


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## sfcallen (Dec 13, 2006)

I am not familar with the ordering process from LESCO, I just go to one of my local stores and pick it up.


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## yoink (Apr 21, 2005)

<Frawg> said:


> So, the ordering process is a bit strange.
> 
> Since I'll be paying when I go in, you would think that they would not need my credit card information *now*?!?
> 
> ...


They took my credit card info too, but didn't charge me. I then picked it up and paid at the store.

I'm in Greenwood, just south of Indy. I've never heard of hobart except as a mixer.


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## rodneyfisher (Nov 6, 2005)

HEy what is the difference between the Soilmaster Select & SoilMaster Conditioner?? And which one is better to use?

THANKS
Rodney


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## jrs (Dec 25, 2005)

I am jumping in on the thread a little late but I was wondering if you could answer a question that I have.

We can not get soilmaster in Canada but a fellow on a board here says he has a 50lb bag of it. I am currently using Shultz in a 6' tank with decent results but I am finding that it is very light weight and makes it difficult for ground cover plants to root. Is the soilmaster much better?


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## original kuhli (Nov 28, 2006)

I've found soilmaster in Calgary at a specialty gardening place. And I've done some testing with it, to me it seems nearly as dense as gravel...


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## Urkevitz (Jan 12, 2004)

jrs said:


> I am jumping in on the thread a little late but I was wondering if you could answer a question that I have.
> 
> We can not get soilmaster in Canada but a fellow on a board here says he has a 50lb bag of it. I am currently using Shultz in a 6' tank with decent results but I am finding that it is very light weight and makes it difficult for ground cover plants to root. Is the soilmaster much better?


Depends on what kind of fish you have, I have small tetras and one cory. HC took awhile to get going, but doesn't uproot now. 

If you had a bunch of bottom feeders, and larger fish that might blow the substrate around it might be a problem.

It is lightweight, but plants root very quickly. Sometimes the roothairs attach themselves to the soilmaster.


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## sfcallen (Dec 13, 2006)

rodneyfisher said:


> HEy what is the difference between the Soilmaster Select & SoilMaster Conditioner?? And which one is better to use?
> 
> THANKS
> Rodney



They are both infield conditioners, Select has a more uniform grain size.


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## frozenbarb (Dec 16, 2006)

http://www.lesco.com/?PageID=27&ItemNumber=080300
wat about this one anyone tried it?
its said rapidly plant ingestions and loaded wif iron


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## sfcallen (Dec 13, 2006)

frozenbarb said:


> http://www.lesco.com/?PageID=27&ItemNumber=080300
> wat about this one anyone tried it?
> its said rapidly plant ingestions and loaded wif iron



"Contains nitrogen, sulfur, iron, and manganese" NOT a good choice. Plus a huge price difference, I would not try it in a tank.


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## <Frawg> (Nov 26, 2006)

Lesco is a joke. There online system barfed my order - the order just completely disappeared with no email, no phone call. 

Nothing.

The only reason I had an order number to reference is because I saved my initial confirmation email.

I just called the local manager to tell them they have a problem. I'll be doing something else (Aquasoil here I come) - but I figured the very least I could do was to tell them (nicely) how bad their online systems were (and to make sure that I'd never get a mystery charge on my Credit Card).

Lesco? No thanks. I know they're not the only Soilmaster dealer, but they seem to be the "easiest". If this is the easiest, to heck with that!

Scott
Sanford, Maine


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## sfcallen (Dec 13, 2006)

The manager at the store I dealt with said he would order a pallet of anything I wanted and keep the extra on the shelf and sell it. I am sure smaller market stores would be unwilling to do this because of storage/turnover rate.


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## <Frawg> (Nov 26, 2006)

I understand the problems associated with small orders of (normally) large quantity items. Swallowing the order without any notification at all is not acceptable though. 

They confirmed my order via email - they should at least *cancel* my order via email I think.

They've lost whatever chance they had to have my business. Probably no great loss to them, but their reputation takes a hit when others read this.

s


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## phidelt85 (Aug 17, 2006)

I just used the online page to verify the local lesco had the charcoal SMS and went and picked it up.


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## <Frawg> (Nov 26, 2006)

They didn't have it locally (or regionally for that matter). I talked to the manager regarding my order just disappearing into the ether. He wasn't any more pleased than I was.

s


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## rullypullyfishhead (Jan 6, 2007)

*half price*

i ordered soil master charcoal over the telephone to my nearest dealer.they ordered soil master and called me within 5 days they had it shipped from florida to houston texas 2 50 lb bags.when i bought it and looked at my receipt i was only charged for 1 fo i got 100 lbs soil master charcoal for 17 dollars and change.


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## frozenbarb (Dec 16, 2006)

lol that is nice very lucky especially charcoal which is hard to find


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## Pen3 (Jan 2, 2007)

i have the charcoal and a small bag of ada amazonia powder sprinkled on top to get the darker color and a bit of nutrient for helping the carpet plants to start. because of the more compact SMS, the powder as doesn't fall through.


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## Charles Crews (May 10, 2010)

I used soil master complete in my first tank and its been nothing but amazing. Only complaint is that its a little light and you do have to wash it.


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## Craigthor (Sep 9, 2007)

Charles Crews said:


> I used soil master complete in my first tank and its been nothing but amazing. Only complaint is that its a little light and you do have to wash it.


Talk about bring up an old topic.


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