Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jason DuBois on February 2, 2012 at 1:31pm

I have a 29 gallon with 40% flourite and 60% dirt with regular gravel on top. I think its the way to go; I have a amazon sword in it and it pushes out a new leaf like every three days. I dont think the percentage matters to much but if I did it again I would do like 50/50.  I would do it with out delay. Just remember to fill slowly and expect to do some big water changes or many small ones if you have fish in it. Uprooting your plants will give you the opportunity to look at the roots and trim them if needed.

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Permalink Reply by Fabrigas O'brian on February 3, 2012 at 11:02am

well i would like to know if you would recomend just dirting because i can re-use flourite in a smaller tank but when i have to redirt the tank every few years thats alot of money waseted and i have a 50 l tub i use for water changes so i can run the filter and put the fish in there wile i do bigger changes with a hose

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Permalink Reply by Anthony Q on February 3, 2012 at 4:57am

yeah make sure you keep fluorite gravel to add some extra nutrients with the dirt. 

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Permalink Reply by Fabrigas O'brian on February 3, 2012 at 11:05am

 i dont think i would also put flourite scince it was expensive about $41.42/£30 i may get a dirt rich in clay to compensate

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Permalink Reply by Jason DuBois on February 3, 2012 at 2:22pm

I think just dirt is fine too I wouldent put any extra nutrients in it besides clay or flourite. Here in Albuquerque Flourite at pets mart is only like $20 for a 15 pound bag and you would only need like 5 pounds or so; but yes just dirt I think is adequate.

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Permalink Reply by Fabrigas O'brian on February 4, 2012 at 10:45am

Your fluorite is so cheap in the uk all our flourite comes from USA so it cost extra for quarrntine shipping post and package is it was less expensive I would consider mixing but for now dirts fine

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Permalink Reply by Vince on February 3, 2012 at 4:05pm

I would just add dirt, you can add and mix all kinds of stuff, but dirt along with good lighting and fish waste is all you need.

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Permalink Reply by Keith the Aquatard on February 4, 2012 at 12:59pm

I have a 29 with about 50/50, dirt base mixed with peat moss and raw clay, capped with eco complete, which is very similar to florite.  I have had great success with this, maybe think about capping the dirt with florite.

 

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Permalink Reply by Fabrigas O'brian on February 4, 2012 at 4:05pm

Is I could find a fine grade of flourite I would becoz it's surprisingly easier to plant things in sand although if they don't have good roots...u get the idea 

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Permalink Reply by GSP on February 8, 2012 at 7:03pm

Buy bulk hydroponics dry ferts, not the expensive watered down aquarium brand ferts.

Buy something around 500-1000g of each of these:
KNO3 - Potassium Nitrate
KH2PO4 - Mono Potassium Phosphate
MgSO4 - Magnesium Sulphate

And buy around 100g+ of this:
Chelated Trace mineral mix (Plantex CSM+B or store equivalent)
[with 7% Iron, also including manganese, zinc, copper, boron, and molybdenum]

Should cost under $40, 20-40 anyways. Will last you years! no kidding.

Ferts are not expensive. you are jsut used to paying waterd down high marked-upped aquarium products.

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Permalink Reply by Fabrigas O'brian on February 9, 2012 at 3:44am

see the thing is the uk dont sell verry many aquarium poducts so if i were to get that product it would cost me double ecoz of shipping then posting...  what to convert to dirt becoz there are alot of places that sell cheap dirt thats organic

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Permalink Reply by GSP on February 9, 2012 at 6:20pm

There are lots of options for you. I may not live in the UK but I have plenty of fishkeeping friends that do, and they can find many cheap alternatives right in their own hometowns!

Again you talk about using "aquarium products" I have been saying that everything branded as an "Aquarium product" commands higher prices- so if you buy products that arent, or arent meant for fishkeeping, then the cost is very low!

Consider that many are using Tesco Cat litter- which is Molar clay. Forgive the punn, but it's DIRT CHEAP, and has several big benifits. It's the perfect size for plant tanks. It has a high CEC (Cation Exchange Capacity-look it up if you dont understand), and it also has high content of IRON, and likely other minerals. It works VERY well, and is a complete substrate, no need for layering other things into it.

It seems to be far superior to even Fluorite.

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