This is my first real experience with having a planted tank, and so far (after about a month) the plants seem to be doing pretty well. I have water wisteria, java fern, and amazon swords. I haven't yet added fish in, as it's just at the last part of cycling. I'm planning on adding driftwood shortly, as apparently this substrate helps neutralise the tannins that would seep out and discolor the water.
I do not have a green thumb (at all, haha!), and so far I'm surprised none of my plants have melted or given me any trouble. I've even pruned some of the wisteria in half (twice) and it still seems to be doing well! I agree with the other reviews to wash the substrate well -even then, it took my tank almost 2 days to become perfectly clear. If I disturb the substrate now it'll be cloudy for an hour or two, but always becomes crystal clear afterwards. A filter definitely speeds up the process. Sometimes my plants become a bit dusty, but if I brush them any of the dust comes right off. The pH has been lower (in the 6-7 range), so if that's a major concern for you I would look at getting a different substrate.
Would I recommend it or use it again? Definitely!
I did read that you can use regular sterile potting soil or peat for aquatic plants, but as I haven't tried that yet this seems to be a good alternative. It says on the package not to mix different substrates (sand, gravel, etc) with this particular stratum, and as I haven't tried that either I can't say what will happen! In my non-scientific opinion, it would probably just look a bit funky.
Good luck with your own planted aquarium, and I hope you'll have as much fun as I have!
very good stuff, anything i put in my 8g fluval grows like crazy. i have seachem sand i also like, gravel plants do fine. but this stuff is great. its a lil hard to keep some plants down but once they root its off the the races. i am growing some HC with great results its pearling like crazy.
just so you know what else im using in the 8g.
2 fluval 13w lights
under gravel heater
zoomed canister filter
5lb co2 tank with fluval diffuser
only a betta in it...
im planning on using this for my future 75g discus tank. either this or ada aquasoil witch ever is cheaper. they are basically the same thing.
if you want to check my tank out here is a link...
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THis product does exactly what it says it does. It did have a lot of residue to wash out. I put running water through it in a collander several times and it still has black dust coming off of it. I take this as the nature of the product and not a defect. Make sure when you put it in your tank you do so at a low level close to the bottom and don't drop it from the top. It takes a good 24+ hours for the water to compleatly clear up and settle. I would recomment it for your stratum.
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This was my first start in planted aquarium making. This substrate was there right price and right amount of material I needed to fill in my nano tank. It is initially very very dusty like they all say..I did a lot of rinsing. But there is something I tried that seemed to be very effective:
Rise as much as you possibly can. After that, place in your tank and carefully pour water in it as to not agitate the substrate further. After that, let your filter run and take out some of the dust and let the particles settle. After that is done, do a 50% water change, clean off your filter and carefully re-fill the tank. Wait for your tank to start making its nitrogen cycle then add fish. After that first water change, the water came out very very clear. If you wish, do another partial water change but I shouldn't be necessary.
It is time consuming, but it is worth it for your plants.
The plants I put in there a few days ago are already growing long white roots through the substrate. It seems the plants really like this material. I would by this again.
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This stuff is great and the price was right. (warehouse deal) the only complaint is this is very unstable. Messing with it turns it into mud so be careful how much you move it around as it is light clay and breaks apart easily. I only got it cause of the discounted price. I wouldn't use it to redo my whole large tank, I'd use a more cost effective product. But for a small tank it works pretty well.
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I bought the 24" version from That Pet Place, and after realized that I paid more than the Mfr's Suggested Retail price of $46. While I love the moonlight LED's affect on my 26 Gal. Flat Back Hex freshwater tank, I don't like paying more than the Mfr. suggests I pay. I called TPP and a mgr. gave me what I wanted, a $7.59 product for free. All the other sizes are priced below MSRP at TPP, so I think my price was a mistake. I also, have called and emailed the Mfr with two questions: 1. What is the wattage per LED, and 2. Does the spectrum of these LED's have any kind of beneficial affect on live plants? They have been unresponsive so far after 5 days, and someone at R2 Soultions said the one person that can answer my question on "spectrum" would answer me three days ago. However, I am definitely enjoying these moonlights that I leave on all night, since they don't seem to disturb the sleep of my fish.
