# T-SORB ?



## jake37 (Mar 18, 2021)

Why do people put T-SORB in their tank and if you put a fine substrate on top of it will T-SORB stayed covered or will the two eventually mix as the small particle settle ?


----------



## Steven F (Aug 1, 2021)

I had to look up T-SORB. I had never heard of it. It is any absorbent clay. Clays are know to absorb and hold on to nutrients. So over time it can become a source of nutrients a plant can use. Two different layers of materials in a substrate will eventually mix.


----------



## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi @jake37

I found mixing substrates to be a pain. Whenever I pulled a plant the bottom substrate would come up with the roots of the plants. I've used Safe-t-sorb for about 9 years and it is a good, high CEC substrate and grows plants very well. I've also used HTH Pool Filter Sand, which is inert and has no CEC, and grown plants just fine with that as well. I would suggest just using one substrate. -Roy

10 gallon with Safe-t-sorb low tech (no CO2), low light [email protected]









30 gallon with HTH Pool Filter Sand, w/CO2


----------



## jake37 (Mar 18, 2021)

Seattle_Aquarist said:


> Hi @jake37
> 
> I found mixing substrates to be a pain. Whenever I pulled a plant the bottom substrate would come up with the roots of the plants. I've used Safe-t-sorb for about 9 years and it is a good, high CEC substrate and grows plants very well. I've also used HTH Pool Filter Sand, which is inert and has no CEC, and grown plants just fine with that as well. I would suggest just using one substrate. -Roy
> 
> ...


Yea if i used t-sorb I would want to cover it with something finer and it sounds like over time I cannot depend on a fine substrate on the surface. Is HTH pool filter sand rounded or does it have sharp edges that would injure digger/earth eaters? Also do they have one product or multiple product. If multiple product which is safe ?


----------



## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi @jake37 

HTH Pool Filter Sand comes in one color......white. Unlike 'sand' which is typically a mixture of different stones along with pieces of shell, coral, and limestone all of which can effect the pH and hardness of my tanks the HTH Pool Filter Sand is actually >99% silicone dioxide which is totally inert. The grain size is uniform, fine, and smooth. Best of all if it starts to look "dirty" I just siphon off the top 1/8" and add fresh and it looks like new. In my planted tanks I use it with DIY Osmocote Plus root tabs...... one (1) size "00" tab per 10 gallons which covers the macro-nutrient requirements and augment it with Seachem Flourish Comprehensive for my micro-nutrients. If you use Osmocote Plus root tabs they need 2" - 3" below the surface or excess ammonia which they contain will leach into the water column. -Roy 
75 gallon with HTH Pool Filter Sand & CO2


----------

