# Prepping Flourite Substrate?



## jeffrey richard (Jan 10, 2007)

Ill be setting up a 20 gallon tank with Flourite. I will have crypts planted. 

Any recommendations for prepping or adding to the Flourite?

Thanks


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## Kelley (Aug 27, 2006)

Rinse, rinse, rinse, rinse that fluorite! It's dusty! Here is a link with some good info on substrates. http://www.rexgrigg.com/substrate.htm Actually, I recommend reading the whole guide.

I would add just a sprinkling of peat as an underlayer. Otherwise well-rinsed fluorite is good stuff. Some people also like to use seachem's root tabs, too.

Good luck with those crypts!


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## Laith (Sep 4, 2004)

First, as Kelley said, rinse, rinse, rinse... when you think you've rinsed enough, rinse some more.  

Very thin layer of peat (so thin that you can see the glass bottom) on the bottom of the tank.

If you can get some mulm from an established tank, add it on the peat.

Add the Flourite.

Flourite is a great substrate but a pain to rinse...


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## Glouglou (Feb 21, 2006)

*Flourite*

Personally, I will mix some Turface and if not available Soilmaster to the mix to add som CEC (Cation Exchange capacity) to the soil, that will help to capture nutrients from the water column.

Flourite have a low CEC
CEC = 1.7 
PH= 5.5

I will be concern with Flourite giving to much of an acidic soil. There I will mix some marble or/and crush oisters to buffer a little bit. You can do some test with adding measure proportion of materials to distill water until you get what you want...

Soilmaster
CEC=19
PH=6

Turface black (gray)
CEC=41.1
PH=6.2

You can have some infos on CEC and substrat comparaison at:
http://home.infinet.net/teban/jamie.htm


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

I've always used Flourite straight without adding to it. Here is a good link for rinsing the Flourite... http://aquaden.com/phpBB2/articles2.php?type=washfluorite


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## DonaldmBoyer (Aug 18, 2005)

Do as everyone suggested; however, you can add a small layer of EcoComplete or sand on top (less than half inch) for asthetics, if you want.......you don't want too much, or it will compact and cause stagnation.


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